Into Our Final Week in Nerja and The Ashby 20
We’ve not been up to much this week as I ran the Ashby 20 road race this weekend. With blisters already on one toe from the training, it’s been a week of not walking too far or doing too much, except for eating – we’ve done plenty of eating, or ‘carb loading’ as I’m calling it.
Our Final Week in Nerja
When we arrived in Nerja on the 26th of October last year, the end of March seemed so, so very far away. Now it’s almost here and we’re into our final week at Camping Corjito San Miguel (also known at the Aula de Naturaleza, the Nature School). It’s been a very different winter for us, as normally we’re touring around in these sunnier climes. That just didn’t feel right for us in the current situation, so when we planned our winter we chose to get here (while travel abroad was still allowed) and stay put. Having already spent a month on this campsite last February, we knew it would be the best place for us, and after all this time here, we still think it is. We wander through the town looking in estate agent’s windows, not that we’ll be buying anything at the moment, but this is certainly a part of the world we could live in once we’re done seeing the rest of it.
We think we’re pretty much all set for the off next Thursday. Zagan’s fridge has been tested on gas several times after Jay replaced a part when it refused to stay lit, and so far it’s behaving itself. He’s also been given a good spring clean on the inside, so not only is he smelling a bit fresher, but we have about a kilo less in sand on board – that stuff gets everywhere. When we cycle up to the supermarket for our weekly shop, I’ve been adding in extra items to take home with us; the locally produced Sugar Cane Honey that we’ve got used to having on our salads and Timotei shampoo which is no longer available in the UK. We’ll also stock up on alcohol-free beer when we reach Santander as they have a great range here in Spain and it’s quite a bit cheaper than the UK. I’m sure there will also be several other local foods that you just can’t get back home that will make their way into the cupboards before we board the ferry.
Pandemic Update
The case numbers here in Nerja and across Andalusia are still low (10 cases in Nerja in the last 14 days). Easter is a huge event here in Spain with festivals and parades all of which have been cancelled again this year, but families still want to get together and city dwellers head for their holiday homes on the coast. All of the autonomous communities in Spain have agreed to having the same restrictions for across the Easter period, so from Monday all their borders are closed (the Andalusian border has been closed since Christmas). Groups of up to six people can meet outside in cafes and restaurants (4 people inside). Bars, cafes and restaurants can stay open until 10.30pm (it has been 6pm here since Christmas, rising to 8pm a couple of weeks ago) and the night time curfew is going back an hour to 11pm. It is cautious as the opening up over Christmas was followed by a peak in cases. Fingers crossed that doesn’t happen this time.
Returning to the UK Procedure
We mentioned in our last post that we’d booked our COVID tests at Santander and a few people got in touch asking for more details. We haven’t gone through the whole process yet, so I can only tell you what we have done so far. If anyone has made the trip recently and can see anything we’re missing or offer any hints or advice, please pop something in the comments as this is a new thing for all of us and we have no idea how long this process will endure.
COVID Tests to Return to the UK
We need to have a COVID test done in the 72 hours before we leave Spain, this can be an antigen test instead of the more expensive PCR tests. After doing some research on several motorhome Facebook groups, we found that the main testing place in Santander is called Megalab Medicantabria on Calle Castilla. There are several websites that you can use to book a test there, we opted for the saludsavia.com site as the antigen test through them was €40 compared to €50 if you booked direct with the clinic. We went through the online booking system (when it asks for your address it needs to be a Spanish address, we used the campsite, but I don’t think it gets used for anything) and were emailed with a code which we have to use within 90 days. We then had to contact the clinic to book an appointment day and time (they didn’t want the code at this point, but asked us to bring them with us). As we’d heard the phone was always busy we emailed them (using Google translate), asking for an appointment on the Monday. We got a response within a couple of hours and are booked in for noon.
