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Winter in Spain - same as it ever was
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A year ago we were stopping at Collbato under Montserrat mountain in Catalunya, as the Covid 19 tidal wave was about to break over us and the rest of the world. We have spent the intervening 12 months trying to make the most of a tough situation - with travel restrictions, lock-downs and a general disruption to the freewheeling lifestyle we have enjoyed over the past 10 years.
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Climbing at Montesa
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The first lockdown we spent in the Ariege - possibly the safest place in France at the time, the restrictions meant we had to stay within 1km of Chez Arran, but the weather was good, the shops were fully stocked and there was no-one around. Then when we were 'released' in June we got back on the road, slowly climbed our way north to the UK for the summer, then southwards again to Spain by October.
The second lockdown we spent in Valencia and the restrictions in place (curfew, facemasks, closed cafes and restaurants etc.) hardly affected us at all to be honest. We climbed, walked, worked on the next Costa Blanca guidebook and generally enjoyed another winter in the sun.
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Beach bums for the winter
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BUT - with Brexit we have to be out of the EU by the end of this month, plus we need to be back in the UK to get our Covid Vaccinations. We are not looking forward to the next three months, a trip across Biscay, the UK still in lockdown, the need to quarantine after travelling and stay out of everyones' way for another three+ weeks after that, but we have to bite the bullet. Once we have our second jab in June things might start returning to a semblance of normality. Cyprus and Greece are already suggesting tourists who have been vaccinated will be allowed in from early summer - bring it on!
