At Last We Ride...17kms

Oh dear, oh dear. Curse you Spain for cheap Vino y Cervesas. Reality has delivered me a firm slap across the face for behaving like a spoiled child. I have a bit of a headache, and am in need of food and coffee.

We headed down early to the same cafe as yesterday, as it was nice and easy. Good coffee, freshly squeezed orange juice and toasted croissant.

                    

        

Then straight back to pump our bike tires up, load the bikes and get to the Atocha Station with plenty of time to play more fun, "how much can we fuck up your language".

We officially started our ride by riding the 500mtrs to the train station..ha ha ha. Then we had to push them down a level (2 sets of steep stairs) and wait to find out which platform was ours. We listened to the announcements, and as our departure time approached, we thought we heard the name of our first destination, Alcazar De San Juan, so just like Lemmings, we decided to follow the crowd and take our chances. At least we would get somewhere.

                        

A train came and we got on and secured our bikes in the bike area (hopefully that is what it was) then found our seats. Will was happy because he could see the bikes and make sure they behaved.

The train was the slow train, (that went 160kms/hr) so we got to see the landscape and towns along the way. The view once out of Madrid, was farm land, with rolling green fields. It then turned into miles and miles of vines in various stages of growth. They reminded me of the Christmas ham that has been Criss crossed and stuck with lots of cloves.

We made it to Alcazar De San Juan and got off the train. It was bloody cold, 10C, and pretty windy. We only had to wait for 20mins, then the next train, to Alicante, picked us up. The view changed to more and more mountains and then there was thick fog that stopped us seeing much.

On the next leg of our train journey we saw our first castle. Wow. And the mountains came to life.

Coming into Alicante we got the bikes sorted and ready to disembark.  As is often the case on our journeys, we find strange people gravitate to us. A young man with tourettes, his carer and another guy with a disability,  were also getting ready to get off. They were having done trouble, then the train stopped and they all fell in a big pile....had to get off fast so as not to offend anyone...sorry!  The carer got a bit mad and it was funny.

                       

                       

So,  we're here. Now what? Do you havea plan Will? No? Ok, let's not panic,  we have Google maps. Will picked a small place 17km from Alicante called El Campello so we programed that in and off we went. I was very nervous, it is a busy place and they drive on the wrong side. 

Riding along while holding my phone to navigate was a challenge, but it got us out of the city. There were some great cycle paths and the drivers were very accomodating. We did it. 

We found our way some how, and using some free wifi located a hotel, La Familia. $80/night with breaky. The view is amazing and the staff speak great English. I love them.