Costa Blanca to Costa Mersey resumed. 

The goodbyes to Anne, Gordon and Shadow are done. Their home in Fareham was a perfect Sit with nearby old friends and places to drift around. 

Shadow has a full social diary with the regulars in The Heathfield pub asking when he is next-in to bring in friends, children, other dogs to meet him. They have to take a place at the back of the line when Gordon takes him in next though, the bar staff said they get him first. A shitzu owning barmaid is actually his biggest fan….

The next leg of the Puerto Mazarrón (Spain) to The Wirral Peninsula (Birkenhead Liverpool) trip is under way.

The Motorhome I am driving is for a drop-off in Wolverhampton, and a chance to catch up with Karl who followed a few days behind in another motor home. 

A change in plan, that will probably see a rise in Guinness profits, is a stop at Gloucester Rugby with Blakey on Saturday. 

The match is early, 12:30, which should mean we enjoy a few pints and have an early post match meal and sleep 🤥  Glos are playing the Not-Not’s

The London Irish team are called the Not-Nots because they are ‘not based in London’ and they’re ‘not Irish’ 🙅🏼‍♂️🙅🏼‍♂️

In Spain Stu has sorted his ‘port from his starboard’ and found the visiting blogger/sitter in Alicante Airport, who will now hopefully enjoy fulfilling her Europe roaming urge. There’s two cafe’s in the airport, with Stu sat with his sign (he made a visible sign – so much better than the invisible ones I’m told😂) at one cafe and Tali with her bags at the other. My amusing text comments apparently not a great help to his day🤷🏻‍♂️

Deryk and Margaret welcomed Tali to the Puerto the following day with a lunch at Viggo’s on the Paseo

For  my last day on the South Coast I found a Tapas Bar in Southampton for lunch. BarCelona, nice place.

I ordered in Spanish, “para mi, Tanque Mahon, potatas bravos, bocadillo jamón y queso, vamos”

The barman said “sorrry I am Polish” – Well I tried Prisci 🤷🏻‍♂️

For desert I want whipped cafe y azúcar, apparently I have to wait for special coffee, madre mía 

The remains of the castle in Southampton high street is being used as a launch place for an overhead sleigh to star in the Southampton Xmas lights, (looks good in the lead picture).

Success in the Cartagena Military Museum where the restored tank engine is now running says Stu​

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Another day nearer my flight to Spain done👏😎.  I will trek back across the River Itchen, have a last supper with T&T, and roll early Friday morning to Stourport for a catch-up with Sally and Martin before Rugby.