New Year 2021 in Nerja
Well, that’s it folks, 2020 is no more, happy New Year 2021! This is a bit of a catch-all blog post for what’s happening in Team Zagan at the moment here on the Costa del Sol.
COVID-19 Campsite Life
We’re currently parked up at Camping Cortijo San Miguel, about 1km west of Nerja on the coast south of Granada. When we were here in February 2020 we were squeezed into one of the last available spots, beneath a palm tree whose fronds wafted the van roof on evenings the wind picked up. A multi-national community surrounded us, snowbirds if you like, who’d headed here to enjoy one of the best climates on mainland Europe for the winter.
When we returned in October 2020, the site felt almost deserted, but not quite, some hardy souls had toughed it out all through the lockdown and the summer. We were greeted with a good humored but serious temperature check, automatic hand sanitiser dispensers and a request to keep our masks on anywhere on the site other than our pitch (and when we’re taking a shower). The local Spanish law around nighttime curfews and restrictions on group sizes was attached to the campsite gates, and the outside reception desk had moved behind a Perspex screen. Over the last few days (since regional travel restrictions have been lifted for Christmas in Spain) a few other motorhomes have arrived, but the site is still relatively empty and devoid of many of the guests who normally return year after year (several pitches have an informal title: we’re currently on ‘Geoff’s Pitch’ for example).
Outside the site, the most visible changes to Nerja were the reduced number of tourists, many closed hotels and restaurants and the fact pretty much everyone wears a facemask unless they’re sat eating (or smoking). On our second return, following a trip back to the UK for my mother’s funeral, I was struck by just how much freedom is available here compared with the UK, a sensation which has grown since our home county was placed into Tier 4 a few days ago, effectively another stay-at-home order.
There are bars and restaurants are open though, although relatively few people choose to sit inside as it’s still around 14°C and full sun during the day, so comfortable enough to sit outside. There aren’t many UK-style ‘pubs’ here but at one point we walked past one of them and I was shaken by the sight of a couple of blokes stood supping a pint outside, a totally normal scene, in normal times.
New Year 2021 in Nerja
The COVID rates in Nerja are pretty low, roughly half those of Cornwall. Although it feels like the town is taking the problem very seriously, we’re not in anything like a full lockdown here. For Christmas and New Years Eve places selling alcohol had to close at 6pm, but were allowed to re-open at 8pm for a couple of hours. Last night we took a walk into the town and ate a doble apiece, a double cone topped with two from a range of mouth watering flavours of ice cream. We took them and headed to a bench on the practically-deserted Balcón de Europa, Nerja’s centrepiece lookout over the Mediterranean. The church nearby rang its bells, announcing its open doors. I took a look inside, through the usual ‘airlock’ of double doors which were propped wide open for ventilation. The pews were nigh-on empty but, even for cynical atheist me, a sense of calm and peace flowed out and through me. The church has survived through plagues before, and it reminded me again that this too shall pass.
As we headed back towards the van, in the ‘firebreak’ 6pm to 8pm window, we walked through Nerja’s small party strip. The nightclubs were shut, but the ‘young-uns’ milled around the temporarily closed bars, waiting for the drinks to start flowing again. Even though a few of them were clearly already a tad worse for wear, many of them still worse face masks. Social distancing wasn’t exactly happening mind you, so we didn’t hang about.
Back at the van we WhatsApp’d our friends back home, really enjoying seeing them. They’re a positive lot, but are effectively locked in the house with freezing temperatures outside, which made us again appreciate the relative warmth and freedom we have here at the moment. We spent the final few hours of 2020 watching TV (our Fire TV Stick and Superdrug Mobile SIM which are both working well) before standing outside the van to watch a smattering of fireworks erupt into the black sky at midnight. As the official Nerja display was cancelled, hearing claps from other isolated groups across the valley gave us a feeling of attachment and solidarity with our Spanish hosts. Inside I played Auld Lang Syne on my phone, and thought about mum.
Amazon Locker and Video Gadgetry
Over the years we’ve popped up a ton of videos onto our YouTube channel, the latter ones recorded with the great quality cameras you get on smartphones these days. We’ve never used a stabilising device (a gimbal) and have rarely used an external microphone, which reduced the quality of some of the material we created, which has, perhaps, been partly responsible for us creating little video content recently. There are other reasons too, but feeling the urge to splurge as a Christmas present to myself I’ve coughed up for a DJI Osmo 3 Smartphone Gimbal and a RØDE VideoMic Me directional microphone. These should produce smoother videos with less windnoise, but we’ve only had chance for a quick play so I’ve nothing to show you just yet. I did a ton of research to try and be sure these would work with my Xiomi Redmi Note 8, but couldn’t be 100% sure, especially with the mic, but they both work fine.
