18th October 2023.
Waking up with excitement I new that tomorrow I would be leaving. Everything I was taking was strewn across my bedroom or my living room so the morning was spent packing, unpacking, re-packing and then doing it all over again. Once I was happy I left my panniers and bags all in the hallway and then had a break – and did some serious daydreaming about the trip.
In the afternoon I gave the bike a final check, went to get fuel and then spent the afternoon cleaning my flat – as I didn’t want to be greeted with a grubby flat when I returned. During the evening I tried to watch a movie but I was so excited that I really couldn’t concentrate. You know that feeling when you are so excited you can’t think about anything else..? With that I also had lots of other feelings, maybe some anxiety, as I’ve never made a trip like this before and in some ways, I felt like I was stepping into the unknown.
19th October 2023
I didn’t sleep well at all. I went to bed at my normal time, which is usually about 10.30 or 11pm but whatever I did I could not sleep. Total excitement. I read, I counted sheep, I red some more but at some stage I must of drifted off because I woke up about 5am. After some breakfast and a huge mug of tea I had a shower, got dressed into my riding gear and then loaded the bike up. Its strange, however much you practice, when you are doing it for real for the first time you are all fingers and thumbs.
It was starting to get light and after loading the bike I got my jacket on, locked the flat, started the bike and quietly left. I stopped on the way out of town to take a few pictures but I was on my way by around 7.30am.
It was quite chilly once I got on the motorway through Glasgow, and leaving Glasgow the temperature dropped down to around 12 degrees – which meant my heated handlebars were turned on. After a straightforward ride I got to Manchester in the late morning as I was staying overnight to see my Mother and Sister.
20th October 2023
After a pleasant day with my family the day before I left Manchester around 9am. I had stayed the night at an B&B outside Stockport and besides a good night’s sleep, I also has a superb breakfast. The ride down to Portsmouth was uneventful with the motorways clogged with the usual middle-lane and outside-lane hoggers. It also rained in the Midlands and I had to stop to get my waterproof’s on, which is always a chore. This was also a good opportunity to see how my new Motoz GPS tyres worked in the wet. The rear was fine but the front was very skittish on bends in the wet, especially roundabouts. This was something I was going to have to be wary of: the front tyre.
The very wasn’t due to leave until 7.30pm and I got to the ferry port in Portsmouth around 5.30pm. Going through border control was quick, easy and professional and I was directed straight onto the ferry and straight into an area for motorbikes. I was the only motorbike and once I had removed my tote-bag I went to my cabin. You have a key-card for your cabin and there definitely seems like there’s a ‘knack’ to using it. After a couple of tries I was in and had a four-berth cabin to myself. There wasn’t a window, but in its place there was a TV screen with a seascape view. I think that was better than an actual window, and as an inside cabin was cheaper than one with, definitely a bargain.
We sailed at 7.30 and it was dark so I didn’t bother watching us depart. I went straight to the lounge, had a superb meal and then went back to my cabin to edit the day’s video footage and then watch a movie on the TV. By the early evening I could feel the motion of the ship and quite easily went to sleep.
21 October 2023.
I spent quite a few years in the Royal Navy and adore being at sea. The fresh air when you are on deck, the noise of the ship and the constant movement of the ship. By the morning we were in the Western Approaches and it was starting to get a bit lumpy – which I love.
During the daytime we were well into the Bay of Biscay and the sea was really quite ‘lumpy’. Strangely enough the ship was like a ghost ship. During lunch there was hardly anyone eating and it was good fun watching my plate slide about the table. Where is everyone… 😉
Brittany Ferries are great. Their ships are big, clean, modern, comfortable and the staff are just superb. Pleasant and always happy to answer a question or help. The food was superb as well. I enjoyed a leisurely breakfast, a lugubrious lunch and then went back again for my evening meal – taking advantage of the pastries and cheeses. To treat myself I had bought a ticket to use the Premium Lounge where you can eat or drink as much as you want. Normally I don’t drink but that evening I had a few glasses of the loveliest Chardonnay. Life can’t get any better, sometimes.
That evening I had watched a couple of movies in the TV while munching through a giant bag of Haribo, and that night I had the best sleep. With the constant rocking of the ship its the perfect way to sleep.
22 October 2023
Well, at the ripe old age of 64 I have finally started my long awaited trip all the way from Scotland to West Africa – all on my lonesome and with only a Suzuki V-Strom to keep me company.
I was up early and into breakfast by 6am and by 7am we were alongside at Santander in northern Spain. About 7.15am they started calling us to go to the vehicle deck and by 7.30 I was riding off the ferry. Border control was really quick and easy, and very soon I was on my way. I like Santander Port because the road out of the docks leads straight onto the Motorway system. Easy. Before I left the city I stopped to fill-up with fuel, which was cheaper than the UK. I was impressed how the petrol in Spain has a blue tinge to it.
Today’s route was to hang a left out of Santander, follow the coast road and then at Bilbao do a right then start heading south-east towards the Badenas Realas – which is a national park. I’ve always wanted to see this place and although you have expectations, the reality far outweighed the expectations. I got to the park around lunchtime and it was one of those days where the sun is there but it keeps hiding behind clouds. It was 20 degrees and to me it felt like summer.
The park is a remnant of volcanic activity. It is a very barren place, full of sand, mud-pits and large odd-shaped sandy hills. As you approach the park you are directed to take a certain road and you just follow the circular route. It takes about an hour to ride around the circuit, or longer depending on how many times you stop. As you leave the main route and get back to the start there is a visitors centre – with toilets – and nearby was a food van. I stopped at the van for the most wonderful cheese and ham panini, with a piping hot coffee. Nearby was a guy selling honey so before leaving I went to have a look – as I love honey – and I bought two jars of honey off him.
Back on the road again I was heading for Zaragoza. There was a campsite listed further south but I had spent too long at Badenas Reala so decided to camp in the wild. This is where your inner radar starts trying to spot possible locations to camp. Sometimes you see somewhere, stop to have a look but then decide its unsuitable and decide to move on and sometimes you find the perfect place. I saw a likely spot, got myself off the road and decided this would do. It was on the edge of a famers field beside a highway a little before the town of Zaragoza.
When you are camping in the wild there is always a slight feeling of anxiety incase you are found and told to move on but it was late, nearly dark and I was well hidden. Perfect. I was so excited as I knew that tomorrow I would be near Valencia or Alicante, the next day near Gibraltar and then soon after that catching the ferry over to Morocco. I had ridden around 300 miles today and wasn’t at all tired and had a difficult time trying to get to sleep as I was so excited.
Let the fun begin…
