Spain
As usual in France in May, this weekend was a bank holiday so we packed up the car and went camping in Spain. We stayed here near Tossa (hee hee) de Mar, as it was the only site in the brilliant Cool Camping Europe which was in the right area. The site was lovely - all on different levels so you didn't feel like you were staying in a tent version of suburbia, it had four beaches and most important of all, the showers and loos were clean. So if you like camping, I'd really recommend it.
But I'm still not convinced I actually like camping. This is only the second time we've been as a family and admittedly this was a great improvement on last time, when we were in the Cotswolds and it was cold and rainy. And while I can kind of see all that "ooh look at us being in the great outdoors" stuff things which make it quite unfun include:
Weeing in a bucket and then having to carry it to the toilet block in the morning and empty it. Gross.
Not bringing quite enough plastic cutlery and having to share cereal spoons.
The smell of the tent in the morning (yuk) plus feeling like everyone is climbing over me to get up.
Having to get up early and having to stay out the whole day.
Not having anywhere to put anything.
Ants in the cool-box (ewwww).
Grit EVERYWHERE.
I know some people love it but three nights was enough for me. It was nice to sit out in the evening, listening to the sea and drinking wine out of (plastic) cups and it was lovely to go to the beach but would have been even more lovely to go back to a nice clean hotel afterwards. Tossa (hee hee) was nicer than I expected although we did have the worst patatas bravas ever there - basically chips with sour cream and a bit of chilli sauce on top. Nice. But the area was beautiful, the weather fab and it was very uncrowded. Anyway - here are some pictures.
