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Our final foreign foray of the Wheely Amazing Gap Year was to The Netherlands. It was a shorter trip, being just over a week long, but we had lots to pack in. We took the Shuttle from Folkestone, as we had on our Europe adventure before Christmas. It is so convenient and much easier to have the car packed with everything we need. As before, we stayed in the Premier Inn near the terminal so we could catch an early train the next morning and get on our way. Our route took us across the north of France into Belgium where we found a small town called Beveren to break the journey. Here we had a meal followed by a stroll in the park around one of Beveren’s three castles. As we set off again, the sat nav informed us that we had another two and a half hours driving time, meaning we should get to the youth hostel in Alkmaar at about 4.30pm. Unfortunately it was unaware of the huge volume of traffic choking the Dutch motorways. Soon after we crossed the border the roads became increasingly busy, often slowing to a crawl and sometimes stationary. The cause, we discovered later, was an important football game (if there is such a thing) being played in Alkmaar. When we finally got off the motorway, we had to negotiate hundreds of cyclists and pedestrians making their way to the match. As a result it was 6.30pm when we arrived at King’s Inn Youth Hostel and found it was on a narrow street where we could only stop briefly to unload. We were grateful to a member of staff who came to help. Racheal’s tea was already an hour late and I had to find somewhere to park the car. Eventually it ended up in a disabled parking space on the street where I could leave it until 9am the next day. The hostel had a cafe at the front with small dormitories and private hostel rooms behind. The layout felt a bit prison-like, though there was a friendly atmosphere. We had sole use of a ground floor, four bedded room which had a bunk and two single beds, an en suite shower room, but no window. There wasn’t enough room for Racheal’s changing table, meaning we had to use her bed to wash her and do all personal care, but everything else fitted neatly with a bit of organisation. There was a small kitchenette in a corridor off the common room which was useful for washing up, making hot drinks and breakfast, but not for cooking meals. Having arrived on a Thursday, it was the weekly cheese market on our first full day in Alkmaar. Although on a much smaller scale nowadays, everything is done in the traditional way. I was last here around 25 years ago when a friend and I were on a cycling tour of the Netherlands. I’m sure it wasn’t as crowded then, but on this visit it was impossible to move for tourists crammed into the square, around the barriers erected so that the market staff could safely perform their tasks. We battled our way along one side, with no chance of seeing anything except a few stalls around the edge. Eventually we managed to get to the weighing tower which also housed the cheese museum and shop. We were able to go inside and I asked if there was an accessible viewing area. We were ushered into the cordoned area where we could sit with Racheal to watch the proceedings. There was lots for her to listen to and even some cheese to smell too! After an hour of being entertained by the cheese carriers’ funny run, the ladies in costume and the cheese inspector explaining what to look for in a good cheese, we set off to explore the rest of the old city. As we left we had a good view of the boats bringing the cheese to the market. Our walk took us down narrow streets, alongside the network of canals, past more market stalls including a clog maker, to the windmill. We also spent some time looking around the church which was a very agreeable blend of old and modern. We had intended to visit the Cheese Museum while we were at the cheese market , but it was so busy we decided to put it off until later in the week. In the end, we actually visited it the morning of our last day in Alkmaar. It was a fairly small museum on the first and second floor of the historic weigh house, accessed by a lift. Here we learned about the history of the cheese market, cheese manufacturing and its importance to the region. We were also able to see the weighing room close-up which had been impossible while the market was in progress. As there was nowhere to cook in the hostel, our Netherlands trip was more expensive than some of our other adventures, but it was only for a week! We look for reasonably priced places to eat out, but not junk food. After our first day of wandering around the old city, in the evening, we crossed the North Holland Canal and found a restaurant overlooking the water and Alkmaar’s tiny ‘beach’. A lovely sunset rounded off our first full day nicely.

