THE MOST STRESSFUL DRIVE OF MY LIFE!

this week we head to a retreat in the mountains and end up on one of the most dangerous roads we've ever driven after a restless night we are forced to leave our beautiful mountain stop to find emergency care for Harry we find the boys's favorite place to treat them to lunch and then head further north to find the perfect free air we have pool that was the most stressful Drive of my entire life Welcome Back we are in the Andalusia region of Spain we are not too far from Malaga and we're heading towards a mountain Retreat we need to do two stops in town the first one's the supermarket so Lindsay's found us a little with an underground car park so we've had to put the motor home at the side of the road over there because a lot of Littles were shut today so I had to find one that was open and Beggars can't be it h made a mistake come in shopping when you're hungry we need some breakfast and it's I don't even know what time it is maybe 1:00 maybe for lunch yeah let's just do an easy one cuz St it there you go big shop done big shop done last few days €41 and when it gave gave me the choice to choose Euros or P actually it was £1 121 either way okay back to European food is it yeah a great selection of pastries from Little perfect feed these boys before we get back on the road our second stop was the pharmacy um we weren't able to get anything for Harry's ears unfortunately we need a prescription so we're going to carry on with painkillers and keep it dry and I've got a couple of sprays that we're trying so we'll see what happens that was his decision not mine I'd take it to hospital right now and tell them there that Mommy's little boy needs some help but he's he's not doing that um we are now climbing through the mountains it's very beautiful here it is so so windy we're climbing up up up from malago up into the mountains if we've not done uh much of Inland Spain so we normally do around the coast but I'm getting blown all over the road here jeez it's windy yeah it's in a different part of Spain than we'd normally wood and it's lovely it's interesting beautiful colors lovely temperature out there as we got closer to our destination we lost Tac and headed onto a dusty road when in these situations I usually look out for points that I can turn the van around or consider how easy it would be reversing back and at this stage we were fine as we climbed further up the mountain the incline got steeper and steeper and I was just struggling to get the front wheels to grip with this thing weighing 5 tons and with most of the weight being towards the back of the van the front wheels were just spinning up like right here I was fighting to get the front wheels to grip on the track and pull us up I just about managed to get the van up that part but the worst was yet to come that was not yet we climbed further up the mountain and I was still clocking places I could turn the van around and it was still quite a wide road so it wouldn't be too tricky for me to reverse it down if needed anyway it was then that our satav told me to take the next right and without thinking I did now this is a much thinner Road and as we continue down it I realized there were no places whatsoever to turn around and as the road was quite thin and windy I was having second thoughts about reversing back down but it was too late I'd already committed I remember all kinds of things going through my head at this stage but it was then that it dawned on me that i' just driven our 9 M motor home with the whole family in onto a thin dirt track on the side of a mountain somewhere in Sp ve and with one false move could see the whole van rolling to the bottom I could feel my Palms sweating as I gri the steering wheel harder at each Bend I simply couldn't find anywhere to turn around and the road was just getting worse and worse we'd come across some dips in the road where the toeb bar bottomed out despite the air suspension being up in the off-road mode I just powered through now this went on for a couple of miles with bushes bouncing off the mirrors and the whole time everyone in the van was completely silent in our 18 years of motor homing I've never gotten us into such a tricky situation as this this one with no way back but we eventually arrived at our destination that was the most stressful um passengers ship of my entire life I don't know how Steve got over that Jesus that was scary our host opened up the gates and I maneuvered the van in parked it up and went for a stiff drink I'm not going to lie that was the hairiest Drive I've ever done in my life and I don't think I'd want to do it again but we made it we made it up here in the mountains to somewhere very very special um and I'll show you around in due course but we've got a pitch set up we spent the last couple of hours just sipping wine and having a beer with the owners here lovely Dutch couple that we met at the last campsite um but the view you wait till you see the view from this and it's got a pool of course but Lindsay's in there rustling up some dinner for us now we've been rustling up Lind so I've got some chicken some Torito some rice I'm going to make her stick it all together and see what happens nice and then we have it chicken to its own rice we got salad and bread Moroccan style salad really small yeah we love that Moroccan salad now don't we yeah we do thanks guys see you later I love this family and it's not just because