It seemed an age ago that we welcomed in the New Year and it took a week to pack the caravan and campervan. With “feels like” temperatures of -6C in East Devon and roads on higher ground closed due to snow, it was no fun and we were glad to be on the road shortly after noon on Thursday 9th January.

We took the longer route to Portsmouth (A303 and A34) which at a distance of over 150 miles took some 4.5 hours.

We were quickly checked-in at 6pm and then had about 3 hours before the next movements through security. We headed over to the Ship and Castle for a couple of pints and a meal. There was already a familiar face in the bar, heading to our campsite in Spain and a little later we were joined by another group.

We were almost last to board, just after midnight with one caravan behind us and a lonely static. We were on the lorry deck and hoping this would facilitate our departure in two mornings time.

Our outside Club cabin was on the ninth deck and included with it, for the duration of the trip, was the magical Commodore Lounge pass. Breakfast, lunch and dinner is served in this lounge (complimentary) and it’s far away from the maddening crowds of the main ship.

As fellow travellers heading to Conil de La Frontera gathered in this lounge, our section of a dozen familiar folk resembled a party boat as we made full use of the “Wine Taps”.

By the end of the day, it was difficult to know whether it was the boat or the wine causing an element of instability.

Our unit, travelling on the garage deck was one of the first to disembark and we headed off to Caceres, our first and only stop on the journey south. The roads as always were quiet and we arrived at Caceres to be greeted by the same faces we had met on the Brittany Ferries boat, Salamanca.

Covering 353 miles from Santander to Caceres took around 7 hours leaving just 250 miles the following day to Conil.

There were about five of us parked together at Camping Caceres and we enjoyed a meal later on in the restaurant.

Sunday was another uneventful travel day but as we had now left behind somewhat murky weather, our caravans were filthy and we found the perfect place to wash them The last service area before Sevilla has lorry washing bays, perfect for ensuring our caravan would arrive pristinely clean.

This was a great idea because the Campsites really don’t approve of washing your outfit on the pitch…

Arriving mid afternoon at Camping La Rosaleda, our pitch reservation was in order (just as well because the site is another sell-out) and we started to set up on a large double pitch. This enthusiasm for setting up didn’t last long before we headed off to the bar where we enjoyed drinks and dinner. As a Dutch couple said to us, the bar has been really quiet but today, the British invasion arrived…

We ate pork at the restaurant and caught this glimpse through the door of the restaurant kitchen… Mind boggling.

Monday and we setup the awning and all our bits and pieces. The weather was an extremely pleasant 20C with no wind.

We finished just before evening and then drove to the Mercadona supermarket for supplies.

Dawn broke on Tuesday and another beautiful day emerged. Slightly more breeze today and temperatures I guess were around 16C to 18C. We took a picnic to the beach and a long walk around the town of Conil.