Valencia to Salzburg
Trip Start
Jun 10, 2007
1
4
24
Trip End
Ongoing
Salzburg,
Austria
Sunday, July 15, 2007
From Valencia we missioned up to Barcelona but traffic was terrible (all the weekend traffic returning) so we found a free camp spot on the coast in a marina carpark. The next morning we found a camping ground just out of Barcelona which was expensive but nice after a week free camping and only showering at the beach. After a clean up we went to town and cruised up and down La Rambla the main street with all the street performers then some shopping well the girls did Mads and I sat on a patch of grass to watch the world go by- saw a fully naked man wearing only tattoed pants. We ate in town had paella and tapas soooooo good!
Next day we did a hop-on-hop-off bus trip round the city stopping to see all gaudi's amazing buildings then free camped on the street beside camping ground so we could sneak in and use the showers. Unfortunately our newly made friends Sam, Pia and Clair parked their van in a handicapped spot so were clamped and we spent a long time trying to get the people to unclamp it.
Next morning we all headed off at different times planning to meet at Montserrat a old monastery on and amazing mountain just out of Barcelona (it was amazing but heavily overshadowed by the following occurrences). Half the group got there early and left for Andorra before we arrived because Ants and I got the others horribly lost trying to find a supermarket then we had a barney and just about ran out of gas (not a good start to a long day!) we finally arrived saw the place and zeke still wasn't there. He finally rang to say his van was almost dead so we found him and his exhaust was sheared off at the extrators so he got AA on the case but it took a couple of hours, during which Ants asked me if our van was ok I said a few niggles but exhaust was fine-JINX! As we followed zeke in the tow truck there a loud banging and the van sounded like a tractor so I pulled over donned our hi vis vest and put out the warning triangle. Had a look underneath and our exhaust was lying on the road snapped off in front of the muffler. I managed to tie it up with a good old wire coat hanger when to cops turned up and said I had to get off road cos it was a dangerous place. Luckily they escorted us (sounding like a tractor) to a mechanic who amazingly welded it back together within an hour and a half for only 45 euro.....bargain! So back on the road and we hear from zeke his is almost fixed as well so we head off and he was supposed to meet us half way to Pamplona to camp for night, but an hour latter he text to say he is totally dead now. The others had returned from Andorra and were behind us a way on the road to Pamps, so the next morning Hamish and Astro go back in one van to help Zeke whilst the rest head to camping ground out of Pamps, no more dramas but the lads couldn't help Zeke and had to leave him at a mechanics and come to Pamps.
So finally in Pamps and the camping ground is full of tour groups and pissed antipodeans and stayed that way for a whole week some guys I never saw sober it was carnage. The first day there is the pre running of the bulls party in the streets of Pamps champagne and sangreia everywhere its so cheap everyone is throwing it at each other and spraying champagne and water and eggs and flour and confetti amazing sight if a little ferril people jumping off this statue onto the crowd who try to catch them (plenty got very badly hurt one may have died not too sure thou rumours eh). We left the party early and headed back to camping ground to chill out for the night and prepare for the big run in the morning. The morning of the running and we catch our bus into town but the driver is pissed and can hardly stay awake so a hairy ride didn't help the pre run nerves. Finally get to town and a bit late so a hurried farewell to our ladies and we take off to find a spot on the route the bulls run we had to push our way in and were lucky to make it in as lots were denighed or kicked out. THEN THE REAL NERVES KICK IN crammed together with 50 mins till bulls are released and trying not to imagine the carnage if a bull plowed thru the tight mass of runners. Eventually the gun goes to announce the release of the bulls some 800 metres behind us and its pandemonium you cant see a thing except terrified white dressed people with red sashes running for their lives and because its so packed you are swept along and have to fight to hold ya footing. We soon realize there is no bulls just there so fight our way to the side of street and allow the panickers to sweep by (a quarter at least ran so early they didn't see a bull till they were in the bull ring). I lost the others and waited nervously for a sight of the bulls coming I didn't have to wait long before another wave of really scared people came crashing down the street closely follow by the bulls then I ran - man they were big bulls- but they were faster than me and charged past on guy got barreled by a bull right beside me but the bull missed me as I ducked into a doorway. After the first wave of bulls I got foot tripped and went down hard on my knee and had to stop for a while and walk it off. Then another couple of bulls came and I ran ahead of them into the bullring where the real carnage started. They released smaller more feisty bulls into the ring and they run amuck flipping people into the air and ramming them into the walls. All this time our girls were sitting up in the stadium wondering if we weren't being gored by some nasty bull. Fortunately there were no injuries bar my banged knee. The girls spotted us at the end and we met at the side of ring then went back to campsite to drink to our success. Cool experience but wouldn't do it again so glad I ran wasn't too kean as I am not much of a runner.
We had one more day in Pamps and then headed back to Barcelona to see zeke but he still wasn't fixed was still waiting for parts. But along the way I snapped a fan belt and had to rig up a temporary one to get to zeke. The next morning I found a place to buy a fan belt put it on and we hit the road leaving zeke behind. A couple of k down the road I lost all my indicators and dials. We checked it out and the batt was low...i.e. alternator not working properly. Luckily I was able to drive to a ford garage who replaced the alternator that day. Once fixed we had to cane it to catch the other vans which we did late that night. The next morn Mads was having starter motor probs so we took it off and the front cover fell off. So we push started it and got him to a garage and he was able to get it fixed that day so we left him and took off towards the south of france and Monaco. We got stuck in this big traffic jam because of an overturned truck and I was stalling every time I took my foot off the gas. As that was happening this tow truck driver tried to cut me off but I didn't let him and he went ape s... at me I wound up my window and locked the door I wouldn't understand a word he was saying but he wasn't happy and actually got out of his truck and punched my window but I had my own probs with the van so ignored him too much at once. After the traffic had cleared we pulled over and found my carburetor was half off so we tightened that up and all was good again. What a week!
We made it late to Nice and free camped at a lookout then headed into Monaco the next morn for a quick look round we were on a mission to get to Sulzburg by the weekend to meet Bryce and for Ants bday. We went up thru Italy and into Switzerland the land of mountains and tunnels so beautiful. Didn't stop thou will do it again after beer fest. Free camped out of Sulzburg, actually in Germany, amazing 5 countries in one day. Now we are in a camping ground in Salzburg had a big night in town at a beer hall for ants bday drunk too many giant ceramic jugs of beer and ate a huge pork knuckle mmmm soooo good!
Hope everyone is well will send some more soon
Cy and Ants