the man reminds me of my uncle so much um who was very kind and sweet and lovely um they're just great they lovely you love them the hospitality though she just came up and she said I leave the house open the TV's there if the kids want to go in and chill out in the lounge and use the Telly no problem that's just fantastic yeah so I'm just copying some files over from the external hard drive to edit the next video and whilst that's copying why don't I show you around this place so that's where we're parked and pitched up here got friendly dog and this is the lovely Courtyard area here and the pool is just here but look at the views over there absolutely panoramic views across the countryside it doesn't get much better than that does it look at it the pool's a little smaller than the last one where we used to but we're the only ones here and we spent a few hours here chatting with our Host this afternoon sipping beer and wine but look at this outside area here they said make use of the facilities use all the cooking facilities the washing up the dining great isn't it through here we got a toilet and a sink I love it here I could a place like this myself and through here we've got a shower so there we are small place but it Temple and like I say it's for five Vans they're they're going to allow here so I'll put a link in the description if you guys are interested but that road on the way up it's dicey but I got our 9 M van up here anyway but yeah I'd certainly suggest a smaller van certainly a more capable van will get much easier up that road now Harry's ears are hurting and I think being up in the mountains is not helping so we may just do the one night and move on tomorrow purely because of that I've had enough of video editing lind's just finished payroll but Eddie set up the projector and we're going to sit and watch the 1000 car challenge by the sidan on the projector on the motor home we'll catch you guys in the morning good morning right well we've had a bit of a restless night last night I'm afraid the report and Harry's ear is not any better in fact it's probably worse and we think it's the fact that we're up the mountain and the air pressure so we' packed the pitch up and we found a uh a doctors we're going to go and see in town see if we can maybe get some antibiotics or certainly get something to make it a bit better for him the thing I'm not looking forward to is driving that road out of here I put our a suspension into off-road mode and back down the dirt track we went I really wasn't looking forward to this but at least I knew knew what we were faced with I knew where I had to get the speed up at the hills where I'd lose grip and I knew that I had to power through the dips where the towar would bottom out we were all just hoping not to meet anyone coming in the opposite direction and we were fine up until the end where we waited for the car to pull in so it could [Music] [Music] pass then it was just a little further to go and we were down and we made it that is the worst Drive I've ever done in my life but we're down I got us down safely from there um right it was 3030 for the night by the way and that is the most loveliest Dutch couple you're ever going to meet I mean all the Dutch people are just amazing aren't they but be warned you could damage your motor home um oh that suspensions in Offroad Road mode so that's going down now but be warned if You' got a big motor home you may well damage it I certainly won't be doing that drive again in this um did bottom out the toeb bar a couple of times it was just too big no more than 7 and 1/2 M and preferably a more capable van to go there right let's go to the medical center and find a doctor for Harry poor Old Harry's feeling rough so I'm going to take him into the doctor's just down here okay and I'm going to look for an ATM see that's just down there as well cool right guys if you come into Europe and you haven't got a prepaid credit card like a monzo or a revolute um which give the best exchange rate in the local currency I suggest you get one uh give you an example I just went to draw €250 out of the cash machine and it said um do I want to draw it in my own currency and it'll do a conversion and it was going to charge me 13.31% so the cut a long story short €250 was going to cost me £ 24261 P so I said no just get it in uh eurocurrency and I was charged 21525 by putting it on my revolute and just drawing out as Euros so save a lot of money by getting one of these prepaid cards there'll be a link in the description for these cards as well right that was 25 30 minutes start to finish we didn't pre-book we turned up at like a Walkin Center we went we went in through the back gate which was for the emergencies which is a bit dramatic and there was actually a front way in um it took us probably 10 minutes to get registered with my mix of terrible Spanish his better English and Google translate then we waited a couple of minutes then we saw a doctor and she gave us a prescription and sent us to the pharmacy which was just bang opposite brilliant the antibiotics cost £ 7752 on prescription no they didn't it cost 7752 on prescription right guys it's Monday we've got to be in Sant andere to get the ferry back on Thursday so it is 8 hours 53 minutes to drive there going to just start making my way there now and we'll do it over the next 2 or 3 days I'd imagine so we'll drive for a few hours today and find somewhere local