Travels and accommodation across France and Spain
One of the many beautiful areas of Margalef - the perk of the van being it's possible to just pull up at the bottom of the cliff and make it your accommodation for a night.
It's been a fun trip so far. Days where I've got my climbing hat on (focused on climbing the stunning rock of Spain), and others where I'm just enjoying the time hanging out with Naomi. A nice way to split the time.
Highlights and lowlights of the first week:
- The worst ferry crossing I've ever been on. We've all probably seen videos of chairs shooting across the ferry as it bucks and sways, it was that sort of journey. I'm lucky I don't get sea sick but I suspect I was one of the few.....
- Finding out who well set up France is for campervans: small park areas you can drive into with private gates, self service credit card payments at the entrance and full facilities. Impressive.
- Realizing just how nice it is to be based from a van. The independence to move around as you please, stop wherever is interesting, and just be completely unsupported. Definitely the way forward. Also pondering how Spain has not gotten around to organising proper camping facilities/areas for all the vans/campers - see previous note about France.
- Popping into the Margalef refugio - showing the genius of Spain for accommodation of this type: funded by the local community, all profits going back into the community. Smart.
- Climbing the amazing rock of Margalef again. This time it's a whole new area as it's so cold - spending a lot of time at the south-facing sector of Espadella. Fun fingery, pocket routes. Interesting. Training for a trip here? Work on technique, footwork (small footholds), movement, finger strength, and fitness/resistance.
- Meeting a couple of old friends we didn't expect to see and meeting, as always, a bunch of new friends. Lots of laughs and stories.
More to come.....