Tuesday 17 May 2011

Les and Terri – The Perfect Reception Committee May 10th – May 17th 2011







After a reasonable gentle and picturesque drive from Valencia I arrived at Rute in the Cordoba region in Southern Spain about 4pm. Les is an ex-soldier and with my background in the armed forces we could communicate properly. Beer was produced as were sweet lemons for my digs and his wife. She was not for my digs. Terri was formally married to the bloke (Geordie) who owns the house in which I was going to stay in. Confused? It gets more complicated...

Les and Terrie, who have lived in Rute for several years owned a delightful house overlooking the fresh water lake that makes Rute stand out from much of southern Spain. He has some 600 olive trees (big business round here with mile after mile of olive orchards) sweet lemon and other food producing trees. Les has a son that any man would be proud of serving his country in Afghanistan. When I arrived Terri was chairing one of what she calls her "covens". It appears that these are largely made up of middle to "older than that" aged British ex-pat ladies. A great couple and I hope to spend an evening or two with them when Geordie leaves and I need to amuse myself once again.

After a flash run though this small Spanish town Les fired up the house, left and it was time for a shower and relax. I had don thousands of miles across three countries in the last few days and I didn’t realise how tired I was. I slept for a couple of days only venturing from the sofa to get a glass of wine or change the DVD on my laptop. After 2 days the debris surrounding my sofa could be skied down.


Geordie, who owns the house I am staying in, was due to arrive on day three. This gave me the opportunity to get reliable Internet access to update my blog at Malaga Airport. Geordie is an ex-soldier and just about to retire from the prison service and Les and he could have been brothers. Bolt upright, racist and English. Not British, English! I had known Geordie for 15 years or so and he is about to marry and ex-girlfriend of mine who I lived with some 15 years ago. Are you keeping up with these incestuous connections? Geordie is a proud man who is, alas, succumbing to heart and knee issues. These meant that we were basically house bound and that was fine.

For the 6 days we were staying together I worked out, popped over to the bar for my fags and watched DVD’s. We made an abortive trip to Cordoba on the Saturday morning but after 30 min of trying to find a parking space Geord was losing his patience and I decided we should return to Rute.

Today, the 17th May, Geord left Malaga to return to Blighty. I will miss his company. I’m now planning my trip to Gibraltar and my visits to Cordoba and Granada. These three locations are the only remaining destinations of my itinerary and I am beginning to realise my epic, wonderful trip is coming to an end and I want to mark it somehow.

Gibraltar I am not expecting much from but I think I am going to stay at the swanky, colonial style Rock Hotel. Here you must dress for dinner and the piano player knocks out colonial favourites such as "Dining at the Ritz" and "Mad Dogs and Englishman". It will be kitsch but it is a British colony so it is a rare thing and something my little girl may never see.

One interesting thing, I have become acclimatised. Today it is only 24c and I am cold without a long sleeved shirt and jeans. Geordie is sweating. Blighty is going to be a shock to my system! The Melksham Blue Swimming Pool – where I work – will feel cold at 28c.

I’m starting to miss England. I am slowly however becoming weary of being in unfamiliar places and having to make myself understood. I want to start my new business and ride my Kawasaki ZX9R. I want also to see my family, friends and acquaintances. It feels like a kind of weariness the beginnings of homesickness. When I started out I wanted to go further and further away from England and the heartache I left behind there. With that issue resolved now I’m ready to resume my life and push it forward with energy.

Gibraltar I am not expecting much from but I think I am going to stay at the swanky, colonial style Rock Hotel. Here you must dress for dinner and the piano player knocks out colonial favourites such as "Dining at the Ritz" and "Mad Dogs and Englishman". It will be kitsch but it is a British colony so it is a rare thing and something my little girl may never see.

One interesting thing, I have become acclimatised. Today it is only 24c and I am cold without a long sleeved shirt and jeans. Geordie is sweating. Blighty is going to be a shock to my system! The Melksham Blue Swimming Pool – where I work – will feel cold at 28c.

I’m starting to miss England. I am slowly however becoming weary of being in unfamiliar places and having to make myself understood. I want to start my new business and ride my Kawasaki ZX9R. I want also to see my family, friends and acquaintances. It feels like a kind of weariness the beginnings of homesickness. When I started out I wanted to go further and further away from England and the heartache I left behind there. With that issue resolved now I’m ready to resume my life and push it forward with energy.


What a trip huh?

The people of Rute have been wonderful so far. I was acknowledged on my first night at the fiesta and the bar staff, despite being busy, they were patient and of the 5 drinks I had that night 2 were free. My neighbours are mostly old Spanish persons who spend every night sitting out in the road in plastic chairs shooting the shit. I make a point of cleaning the car about every 3 days or so they can see me and talk about me. A way I can break the ice without talking I guess. I am now familiar to them and they now beat me to the "Hola!" when I stick my head out of the door. I like that and I would recommend anyone else contemplating a trip such as this to take a chance with the locals – it removes a little of the loneliness knowing you can go to the car and people want to speak to you. Make friends everywhere you go, respect their customs and avoid offence. Remember, smile and the world smiles with you. So far so good.


This post took 2 days to write.

Gib here we come!  I'm looking forward to some night life.

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