This was the last location of our Spain and Portugal trip. With six nights in the same place, we were able to slow down and relax a bit more. Our accommodation is described in another blog, ‘Basque Paskua’, along with Easter celebrations. Between attending local festivities, we explored some of the countryside, towns and villages in the area. The village of Meano, where we were staying, was small but had some interesting features and stunning views. Racheal particularly enjoyed the sound of the water running into the old laundry trough, then overflowing down the drain! There were a number of Megolithic burial sites in the area. One was even wheelchair accessible! They were a bit off the beaten track, and the access road for one had some very deep ruts which had to be carefully negotiated. On the Saturday of Easter weekend, we took the scenic route to Logroño. We needed to stock up on supplies having been caught out because on Maundy Thursday, as well as Good Friday, the supermarkets were closed, and they would be closed on Sunday and Monday too. On the way we explored the villages of Labraza and Moreda de Álava. In Logroño, we had a picnic in the park, visited the market and walked past the cathedral, which unfortunately was closed, before doing the supermarket shopping. On the final day, we returned briefly to Laguardia to visit the cellar under the tourist information centre, as we hadn’t had time previously. We arrived at noon, just as the town hall clock ‘performed’, which was a bonus. The wine cellar housed some huge barrels which Summer helped Racheal to feel. As we were all concessions or free carers it only cost €6 for all of us, making it half price. There are cellars everywhere in the town, many of which are open to the public, but this was the only one with a lift. An interesting map (which I omitted to photograph) showed the placement of them in relation to the buildings. From there we went on to San Vicente, another mountain town this time with a castle and views of Rio Ebro. On the way we found a picnic spot looking over the valley and a patchwork of vineyards. A wonderful four weeks had come to an end. Time to drive back to Bilbao to catch the ferry to Portsmouth, dropping Dad at the bus station on the way. Sad to say goodbye, but more adventures ahead. The crossing was rough at times, but fortunately the worst was at night. Racheal discovered a new sound to make. A ‘whoa’ noise came from her berth a few times when the ship rocked too violently for her liking! We found enough to amuse ourselves for the 33 hour crossing and were well looked after by the crew. The sunset over the Isle of Wight was a nice welcome back to the UK, but with a four hour drive still ahead, we wouldn’t be home until 1am. Thankfully British passport control was better organised than the Spanish had been and we were on our way within 20 minutes of docking. I would happily take the ferry to Spain again, though it would be even better if they installed hoists in their accessible cabins.

We arrived in the Basque region in time for Easter. We had booked a three storey house on the edge of a small village in the mountains. It was a beautiful place to stay, with a ground floor bedroom and wet room for Racheal, and a big family room. Upstairs were four more bedrooms each with en suite, and two with their own sitting rooms looking out over an amazing view. Having had a busy time in Seville and Ávila, Thursday was a fairly relaxed day just gathering information from a couple of Tourist Information offices to plan the weekend. That was after an encounter with a friendly local who knocked on our door to tell us that the bakery was open. He chatted away in Spanish, which I understood very little of as I walked the few minutes to the village square with him. There was one sort of bread loaf on the counter and a cardboard box on the floor, full of chorizo. After waiting a considerable length of time for all the villagers to complete their greetings to one another (it was quite a social gathering) I purchased one of each. We chose to spend Good Friday at Laguardia, a fascinating walled town, about 20 minutes drive away. The procession wasn’t until 9pm, so we had a relaxed morning and set off after lunch. A lift to take us from the car park up to one of the town gates was very welcome as the alternative route would have been horribly steep. The town, and a cafe stop, kept us occupied for a couple of hours. I chose a local traditional Easter delicacy; bread soaked in egg custard and sprinkled in cinnamon sugar. For our evening meal we found a restaurant on the square serving ‘rations’ (like tapas but bigger) and chose a selection. From here, a walk in the park filled the time until the beginning of the procession. We were able to see through the church door to watch the figure of Christ being taken down from the cross above the alter. The streets were narrow so, after all the floats had left one church, we joined a crowd of people making their way down a parallel street to the other church to watch the procession pass. The only way through the town to get back to the car was to fall in behind and follow until we came to the gate in the wall where we needed to exit. Racheal enjoyed the band music and being out after dark. The solemnity of the occasion, and witnessing the traditions of another culture, made Christ’s sacrifice even more poignant. For Easter Sunday, we went to Vitoria-Gastiez - the capital of the Basque region, driving to the outskirts and catching a tram to the centre. The procession here was around midday, from one cathedral to the other. We had our picnic in the park surrounding the ‘new’ cathedral. We were well placed to see the heavy cross, this time carried vertically and draped with white cloth, heading the column of people as they walked from the old cathedral. The different churches from the city were represented by their banners, and all gathered outside to be blessed before continuing through the main doors for mass. A group of four musicians, who we later saw busking in the city, accompanied the group until they went inside. Vitoria impressed us with a number of easy access features such as lifts and moving walkways to make the very steep slopes in the old city accessible to all. It was here we spent the afternoon, in glorious sunshine befitting the celebration of Christ’s resurrection. (Some photos are from Thursday’s visit to the Tourist Information Centre, when it was cold and wet!) I missed celebrating Easter with my church family at home, but the Spanish traditions and the involvement of whole communities, particularly in smaller places, made me reflect on this important season in a new and refreshing way. Christ is Risen! He is risen indeed! (Pazkoa is Easter in the Basque language.)

