Monday 24th February

Time to move on to my main destination – I am packed up neatly but EVERYTHING is covered in the yellow pollen dust that falls from the trees on site. It’s a mess.

I initially think I’ll look out for a car wash en route, in France they often have space for motorhomes but, then again, you shouldn’t use a jet-wash on a motorhome as it can weaken/remove the mastic which keeps the motorhome water-tight, so it would have to be one with a controllable flow. Probably too difficult to solve.

I set off from the site for the first time on my own; it’s good to get going. I stop for fuel before joining the motorway – good price at €1.249 – I think the cheapest we’ve seen. It’s a bit of a stretch for the cable and I have to shunt the motorhome back a bit to get it to reach. All good, I fill to the brim.

The journey is good; I stop at a motorway service station for elevenses to find I have to climb over the bridge to the other side. But it is worth it – a coffee and a lovely apple tart. Behind the counter the Spanish services are in full preparation mode for lunch ……… massive trays of freshly prepared, enticing paella, meat and fish dishes and salads – ‘proper food’ at reasonable prices. Nothing like the rip-off food UK motorway service stations offer.

Never, ever, ever follow the SatNav directions for the last few miles to your campsite!! Plan ahead; see what the site suggests; look at a map; plan, plan, plan. I know this advice, I really do, however, I did not utilise this advice as I approached Playa Tropicana!!

I turned off the motorway and let the SatNav take me immediately right (instead of what should, in hindsight, have been left continuing on the main road). The motorhome is 7.05m/25′ long (with the bike rack); 2.22m/7’3″ wide and 2.98m/9’9″ high – it’s big!! The road started off wide enough for two vehicles but then became narrower and narrower with attractive but scratchy stone walls on each side. It was only about 4km from the motorway to the site, but it was 4km of gritted teeth and terror!! Yes, I did think about turning round, but that also would’ve been pretty difficult.

At one point I passed a farm with buildings on either side of the narrow road; an older gentleman on a disability scooter was crossing from one side to the other; the shock on his face at seeing this enormous vehicle in such a narrow lane was akin to my own expression.

I came to a junction where the SatNav said to turn right; the road indicated wasn’t entirely covered with tarmac so, as you can imagine, I hesitated, but then I could see the tops of caravans just a field away so I went with it and bounced along this back-road until finally popping out just past the site – phew!!

Welcome to Camping Playa Tropicana!!

I was welcomed by Reception and then welcomed by the Camping & Caravanning Club’s Deputy Stewards (lovely people); there was a slight frustration as the CCC hadn’t issued me with a ‘Camping Card International’ when I made my booking and, even though I had two other equivalent cards, I had to ring up CCC and pay £5 to get one. Grrrrr. However, I was then shown to my pitch – Y3. I’m very pleased with it – away from the main melee, near, but not too near, the facilities block, in a cul-de-sac with just 6 pitches and already friendly neighbours. Check out those trees with no leaves watch their progress later. PS – I can hear the sea from my pitch!!

Mileage – Vilanova Park, Vilanova i la Geltrú to Playa Tropicana, Alcossebre = 128 miles

http://www.campingplayatropicana.com/?lang=EN

Total Mileage – Storage to Alcossebre = 1380 miles