to where we're going to be but first of all we need to get some food well that worked out a treat I asked the boys what they wanted they wanted Five Guys and there was one in Granada and we were passing Granada so I made a detour and we grabbed the Five Guys and it was awesome we've all been craving um Burger to be honest with you and that is one of the best out there anyway that one's done we've ticked Five Guys off in Spain um we've got an 8 Hour Journey to the fer and sand there so we're not going to do it all today we're going to break it up um so I'm not going to do maybe do half of it and I found a park up near a municipal swimming pool which is free um and it's also got a football pitch next to it so Harry can hopefully kick the ball around so it's just under 4 hours away we're heading there now right that was it was a long drive I'm shattered now it's 7:30 but we're here um we're parked up I believe the parking here is free and I've just been to see the swimming pool lady and it's Gratis so swimming's free parking's free not not a lot to dislike about this place and I think it's 2 a glass of wine so it's going to pop over there now and have a glass of wine I think five other Vans and one is British lanco what a day that was a long long driving day cheers man I think it's very easy for to forget how big Spain is and I kept thinking oh I've got too much time what we going to see on the way and we've just driven for like 5 hours and gone about that far on the map we need to go that far but what we found here looks really really good yeah it's free parking it's free swimming just got to pay for the wine and there's a tennis court let's do it Ed that's it oh good morning well it's a mild 19° this morning um and he only going to get up to 27° so we're back down to normal temperatures lovely it's a pleasant night sleep we weren't on electric last night we were parked just down the way there um and we just had the windows open and it was fine didn't need the airon on however a few Vans have moved from the official spots today and we've moved on and let me tell you these are fantastic they're free and they come with all the services let me show you okay you'll see there's four official spots right here and I've plunked ourselves right on the end one as close to the swimming pool as we can get so we've got a lovely big picnic table here we've got a sink and running water we've got a bin and we're somewhere to empty the toilet but not only that we've got electric to the pitch and this is a free air I can't believe it can you you won't get anything like this in the UK and a free swimming pool right across the way there incredible got the Shelf out plugged in the gas and we've got a coffee pot on whilst Lind is over here doing some [Music] yoga Harry is feeling a bit better today he is feeling a lot better I got a report so um yeah we're going to relax here today we can't beat this can you Eddie and Harry's over there playing tennis it's great having all the facilities here Lind is just doing a bit of work so I guess we'll finish up a bit of work and jump in the pool what do you reckon I need to yeah I need either a shower or a swim after that workout this morning and we're thinking of going in for a bit of Pella in there for lunch what you reckon yeah I think that would be lovely we've been in Spain for how many I don't even know how long have we been in Spain so um 3 4 days I don't know it's Tuesday today we no it's long longer we arrived Thursday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday we've not had Pella there we are or fish so in fact we've not really eaten out have we not much we had uh Five Guys yesterday didn't we I don't class that as eating out I want some Spanish food exactly and when it's when when it's a free stop like this as well you just feel compelled to just spend some money locally don't we so we'll spend some money in the pool area and have some lunch I think okay so I've just gone over there to see what we can get for lunch and the conversation was extremely hard um it was purely on Google translate um and they kept saying sandwiches and I'm like do you have anything else do you have any P anything and she said well we're doing lobster for the family maybe there's a couple of portions free when I said there's five she's like no there won't be five but she said the grilled chicken's good I could put some potatoes on for you as well so it seems we're having Lobster rice grilled chicken and potatoes for rice in something between 1 and 3 hours we're in Spanish time bana is it nice in there it's nice but bit cold coldest I've ever been in if you swimming around took me five minutes to get it that was at 3 hours maybe more cuz it's 10 to four but this is fine for lunch yeah I've had two glasses hang ofier as well so I'm like yeah we got here chicken and potatoes and carrots Yum Yum Yum wow look at the lobster and the rice and things I can't wait to stuck into that how's this traditional Spanish food for you this is what I've been looking for for the last few days definitely cheers my third Sanger of the day it's funny cuz I've spent a month not really drinking and I've been in Spain for four or five days jez wow look at that enjoy yes very much so the the lobster and rice is exactly what I wanted I enjoyed it all but I especially enjoyed the potatoes and the chicken um that was in there that was lovely and just to Think They don't serve this here just they