Alicante

We firmly settle ourselves here at Casa Rudo and begin to explore our neighbourhood

Alicante is around 24km away so we take Fozz there a couple of times to see what the city has to offer

A little like Malaga in appearance we think with an impressive Marina and boulevard

The flaw here is those market stalls acting as a magnet for the freshly arrived Nina…

Within minutes a very nice inexpensive dress was purchased which she left on as she said she was just too hot in what she came in..

A meander around a few back streets and a 'sherbert' later the Castle presented itself towering over the city below

Groans from the sweating tourists were followed by some intensive map searching on Maps.me to see if there's another way up there in this heat

Bingo!

A long cool tunnel is located and for a small fee we take the interior lift up through the rock

Oh No!

It looks like the Playmobil Community Fire Safety event has turned ugly, pesky kids!

Panoramic views up here and about two degrees cooler which is welcomed

The distant Bullring

'Sweaty Bettys'

Cooling off in her new dress...

These guys litter the place looking for trouble

That Marina

Go on I dare you!

You'll have someone's eye out!

Back down at sea level locals & tourists alike enjoy the local beaches

On both trips we enjoy several visits to the ubiquitous Tapas bars, and super value they are

There's a festival this week in Alicante and the streets are getting rigged out for some serious music, dancing and eating frenzies

No wonder then that I'm still suffering with 'Spanish Tummy'

The food looks nice enough but its all luke warm, open to the elements (flies) and its dead easy to drop a cigarette butt or wrist watch in to these strategically placed dishes. The keen eye will notice also there's no running water either. The Spanish are probably long since immune to our 'Northern" OCD but to a guy with 'the trots' its plainly obvious you eat at your peril here...

During our wander round we saw loads of these stalls setting up and roads closed for 'Fiesta Time'

This was our treat of the day, chocolate moose atop some tarty raspberries

What's left of that Armada

Some easy fishing to be had in the harbour

I really fancy a go on one of these

Our second trip to Alicante was rounded off nicely with these beauties (€10.00 for the G & T) sat watching the boats bobbing in the harbour and slowly cooking in the shade of a marina bar

We topped it off with a visit to the local Indian Restaurant on our return to Fozz and enjoyed a really nice meal surprisingly and our thoughts turned to the UK and its impending 'Brexit Vote'

La Azohia to Casa Rudo

The coast at La Azohia proves to be a real hit with us

Not only is it a few degrees cooler in the low thirties but there's a nice steady sea breeze too

We are parked on a rambla just 50m from the water's edge with a few other vans so settle down for three days next the sea

So nice to watch the sun go down then sit on the beach after midnight and cool off with G & Ts

The bikes are offloaded and we cycle along the coast to Puerto de Mazarrón taking an early break half way for coffee

Tapas is the order of the day as the heat rises and we spend a couple of hours cruising the several air conditioned shops

Back at base all we can manage is an evening stroll taking in a few beach bars

Having never had one of these snorkelling gismos I am keen to go drink lots of seawater and court trouble wherever it may wait

The last of 'Reggie Perrin'

Friday nights suddenly look more 'interesting'

Whilst an idyllic setting there's not much sleep to be had here as the beach bars don't close till 2am and the local kids love to stop up to stupid O'clock rabbiting away

This enormous pizza and an equally satisfyingly salad finished off our stay here nicely

North of Cartagena lies our next stop at Los Alcazares and we seem to have done well with our selection as its a short walk, in searing heat, to the beach and the kite surfing action

This turned out to be a real disaster…..

Having enjoyed some great tapas in the on site modern restaurant and locating ourselves nicely on the tarmac at the quiet far end of the almost deserted camper park, we turn in for the night late on and then have to now endure the local disco pumping out its loud music all night

When we arrived we were assured of a quiet night's sleep, much needed after a lack of it these past few days. So at 0830hrs when the shouting, whistling and pumping music finally stopped we packed up and made our way to reception…

Oh dear…

Whilst apologetic, the owner seems to be unable to grasp the nature of our gripe and not understand that had we known it was the opening night of the town disco we would not have stayed…

This must surely have been known to these guys as it is obviously a regular weekly event.

We left quite angered, exhausted and already composing a review for the site on our weapon of choice, Campercontact.nl

You took our money dishonestly and thats not on……

For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction!

Cheers Mr Newton…

Within hours this is the scene at Casa Rudo, a gem of a find and just what the Doc ordered

The price of entry on this tight private site is a busted back wheel but I am calm and we are here for the foreseeable future, planted…

€12.00 p/n inc Lekky & pool and space for just 4 vans

Surely one of the best we've discovered

Dorine & Rudi, both Flemish, are superb hosts and we are immediately invited to the weekly group meal that evening

My kind of paella

Mr Newton, having busted my wheel, gives these guys the ability to hang upside down over our heads

Next day we take Fozz to nearby Elche and endure the hot air blower that is the sea breeze

The glasses here were red hot

Shade temperature today

Nina's inflatable toy..