The next stop on our Spanish adventure was the ancient, walled city of Ávila. Although our apartment was in no way historic, it was within the walls making the experience of staying here extra special. Our ground floor apartment was in a rabbit warren of small apartment blocks, down some steep ramps and quite a distance from the nearest point we could get the car. It took longer to unload. We don’t travel light! With the changing table balanced on the hoist, boxes stacked on Racheal’s small buggy and of course our trolley, we made as few journeys as possible before I moved the car round the corner where I could park on the road. It was Palm Sunday the first day we explored. It was also very cold and windy, a stark change from the weather in Seville! The city is built on a steep hillside and we were staying towards the bottom of it! By the time we ventured out and made our way up the steep, cobbled streets it was late morning. The Palm Sunday procession was about to begin, but the wind was causing issues for the band and other members of the procession. As it was cold and getting close to Racheal’s lunchtime, we sat in a café on the route where we could hear the band and pop out to take some photos. After lunch we found the tourist information centre to gather leaflets and a map. There were some excellent wooden models, with information in braille, for those with visual impairments to feel. Unfortunately they were too high for Racheal to reach from her wheelchair. We walked back to, and right round, the cathedral, which is partly built into the city wall, before going inside. The floats for the various Easter processions were just inside the nave, so we were able to have a good look at them. In the cloister there were some VR headsets allowing you to fly, virtually, over the cathedral and the city while listening to some of the history. Our return walk to the flat took us along a path outside the walls for a while, then back through one of the city gates. The middle day of our Ávila stay saw us visiting another city, that of Segovia and its famous Roman aqueduct. The weather was much warmer, and the 50 minute drive passed quickly. We found a convenient parking place a spent an enjoyable few hours looking around. It was steep in places so we took turns to push Racheal on the way to the top of the aqueduct. In the cloisters of Segovia cathedral were some examples of the tools used to build it and move the stones. The ceilings of the small chapels were very decorative as was the chapter house. On our way to and from Segovia we passed a view point overlooking Ávila. A compulsory photo stop both ways! That evening we were out in Ávila to see the walls lit up when we came across another Holy Week procession. It was accompanied by a band which Racheal enjoyed. Seeing the figure of Christ on the cross being carried up the hill and through the city gate was a very moving experience, reminding us of the sacrifice He made for our eternal freedom. The last day of our stay in Ávila we went for a walk along the northern boundary, which we hadn’t yet explored. We found a small museum displaying the costumes and flags of the brotherhoods of Ávila and more interesting architecture including a postbox in the shape of a lion’s head. After lunch in the apartment, we made our way down the hill to the accessible part of the city wall. There were two ramps (or a lift that was out of order) for wheelchair users to gain access to a short stretch of the ramparts. There were also some towers to climb, but they were not accessible for Racheal. Next, we made our way down to the river for a pleasant stroll and a cafe stop before returning to pack, once again, for the last leg of our trip (between some fun with balloons and playing music on Summer’s phone!

