The Incredible Journey - 11 April, 1994

In 1994, I did what most white South Africans my age saw as a right of passage.  I went on a tour of Europe with a schoolfriend and her girlfriend.  I was in my early 20's.

 These are the letters and faxes (this was before everyone had email, Children) I sent home.  They are all real.  I couldn't make this shit up.  

The trip started in January 1994.  To read the posts in order, go the Itinerary Post.

11 April 1994

Bordeaux

Letter

   

Dear Mom and Dad and family,

    

I must try and think when it was that I last wrote so I can tell you what's happened since then.  I think it was from the Laverie [laudromat] at Chatelallion La Plage.  That was on the 7th.

 

After leaving the village we headed towards Bordeaux.  It was getting late so we stopped before the actual town and had supper at an Auberge in Pugnac.  I don't think the food was traditional.  Basque fare as such, but we really enjoyed it nevertheless.  FF50 for potage, plat de charcuterie, turkey leg and pasta, cheese and dessert.  Then cafe and - of course! - baguette and WONDERFUL house wine.  We asked the owners if we could park in their backyard and they were very kind [this means we spent the night in their parking lot].

  

 

8 April

 

Decided not to go to Bordeaux but find a chateau in the area at which to taste wine.  Not much open on a Saturday, but found a sweet little farmer at "Graves d'Ardonneau" [see the link - they seem to have come a long way since then].  He was bottling so the cave was cleared of the bar and usual reception facilities, but he let us taste a wine anyway [He was clearly charmed by the prettiness of Carrie and Varla.  His wife wasn't and came into the shed and was clearly hoping we would leave].  We bought a bottle for FF21.50.

  

Bypassed Bordeux and went to the Dune de Pyla.  45m high and 3km long.  Amazing.  Climbing up it was hell.

  

[There were guys sand surfing down the back of the dune into the forrest below.  It was bizarre.]

  

   

   

   

   

Down to Behobie - no-one at the border post.  Tried to get info and all I got was: "There is no more border post!"  So we paid for Spanish and Portuguese visas for nothing [for more on this, see the Post Script in this post].  Then Shengen thing is in effect.

  

Anyway we carried on down to San Sebastian Donisto.  Lovely tourist town.  Perfect bay with island in the middle - it's called La Concha [the shell] ]because of its shape - the island being the pearl.  Camped at a site called Igueldo - 10 layers of parking carved into the moutainside overlooking the bay.  Really nice facilities. 

  

  

9 April

 

Had a look at the little funfair on Monte Igueldo, then went down into town.  By this time tensions were building because we all wanted to do different things.  Carrie and Varla want to go to the beach all the time and I don't see the point.  Why fly all the way to Europe to go to the beach when you can pay much less and go [from South Africa] to Mauritius? 

  

Anyway, we headed towards Santander and, as it was getting late, camped in a town about 10km before Santander.  Awful campsite - left early.

  

  

10 April

   

Drove to Santander, sat a little shop on the beach and sorted out our differences over tortilla, rabas [fried calamari rings\ and "hamburguesas" with cafe con leche (served in a glass - lovely).  Went into town to try and find out how to convert our visas into a Shengen visa.  We are travelling on our French one, which is only for a month because we spaced our visas out according to the dates we'd be in each country.  Oh no, sorry, I'm wrong.  Our French visas are till end Aug, but we need to find out if they are valid for Germany and Benelux or if we have to have a Shengen visa.

 

Anyway, no luck on that score, so we found a campsite just out of town.  Nice facilities but not in full swing because it is not high season yet.  It has a bar, restaurant, pool.

 

 

11 April - today

  

One of our decisions made was that we must slow down and stop driving every day, so we stayed here today and went to the little beach nearby.  

 

It was completely enclosed by cliffs so sheltered from the wind.  Very dirty though - lots of litter.  Topless tanning all around us, of course.  The Spanish have a different attitude to nudity.  

 

I spent a few hours there and then had had enough, so I came back to the camper [van] and ended up talking to 4 Spanish guys camping on the "parsella" (campsite) next to ours.  Communication difficult.

 

And that's about it.  We are now cooking supper - our gas stove and fridge work like a charm - and we leave for Madrid tomorrow.  

 

I will be sending a cuddly toy I bought on the Champs Elysees (Disney Shop) for [my nephew ].  It is "Flounder" - the fish in The Little Mermaid.  If you think it's too childish for him, give it to [my niece].

 

My love to all.  Missing you and looking forward to having a letter waiting for me at [my Aunt's house].

 

Buenos Dias!  Or Ciao (?) 

 

   

   

 

Post Script

My key memory from this time was us going to a bar and Carrie asking the barman for "Tapas".  He didn't speak much English, but pointed to a menu on the wall behind him that listed various small dishes.

 

We read it and there were things like patatas bravas, but nothing called "tapas". 

 

Carrie was confused.

 

"No," she said, "we want Tapas!"

 

I began to get the picture, and tried to explain to her that "tapas" was an umbrella term, but it took a little while for it to sink in.

 

This is the thing when you are a foreigner.  You grow up hearing vaguely about something and you think it is a particular thing.  Like Silicon Valley.  You won't be able to drive along the 101 highway and find an exit marked Silicon Valley.  It's just a slang term for a general area.

 

But, when you live in another country, and you hear a term, you form a picture in your mind, and it's there for years until, sometime in adulthood, it's challenged.

 

On the surface, you could look like a total moron, but it's a clash between an assumption you've held for ages and the evidence in front of you.

 

Still, I got to take the piss out of Carrie and it was bloody funny!

  

  

The trip started in January 1994.  To read the posts in order, go the Itinerary Post.