Climate Change !!!!!!!!!!!

Brrrrrrrrrrr. I am cold. It is about 20 degrees colder in the Exmouth. ....................... but I did sleep more restfully ......... once I got warm.

Reflections on the holiday including new things which we tried:

1. Although having a car means you can go further afield, it certainly didn't spoil the holiday in any way.
2. We went to La Manga on the ferry which meant we saw Los A from the water for the first time.
3. We went on the bus twice. I have used the bus to go to Murcia city with Sylvia but for Ian it was the first time.
4. We cycled to Lo Pagan which is the longest bike ride that we have ever done.
5. We were stopped by the police for riding our bikes where we shouldn't.
6. We now know that if we forget to bring the keys we can still get into the apartment and Ian can break into our locked cupboards!
7. I know that I can survive for 2 weeks without an MP3 player on which I hold all my audio books. My MP3 went phut on the first day. I could have bought another one at the Media Markt in Cartagena but we couldn't get there cos we didn't have a car! So I had time to do the blog.

I logged the majority of walks which we did and the bike rides. Altogether we covered 105 miles by cycling and walking which I believe is a long way !! Really pleased with that. It earned me a lot of extra calories on my diet. In fact it is farther than going from Exmouth to Bristol airport.

We had a good trip home. Sandra picked us up at 09:00 and took us to the airport where they have worked really hard over the last few months and greatly improved the look of the car park area and front of arrivals. The plane took off about 10 minutes early and made up a further 10 minutes en route so we arrived 20 minutes early in Bristol.

Sunday, today, is Chad's birthday. He is five years old now. He started school last Thursday. We didn't see him today as he is riding BMX in the Regional races in Bath along with Leah and Zak.

I went to Exeter to buy some baby clothes and to replace my MP3 player. Very successful. Then I had to buy some fish reviver as my little black telescopic eyed fish has a white fungus. Good job it wasn't black, we would never have been able to see it.

In the afternoon we went over to Bicton Park to buy Chad's birthday present. He had seen a motorbike in the shop there some time ago and wanted it so we kept it in mind for his birthday. He had a Nintendo DS as his main present from his Dad and Mum and brother and sister so we will buy him a game for it next time he comes to see us. I have learned by experience that if they are not with me, I never get the right thing !!

Ian has been working in the garden; grass cutting and clearing out the excess weed from the pond. Also picking runner beans and tomatoes and cucumbers.

Back to work tomorrow for Ian and I will be getting into cleaning and tidying mode. Now that the children are back at school, I hope to see more of Jenny and help her as she prepares for the new arrival. I have my things ready in case I am called in the night. I will drive like the wind up to Exeter to look after the children while Chris gets Jenny to the hospital.

Friday 4th Sept is 'Boo Hoo' Day

Well it had to come............... all good things come to an end. Today has been housework, cleaning, bed changing, mopping floors, dusting, cleaning the bathroom and packing away our clothes and toiletries.

There was one break in the middle of the day to do some shopping for items to leave in the apartment ready for the next visit. It was so hot. All our English friends who have been out here throughtout July and August are eagerly awaiting a change in the weather .... longing for cooler days and, dare I say it, rain. They reckon they will be out dancing in the rain as soon as it arrives.

We rewarded ourselves this evening with a meal out .... cooking every day on holiday can be tiresome but I must add that I have enjoyed eating the meals I have cooked and so I am not complaining. On the way back we called into say goodbye to Sandra who lives in the apartment below us and enjoyed sharing a glass of wine with her on her balcony and meeting her grandchildren.

We leave tomorrow on the 10am flight to Bristol and will reflect on the holiday when we are back in Exmouth. We have had a lovely time.

Thursday turns into 'Blazing Saddles' Day!

Knowing that the forecast was for even hotter weather today, we decided to stay in Los A and start the preparations for leaving. Boo hoo.

Photos at http://picasaweb.google.com/virginposter/3rdSept2009LosA?authkey=Gv1sRgCNrNi4eiuKO-ew&feat=directlink

However, at the first mention of seafront, bar and coffee, the bikes were wheeled out and we were on our way. It was hot; very, very hot.

We sat in the shade for an hour so at Bar Alaska, chatting and gazing out to sea ........ feeling as if we were sat in an oven like a Christmas turkey. (Which memory jogs me to mention that in Cartagena yesterday an accordion player gave us a rendition of Jingle Bells'!).

Sorry, I digress. The beach was quite busy unlike most of the cafes now. There was a group of disabled adults swimming and canoeing; school children having canoeing lessons; and what Ian calls the 'one o'clock club' and sometimes 'the eleven clock club' who are pensioners who seem to stand in the water chatting for hours on end in the middle of the day.

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Eventually, we had to summon up the energy to cycle back to the apartment. Ian unlocked the bikes and it was then ............. when we started to get on the bikes .................... that we realised just how hot the saddles had become while parked in the sun ................ ouch. And we could also smell the rubber of the tyres.

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Then we started to cycle back to the apartment but made a stop at one of my favourite shops for me to buy a beach dress ........ well, it was reduced by 50% in the sale and so simply could not be ignored; then we stopped at a cafe/bar where Lesley works to take on water ! and lastly a quick whizz around the air conditioned supermarket for more water.