We were sad to leave Portugal, but very excited to see Seville. The drive south had less impressive scenery once we left the mountains and got onto the motorway which took us over the fairly flat plains. We made good time until we got to the outskirts of Seville which was congested, adding an extra half hour to our journey. When we finally got to our accommodation, the host was waiting for us, and the villa did not disappoint. Maybe it was a little smaller inside than we expected, but it was adequate for our needs, felt very Spanish and had great views from the roof. There was a pool too, but only Summer was brave enough to put her feet in it! We were keen to explore the city, so we set off the following morning to drive from the village where we were staying to the Metro station, 20 minutes away. The ride into the centre took a further 20 minutes, but it was convenient. All the trains and stations are fully wheelchair accessible with clear signs to show where to board the train for the wheelchair spaces. We emerged in the city centre, not far from the palace ‘Real Alkazar’ and the cathedral. Unfortunately entrance to both was by ticket only and they were sold out for at least two weeks, so we had to content ourselves with looking from the outside and a picnic in the square between the two. We wandered through the city streets pausing at a cafe which had a fun sign for its disabled toilet! Our wanderings brought us to Seville’s famous bull ring which was interesting to see. There was a museum area, the stalls for the bulls and stables for the horses, a chapel, and the sturdy gates into the ring itself. A gate to the ring was opened for Racheal. Although she can’t see, I think it helped her appreciate the size and atmosphere of the place. In the heart of Seville, among all the beautiful old buildings there is (in my opinion) an ugly structure called ‘The Mushrooms of Seville’. Architecturally I’m sure it is impressive, but really the reason we visited was for the views. There was a lift up to the top and two walkways around the lobes of the mushrooms. Only the inner walkway was wheelchair accessible, but from both the views were spectacular. They never look as good in photos though! As the title of this blog suggests, it got very hot while we were in Seville. The first day had been pleasantly warm; good enough to sit outside for ice cream! The second day we were constantly looking for shade and the heat was tiring. Our first stop was Plaza de España, an incredible semi-circular palace, lined with an impressive colonnade and surrounding a small canal with rowing boats. Each district of Spain was represented by ceramic wall art and low walls either side of a map showing the location. Ceramics were used to create the balustrades around the canal and the risers of staircases, and ceramic panels decorated the walls. We spent a long time exploring and soaking in the beauty of the palace, it certainly wasn’t a place to rush. We found a shady spot in the park to eat our picnic, then wandered through it to a café for a coffee by the river. Walking along the embankment we saw more interesting buildings, and a good ramp down to the lower walkway. We crossed the river to Triana where the guide book promised a covered market. We found the market, but it was very small and most of the stalls were closed. Nearby was the ceramics district, so we explored that instead before finding a restaurant where we could people watch while we had an early evening meal. The reason for an early meal was that we had tickets to watch Flamenco dancing. It wasn’t easy to get photos as the dancers move so quickly, but it was a new experience which we all enjoyed. For our third day we set off in the opposite direction for a day at the coast, driving to Punta Umbría. The town has the sea on one side and the river estuary on the other. It was another very hot day, so we didn’t spend too long on the beach, just long enough to pick up some shells which littered the sand and for Summer to enjoy a quick swim. Walking around the town and by the estuary we stayed in the shade wherever we could. In Portugal and around Seville we saw a lot of storks and their nests. It was fun spotting them on church towers, electricity poles and the platforms on posts erected specifically for them to nest on. We saw more as we journeyed north again en route to Ávila and our next port of call.

Following our few days in Lalín, we travelled south into Portugal stopping at Lamego, for a picnic lunch and a short walk. We had a lovely day for driving and enjoyed more beautiful scenery along the way. Our destination was a small village, in the district of Castelo Branco, called Vale de Prazeres where we had booked a self catering property perched on the hillside. As soon as we arrived we knew we were going to love it. Peaceful, private and with a traditional feel, it had a big view across the plain, a cosy log burner and plenty of space inside and out. The owners, Rogerio and Billy, were very friendly and we were grateful for the eggs from their chickens too! We decided to explore the local town, Fundao, on our first day. Our tour of the town started at a café for coffee and a traditional Portuguese tart. We then followed a walking route, but didn’t get far before stopping at another cafe for lunch! With the town walk completed we headed off to stock up on essentials from the supermarket. Castelo Branco was our choice for a chilly, overcast Saturday. The embroidery museum made an interesting stop, as did the Bishop’s Garden. We decided against the steep climb to see the castle ruins though! The area we were staying in had some interesting villages, so we decided to explore a few. The first was Monsanto where nearly all the buildings used the big boulders as part of the construction of the walls or the roof. It was very steep. Summer valiantly pushed Racheal as far as a small restaurant where we had lunch, but then it got too steep to continue. We meandered our way back down, admiring the view. From Monsanto we drove to Idanha-A-Velha where the footprint of the village still remains within the wall of the original castle. It was very quiet, but we did find a small café open and saw the old olive oil press. We explored outside the castle walls where Summer enjoyed stepping stones over the river. On our walk around the walls we also saw the one hundred year old oak tree which is slowly ‘eating’ the stones as it grows. The last day of our Portugal portion, we visited another village Castelo Novo. Although it was very pretty, everything was closed because it was Monday apart from the castle ruins which were totally inaccessible for Racheal. We had a short walk round before returning to our little cottage to relax for the afternoon. Too soon it was time to pack again, but not before lunch outside, a few games of boules and Summer had tried out her hammock. We really liked this area of Portugal and it’s a country I’d like to see more of.

