Wow its cold and the Shogun seats are not the most comfortable for sleeping in. Sleeping bag worked ok but my feet are freezing! At about 7am I manage to muster up enough Spanish to order a couple of coffees that I must admit was some of the best coffee I’ve ever had. One thing the Spanish do know is how to make proper coffee!
Get round to doing the daily checks… ummm cars eaten quite a lot of oil and have to put in about half a litre but I guess as we did over 600 miles yesterday that’s to be expected. Everything else seems ok but go to start her up and she starts for all of about 2 seconds before very nosily grinding to a thumping stop. Ok don’t panic do the normal check fuel supply and air supply first so out comes to toolbox. It’s REALLY cold and my tools all appear to be well below freezing but prime up the fuel filter again and give it another go. With a bit of persuasion and A LOT of black smoke we are back running again – fingers crossed this is a one off due to the cold. Very glad we changed the battery over before we left else about now with the old battery I would be trying to figure out the Spanish for ‘jump leads’.
On the road nice an early, its still pitch black at this stage but I get to drive though a glorious sun rise and when the sun comes up… guess what. NO SNOW!!!! It’s about time! We have plenty of time today to get to Tarifa, the first meeting point so the pressure is off, the stress gone and we can set about just enjoying the drive. And that I did. A lot! The sun was shining the temperature starting going up and some lovely driving through Merida, Seville, San Fernando and then on to Tarifa.
The final drive up to Tarifa was breath taking, the Spanish are really going for wind power down here and I can see why, the car was getting blown all across the road from the side winds – great fun :D. Wait I can actually see Morocco! We arrive at the hotel by 4pm and the first ones from group 3 to make it, a couple from the Banjul challenge are already here. Enough time to have a bath, smarten myself up and hit the bar. No driving tomorrow 😉
Tarifa, Andalusia, Spain and Canary Islands
Sunday, December 20, 2009
ODO Reading 156299
Miles covered: 364
