In my new vocation as CARER who pays for the privaledge, I dutifully report to the main house at 10.00am. Vilja is lying on the sofa wearing a bright pink, fluffy dressing gown. She explains that she bought it for someone as a Xmas present but as she now can't remember who she has decided to keep it herself. Her pills are in a mug untouched on the coffee table in front of her as she thinks they are the ones from last night and she has forgotten to take them and that they will have the sleeping tablets among them.
My focus is to do the job and get going. Take the car, get to Gibralter, pick up a hire car and start to enjoy our break! I suggest that Louis had ensured she had taken last nights pills before he left and these are definately this morning's. SO JUST TAKE THEM! Please...
The road to Gibralter was good. Gybo waited for every bump but a car doesn't really suffer like a camper van. But she like Vilja has forgotten. Every telegraph pole that lined the road had a large nest on top of it guarded by a black and white heron. Probably got a proper name but very beautiful. La Linea is the gateway town to Gibralter and the main route in takes you along the beach. We passed a long queue waiting to get across to The Rock. Apparently the La Linea civil servant employees have not been paid for 4 months as the council is broke (no change there then) and they have decided to protest by setting up a blockade to the Gib access.
Found the car hire place with a line of clients queuing around the block. Luckily there are 2 other car rental companies really close by. One had sold out for Xmas, and the other had one white Mazda left. We were persuaded to take the premier insurance option to cover all the ancillaries like windscreen, wing mirrors, scratches etc. so I was quite surprised to find that the car came to us without hub caps or a cigarette lighter. Lucky we are insured for their loss then!
As we left their offices a group of people walked by and I had a funny feeling. I turned and quickly cast my eye over the group, and there was my old employer from The London windsurfing centre. Nigel Fawkes who was on holiday with his wife Jane and visiting friends who are starting a round the world trip in a wooden boat with 2 babes under 5.
I worked for Nigel and his partner John Lindley in 1979 as a Windsurfing Instructor at Bray Lake near Maidenhead when Mrs Thatcher's policies put me out of advertising work. Although I will always admire anyone who can operate on a couple of hours sleep a night.
So, I haven' t seen Nigel for 30 odd years and in all the towns and all the places... My Dad always used to say that the world was a very small place. If you hold your head up and keep your eyes open you will be surprised at how many people you will come across. And In my experience this has been the case. There have been so many amazing coincidences.
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Location:Jimena
Top tip...
ReplyDelete'Eurocars' do a really good deal. I would recommend them.
But, beware, they do not have an office - you have to find them in the underground car park behind a line of shops in La Linea, 10 minutes walk from the airport, in Gibralter. Get proper details from them before you leave blighty.