were having an end of season get together with the family and they just said yeah we we'll do some extra portions for you so there is I have no idea how much it's going to be there you go my for €79 well worth it and I've learned that sangria is nicer with ice in a slice okay the cafe restaurant's been fantastic we've been able to use the facilties um they fed us they've given us drinks um so let me quickly show you around the facilities there because they're just about to shut so here's the restaurant area with lots of seats and tables to eating lovely people behind the c and through here is the swimming pool it's a lovely lovely big pool look at the size of it and the views over the fields here is fantastic the pool is completely free to use as is the air the electric and everything here so it is fantastic um will leave a link in the description for this stop guys um but yeah if we had this in the UK it would probably be abused there's even a little pool over there for the kids so the restaurant is here and we're parked right across the road just there and there's four spaces in total with services but there's more pitures further down without services and in here there's a tennis court and the boys made great use of this they've been playing on this Lots whilst we've been here and over here you've got football and basketball and another Dusty football pitch just here all right my love I am are you awesome it's been a great stop this isn't it it's been the perfect little rest stop in the warm weather the last of the warm weather cuz we keep checking and it's it is stormy in Sant andere until about the time we get on the boat and leave which would be nice because I don't want to storm on that that boat not after the Crossing from Morocco to Spain and having running water onto your pitch and a gray and black empty in point just here you see we haven't plugged in the electric we haven't needed to we're completely self-sufficient even under these trees right here um the solar has pulled in enough energy to keep that and batteries to right up of course if we turn the airon on it would be another matter but you'll see we've run the cable and we've had the star link just over here and it's been working a tree away from these trees which was causing it an issue but the kids they've been off playing George has been enjoying the pool um he's also been over there with his brothers who've been playing football over here with the locals and they're off there playing tennis right now so it's just been a perfect perfect wind down stop for towards the end of the holiday we still got two more days left though and I spent the day editing and finishing off tomorrow's video for you which is uploading now on the starlink you right yeah played until we couldn't see the ball anymore George I've just been teaching him um throwing and catching games okay like we used to play when we were kids right we've seen all the kids out here playing like we did when we were kids exactly it feels like a village community it's lovely yeah so late night snack for everyone and I was saying having toast in the freezer has been a great one for this trip is it yeah having a freezer that works is good having toast and luckily we stopped up with Marmite when we're in Jaa cuz I've just opened a new one it's like our favorite comfort food isn't it it is there only Harry who's not that Keen you lat it enjo you know on occasionally enjoy it and look at you using the toaster off screw and we're still not plugged in the electric here this fan is awesome without using the air conditioning this thing will just be fine on the batteries anywhere and the solar will Top it up the next day no problem good morning well the hab door lock has been playing up for a while and now it's given up the ghost I can't lock it whatsoever I've tried and tried but fortunately there's another couple of van lifers there it's very very quiet here this morning so they're going to keep an eye on the van we're going to go into town we headed to the center of the town and soon found a local market two bagette tall bread in there yeah two how many is that thank you gra yes want to get breakfast and a coffee so we popped into the local cafe and with the help of Google translate managed to order a few cofes so previously we've always gone around the coast um and certainly in the more tourist areas in Spain and it's really it's exciting and it's fun to come through the middle of Spain um where literally nobody speaks any English at all and then just to pop in a calf and try and order things and try and Converse Google translate pulling out the calculator when I want to know how much it is it's much more fun like that look at the mural on this house isn't that fantastic someone's taking the time to paint that on there it looks awesome well this has been a great stop hasn't it yeah it's been a real surprise I wasn't that Keen on the way up but it worked out perfectly again didn't it yeah we're very lucky it's been great right we're not long left now we literally have a few days left of our holiday so we're going to get back on the road adios [Music] amigos

Channel: Roaming Radfords

Views: 37,347

Keywords: Motorhome, motorhome adventure, motorhome family, motorhome road trip, vanlife, vanlife adventure, vanlife family, vanlife road trip, swift kontiki, swift kon-tiki, kon-tiki 874

Id: XZua71b0NtE

Length: 22min 14sec (1334 seconds)

Published: Sun Oct 08 2023