Travelling with Rob and Dave was real fun, and the offer there to continue with them onto Barcelona. Alas I realized this was not the cycle trip I’d planned (hitching a lift and it would not enable me the opportunity to stay at Jean’s place at Benirrama 100km south of Valencia. It was only when I confirmed there is a rail service from Valencia to Barcelona and that it took bikes that I decided to take up the offer of a few days at Benirrama. And though Jean is away working in Dubai it would be nice to catch up with the local expat English community in the area.
After declining Rob and Dave’s offer of a lift to Barcelona a second visit to the Railway station today revealed that taking the bike on the train is not a simple as I was first advised. You have to get a permit is seems – another future challenge for my Spanish.I have to confess it’s a bit of a let-down that my cycle trip is not turning out as I planned so far but one look at the country I’ve seen so far has convinced me I took the right decision. Spain is not the cycling heaven I presumed. The fellow cycle travels I assume I would find at each campsite are complimenting their transport options with mobile homes with the bikes an accessory. I am the only idiot is seems to want to travel by bike through these parts.
Another bit of bad news came from an Australian couple I met in the Valencia Campsite. They tell me the roads over the Pyrenees were closed by snow last week so they are taking a detour via the coast into France.
And the bad new gets worse. It started raining today and was very windy (neither cyclists friends) and worse expected in coming days, just as I plan to set off on my one day 100km haul to Benirrama. As I sit here in the campsite café I see the flags blowing horizontally. Fortunately at present in the direction I need but who knows what direction tomorrow.
At least now I have a Spanish SIM in my iPhone which I am now using as my GPS and think I have selected a cycle friendly route.
And another bit of bad news. The Lonely Planet Guide was right. They don’t sell screw type camping gaz cylinders in Spain so my plans for bush camping and using my gaz stove are on hold it seems till France. If ever I get there!