Getting packages while on the road can be a pain, especially if you’re moving a lot and have no fixed itinerary. In the past we’ve had mixed success with post restante (where post offices across Europe hold your parcel for a small fee) and getting stuff sent to campsite receptions. While the family who run the site here will accept parcels, and have taken a few for us while we’ve been here, we’d spotted an Amazon Locker at a garage a few hundred metres up the road and wanted to give it a go.
I found I had to order the kit from amazon.es, as if I used amazon.co.uk the Amazon Locker here wasn’t available to choose as a delivery address. I could still use our UK Amazon login details, and paid in euros from a UK debit card, no problemo. I used Google Translate to render amazon.es into English so I could check all the details. While it’s taken weeks for small parcels to arrive here from the UK in the past, it took 4 days for my parcels to arrive and that was over the Christmas period. For each delivery Amazon sent us an email (again in Spanish, but our phone let us easily translate it) with a barcode, which we just had to wave under a scanner at the locker. A random door in the bank of lockers automatically popped open and voila, we had our parcel, we just had to push the door shut with an elbow (or the parcel itself) to make it totally contactless. Fantastic service, and we’ll definitely use it again in future.
2021 and the Wheel Bearings of Doom
If you’ve been reading this blog over the past couple of years you’ll have come across the small saga we’re having with the driver’s side front wheel bearings. They’ve failed three times in the space of as many years, and as we hammered our way across Spain in October, a rhythmic hum above the engine noise suggested they were on their way out yet again. In the panic to get home when mum died, we’d been trying to get a local mechanic to come and look at the wheel but after a number of no-shows we gave up and flew home, postponing the problem.
Since getting back Ju’s popped a message on the Nerja Lovers Facebook Group asking for recommendations. Despite the name, this collection of folks are less interested in amourous dating on the costa and more with the charms of this area of the Axarquía. The name David at Team Noria came up time and again, an English-speaking mechanic at a garage only a mile away. We had a walk over there and after a brief chat with David came away feeling confident he can sort the issue for us. Like a few other helpful folks have suggested, he seems sure the ‘hub’ which holds the bearings is probably damaged and needs repairing or replacing before new ones are fitted. We’re keen to get the problem sorted once and for all, and will decamp and nip the van over on Monday for him to eyeball. As Nerja’s Lidl is closed and in the process of being turned into some kind of Hyper-Lidl, we’ll take the opportunity to nip down to the Lidl at Torrox Costa a few miles towards Málaga and get stocked up – win win!
Brexit, The Final Frontier
Well, it’s finally happened, the UK has completed the process of leaving the EU as of about 10 hours ago. I’ll be honest: I feel a sense of loss with no associated sense of gain. Now that the full impact on motorhome travel outside the UK is becoming clear we’ve been busy updating The Motorhome Touring Handbook for 2021 (quite a bit’s changed, so it’ll be a while for us to edit and proof it before we can publish the new edition, so bear with us).
I know most folks won’t be able to spend months or years touring Europe like we’ve been able to this past decade, so the logistical impact for many of us will be limited to; checking the expiry date on passports, slapping a GB sticker on the back of the van, swapping EHICs for GHICs and getting a Green Card from our insurer (more details here). For those gearing up for a very long tour though, or for multiple tours, there’s more to consider, especially if you want to take your pooch or moggy with you. Long tours remain possible, and we’ve given lots of advice for making them a success in the book, but I can’t say it was fun explaining the additional hurdles new tourers will inevitably face once Europe starts to re-open to fellow Brits.
What’s Next in Team Zagan?
Our immediate future is here, on the campsite in Nerja. We’ve booked a ferry across the Bay of Biscay for early March after Ju spotted the March ferries were starting to fill up, presumably with non-resident Brits like us heading for home before their new shiny 90-in-180-days Schengen Area limit renders them illegal immigrants (apologies for the sour tone, I’ll get over it, I promise!).
We met up with friends the other day who’ve been full-timing for five years now. They were free camping by a beach in Portugal when the pandemic lockdowns happened in the spring, being asked to go to a campsite by the police. When it became clear all the campsites were closed to new entrants, they rented an apartment for a few weeks before getting back into the van and out on the road again. It was great chatting with them, and it’s clearly possible to still tour even in the depths of a pandemic (local laws allowing), but we’re staying put here for the time being to see what happens next.
