Started the day with a swim in the sea, then did aquagym in the pool followed by more swimming. After a siesta ,we  went for a walk along the beach.

I should be getting quite fit by now.

The car is repaired. We’re mobile again and had a great day exploring inland Catalonia. You only need to go five to ten miles inland to see the non commercial real Spain. Lovely scenery, very little traffic and pretty villages.

Well, I’ve no idea who St Joan is, but the Spanish certainly go big on him (or her). After the traumas of Sunday, which Ann’s previous blog barely touches upon, we were fairly desperate for a day to recuperate. Fat chance! Loud explosions began at about 7pm. The Spanish have worked out how to create an unbelievable amount of noise by setting off large bangers in massive metal waste bins. Decorations appeared all around the site accompanied by loud music and delicious cooking smells as groups of up to thirty people got together to eat all around the campsite. The sky was full of technicolour explosions for several hours, even before the main display which took place on the beach at midnight. The Spanish attitude to fireworks would have English elf n safety bods wetting themselves. Hundreds of people simply descended on the beach or any other convenient open space and set off explosive devices whenever and wherever they felt like it without the slightest concern about where they were pointed and who they might hit. We saw two year olds being encouraged to hold rocket launchers and five or six year olds wandering about with lighted tapers and pockets full of bangers. Didn’t see any injuries but the local beach safety hut was accidentally burned to the ground! At about 12.30 three canoes came into the beach carrying costumed figures bearing lighted torches which they used to set a long strip of the beach alight. Everybody then hurdled the flames to bring good luck for the rest of the year. Loud random explosions continued until after 4am, and we began to realise why the incessant shelling at the battle of the Somme drove people mad!
We got the Beast fixed today, and are hoping that it holds together this time. We are both fairly stressed as a lot of small things keep going wrong (this is the third time I’ve tried to post a blog this week and it has failed twice previously). Ann’s ankles are not healing as quickly as she had hoped, we had a huge thunderstorm which flooded our plot completely, we have left some stuff that we should have brought with us in Jalon, and the noise on the site is horrendous. On the other hand we have met a lot of people from several different countries lately who have shown us real kindness and consideration, which tends to confirm one’s faith in human nature. Hopefully we can pick ourselves up and get things back on track soon. All the best. Andy.

There was an enormous bang from the front of the car on the motorway going up to Tamarit Resort, Tarragona.
The exhaust has blown again! This time at the front of the car. We limped slowly into the next services and we were told there is no chance of any emergency service on a Sunday, and Monday and Tuesday are public holidays. (They are always having fiestas in Spain) We were at a loss about what to do next.
We had been reading all these articles in the press about how gangs are preying on foreign tourists with various scams on the motorways along the coast. We were feeling pretty vulnerable.
Our faith in human nature was restored when a lorry driver from the Ukraine came over. He spoke no English or Spanish but he spent an hour and a half doing a temporary repair for us. We communicated in hand signals only. Whoever he was, we will always be grateful!
We arrived safely to find the Tamarit Park is not quite the same quiet place it was in September. The site is full, the pool is crowded, the beach is busy,and there will be fireworks and dancing on the beach at midnight tonight!

We spent today cleaning, sorting and packing. This time we really are leaving Jalon. We seem to have been saying ‘Goodbye’ to people for ages.

Quite looking forward to being on the road again!

Alun’s friends are Andy and Ann who both enjoy trips in their caravan

Their travel plans were suspended when Ann was upended so they had to hang on in Jalon

His talents he tells us are many and sparkling, they include all forms of art and debarking

But to Ann’s great amazement when down on the pavement, they unfortunately don’t include parking!!

Brilliant Alun, Thank you!!

We’ve somewhat reluctantly started packing to leave for Tarragona, mainly because we are waiting with baited breath for something else to go wrong as it inevitably seems to when we make plans! Ann is at least walking short distances now, and we have returned the wheelchair and zimmer frame to Jalon Valley Help (to whom many thanks for their assistance). However, speed of recovery has now slowed somewhat and Ann will need to do a lot of rehab exercise in the next few weeks if she is to get full mobility back.

We had our final concert of the season on Saturday, which went really well. The last couple were for Easter which meant nearly all religious music, so it was good to get stuck in to some secular stuff. We combined for the finale with another MVC to do four songs, and with over sixty voices made a really good sound. I must admit I get a real buzz from it, and wish I had learned to play an instrument and read music when I was young. I remember being sat in the back row of the chapel at Cottesmore school and being told not to sing as I was a “growler”. Thus are our futures shaped! We had a meal with Alun (Bonecrusher) and Ann Price at a massive great Chinese buffet place called WOK afterwards. Excellent company, especially with the Welsh having got hammered at rugby that afternoon, and the food was ok but on a somewhat industrial scale.  

After several days of blazing heat the weather here has broken. It is much cooler (only about 24C) and thunder is rumbling in the mountains. Everyone is hoping it will bring some rain, although it would be a case of far too little far too late as far as the farmers are concerned. We are leaving on Sunday morning and the wifi where we are going is pretty iffy, so don’t be surprised if communication is somewhat sporadic.

Steven, if you read this please look at your e/mail and let me have a reply. If anyone is in touch with him, please forward the message!

Must go, a bit of domestic godding to do. Looking forward to seeing everyone at the end of July. Andy.   

I didn’t realise that I was married to a brilliant sports injuries therapist, excellent cook and domestic god!! Andy has cared for me amazingly well and my recovery has been quite fast.

I can walk about 300 meters, get in and out of the pool, swim and do some aquafit and get around the house without the wheelchair. The bruises have almost disappeared and there is not much pain.

We’ll be off to Tarragona in two weeks time. I’m ready for the next adventure.