Almerimar: Part 2

4th-13th August

We were on our own again, Charlie and Hannah had gone. Time to turn Ganymede into a two-person boat again, get the laundry done, put away the extra sheets and towels. My washing machine is generally very good but there is a problem with the drum which needs balancing. The machine fits so snugly into its designated spot that we are not sure if we can get it out. Obviously we can... but not without a very great deal of effort. As a result I organise laundry loads carefully, never more than one bath towel at a time and always with a full load so getting all those large towels washed took a while.

Ron and Sheenagh were back and we enjoyed several meals together. Ron's work plans had changed and he wouldn't be able to oversee the loading of their yacht onto a cargo boat in southern Italy, at the top of th Messina Straits. (They are moving back to Singapore, shipping the boat there.) Would Tony supervise for him? We weren't planning to head that way although Tony's preferred winter home would be Corfu or Lefkas in the Ionian...

... and I didn't think I wanted to spend the winter in Almerimar. I still thought that Morocco and then Gran Canaria would be a good solution but Tony wasn't keen. Hmmm...

... we like Sicily a lot, it's one of our favourite places...

Okay, we would do it! So Corfu for the winter it is.

Over the next couple of weeks we settled into Almerimar, settled into the routine, found our favourite bars... and yes, the English bar we visited on the first day was one of them. There was another, just a bit further along the street, that made the best coffee and tostadas. I am afraid I got into the tostada for breakfast habit, never missed a day! Tony helped Ron on his boat... probably passed a few spanners... and Sheenagh and I caught up with lots of chatting. No longer did I look out and see a mass of polythene. Now I saw the mountains. Beautiful mountains, majestic, spectacular. I was beginning to like Almerimar. Now that we weren't staying!!!

The alternator was proving problematic. First they had to order spare parts, then they couldn't get them, it being August. Time was moving on. Finally, we decided to get a new one. Ouch!!! We just happened to have one of the most expensive brands of alternator you can buy and Tony didn't want to replace it with a different, cheaper make. Ron and Sheenagh were almost ready to leave. The new alternator wouldn't arrive for several days... we decided to make a trip to Granada.

So that's what we did. We could have taken a coach trip from Almerimar but we decided to rent a car, stay overnight, and also visit Corboda if time permitted.