The next leg of our journey took us to Lalín in Galicia. Another beautiful drive with incredible views which are impossible to capture on camera when driving on motorways. We stopped off half way in the town of Mondoñedo, where we enjoyed lunch in the sun at a cafe, before having a wander around the old town. This was our first encounter with the way markers for the many pilgrimage routes to Santiago de Compostela. From the car park we could see the motorway in the distance, crossing one of the many enormous bridges which span the huge valleys in this part of Spain. Our accommodation in Lalín was an unloved, ground floor apartment. Very basic, with no pictures on the walls, damaged furniture and only external shutters at the windows, but it had what we needed for our three night stay and the beds were comfortable enough. Our main reason for staying here was was to visit the famous pilgrims’ destination of Santiago de Compostela. So, that is where we headed on the first day. We found a car park on the edge of the city and walked into the centre, stopping on the way for a picnic. Whenever we arrive anywhere, the first stop is the tourist information office, if there is one. This is partly to get advice on accessible routes and buildings and also to pick up leaflets and maps which are useful for Racheal’s log books. We have learnt that tourist information staff cannot resist drawing and writing all over maps they give away, so we always ask for an extra one to keep clean for scrapbooking! Armed with maps and leaflets we continued further towards the cathedral which marks the end of a Camino for many travellers. There are a number of different recognised routes pilgrims can take, the longest being 621 miles, the shortest 56 miles. We probably walked just over a mile, not far enough to warrant one of the special certificates issued to those who have completed a Camino! Racheal and Summer did think our achievement deserved a ‘selfie’ though! Before visiting the cathedral we explored a bit further, finding a café for coffee on a pretty square, and a courtyard garden in one of the university buildings. Inside, the cathedral was very ornate, but also had a maze of stone staircases and passageways linking the crypt, altar and lantern. The organ had some horizontal pipes and the stone pillars in the nave were painted possibly to look like marble. In the evening, we thought we would find a meal in Lalín so we could continue to enjoy the pleasant weather, but we didn’t find anywhere serving food so chicken salad at the apartment sufficed. The next day we visited a toy museum housed in an old farmhouse. Some of the animal stalls were still in place on the ground floor. The family would have lived upstairs where a huge fireplace graced the kitchen. The house itself was interesting and the collection of old toys, fascinating. The museum curator recommended a restaurant a few miles away for lunch. As we drove along ever narrowing lanes, we wondered if there could really be somewhere to eat in such a remote place. Summer was sent to investigate a grass track and returned to report there was a large car park and restaurant round the corner. It turned out to be a Hobbit themed grill with lots of quirky features and very good food. It was an enjoyable end to our stay, because when we returned to the apartment it was time to pack again while Racheal and Summer did some scrapbooking.