As for the rest of 2021, we’re pondering goals and aims. We’ve another book we’re working on called The 200, which describes 200 of the most interesting and inspirational places we’ve stayed in our motorhome, and we hope to get that published in the next month or two (editing and proofing a 250 page book takes yonks!). Ju’s training for a 20 mile run in late March and I’m waiting for a 50 mile marathon in Wales to be confirmed for later in 2021. I also want to spend more time with dad once he’s been inoculated and it feels safer to be around him.
So we have some goals in mind, but I’m finding it hard to get excited about stuff right at this very moment, the soaring infection rates in the UK are impossible to ignore, even though we’re parking up here in relative paradise. Vaccines are being deployed at breakneck speeds though and by the time we return millions will have been jabbed, with millions more before the summer. As soon as the infection curve starts to bend back downwards as 2021 progresses I know I’ll be more enthused with life, probably more fired up than I have been for months, years even, so I’m working to keep that in mind through these next few weeks.
Cheers, Jay
A quick thank you for the great blog you both write, it is as enjoyable as it is inspirational.
Best wishes to both of you for 2021, stay safe and hope to meet you on the road some day!
Thank you Terry, comments like this make it well worth the effort, we really appreciate them. Cheers, happy travels (one day!) Jay
Dear J,J
what about just enjoying climate, life for the next 2 months & stay healthy?
As you are a profi in social media you can always keep connection to your family.
So just relax!!!!No worries!No hay problema!
regards Heide
Well said Heide
You’re right Heide, of course, but relaxing just ain’t in my DNA! :-) I need some sense of ‘progression’ to keep my brain from going haywire. I’d love to just chill the hell out, but I just can’t – maybe it’s all this strong coffee I’m drinking? Life is good down here though – we have good contact with family back home, the weather is wonderful, the landscapes are beautiful and I can write/run as much or as little as I like. I need to ignore the news more and focus on what’s around me more – I’ll get started on that today. Cheers! Jay
Hi, just wonder why you think it’s acceptable to travel in the midst of a pandemic? What is it about ‘stay at home’ that doesn’t apply to you? Isn’t this just criminal selfishness? Is this really ‘living the dream’?
Who said anything about ‘living the dream’ Dennis? I’m sat here mourning my dead mother – I’ll be the one to decide whether I’m living a dream or not – not you. We’re not criminals, as much as you might want us to be, we were careful only to travel when it was legal. Whether it’s selfish or not really isn’t for you to decide (unless you’re a perfect human being?). Can I suggest in such difficult times you spend a little more time trying to be kind and helpful, and a little less sending out spiteful, judgmental comments on the internet? Jay
Jason, thank you for your reply. I’m sorry for your loss. Unfortunately a lot of people are mourning the untimely loss of loved ones at the moment, approaching 1,000 a day currently, due to the thoughtless actions of others. I think from the tone of your reply you know that you are trying to defend the morally indefensible,
Dennis
I take from the tone of your reply you don’t give a damn how I feel. I’ve lived on the same tenterhooks as millions for months, not even able to hug my bereaved dad until I’d quarantined for 18 days and being unable to hold a wake. I bitterly resent your suggestion I’ve not considered my actions with due care and attention.
I’ve followed the guidance of the law, to the best of my ability, which oddly has a higher value to me than your personal soapbox opinion.
Can I suggest you do us both a favour and never visit this blog again – it would be in both of our best interests.
Jay
Well said lad!
Dear Mr. Cronin,
I really can’t understand you, as you should be glad /grateful about every Brit, who has left your lovely country ruled by so clever politicians.So you have:
– more food left for you in the supermarkets,
– more space in your crowded country to have a walk outside,
– more beds in hospital, just in case you need them.
– more tax payers who are not using GB administration services?
Be happy, that many people will leave the country in future.I am not quite sure , if you’re fine with the rest, that will stay.
regards Heide
By the way: I really like your country, visiting it regularly since 1962.
I am not getting into the argument. But remember rule no.1 on the internet, choose not to reply to the people with a different opinion, even when they are talking through their ****. (Ah god now I am telling you want to do, never mind :-) )
Enjoyed the article. 90 in 180, you are right probably not going to impact much more than a few thousand. But a negative change for you guys. You must have an Irish granny out there.
New hub will sort the bearing issue for years to come. We had to do it on ours after 3 bearings in 6 years.
Good luck guys.
Hi Both
It is lovely to read your blog with some clear understanding of the changes without the hype of the press.
Wales is lockdown but once this is lifted we will be coming over to Spain Site booked.
Oscar (the briard ) need to have his new paper work 🤬 but hey as long as he can travel with us we dont mind
Keep.writing it gives us hope
Enjoy your time away
Really sorry to hear of you mams death take care my friends
Gill and Allan.
