Ok so let’s close off the ferry update before we talk about today. With 33 hours to kill there is obviously quite a lot to cover ….and really quite a lot of boredom to stave off.

So we did play cards for a while, but that inevitably got tedious very quickly not least because I lost….Marc is quite the card shark / cheat it turns out. We also played “purple fruits and vegetables” which was not my idea (because it’s a made up game and ridiculous and I also now realise ends very quickly with “plum” which is the end game, allegedly!)

Courtesy of Brittany Ferries (can’t fault their effort at entertaining) we also had a rather interesting, if not niche, “Whales and dolphins” quiz …..honestly….this happened! Did you, for example, know that a Fin Whale was the fastest of all the whales….every day really is a school day. After the quiz Sharon, our Whales and Dolphins host, invited interested parties upstairs to scan the horizon for “possible sightings” and to be fair many  people in anoraks with binoculars followed her. Marc and I, for the second time this trip, politely made our excuses and left. (Sidebar….nobody saw a whale or a dolphin…just a lot of sea)

We did however return in time to win the movie quiz (obvs). One might argue there was not a lot to be said for our competition (and that would be fair although you can’t see them so you will just have to trust me) but we crushed them (again obvs) and we were both modest and magnanimous in our victory (ditto). Ok so with hindsight the rather loud “whoop go us” might have been excessive but still …these people need to know who they are dealing with.

In an only slightly mean spirited (and therefore wholly uncharacteristic) way of passing the time we briefly dipped into the “look  a-likes”  game which had a surprisingly strong  sci fi leaning with  a clear Jar Jar Binks, a Chewbacca and the god creature from Prometheus all making an appearance. I swear there was also  a very strong Matt Le Tissier (in the non sci fi category) but Marc vetoed it on the basis that it was actually Matt Le Tissier….which is fair.

A few minutes after “Music by David’s “ arrival on stage we decide it’s time to head back to the cabin before he starts making it weird again.

Having rather a lot of time on our hands we used some of it to carefully research what time the restaurant opens for breakfast in the morning. (By “carefully” I do just mean we read the sign that says 545). Accordingly, as “carefully” planned we arrive at 0615 only to find it firmly closed with zero signs of life and it’s another 30 minute’s before it actually opens…..is this our first “mañana, mañana” experience?

Shortly after 8am, slightly later than scheduled we do eventually roll off the ferry and begin the first Spanish leg of our adventure.

We knew from our route planning that the first few days in Spain would be pretty challenging and so it proves. It is very “bumpy” and we cover more climbing in the first 30 miles of the day than we did in the whole of Friday (how can that only be 2 days ago…feels like a lifetime?) We stop regularly for food, to rest and occasionally to shelter from a shower. The weather has been kind to us so far so we can (and do) suffer a little bit of rain from time to time ….there is plenty of time still for “El Scorchio” weather.

Apart from the “bumps” it’s hard to fault the route itself which once we clear Santander is really scenic. It’s also part of the “Camino” (most routes are in this part of world) so there are lots of fellow “pellogrinos” who are so friendly and eager to wave (and chat if you stay still long enough)

At a not unreasonable 1600 we roll into Barros and prepare for our first night of camping ….what new level of horror am I about to inflict on myself. We are rewarded with a really pretty spot next to the beach and there is an on site bar and restaurant….winner winner!!! The tent is up, the cold beers are open and TMAAT are up and running.