Having met Dad in Santander, we spent a couple of hours exploring the city. We wandered through the old town and by the port, enjoying being back on terra firma and getting some fresh air. It was interesting to see how large furniture is delivered to top floor flats in the city! After lunch in a café we got on our way to Ribadesella to find our first apartment of this trip. The journey along the motorway provided spectacular views of the mountains, sea and valleys. Our accommodation in Ribadesella was a third floor apartment on the edge of town. Clean and comfortable with enough space for all our needs, including Racheal’s changing table, but not exciting enough for me to think to take photos! We had three days to explore the area, but the first one was the only one to promise decent weather, so we set off to explore the mountains of Picos de Europa. Our first stop was Cangas de Onís with a cross hanging under its old bridge, the church and an interesting town hall on stilts. The latter provided a good picnic spot out of the rain. From here we headed to the funicular railway to visit the village of Bulnes. Fortunately the rain had stopped and the views were stunning. Unfortunately the funicular was closed for maintenance and as the only other access to the village is to hike up a mountain, we didn’t get to see Bulnes. Instead we continued on a scenic route to Llanes, on the coast. Day two was wet. We had arranged to meet up with friends of Dad’s in a nearby town and spent a pleasant hour and a half chatting with them in a cafe. We returned to the flat for lunch, then visited the museum of cave art in Ribadesella. A group of young cavers had stumbled across some of the finest cave art recorded when exploring in 1968. The cave was not accessible, for obvious reasons, but the museum was very interesting. Our third day was Mothering Sunday. I was treated to a cup of tea in bed, a card that Racheal had made and a beautiful bird book she had chosen. The weather was much better than forecast, so we headed into the mountains again, this time to Covadonga where the church has a vertical drop on three sides. Fortunately, the disabled parking was on the fourth side and only a short, level walk away. Across the courtyard were the chapter house and a shop where Racheal chose to spend some of Granddad’s money! Further down the hillside was the Holy Cave and Hermitage. After we had had a good look round, we found a restaurant by a stream, with a good view of the church, where we could get meatballs for lunch. Returning to Ribadesella, we parked at the apartment and walked into the town to explore. The small, steep streets down to the water were a maze of slopes and steps and we came to a few dead ends before we found an accessible route. Walking along the river to the point where it met the sea was pleasant. Part of the path was lined with tile murals telling the story of the town, and at the end steps onto a wall gave good views of the town and the sea. The evening was spent packing ready to move on our next location.

Our adventures in Spain and Portugal began with 33 hours at sea on board Brittany Ferries’ Santona. We drove to Portsmouth ferry port via friends who live on Hayling Island. Our ferry sailed at 10.45pm which was not the most convenient time, but having friends nearby helped. While visiting them for a few hours, we had time to catch up and enjoy a delicious meal, prepare Racheal’s medicines for the voyage and get her ready for bed, before heading off to check in. Once through passport control, we didn’t have too long to wait before boarding. We were parked next to the lift and with plenty of space around the car to manoeuvre our trolley and Racheal’s wheelchair easily. Once we had got the things we needed for the journey, I secured the trolley with the wheelchair restraints so it didn’t move around in the car if the sea got choppy. Assistance staff met us at the car, offered to help with our luggage and took us up in the lift to deck 8. Our accessible cabin was very spacious, with two large windows and an en suite shower room. Summer’s inside cabin was just round the corner and was also reasonably roomy for one person. Although she didn’t have a window there was a light up picture of a tropical sea view! So late at night, the main priority was to get Racheal to bed which we managed before sailing. Next morning we went to the self service restaurant for breakfast which was ok (if you like Luke warm food and bacon that’s more fat than lean) but we decided that we probably wouldn’t return! We spent most of the morning waiting for someone to fix our hot water as it seemed unable to rise above tepid. Fortunately, the water in Summer’s room was hot, so we could get water for Racheal’s wash from her room. Good job we always travel with a collapsible bowl! We explored the ship while we waited and Racheal particularly enjoyed getting outside in the fresh air. With the hot water fixed (only briefly as it turned out), I had time for a shower before our picnic lunch, then we were off to a Monkey’s Fist knotting workshop. I was pleased with my first effort, but was told it needed to be tighter. Tightening it made it messy so I took it apart to start again and never achieved as good as a result as my first attempt. Summer managed to make two excellent specimens which she was rightfully proud of. When we rounded the north west corner of France, we were fairly close to the coast which made a pleasant change from the endless view of sea in varying states of calm and choppy. We decided a trip to the ship’s cinema would pass a couple of hours before dinner, so just before 4.30 we set off on the 2 metre walk from our cabin to watch Zootropilis2! The cinema seated about 20 people and the seats were very comfortable, two seater sofas. We lifted Racheal out of her wheelchair so she could sit with Summer to watch the film. Our evening meal in the restaurant was a great improvement on breakfast. There was a buffet for starters and a good selection on the menu for main course. As there was the option to pay a fixed price for two courses, we opted for starter and main. We still had plenty of sweet treats to enjoy in our cabin later if we wanted them! A reasonably early night was needed ready for an early start in the morning. We had to be ready to go to the car deck at 7.45am. At least we gained an hour with the time difference. We were ready in good time, though we had to wait a while for the lift. Back in the car, we had the inevitable wait to disembark but were not expecting an hour of queuing to get through passport control once on the quay. Eventually, we were on our way from Bilbao to Santander to meet Dad who had travelled up by train the day before.

