Staying put

News No 7

So …. we have now been here on site for a week – the longest we have ever stayed in one place in our seven years of motoroming. And what do we think of 'rallying' so far? Well, a bit like the curate's egg – good in parts!

It is interesting that it was only last night when we first had a conversation with anyone about where they, and we had been in our motorhomes. Of course a lot of the people here are caravanners … our view has always been that caravanners like to go somewhere, pitch up and stay put. Here some have found their ultimate expression of good caravanning, where the typical rallyer stays 3 months, with a good many staying longer – anything up to six months; and they will have rallied in the winter in Spain anything from 4 to as many as 15 times before – often at this same campsite every year. And there are a good few motorhomers who follow this pattern too, it seems.

So everybody knows everybody – unless of course you're a first-timer, in which case (some) people will be initially friendly, but when they hear we are ONLY STAYING FOR A MONTH!!!! decide we must be a bit strange and clearly start to loose interest. “ Oh now, we wouldn't travel home until March, not until we can be sure that it's warmer and all the roads will be clear” [to be fair, sensible if you're towing a caravan, which can't, like a motorhome easily stop for 24-48 hrs to wait for the roads to be cleared if it does turn to snow.

Adventure is not the name of the game for most people here, not our kind of adventure anyway – we have been given directions of where to find the best breakfasts [including, again, to be fair Spanish breakfast as well as English, albeit obviously something like a mixed-grill fry-up], bacon sandwiches and fish and chips. We have yet to hear where is the best place to go for a really good paella or sea-food restaurant.

So what are the good parts? Well of course the sun shines, mostly, and it's quite nice and warm – about 18-20 most days, which means it's lovely for getting out and about. We've done a couple of walks – both up the hills (mountains?) behind us in the regional park. Well worth going for the views when you get to the top.

It's good for cycling (for us!) as it's mostly flat around the edge of the Mar Menor [it's not a lake, it's the 'Minor Sea', the Mediterranean being the 'Mar Major'] There's plenty going on with both the rally stewards and the site organising things, as well as individuals organising the walks, pilates (which we went to this week – we won't be quite so out-of touch when we get back home to our usual class), quizes, cycle rides etc. The really good thing is that there is no pressure to 'join in' – everyone can take it or leave it as it suits them, which is fine with us.

While on a cycle ride we were introduced to a little bar serving tapas; we order a small selection, and unlike in our previous experience of tapas bars, these were not little nibbles, but generous portions – so that was lunch sorted out that day. Of course there is the benefit of cheap prices, not just for alcoholic drinks, but for just about everything, thanks to our currently strong pound. This has resulted in us eating out more often than we usually would -well with our lasagne and a glass of wine each costing £10 for us both, why wouldn't you?

There is a restaurant on the site which we are told is very good but which we have yet to try. We might have gone today for Sunday lunch, but are going instead to a 'bring your own barbeque, which should be sociable.

Which brings us to people. Well of course there are all sorts of people and with the large numbers on this site there are bound to be all sorts here. We have met several we get on with and rather more who we won't bother with.

We have got our Christmas decorations up:

Most people have made an effort with decorating outside their caravans/motorhomes, though I'm afraid that we have made no contribution to the display. It's a lot better than the efforts made by our neighbours at home, which is essentially nothing. The photo doesn't really do justice to the efforts people have made.

I think we have more decorations up than there are in the shops – it is MUCH more low key here than is is at home, and there is an almost complete absence of piped Christmas music – we have been spared 'jingle bells' entirely so far, which is definitely a big plus for us. Apparently Christmas Day is an almost normal day here. The supermarkets are shut, but restaurants will be open apparently (we've booked for the Christmas day lunch at the camp restaurant, which overlooks the Mar Menor). Christmas Eve is more important for feasting for the Spanish and presents are given on Epiphany on January 6^th, when the Wise Men came with their presents.

So now we have been to the barbeque, which did prove to be a very sociable affair. We've certainly never spent the shortest day of the year having a bbq before.

 nex

That's all till next time