Dale Farm

31st January

We decided to go back to the free wild camping car park at Monte Gordo for the night. But first we need to top up with Gas as we know the Eastern side of the country has few camp sites and LPG stations. Also, I need to get a Portugese Sim card as we won't be finding wifi often. Both of these chores are my least favourite of the trip but we set off to Olhao with smiles on our faces. Olhao is west and we ultimately want to go East but feel there is a good chance of finding mobile phone shops in the new Shopping centre there. And there are, so now sorted for our time in Portugal.

The LPG station was as usual very difficult to find and we arrived at 13.07. Note on the pump said closed 13.00 to 14.00, and as we were reading this, a very small and elderly Portugese lady came out. A bit of Ponglais was exchanged and a few charades and we attached our almost new adapter. Not sure if it was this or the ancient nozzle but once she clicked it into the adapter, gas started pouring out. Jc tightened it up and still more gas poured out. She calmly shrugged as if this was alright and that gas was going in. I waved at the pump which still showed €32 from the previous transaction. She smiled and went over and reset the pump. No idea if it was filled up as there was so much gas around it was difficult to see the dial. But she decided it was and showed us the dial on her pump reading €9.30. The €10 note Jc gave her was retained and she asked for more money to pay for all the amount that sprayed out! I did wonder if this leakage had been from our bottles rather than her pump but never mind. Lots of Obrigado's( thank you) all round and off we went.

When we visited the beach car park at Monte Gordo 9 days earlier, it was heaving with motorhomes. Possibly over 100. Today, it was empty. Hmmm. We parked up and took the dogs on the beach before settling on an outside table at one of the beach restaurants. Many Germans here and we think a German proprietor. He explained that the car parked had been cleared the evening before. By the Mayor! Whilst we were lunching, 2 more vans came in and parked up, but we're soon warned off and left. We decided to move across the road into the campsite. Of course, this was now heaving and the receptionist suggested we look around for a place before booking in as many of the places left had a very soft sand base. The site was really unpleasant. The electric system comprising a network of cables running high up between the pine trees and then down into really old distribution boxes. On the sunny side of the site all these sockets were taken anyway. There are no designated pitches and you simply park where there is a gap. We quickly agreed we 'd rather not stay.

We had heard of a large carpark at the next door town. Vila Real de San Antonio. This had been a wild camping site for years and recently been seen by the council as an opportunity. They put some taps in, sorted out a drain where you can empty chemical loos and grey waste and charge €4 a night. It is right on the glorious Guadiana river and whilst the park is a sort of Dale farm with hundreds of campers, it is in the sun, clean and only minutes from the main bars, cafes and shops. The town was a real surprise with sophisticated and expensive shops and tree lined cobbled streets.










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Location:Vila Real de San Antonio