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Lunch on the balcony was the usual salad with queso de Burgos for me ..... I love it. When we heard some builders in the street below we asked them to give us a quote for putting a double glazed window in the galeria to replace the grille that is there now which they were happy to do. We've had one quote already which was horrendous so hope they will be more reasonable. We will see.

After our evening meal it was back on the bikes for a final evening ride along the seafront (yes, we stopped for a bevvy and took some photos). Tomorrow evening we will go out for a meal at a nearby restaurant and bike riding will not be on the menu !!

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I have taken some photos of the bargains that I found in the shops and the market. Isn't it amazing how quickly all these purchases add up? Really, I had no idea that there was so much. I can't begin to tell you how pleased Ian is for me !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Today is Cartagena day

More photos click here: http://picasaweb.google.com/virginposter/2ndSept2009Cartagena?authkey=Gv1sRgCOuUnoL7iaqK5QE&feat=directlink

Cartagena is one of our favourite towns locally. We visit most times that we are over here. We like the port area and have always frequented a specific cafe until it changed hands at the start of 2009.

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So today we took the bus from Los A to Cartagena. We feel we are old hands at public transport here now (having braved the bus station at Torrevieja!) We waited at the bus stop near the consum supermarket .... it was very hot, the hottest day so far and the Petrulla Aguila kept us entertained as they were practising again over the Mar Menor.

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No problems with the bus today .... we arrived at the bus station in Cartagena half an hour later..................... and a very nice bus station it is too. Modern and clean and very well organised.

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We walked down to the port passing by the newly opened Museum of Subaquatic archeology (going to visit when we are over in the winter) and the first submarine designed by Isaac Peral. Then onto a cafe for coffee and gaze across the port at the leisure craft and the naval vessels.

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Next we had a walk around the town. It was fun seeing the huge statue of the naked man for the first time .... I checked it out ........... it's definitely a man!! Also part of the town where we used to drive is in the process of being pedestrianised. I suggested that Ian stop and take a look at how they were doing it in order to pick up some tips for laying the paths in the garden. He didn't seem to be keen at all !!!!!!!!!!

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It doesn't sound like an exciting day but it was most enjoyable. We didn't see anything funny or unique. We did see the local fire brigade in action putting out a fire that had totally consumed an old boat. And we met a lovely couple of ladies from Liverpool at the bus station and had a chat with them.

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Oh, and I did manage to get off the bus without falling over ........... yeah.

Tuesday is farmacia day .... oh dear

Shopping is a good way to chill ............. well maybe chill is not a good descriptive word to choose for anything in this heat!! You can't chill, you just sit quietly and melt.

We went to the street market 'mercadillo' eventhough we didn't need anything. Isn't life wonderful? I came back with 5 skirts and 2 pairs of trousers. Such pretty colours; they all fit really well; and were absolute bargains so it would have been very silly not to have bought them wouldn't it? I would have regretted it for ages.

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Our only other purchase was 2kilos of dark skinned plums .............. oh yum .... how sweet can a plum be? Am I always talking food?

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A visit to the farmacia was called for on our return trip .......... for me of course. As Ian always says ' she knows all the farmacias in Los A and has used them all !' If only I could deny it ! Well, this time it turns out I have 'allergic conjuctivitis'. Some drops sold to me by the very charming lady have nearly sorted the problem and at least I now know the reason for my blurred vision and can stop cleaning my glasses and looking for scratches.

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A good night's sleep will see me 100% in the morning, I am sure. Last night was a bit of a nuisance and unusual for the apartment which is normally very quiet. Sleeping with the window open is not always a good choice. Had just fallen asleep when I was awoken by a couple of youngsters jogging along the road; he was a little way in front of her and she was shouting to him (in spanish). OK; tolerance rules, they are trying to keep fit and they can't run in the heat; go back to sleep. At this point I didn't know that they would jog round 'the block' for the next hour or so with each circuit taking about 15 minutes ................. just long enough to drift off to sleep to be woken up again. On the second circuit she was whistling to attract his attention; on the next circuit he was obviously a bit bored and was kicking an empty water bottle which was clattering along in front of him; and on the final circuit that I heard they were joined by another youth and they were all singing something with no tune !

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Tolerance rules ................. get back to sleep as quickly as possible. Oh goodness me, just drifted off again when I heard the most terrible 'screaming' ..................... out of bed I jump yet again and look out of the window to see the very small dog from the finca opposite chasing a cat at great speed across the field and over the road. I have never seen animals move so fast in all my life; it was the cat screaming for sure and I think maybe a moment or so before the dog had actually caught up with him.

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Finally, the night-time torments finished as the dustcart arrived, driven at its usual mad speed and screeching of brakes, to lift and empty the large roadside wheelie bins with as much noise as possible (it seemed). Hey Ho!! I'm sure things will be back to normal tonight.

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Following a much needed siesta this afternoon, we set off on our bikes for a ride along the seafront to the nature reserve in the direction of the airport. Now that so many families have returned home it is possible to cycle on the paseo again. We met Sandra and Leslie on the way back and stopped to catch up on the news about what everyone is doing. Three people on the complex are returning to the UK, two because of lack of work out here. I notice that they will all go October/November time after they have enjoyed the hot weather.
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We had an evening in tonight watching the US Open tennis and enjoying a bottle of wine.