The Plan For Our Trip Back to The UK
Our plan is to leave Nerja on Thursday and take a couple of days to drive up to Santander. We have factored in a spare day in case of weather, traffic and any police check points (as mentioned above all the autonomous communities across Spain are closing their borders ahead of Easter – we’re allowed to travel because we are going home but we may be stopped and asked to prove it). If we arrive early at Santander we’ll stop at an aire just outside the city. We’re going to minimise contact with people on the way up, because we don’t know what the COVID levels are like across Spain, but we do know they are very low here in Nerja. On Monday we’ll drive to the free aire by the university at Santander (we’ve stayed there a couple of times before) and walk to the clinic for our appointment – which we know is on the other side of a big hill, but from previous experience we also know there are outdoor escalators and a free funicular to speed us over it. No doubt it will then be a nervous wait for our results, and once we have a negative result (finger’s crossed), we’ll hop online and book our two tests for when we are in quarantine in the UK. Finally we’ll complete our passenger locator forms, which we think need a reference from the quarantine kits. Then we’ll save copies of all of these onto our phones as we don’t have access to a printer. Oh and we need to remember not to forget our passports, ferry booking reference and pack all the stuff we’ll need to take to our ferry cabin (seasickness cures, audio books, hand sanitiser, antibacterial wipes etc).
The Galicia ferry booking includes a three course dinner and breakfast, which Jay might have to eat both of if previous crossings are anything to go by! So we’ll only need a few snacks and something for lunch on Thursday. As we arrive in Portsmouth on Thursday evening, we plan to head to Port Solent for the night before driving home the following day, which is allowed in the quarantine rules. That means we should be driving on Good Friday, so fingers crossed the traffic will be light.
Ashby 20
Back in December I set a running goal when I entered the Ashby 20 – a 20 mile road race. Knowing I’d be away from all my running buddies over the winter I needed something to keep me motivated. There was no point in trying to improve my running speed, as I need people to chase for that, so I decided to increase the distance I could run. I started running in 2015 for my mental health, and in January 2017 I ran my first half marathon (13 miles) around Marrakesh. I’ve since run a few more half marathons, including one in 2018 up a mountain in Zermatt, Switzerland (unsurprisingly my slowest half marathon to date) but I haven’t run any further simply because it takes so long. Fast forward to December 2020 and our plan to spend the winter in Nerja where the weather is good weather and I’d have time on my hands – so I decided to go for it.
After signing up, I researched training plans and found one by Hal Higdon which is a marathon plan, but I tweaked the distances a little. What I liked about it was there were no ‘speed sessions’ because it wasn’t trying to get you around in a time, just to get you to the finish. I drew out the plan and stuck it to our wardrobe door where it has stayed, slowly being filled in, for 15 weeks. Of course things never went to plan, I fell over in week 9 and had to recover and readjust the runs to get me back on course, but I completed most of the runs (47 in total) as well as a lot of hiking and walking on cross training days. Slowly but surely I began to run a little further every week and see the results of my training which spurred me on, but if I am honest by the end of the plan I was fed up with it and can’t wait to go for a run just for the sake of it.
Like many races, the Ashby 20 has taken place virtually this year. All entrants had a three day window during which they need to run 20 miles in one go. Looking at the weather, and to get it over and done with, I opted for Friday morning. Thursday night the skies cracked with thunder and lightning as Zagan was pelted with rain, but by the time our alarm went off on Friday morning it had passed and we were treated to a cloudless sky. Jay had said he would run with me (he’s a lot fitter than I am and can manage 20 miles without a training plan) partly to keep me company, provide moral support, help motivate me and (most importantly) carry all the water and snacks I might need. He was a superstar and I can’t thank him enough for putting up with me and my snail’s pace at times.
I had hoped to get around in about 4 hours, but in the end it took me just 3 hours and 43 minutes. Needless to say I was very happy with that result. This running goal has not only showed me what I can do if I put my mind to it, but it has also reiterated to me the importance of having goals to motivate myself. If I hadn’t set that goal back in December, I very much doubt I would feel that I had achieved anything over this winter – whereas now I really do feel that I have. I just need to decide what my next goal will be.
Plans For The Coming Week
We haven’t really got any fixed plans for our last few days in Nerja. The weather today is cloudy with showers, so we went for a walk into town earlier to get the legs moving and will stay holed up in Zagan watching the mountains behind us disappear and reappear in the cloud. We want to take a final walk up to Frigiliana for a meal sat outside our favourite restaurant up there, so that will be a good way to stretch out all the aches on Monday. Other than a final supermarket trip and of course an ice cream (or two) we don’t have anything that we feel we simply must do before we go – which is nice because we’ll leave here happy that we’ve done everything we wanted to.
Ju
Hi Both, Just to wish you both a safe and trouble free journey back home. Have enjoyed your winter in Nerja, gave me some escapism from the long cold and dark days here in the high Pennines of Co. Durham
Ola J,J,
I’ll keep my fingers crossed, that everything will work well. for you. Wohnmobilgrüße Heide
Absolutely brilliant Ju! I agree it’s so important to have a goal to work to, and I’m really pleased you managed to reach yours this winter. Safe journey home.