Thanks guys. Hopefully the AHC isn’t too costly/difficult to obtain. Happy travels when it becomes possible for you. Cheers, Jay
We will not be able to get away this winter, but are looking forward to winter 2022 when we will travel through France and Spain and cross over to Morocco with our caravan for 3 months. We will then return to Spain and Portugal for a while. Sadly our little dog Tara died in July having enjoyed all our travels over the years. We hope by next year to have adopted another little dog and to take her with us. However with the Pet Health Certificate only lasting for 4 months this could cause a problem. However, assuming that vets in Europe or Morocco can issue these, it should be possible to renew the PHC whilst away. I would be interested in your thoughts on this.
KH
Hi Keith – I’m sorry to hear about Tara, we know how painful a time this can be. I don’t know yet whether it’ll be possible to renew AHCs outside the UK to extend a 4 month trip, or whether UK-resident pet owners could get a new EU Pet Passport in France or Spain (for example). It seems reasonable to me that both would be an option, but I’d talk to your vet to get their opinion, they should be a lot closer to the source of information than me. Cheers and happy (future) travels, Jay
Happy New year, here’s hoping 2021 is more sociable. Interested in checking out the new book 👍
Enjoy being settled somewhere lovely. We’re stuck at home in the UK for the foreseeable future and my neighbour just texted to warn about the sheet ice outside – she has slipped and fallen. (Nothing broken – phew!) I have found an unexpected sort of release at not being able to make any plans or arrangements about where to be and I am trying to embrace it. I’m countering the urge to get away with things immediately to hand – garden to fettle, cupboards to clear, forgotten balls of wool to knit! It’s a quiet time. Enjoy the warmth. Happy New Year!
Happy New Year to both of you, so glad you have got away and making the most of this unsettled time.
We are older than you but once we get our jabs we hope to be out on the road.
But until then we will continue to enjoy your Sunday updates.
Take care and keep safe.
Best wishes from
Chris and Keith
Quick question: what are you plans about getting the vaccine please – I assume you remain registered to a UK GP – so this should mean that you get a invitation (eventually) to have it in the UK? There is also the issue of the delay between the two doses which means possibly a three month wait for the second now? This must be a concern for all UK residents currently abroad.
Hi Nick
As UK residents we have to be out of the Schengen Area by the end of March and stay out for 90 days (ish, depending on when we leave the area). So, depending on the prevailing law at the time we’ll be back in the UK. As we’re 48, we don’t expect to be invited for vaccination until after June anyway.
Cheers, Jay
I see your wee blog got a vist from the covid police (self appointed), Don’t give them a second thought there will always be haters, We always look forward to hearing from you guys, we are both on the front line and would love nothing better than to rock up beside you in Spain to see out the next couple of months, keep it up.
Thanks Martin, means a lot that and we really appreciate all you front line folks are doing. My sister works in a care home and I couldn’t be prouder of her. Look after yourselves and, when possible, happy travels. Jay
I just want to say a heartfelt thanks to both of you for your generous and informative emails and blogs. I started following you over five years ago when we bought an old Hymer motorhome. We no longer have a motorhome (Eriba caravan now) and are not in a position to travel for long periods of time but I am constantly recommending you to those who can. You provide a window/door to a world that many don’t realise is possible.
Best wishes for 2021!
Maggie
Thanks Maggie, happy new year and we appreciate the recommendations, that’s very kind of you. Take care, Jay P.S. happy caravanning when you’re able to get out again. x
Hey J’s, it was a real boost to see you guys too. Loved Nerja, we will return. 👍 Torrox Lidl CP is as big as a stamp, you may need to park in McD’s behind & lugg it all back in bags for life.
Looking forward to some good new stuff on YouTube/OurTour.
Best of luck with the Zagan repair.
Keep us all posted… we’re all still here you know !
The ones that matter are, anyway. Stay safe 🚍
Xx Wayne
Cheers mate, same here. First video: us lugging bricks of milk from Lidl. Living the dream mate, living the dream! :-) Jay
Perhaps you could explore a trip to N. America. Ship yourselves and your van. I’d enjoy reading about your exploits.
We’re thinking about it Alan. Shipping the van is very expensive though (we’d look into a van swap or buying locally) and obviously no chance for the foreseeable. Cheers, Jay
We are thinking about The States too, when we are done here (CH).
Do you think you would write a post on what you have found out so far?
Yep, although TBH I’ve only looked into the shipping costs/risks and not yet visas/sourcing a van/route planning/overnight options etc, so it’d be pretty limited. Cheers, Jay
Hi,the disadvantages of taking your own motorhome are:
– the vehicle is allowed to stay one year, but a person only 6 months.