Since we got home from Malta, we have had a few days at home and then off to Yorkshire for a short trip. While we were at home, Racheal enjoyed meeting up with one of her friends from Rangers. Summer was caring for Racheal that afternoon and it was lovely to see the three of them spending time together. They went out for a walk in the rain to a café, spent some time at home showing off the scrapbooks that they’ve been working on and had fun making music together. Auntie Ann was able to join us for a few days in Yorkshire staying at Beamsley Hospital. It’s an interesting, circular building, with rooms leading off a small central chapel. Once home to 12 needy ladies and a house mother, it is now a comfortable self catering holiday home managed by the Landmark Trust. The interior doors were narrow, so we transferred Racheal from her Treki to her smaller Convaid Cruiser for indoors. This is something we do in lots of places as the Treki is often too wide for older doorways, and to keep floors clean if we’ve been out in the mud, sand or wet. For our first day of sightseeing, we went for a short walk at Brimham Rocks followed by lunch and a much longer walk at Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal Water Gardens. On the second day we visited York. It was lovely to meet up with Rose, Ann’s niece, and see some of her favourite haunts. Particularly the chocolate shot shop! We had been fortunate with the weather so far, but our third day was wet. We visited Skipton in the morning which was nearby and in the afternoon Summer made her debut as Racheal’s hairdresser while I took Nutmeg for a muddy walk. The next day we made our way back to Norfolk via Chesterfield to visit the head office of Home Care Direct, the care agency which employs Summer and Racheal‘s other carers. It was great to meet some of the staff who we have previously only spoken to on the telephone. They had created a sensory room in a small downstairs office for Racheal to enjoy and even bought us gifts. And now we’re back at home again, unpacking from our Yorkshire trip and packing for our next big adventure, four weeks in Spain and Portugal.

And finally, the last Malta blog! Kurt, our friendly wheelchair accessible taxi driver, picked us up from our little house to take us to the airport. We had been up at 6am, having done most of the packing the night before. Kurt was due at 8am, but there was a slight miscommunication so he was about 10 minutes late. It didn’t matter as the airport wasn’t far. We could have travelled by bus, but I thought it would be busy at that time and we had all our luggage too. So, with the door locked and the key returned to the key-safe we had to say goodbye and head back home, just for a few days. The assistance at the airport was good, and our flight back to Norwich passed without incident. The assistance staff, when we landed, took a while to sort themselves out, and it was clear they didn’t really know what they were doing. We had to instruct them on the position of the aisle chair and how to lift Racheal with her Pro-move sling. It turned out they were both new, and their supervisor had stayed on the tarmac, which seemed unfair on them and on Racheal. Eventually we got her safely into her wheelchair and through arrivals. It’s always nice to fly to our local airport so it’s not far to go when we get back. A few smiles to finish with.

Malta carnivals are out of this world, and particularly in Valletta. Lasting for 5 days, incredible floats and people in costumes parade through the streets night and day. Sometimes there are marching bands, more often blaring, tinny music and the carnival song repeats over and over from speakers down the main thoroughfare. There are dancing competitions in St George’s square and float judging too. The first evening, the vehicle floats couldn’t be used because of strong winds, but I think we got a better view of the costumes when everyone was walking. Subsequent days and nights the floats were out in force. Sometimes we couldn’t get near because of the crowds, but we found a quiet corner where there were fewer people and we got a good view of them negotiating a corner. Floats are divided into different categories based on size and the number of moving parts. Most are enormous and require a team of ‘spotters’ to help the driver guide them round the narrow streets and tight corners of the city. Those not taking part still dress up in costumes or masks. Racheal and Summer joined in. We had managed to get tickets for the grand finale in St George’s Square, but sadly the last night was completely cancelled due to high winds. We were all disappointed, and Racheal let us know that even an evening walk was not going to make up for missing the show!