Enjoy your final week.
We have plasterers in the house this weekend, after the builder removed our kitchen and knocked down walls last week – it’s all very messy! Luckily we’ve been able to live in the van on the drive throughout, so maintaining social distancing and only going close to the house during the day to make them another brew! At least it’s given me time to remember how everything works in the van after several months of it being laid-up.
Wishing you a safe journey and calm seas (especially calm seas Ju!).
Paul
Safe journey home.
Claire, Niall & Daisy dog.
Well done, congratulations, Ju!!!! You’re a fab couple! Thanks for your posts and pictures over the winter months. Always looking forward to reading what you’ve been up to!
Wishing you a nice last week! and a smooth crossing! Take care.
Hi both
Well done Ju on the 20 – what a fantastic achievement. Safe journey home, hopefully smooth and uneventful.
Take care
Mandy and Mike
PS bring some sun home x
Ju, congratulations on a very successful virtual marathon!! Fantastic that Jay would run along side you for support. I have enjoyed all your posts from Nerja. I wish you guys a safe journey back home 😀
Safe journey home! 9 degrees C today here in Essex. Everybdy is counting down to April 12th when in England the caravan and motorhome sites are allowed to reopen albeit without facilities at the moment.
Loving following your blog. Our van and us have been stuck in Birmingham since last summer. It’s great to have some vicarious van adventures. Hope the journey back is smooth (especially the Bay of Biscay)!
Well done Ju for sticking to it and making it…. safe travels… glen, nicola and bertie the staffy
Congratulations on the run, fingers crossed the journey back is without incident.
We often stop in Torre del Mar it is a great area, looking forward to going back. Mind am looking forward to to going anywhere at the moment😁
Echoing all above.
Safe journey home.
Many thx for sharing your exploits.
Happy Trails x
Hi Ju and Jay,
Well done Ju on completing the Ashby 20, all the training was worth it. A great result showing what can be achieved when you set goals and follow a plan. A good choice of ice cream flavours too!
You have pretty much covered the procedures and forms as they were when I travelled back. I would just add to be sure to check the clinic have your details correct on the covid certificate they give you, as I had to have mine reprinted due to an error. Better to spot it at the clinic rather than have a problem at passport control. Yes you’re correct, you will need the reference no. from purchasing the quarantine kits to put on your passenger locator form and you will need to show the receipt for the kits (saved to phone) at Portsmouth.
I’m now on my last day of quarantine and have received negative results for the day 2 and 8 tests, so I’ll be able to get out for my first jab which is booked for tomorrow morning.
Have a safe and smooth trip back. I look forward to your future blog updates.
All the best.
Stuart
Piquant and smoked chorizo, tins of anchovies, jars of olives and crema cacao (for making ice cream) are on my (non alcoholic) list to bring home from Spain. In theory they are available in the UK, but the Spanish ones are better.
Making ice cream! I know you aren’t a keen cook, but with the incentive, that would be a good skill to master this summer … not as good as Spain, but you know they will be additive free. Email me if you want a simple starter recipe or two.
Hi, We are on day 9 of quarantine after leaving Spain and like you had been there all winter.
There are just a couple of things that may help.
When you book your tests you will get a confirmation email. Then a few hours later another with a pdf attached and it is that pdf you need to show. You can order for the two of you on one form. The number you need to put on your locator form is your ORDER number.
Because the ferry crossing is a long one and you are only able to submit your locator form less than 48 hours to your arrival in UK it is a last minute job.
We waited over an hour at check in as people before us were not organised 😫 It took us 3 minutes 😂👍 Hope all goes well for you 😘
Cheers guys, thanks a lot for the info. Just back from the last shop in Nerja, getting the van ready this afternoon and with mixed emotions we’ll hit the road tomorrow. 👍 Jay
Just wanted to say that i bought both of your books about a month ago … and they are brilliant – especially the handbook which yes i read cover to cover. Well done – it really is so useful.
I have now signed up to your blog. One quick question. Whats a reasonable budget for a long term pitch like the one you have taken in Nerja (IE JAN FEB MAR)
Cheers Andrew, that’s really kind of you. 👍 Our pitch in Nerja was €400 a month including unlimited electricity. That seems to be roughly the long-term rate in southern Spain. Cheers, happy travels, Jay