So why Puerto Banus?

Apparently it’s where the rich and famous go, and the odd criminal, I’m not quite sure which category Gav fits into, possibly famous, just within the blog?

My decision to come to the Costa del Sol was driven by the name, it’s supposed to be the place for the best weather and my body needs some sun on it. Also I chose this particular criminal hideaway due to Gav staying here and I thought it would be a good opportunity for us to catch up. Catching up being an appropriate term as he ‘frog marched’ me the 4.5 mile walk from PB to Marbella. To be fair on him we did go at a pace which was suitable for me, slowly.

The Porsche blends in well in such surroundings, albeit mine is at the very cheap end of the spectrum. Ferrari, Maserati, Bentley, Lamborghini etc were fairly commonplace, so my Boxster was more akin to a Ford Focus in Carlisle.

To be honest Puerto Banus was a bit too flash/upmarket/up itself/out of my budget (choose whichever you think I mean) for my liking, so I decided on Estepona as my next base just 15 miles down the coast, but not before Gav and I had eaten out together a couple of times and caught up with each others’ lives.

Tuesday morning I was pleased to leave the apartment in PB and as I couldn’t access the accommodation in Estepona until early afternoon Gav’s suggestion of the A-397 to Ronda would fit nicely into my day. I don’t think I’ve ever before looked forward so much to going for a drive in a car, and it certainly didn’t disappoint. It’s one of those roads which could definitely bite you on the bum if you weren’t careful. The prominence of warning signs for speed detection by drone and the motorcycle accidents came as no surprise on such a wide twisty road. I stopped for morning coffee break at the bikers’ cafe, but on this weekday I was the only tear-arse in there.

I got a lot of enjoyment from the more sporting drive offered by the paddle shifters (as opposed to the usual auto mode), but after a shortish period of limited thrashing I decided that it would be better for my health and bank account to refrain from such reckless acts.

After Ronda I headed for an old favourite of mine, the sugar cube village of Casares where vultures dare, I love watching them soaring on the thermals above the village and they didn’t seem to be distracted by the sun glinting off my bald head.

Third time lucky

After two not so great stopovers I struck gold in Estepona, it only took a couple of minutes for me to decide to extend my stay from 3 to 8 nights in this lovely apartment, so I will commence my journey north from here on 20th.