{"id":68,"date":"2024-05-18T09:00:13","date_gmt":"2024-05-18T09:00:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/scottysblog.com\/spain-the-final-countdown\/"},"modified":"2024-05-18T09:00:13","modified_gmt":"2024-05-18T09:00:13","slug":"spain-the-final-countdown","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/scottysblog.com\/home\/spain-the-final-countdown\/","title":{"rendered":"Spain – the final countdown"},"content":{"rendered":"

Only two days to go here now – and the time has actually flown. H and I made the most of our last few days together on our own, keeping up our morning walks\/cycles – much to my phone's consternation, as it keeps telling me how much more exercise I am doing this month compared to all others, I can virtually hear the surprise in its tone.. And of course, popping to the beach and all the lovely little places round here, to make the most of everything. <\/p>\n

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Mark & Charlie arrived on Sunday, of course screaming at pace down our quiet little street in a Fiat 500, hooting all the way…which pretty much set the tone for the next few days.<\/p>\n

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We dragged them out on our walks too, and they made the most of the in-house gym, which H & I have again totally ignored. Did a cracking 2 mile yomp up the main beach at speed to get our exercise and then stopped at 5-6 of the beach bars in the way back, for gins, aperols – and some fizzy waters in between for me – plus chocos (cuttlefish), prawns, croquettas etc for lunch on the go in each one.<\/p>\n

Plus a fab dinner at a hilltop restaurant overlooking the water for H's and my wedding anniversary – 13 years since we got married on Friday 13th… who would've thought it?<\/p>\n

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Did a cracking bike ride through the pretty woods and trees at the far end of Chiclana on a purpose built path out to another stretch of coast above Roche, overlooking Conil – still wishing I'd packed my cycle shorts but we made it.<\/p>\n

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And topped off our 5 days together with a trip down to a major windsurfing \/ kiteboarding and whatever they call that thing where you're on a tiny surfboard and can jump it out of the water to ride on your rudder only using a kite… I suspect it has a shorter name than that. Lunch overlooking the beach and all the kites and sails whizzing about at Bibo beach club, big thanks to M&C for treating us (again!) Even had a final stop at some roman ruins on the way back to tick the culture box for the trip.<\/p>\n

Though I suspect the moment we will still be laughing about for years to come was one of the mid week nights, when we were cycling back after a fab dinner at El Arbol in town, with admittedly a few G&Ts and wine in us. It's only a mile or so, so a 5 min ride, and Mark decided he would put a spurt on to beat H back to the villa. He was in the last 200 yards as he passed the last turning before our one, only for a Spanish police van to pull out of the totally quiet, residential street – and to pull him over. I was thinking  'crap, we've got no lights and it's now just got dark – he's going to get a fine for that'.<\/p>\n

'Have you been drinking sir?' <\/p>\n

'Well, um, yes'<\/p>\n

(H, who had stopped with him, thinking – 'yes, quite a few')<\/p>\n

They put on their police jackets and got out – and handed Mark a breathalyser. Somehow – god knows how – he was only just a smidge over the limit and they let him go, on the condition they walked their bikes the remaining few yards back home. A lucky escape – though Charlie & I had wanted to stop for an ice cream en route, so if they hadn't cycled on, they'd have missed the coppers. Moral of the story – always choose the ice cream.<\/p>\n

Anyway – a beach day is lined up for today and tomorrow before H drops me at the airport on Mon. Back to the English drizzle\/dotted sun, I'll try and bring more of the golden stuff back with me x x <\/p>\n

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Only two days to go here now – and the time has actually flown. 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