And it rained, and rained and rained today.
I got a little bored, I made coffee, I tidied up the van, did a few domestics....
Didn't take long, its not very big :)
Miha and Rok turned up for a coffee about 1130 and I sold Miha a pair of climbing shoes from my collection. There really is Scottish blood in me somewhere.
I'd mentioned that I needed to try again to get a Spanish sim card and Tobias mentioned he had to fly home, so it made sense to give him a lift to the airport. With Sparky's past history I was scared he wouldn't start after 5 days sat doing nothing and I'd be hunting for a volunteer to help jump start. Nose in of course, just for full awkwardness.....
But, first turn of the key he leapt into life and purred like the fine tuned Italian thoroughbred he is... Ok ok, the Fiat Ducato... Diesel.
Honestly, I think he likes me.... I think we're developing some kind of 'van - man' relationship. I fix the odd little thing and tidy up, and he rewards me with faultless behaviour. He positively purred along the CV35 down into Valencia while Tobias and I chatted away, and Toby even commented on how good he was. We felt so proud :)
We were on the look out for low bridges at the airport but no harm became us and it was one of the easiest airport drop-offs of recent history. I like Tobias a lot. A strikingly handsome chap with piercing blue eyes (don't get too big headed now Toby), but really nice, polite and charming with it. We chatted about coming to Kalymnos in the autumn. If he comes I'll direct him to another store I think....!
I'm growing very fond of my German friends, apart from those that don't like me blocking there view of course, They have had a heavy historical weight to carry, and finally there are signs in the younger generations at least, that its lifting. I'm not a political beast at all, I just know what I see and hear, and every one of the guys and girls I've met has been humorous, warm, and super bright too, very aware of world politics and of course shaming us 'Brits' with excellent English.... And all the Czech's and Slovenians here are all so warm and friendly too, again with superb English. I wish we were taught a language in primary.... and I wish it wasn't a subject choice in secondary. We are so far behind the rest of Europe with language. I do feel a tinge of embarrassment everywhere I go to be honest.
I picked Greek. I like a challenge!!
Back up to Lliria and the second episode off 'Spanish sim'. Passport eventually retrieved from a reluctant safe that refused point blank to open for feckin ages, and off I jogged to battle the lingo at Vodafone. Some time later I left armed with a whole Gigabite of data, and Themis on the facebook phone.
Together we roamed the isles of Carrefour trying to get pin numbers working, laughing like drains at the row upon row of meat in all shapes and sizes, fish of every kind perched on trays just behind the meat counters. I told her what I needed and she would tell me the Spanish and I walked from isle to isle looking for my washing powder, shower gel and filter coffee, all the while talking a weird combination of English, bad Greek, and terrible Spanish as I went. We had a ball, and its hard to believe we were so far apart. It was a fun way to spend half an hour.
The drive back to Chulilla was fine. I really enjoyed being out in the van today and felt like once Steve arrives, we'll climb for a week to ten days max and hopefully move onto to a new challenge. I feel my itchy feet kicking in (could be the new cleanliness regime?) and driving today was an enjoyable reminder that there are many more places to see.
I emptied the grey tanks and loo and managed to be brave and park in the square for a little while as I filled the fresh water tank from the spring. Nobody seemed to mind and the lady from the Tabac even stopped to say buenos dias, como esta as she walked to the store. Miha had happened along and was holding the hose into the van while I pressed the tap in. This process took longer than I'd hoped but eventually I squeezed Sparky through the main street, back to the car park where I played among the remaining spaces to try and find the best, most level spot, without a huge puddle!
Job done, it was dinner time, and then a stroll down to the pub to write, sip the nice house plonk and try and converse with Mr Suay. Its hard but entertaining.
The forecast is good.
Tomorrow, we climb. I'm going to dig out my shorts tonight :)
Tobias and Nic
Miha at the wheel of his van
I got a little bored, I made coffee, I tidied up the van, did a few domestics....
Didn't take long, its not very big :)
Miha and Rok turned up for a coffee about 1130 and I sold Miha a pair of climbing shoes from my collection. There really is Scottish blood in me somewhere.
I'd mentioned that I needed to try again to get a Spanish sim card and Tobias mentioned he had to fly home, so it made sense to give him a lift to the airport. With Sparky's past history I was scared he wouldn't start after 5 days sat doing nothing and I'd be hunting for a volunteer to help jump start. Nose in of course, just for full awkwardness.....
But, first turn of the key he leapt into life and purred like the fine tuned Italian thoroughbred he is... Ok ok, the Fiat Ducato... Diesel.
Honestly, I think he likes me.... I think we're developing some kind of 'van - man' relationship. I fix the odd little thing and tidy up, and he rewards me with faultless behaviour. He positively purred along the CV35 down into Valencia while Tobias and I chatted away, and Toby even commented on how good he was. We felt so proud :)
We were on the look out for low bridges at the airport but no harm became us and it was one of the easiest airport drop-offs of recent history. I like Tobias a lot. A strikingly handsome chap with piercing blue eyes (don't get too big headed now Toby), but really nice, polite and charming with it. We chatted about coming to Kalymnos in the autumn. If he comes I'll direct him to another store I think....!
I'm growing very fond of my German friends, apart from those that don't like me blocking there view of course, They have had a heavy historical weight to carry, and finally there are signs in the younger generations at least, that its lifting. I'm not a political beast at all, I just know what I see and hear, and every one of the guys and girls I've met has been humorous, warm, and super bright too, very aware of world politics and of course shaming us 'Brits' with excellent English.... And all the Czech's and Slovenians here are all so warm and friendly too, again with superb English. I wish we were taught a language in primary.... and I wish it wasn't a subject choice in secondary. We are so far behind the rest of Europe with language. I do feel a tinge of embarrassment everywhere I go to be honest.
I picked Greek. I like a challenge!!
Back up to Lliria and the second episode off 'Spanish sim'. Passport eventually retrieved from a reluctant safe that refused point blank to open for feckin ages, and off I jogged to battle the lingo at Vodafone. Some time later I left armed with a whole Gigabite of data, and Themis on the facebook phone.
Together we roamed the isles of Carrefour trying to get pin numbers working, laughing like drains at the row upon row of meat in all shapes and sizes, fish of every kind perched on trays just behind the meat counters. I told her what I needed and she would tell me the Spanish and I walked from isle to isle looking for my washing powder, shower gel and filter coffee, all the while talking a weird combination of English, bad Greek, and terrible Spanish as I went. We had a ball, and its hard to believe we were so far apart. It was a fun way to spend half an hour.
The drive back to Chulilla was fine. I really enjoyed being out in the van today and felt like once Steve arrives, we'll climb for a week to ten days max and hopefully move onto to a new challenge. I feel my itchy feet kicking in (could be the new cleanliness regime?) and driving today was an enjoyable reminder that there are many more places to see.
I emptied the grey tanks and loo and managed to be brave and park in the square for a little while as I filled the fresh water tank from the spring. Nobody seemed to mind and the lady from the Tabac even stopped to say buenos dias, como esta as she walked to the store. Miha had happened along and was holding the hose into the van while I pressed the tap in. This process took longer than I'd hoped but eventually I squeezed Sparky through the main street, back to the car park where I played among the remaining spaces to try and find the best, most level spot, without a huge puddle!
Job done, it was dinner time, and then a stroll down to the pub to write, sip the nice house plonk and try and converse with Mr Suay. Its hard but entertaining.
The forecast is good.
Tomorrow, we climb. I'm going to dig out my shorts tonight :)
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