older possibly wiser

Saturday 18th - 23rd February: Granada  This little campsite in La Zubia outside Granada, is 61 years old. It’s tiny and an oasis of peace and calm. Particularly the little terrace by the swimming pool, which is out of use over the winter season, but the perfect place to do my daily routine of a short workout and yoga practice, and a place to come to think and write. This is the first campsite where we’ve been in a section with little vans like ours which is fun. It's like a little street in the neighbourhood. We’re greeted by friendly youngsters who look like they’re doing up a van and some other friends of theirs, who make it feel a little like a festival campsite, in a nice way. They’re playing music through a speaker and have a little table with crochet items and jewellery for sale. What seemed a good idea during the day drove me mad at 11pm when the bass beat thudded through the campsite. After a quiet word at the office the following night was quieter.   We spend 5 night...

This feels like a very long week, perhaps because we've been to so many places.  Saturday 11th February:  We’re back in the saddle and riding through back lanes in Olhã and up mountains. The circular route takes us back to the coast to the next fishing port along, Fuzeta, where there’s a grill that’s been recommended to us, and a lunch a little larger than we’d intended. The alleys and lanes of these Portuguese fishing towns are a delight, tiled houses and an occasional surprise of architectural detail. Now that we’ve rewatched all series of Happy Valley, we’re revelling in the great writing and acting - it will be hard to find something else to end the day with. Back home, mum and Chris have flu, two of our old friends have had health scares, one of our kids friends has had a brain tumour diagnosis, and a friend's mum has finally departed aged 97.   Van Life The campsites have been busier than usual apparently, perhaps because of the rumoured clamp down on unofficial sit...