NOT Going Dutch!

This morning I took the 45 minute weaving route (not that there’s any other) between sugar cube villages and the occasional cork trees to bring me to that tourist Mecca Ronda. It’s one of those places that any holidaymaker searching for a bit of class and culture pay their 40 euros or whatever to be coached up from the Costas. I gave it a little more time than the fleeting visit a week ago but once you’ve seen it…………. as the saying goes.

Digressing for a moment

I thought I’d be on the ball and book a ticket for El Caminito del Rey for Friday, leave here Thursday, take two nights close to the path and after that head to Cordoba, seemed a simple enough task until I went online and found that it’s sold out until 29th September! So Plan B was straight to Cordoba having to miss the walk altogether, that was until a chance meeting today with a Dutch couple at one of my favourite places in Andalucia, Zahara de la Sierra.

They were in a rather smart Mercedes campervan and arrived in the car park immediately behind me, we exchanged pleasantries, which then led to a conversation around vehicles and travel. Then came the question that is becoming commonplace “Are you just travelling alone”? Well how would you reply? The short answer of course is “Yes”, but you know that I’m anything but short! So I rolled out my usual response, which goes something along the lines of “Yes, we used to travel all over Europe in our motorhome, but my wife died last year so I’m trying it on the bike, a sort of voyage of discovery of both lands and me”.

Maybe I shouldn’t elaborate so much, because it seems like it’s becoming a bit of a ‘hook’, as if people are either interested in my situation or feel sorry for me, I certainly hope it’s the former!

Somehow Caminito del Rey popped up in the conversation and I said “It’s sold out until the end of September” to which they replied “If you get there at 8am they let the first 50 in, we did it that way”. The lady had been searching on her phone to show me exactly where to go and I said “Oh, you’re on Polar”? (as in Polarsteps, an app which tracks your trip), it was just an off the cuff comment and that was that. After about ten minutes craic (Cumbrian word Deborah) we said our farewells and they headed off into the village whilst I started to hatch yet another plan consisting of moving hotel dates for Cordoba and Valencia.

Shortly afterwards I wandered into the village square where all the restaurants are and saw them at a table, so said that I’d requested a change of hotel dates and thanked them. I carried on to the adjoining restaurant and sat at the last remaining free table. You can maybe guess what’s coming? The guy came over and asked if I’d like to sit with them.

We shared an enjoyable lunch together, Caroline and I are now following each other on Polarsteps and Richard paid for all the food and drinks!

The people you meet eh?!

Three shots from near the top of the village.