Gazzas Trip To Portugal (1 Viewer)

[Gazza333]

. Ok I'll try to keep this updated but depends on wifi availability. I have 3 weeks off work to see Portugal so here goes.

I managed to finish work early on Friday so at 3pm all was loaded and I was on my way to Dover for my Saturday morning ferry to Calais with my ferry. An uneventful trip that saw me arrive in Calais and decide to see if I could change my booking to the next ferry. Certainly sir , next one in an hour £20 upgrade fee. So I found myself on the 9.10 pm ferry to Calais.A quick drive to Gravelines for a quick overnight stop as I intend to drive a lot of miles tomorrow.

After a peaceful night I awake at 6 am and decide to get a few hours into the journey before stopping for breakfast. After breakfast I drive and drive and drive . 12 hours later via Rouen Le Mans etc I'm on the Atlantic Coast area at camping les Grand pins. An Acsi site €16 a night pool restaurant etc etc . Not a bad site for a quick stopover but I'm shattered so have some food, a shower and off to bed.

I can't leave till 9 am as the barriers not manned till then so breakfast, empty waste walk the dog etc and pack up ready to hit the road as I have just a mere 590 miles to drive today !!

I was toying with the idea of going to Porto in Portugal to do some wine tasting then follow the coast all round Portugal and finish in Spain. The wife who loves the sun was toying with the idea of shooting through Spain and starting in the South of Portugal and travelling the opposite way unless she stays on the Algarve all the time ....let's see who wins

 

[Gazza333]

Yep so that's how I found myself driving through Spain on the way to the Algarve. I'm heading to Caceres to a nice Acsi site I've hear of where you have your own private shower and toilet room on your pitch.

I'd like to say the journey was uneventful, however at atoll booth in Burgos , I'm in the que of traffic, spot a manned booth on the next lane that will make it easier for thewifeto pay, quick check in the mirrors, reverse and crunch bugger !!!

What I didn't see was the nice Spanish car behind me that now had my bike rack sat on his bonnet with some lovely gouge marks going up his bonnet. In all the excitement I thought the motorhomefun had faired better with just some paint on the bike rack. So exchange insurance details, apologise to the nice lad who was driving his dad's car ( bet his dad loves that ) and drive off t o a rest area.

At the rest area it was then I checked properly and found my rear bumper was damaged with it cracked in two and the support brackets broken, Damn. I have some metallic. Type tape in the garage so a quick repair later and a new brake lightbulb ( think that had gone anyway ) and I was back on the road.

20 miles further down the road and still mad with myself for such a stupid error I had visions of my bumper falling off at speed on the motorway so pulled over at a rest area to check the tape. Re-tape it and continue on my route, a procedure id redo a couple of times on this journey. I'd makes better repair when I get to the destination as I'm worried the site may close before I get there.

So mile after mile of driving with the wife trying to cheer me up, when really she wants to call me a silly old sod I'm sure , and we arrive 590 miles later, where I am right now, the acsi site in Caceres camping ciudad de Caceres I think it's called.

 

[Gazza333]

The site is great. Your own private wet room on each pitch with toilet shower sink and electric point. Lovely swimming pool ( though we arrived to late for that ). Bar restaurant laundry etc etc but most importantly free wifi on the pitch.

Feeling tired the wife decides I'm to go fetch a takeaway from the restaurant as we don't want to leave the dog alone as he's been so good travelling so far. This I do and €28 euros later I return with steak and chips and beef cheeks in red wine sauce I think it was. Not the best food to be honest but we were tired so it will have to do.

A lovely nights sleep and here I find myself 7.30 Monday morning lying in bed typing this, gonna get up fix the bumper have a shower ,breakfast and ring the insurance people then head of for Portugal. Possibly the aire at manta rota but who knows.

Ive decided to put the minor crash behind us and enjoy the holiday. I completely forgot to take any pictures on the way down so far, but hopefully I'll take some in the coming few weeks if your still interested.

I'm doing mostly toll roads here and back as time is limited and I want to get to Portugal and spend as much time acsi could here. I looked at the ferry from England to Spain but to be honest it came in at £1200 return so being tights decide I'd drive ask love driving, and as cab be seen am used to driving long distances.

Oh well onwards and upwards lets see what today brings, and if you see me on site in a rollerteam with the bumper Heldon with silver tape, come say hi, bring some tape and help me re tape the bumper lol

Hopefully update in Portugal when I have wifi

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[scousebird]

Enjoy your trip. Worry about your bumper when you get home!

 

[Gazza333]

A few pics of the private wet room on every pitch at the acsi site at Caceres

 

[Barclaybasher]

View attachment 66189 View attachment 66190 View attachment 66191
A few pics of the private wet room on every pitch at the acsi site at Caceres

We had one of those when I was a kid............ it was called an outside 'lavvy'

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[Billy23]

If you need more tools or help to fix bumper, call in at my place on your way through. Junction 53 on the A49 towards Portugal. Pm for exact position.

 

[Gazza333]

And a quick one of the pool at Caceres. Not very sunny but a lovely pool area with bar/ restaurant terrace overlooking it

 

[Gazza333]

We had one of those when I was a kid............ it was called an outside 'lavvy'

Ha ha. That's what the wife said lol

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[jollyrodger]

I reccon most of us have had that 'oh bugger' moment but no one hurt so let the insurancesort it out enjoy the rest of your trip

 

[Gazza333]

If you need more tools or help to fix bumper, call in at my place on your way through. Junction 53 on the A49 towards Portugal. Pm for exact position.

What a very generous offer, many thanks. I think we should be ok but if things change I may pm you. Many thanks, it's great being a funster, your never alone or far from help

 

[Gazza333]

Well we are here at manta rota now . Nice aire by the beach with walkways over the dunes to the sea. A few bars restaurants and supermarket etc but that's about it to be honest. Met up with fun member mickeymouse, nice to meet you.

