One leaving the UK

Loving it! Look forward to next chapter!

So started the day in Salamanca, didn't see much of the town but a good nights rest and good feed. The restaurant catered for me being vegetarian really well, so couldn't be happier with that stay. Anyway so the hotel had an underground carpark, which I picked not to stay out of the rain but as the car is full of personal possessions I am taking with me, wanted to keep it out of sight. So after a quick stop for supplies (coke zero) time to set off.

After a good run, fuel gauge got low again so stopped to top up. This time a nice Spanish brand, repsol. again found the 98 but also the 95 was also E5, so all good. I am and have been trying to avoid the E10 as I hear some fuel lines don't like it and some of mine are pre E10 was considered. In particular I had one specially made with the fuel rail fitting swaged in professionally and don't want to mess with unless there is a problem. Anyway good excuse to fuel up with 98 every time I can.

Changed the sat nav over to kilometers, so now I can see speed in big numbers, not the little ones on the speedometer which has both but MPH is much easier to read, especially and I hate to say it with my aging eyes. The kilometers are counting down nicely. My temporary repair from previous day did fail on me once, hose popped out. Was never a great solution but has kept me mobile. So after a quick roadside repair (I put the hose back on and tightened up the clip) back off again.

Stopped for a rest, for me not the car, and spotted the first sign to Sevilla. Hurrah getting closer. So nice opportunity for yet another photo. After eating up a few hundred kilometers it started to get warm, again the weather not the car, so pulled over to change into shorts. Far too hot for my cargo trousers, ,sorry my American friends I can't bring myself to call them pants, that's just wrong and you need to accept it However this give also give another opportunity for a photo opp. Beginning to feel like a grand tour of the petrol stations in Spain, but while driving I can't exactly take photos, but believe me the scenery is beautiful. While the car hadn't overheated I did take the chance to let it cool down a little. So I sat with a cold coke while the electric water pump ran and dropped the temperature down a few degrees.

So i was driving along, and it started to get a little darker, hmm I think, then I notice a puff of something from the car in front. Odd I think, the I realised the road is damp with more and more puddles appearing.
Then would you believe it I ran into a thunder storm with hail stones, thunder and lightning. Had to slow down quite a lot as I couldn't see let alone risk of aquaplaning. It even made the Spanish news!

www.abc.es/espana/tormenta-granizo-deja-...230518215706-vi.html

Car did great, we got through without issue, just really wasn't expecting the storm. After a tunnel which was a welcome respite from the rain, things started to dry up and eventually the sun came out. Next thing I notice is the Sevilla Tower on the horizon. Traffic starts to increase as I get closer, a bit of careful navigating and I say goodbye to Sevilla and head towards my destination of Huelva.

I hadn't thought about it but on the way I see a sign to circuit velocidad. Which after I checked was monteblanco, an F1 testing circuit. Sadly no track days on the calendar, maybe next time when the car isn't full of luggage.

So to continue the fuel commentary, orange light flickered on time to refuel. This is not how fuel inefficient it has been but I had now done over 500 km. I found the brand I normally use in Tenerife, Cespa, but for some reason their ultima petrol was 95, the same as the regular. Very confused I put the ultima in, but only 10 litres, just to make sure I don't run out before the ferry.

So I headed towards the sea and I found instead the large estuary, didn't find a spot to park where you could also see the car, so here is some water.

So that's it, I have driven north coast to south coast. I know it's not the same as those who have driven east to west coast of the US, but I am still over the moon with the drive so far.


Next I book a hotel for 2 nights while I wait for my ferry on Saturday. And obviously at then end of a day of driving on a Grand Tour, the only thing to do is have a beer. Found this lonely chap in a bar just down the road from my hotel. (which also has underground parking and as a service they washed the windscreen)