– you have to leave the country to reenter. .Mexico & Canada are not allowed.
– you could have a holiday at home & give your vehicle to a family member.That was our plan.
– campgrounds got very expensive in the last years.Free camping is hardly to find, besides Walmart Parking lots & in touristically interesting places nearly impossible.
– we found out, that swopping is difficult for a longer term than 3 months
– we sadly changed our plans anyway as Trump got president.Now our RV is too old to take it over.
Our experience profile:we’ve rented an RV about 15 times, but always only for 4 weeks.
Although Europe better has to offer very interesting countrysides, culture, old villages, nice food>>>>N.America is really a challenge.
But it’s a good thing for research, so you won’t get bored at all & it takes a long time to compare. I loved doing it.(in our travelbook shelves are 3m USA & Canada.)
Perhaps you can sit outside while doing the research!!
Think of the longer lockdown in UK & just enjoy your situation.
regards
Great info, thank you Heide. Cheers, Jay
We’ve just seen the news about the storm in Spain. Hope you’re both safe and well?
All the best
P&V
Hi Pete – thanks, we’re all good here. The mountains behind us are topped off with snow now but we’ve just had a few days of heavy rain and thunder, we’re well protected from the wind on the site too. No leaks, fan heater keeping us warm and the forecast for the next few days shows the sun’s coming back soon. There’s been a little flooding around the town but nothing serious we could see, just some drains overflowing. I’m chatting with dad every day so I know it’s very cold and bleak back in the UK, keep warm. Cheers, Jay
Did you get your wheel bearings sorted in the end? I have a 25 year old Hymer S700 which is currently parked up at Camping El Pino, just down the road from you.
I have an exhaust gasket that needs replacing at some point in that it has a slight leak on cylinder No1. Many garages tend to avoid old vehicles cos they are harder to maintain. The problem with mine is that after 25 years, there is a better than evens chance that they will shear the studs trying to get the manifold off!! I have had my Hymer for 7 years and spend most of my time out of the UK, but the present time ain’t so easy for us wanderers. Trying to travel and at the same time cope with border regulations, health regs, quarantines etc is complicated. I have lost track of the number of documents I have printed off to enable me to cross borders only to discover that when I arrived at the border, nobody wanted to see or collect them!
Stay Safe.
Hi Graham – greetings from just down the road!
Yes, Taller Team Noria replaced the bearings a couple of weeks ago. They checked the hub and couldn’t see any damage, but with failure after failure it seems certain something is causing them to go. We didn’t insist on OEM bearings so the cost was only about £100, and we’re thinking that’ll get us back to our garage at home where we’ll get them to do a full strip down of the wheel/suspension/fit OEM bearings/sacrifice a chicken to create a permanent fix.
Yep – I’m no mechanic but I’ve stripped a few engines some years ago and shearing studs sounds entirely possible, great joy that brings when it happens! They should be able to extract the studs though, with any luck at least. David at Team Noria speaks English (he’s from the UK) and a nice guy – he even picked us up from town when the job was finished. His garage is near Lidl, and has a very high roof.
Wandering is off the cards for the time being for us, other than on foot. Our only movement plan is to head for Santander in late March, a 2-dayer across Spain, and get the ferry home. We’ll do whatever PCR testing/hotel quarantine/home quarantine/being tagged or whatever has been brought in by that point, and will then most likely remain in the UK until we’ve been vaccinated, in the late summer to autumn I guess (we’re under 50, no underlying conditions, no jobs which place us at higher risk). We’ve been so, so lucky to have travelled so freely this past decade, obviously with no idea Brexit/COVID was around the corner.
Take care, good luck with the exhaust, Jay
I will wander down to find your garage and see if your man can help. Time is not an issue as I plan to be here for a while, although I understand that Nerja is now off limits again for them wot live in Torrox. Last week Nerja was OK but it seems they may well have changed the rules rapidly.
The hardest bit of wandering at present is trying to plot a time when you can get from A to B with the minimum of regulatory issues. I left the UK in September in the first week that there were no restrictions on crossing to Calais, no restrictions in France and the French/Spanish border and no restrictions motoring through Spain. Three weeks later the restrictions had started again.
I think I will use the Santander route this time going home as the French only seem to be getting more difficult by the day. I got stopped in France in September by the French version of VOSA . They had set up a portable weighbridge in the car park of the motorway access booth at Le Mans going south. I was having kittens whilst they weighed my S700 and trailer carrying my Smart car, but I was 220kgs UNDER the max all up weight of 7500kgs!! There were a number of motorhomes being pulled in to be weighed and some very unhappy punters who had been found to be overweight.