Probably a bit to quiet for our tastes we prefer the more lively resorts with lots of cafes bars promenade ice cream stalls etc so I think we will move off tomorrow morning. Not sure where yet but I think there's a market Friday at quarterie. So maybe head over to there as we love markets. I'll study the maps and make my mind up

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[Gazza333]

Oops I meant Wednesday for the market. Lovely to meet you again mickeymouse had a lovely hour with you and your wife chatting tonight. Enjoy the rest of your travels you've certainly mentioned some places we'd love to travel to one day

 

[Gazza333]

What a beautiful hot and sunny day. I think I gave this place a disservice the beach is stunning and parked so close to it with free wifi, elec if you want it lots of space not all crammed in. Not much of a town but I'd stay again just for the beach etc . Off again now to see some other places. I'll update as soon as I'm on wifi again

 

[Gazza333]

Moved over to the aire at Vila real €4.50 a night usual water electricity €2.50 extra if u need it. View over the river/estuary. Lovely marina next door town with lots of bars restaurants shops ice cream places etc.

Had a lovely meal of the day out spaghetti bolognase , peri piri chicken and chips a beer and a coke €12. Was very nice. Lovely place for a few hours stop over and wander around as recommended by @mickeymouse .many thanks really enjoyed it here.

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[mickymouse]

Hi Gary and Mary , pleased you enjoyed Villa Real ,we moved on to Albufeira (Parque de Gale) had swim in the pool and had prawns for diner only 12 vans on site so loads of room , 6.50 euros a night , great
Mickymouse

 

[Gazza333]

So just an update. We spent the night on the carp ark at the side of the aire at quarterie. Was 4 vans on waiting for the market the next day. A few transit vans turned up obviously traders that were a bit noisy but as it went dark brazenly used the rear area of my motorhomefun as a toilet even though I was out shining my torch on them ... To be honest we should have stayed elsewhere and come back for the market. The market was ok though usual fake gear , t shirts bags belts etc etc.

Moved on to park falesia at albufiera but didn't seem to be much there so we drove straight on to where we are now by the football stadium in albufiera parque da palmera. 5 euro a night showers elect wifi bar on site what more do you need. Had a lovely walk on the old town in Albuferia, we love this place . Proper touristy area with bars a plenty.

May stay another night don't know yet. Had another nice meal out . Weather is very hot

 

[Gazza333]

@mickymouse are you staying a day or so there ? Think we will come down there tomorrow for a night to have a swim in that pool. Sounds great.

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[Gazza333]

When I get more time I'll post all the coordinates of where I stayed but it's well worth purchasing the camper contact app for your iPad / phone whatever as its all on there with reviews etc of the places

 

[mickymouse]

Hi Gary, Yes we are staying another night as it is so nice here with pool and free wifi plus electric all for 6.50euros.
Mickymouse

 

[Gazza333]

Hi Mick and Jan, Ok I'll treat the wife to an extra 1.50 euro site so she can have a swim. Better have a shower here tonight though . See you tomorrow will pop over to say hello sometime when your in, if your still there .

Gary

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[Gazza333]

Ok latest update. Travelled over to parque da gale at the other side of albeferia nice site. Elec swimming pool. No toilets but an outside shower that I believe to be cold water. We walked to the beach that took about 25 mins to find no dogs allowed on the beach. Nothing else for it then, sat in a bar looking at the sea. Lovely.

Got back to site 2.30 pm and in my usual style decided I'd done all there was to do so paid the lovely lady for the night even though I was leaving and headed off to the camping tourism of acsi site as we are in the last 3 days of its allowed acsi.

Sorry mick and jan for not saying goodbye. We are now all set up on a super pitch on camping tourismo. Met @ukbill, nice to meet you . Went for a swim in the lovely pool with bar restaurant entertainment etc. back to the motorhome for a lovely steak meal, strawberrys and a bottle of port I bought in lido for €3.80. Maybe stay here a day or two then double back on ourselves to go to the sites we missed. Silvers portimao alvor etc.....

 

[Gazza333]

Gotta say the wifi is so slow here. Paid my 2 euros for a days wifi and spent the last 2 hours trying to make one post. The aires have free wifi and it's much faster. Mind you the toilet and showers here are lovely

 

[Gazza333]

Awake this morning to another beautiful day. Wifi is much quicker today, think we will stay here till Sunday morning when the acsi runs out. I'll try to post some pics later. Keep forgetting to take my iPad out

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[BwB]

Awake this morning to another beautiful day. Wifi is much quicker today, think we will stay here till Sunday morning when the acsi runs out. I'll try to post some pics later. Keep forgetting to take my iPad out

Not so many people trying to watch Internet TV first thing in the morning

 

[ukbill]

morning @Gazza333 was nice to meet you 2 as well the wifi here is subject to who is on like most sites however with a wifi booster i get no problems or maybe because im close to the front

 

[ukbill]

wat a great day yesterday it was great to spend time with some like minded people @Gazza333 (gary and mary)
thanks for your company and hopefully we will do it again

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[Gazza333]

Had a great time @ukbill Thoroughly enjoyed it. I'm suffering today though with a hangover, I'm not as young as I used to be and hangovers last much longer now. What started as a nice quite pint in the morning turned into an all day and most of the night drinking session with a nice meal too.

Still on tourismo, think we will leave tomorrow, have to have a look where we are heading.probably silves alvor portimao that we missed as we came here

 

[ukbill]

im leaving tomorrow will head back along the costas or might have another night at burgau

 

[ukbill]

@Gazza333 sorry i left without saying bye i came up to the van but it looked like you was both out of it lol
well hopefully we will meet again keep in touch and safe roads

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