Time to head South!

The last post hinted that the weather for our last few days on Mainland Europe was "disappointing". There were spots of good luck, but expectations about what can happen at this time of year were met! Our last full day was just solid rain. We had jobs to do, and were warm enough inside, but kept looking out from the terrace and retreating. At one point we made it out to the street and just came straight back in to create a lunch from leftovers. There was no scope for "last looks round" or special last suppers. We took a disintegrating umbrella to one of the nearest places that evening and then came "home"!
A bit of good fortune in that next morning it wasn't actually raining as we performed the check-out rituals and loaded the bikes on the rack! Then we had an easy drive out of the city to pick up the A9 and head south. It was dry, but just as we passed Perpignan airport (where Greyrocks traditionally looks to see if late Gaddafi's plane is still there!) the rain started and followed us for three days! It is not the first time we have crossed the Pyrenees in heavy rain, and this was not the worst; and at least we knew the route to Roses!

Umbrellas not parasols this time!

We stayed two nights in our favourite little hotel, and how different it was from just a month previous! We arrived around lunchtime and the parking lot was one big puddle. We shared amazed laughs with the lady of the house and she lent us a big umbrella so we could get across to one of our regular haunts for a late lunch. There we stayed for as long as was reasonable, bought an over-priced bottle of wine from the shop next door and waddled back to stay in all afternoon and evening. Next day was little better - and also cold - so we went to the supermarket and stocked up for a similar catering model! Somewhere along the line we manged a rain-free hour or so to prepare Yvette for the winter, and our baggage for the Canary flight. Good food and wine on both days - as usual - but not according to schedule!

We left Yvette in the usual capable hands and then spent hours in Girona airport during a time when there were literally no flights in or out. The bus was half an hour late, and it was cold at the bus stop. Fingers were crossed that it wouldn't be raining when we got to Barcelona airport and/or that the hotel shuttle wouldn't be too much later. Half right:- long cold wait but no rain, and further good news was that after a stay in April that was disappointing the room and meal were both good this time! In the morning, however, we woke to serious rain, and we got drenched getting to and from the shuttle. Vueling now have very efficient self-check-in machines, so that bit, and security were soon done and we faced another long wait. At the gate they were casting around for volunteers as the flight was over-booked, and that set the tone! There was no jetty at the gate and were driven out to the plane, where a full load of passengers waited on ground or stairs in the heavy rain to board. There was a protracted dispute about some seat that delayed us, and we both had infuriating seating neighbours. In removing a rucksack Ruth wrenched tendons on her little finger (still causing pain four weeks later!) We arrived only a shade late, and were we pleased??

Greyrocks had come through these last few days of cold and rain in the belief that the Canaries were having a better time; but as he drove us home Dave told us of the previous week's remarkable rain storms. That cheered us up a bit!!