Some quite heavy rain during the night, contrary to the forecast, and everywhere was soaking wet when we surfaced after a little lie-in – well it's not too far to travel today. Being Sunday we enjoyed our now traditional “full English breakfast” before stowing the very wet screens in the rear box and getting underway a little later than usual.
A gas bottle had run out yesterday evening so we'd checked and found a suitable garage to refill about 30km down the road. As it happened Colin needed Ad-Blu for the emissions control system on their van so that would also be convenient. Except that the garage had run out! We both refilled with gas anyway, topped off the fuel tank then carried on, watching for another suitable place to get Ad-Blu – the garage man had told us about 50km but we turned off the autovia into a small town where Colin was able to buy what he needed in containers, rather than from a pump.
So back onto the A73 southbound and the weather cleared to be bright and sunny, if still a little cool and breezy. Took our lunch break on a service area before the last leg to our destination for a few days. Valencia is a very modern city and we drove through on wide boulevards with some interesting “modern” architecture. No doubt it also has it's older more traditional centre but our route avoided that – maybe we'll come back sometime and investigate but for now it was on to Devesa Gardens campsite, around 20km south on the coast road in the Albufera Natural Park.
We've stayed at this campsite several times before so were well-acquainted (we even get Christmas cards!) and quickly recognised as returnees. Offered several places where we could pitch together we made our choice and got ourselves settled in, booking for 5 nights for us and 3 for Colin & Tina – the reasons for that will become apparent later in the blog although not how we had planned it.
At last we'd found what we'd come for, 21 degrees and bright sunshine so jumpers off, chairs out and a nice cuppa! Then doors and windows open, dig the screens out to dry and a quick walk around to see what was what. When we were here last, three years ago, the site had just been taken over by a chain of campsites and improvements had been started. Since that time there has been quite a lot of development with newly-laid roadways (still being finished off) trees trimmed and in places removed to create more space, with metal frames designed to take sun shading in summer erected over all the roomy pitches. More chalets and holiday bungalows have been installed and the resort facilities revamped and extended – in fact we noticed the place was much busier than ever we remembered although there were still plenty of touring pitches available.
Noticing the restaurant was open we booked a table for the evening and later enjoyed a tasty meal before retiring at a reasonable hour, quite contented.
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