Stuck in the Middle with You

Stormy skies over the Costa Blanca - very appropriate

 So after thirteen weeks we left our quiet corner of La Mata and moved up the coast ninety minutes to a rather grand pad at Mascarat, just south of Calpe. We actually stopped here 18 months ago, so we contacted the owner and he gave us a good deal for an initial six week let.

It is good to be back in the hills and to get some climbing done too, every where it pretty quite with few tourists and even fewer climbs, though the last two Sunday's have seen Toix West packed with around 40 climbers - courses I assume - Social Distancing didn't look too evident. Currently the borders are closed, there is a curfew 22:00 to 06:00, bars and restaurants are shut (except for takeaways) plus social mixing is discouraged - none of that affect us much.

Mascarat - there could be (much) worse places to be stuck

 

So an overview: the UK is currently in lockdown, you need a negative Covid test to enter France with talks of a lockdown there too, and cases are rising steeply in Spain - after all the Christmas get-togethers - who would have thought it? The latest plan floated by the UK Gov is to quarantine all arrivals at hotels at their own expense for ten days - £1500+ was a quoted figure. Fair to say travel is being discouraged.

I am expecting to get the call to be vaccinated sometime soon, but can't see any point in trying to get back to the UK just at the moment - I think we are much safer sitting it out in Spain, for at least another month. The weather is great, avoiding people is easy and I can plug away at the next edition of Costa Blanca Climbs, probably due out towards the end of next year. 

Of course the elephant in the room is that we are only allowed to be here in Europe for 90 days (Brexit!!!) so I guess our hand will be forced not too far down the line.