Rachel's Adventures

My adventures travelling in a van with my boyfriend!

[rachelsadventures]

Stormy weather in #bilbao.. Home time today! Unfortunately developed a terrible cold and cough 😩had such motivation to take on a number of challenges when back in the UK but I'm prob gonna spend the first weekend-week bed ridden now...joy! Gonna miss Spain, it's been an adventure but I'm looking forward to a pwopa brew now 😄☕️ #spain #españa #tea #city #travel #unwell (at Plaza de Federico Moyúa)

[rachelsadventures]

Another rainy day but a lot warmer thankfully! Didn't go too far today as been catching up on much needed sleep and rest in the hostel with lots of cups of tea ☕️💕🛏️ I rather like #salamanca though so hopefully explore more the next few days even if it is still set to be non stop rain ☔️😅 #spain #rain #españa #travel #travelblog #hostel #charming #plazamayordesalamanca (at Plaza Mayor De Salamanca)

[rachelsadventures]

Had a lot of fun in Lisbon and made most of the sun but unfortunately, that was most likely the last we will see of such gorgeous weather over here! The #beastfromtheeasanaged to bring freezing rain and snow over our way too! We are not back in #españa at #salamanca which although wet and cold, still looks rather romantic 🇪🇸😊 here for a few nights at a hostel to make most of being somewhere warm and with showers! It's a shame the weather has had to turn so bad right at the start of spring and at the end of our journey, but overall, in some ways it makes going home a little easier. #spain #rain #city #rainycity #pretty #night #wander #travel #travelling #travelblog (at Salamanca Ciudad de Cultura)

[rachelsadventures]

#sintra with @richard.hhhh 💕🇵🇹#portugal #travel #travelling #amazing #adventure #lisbon #beautiful #castleothemoors (at Castle of the Moors)

[rachelsadventures]

We arrived in #portugal four days ago! Have had little Internet but finally found some good WiFi outside an overpriced cafe in #lisbon ! We've mostly been driving! Only just arrived in #lisbon a day ago but have yet to do much exploring. Needed showers (went swimming) and then needed to fix the vans spare tyre. Thankfully, weather is beautiful and we got a good week of freedom to explore the city now 🇵🇹✨ #city #travel #vanlife #travelblog #me #fordluton #fordvan #happy #travelling #adventure #lisbonportugal (at Belém)

[rachelsadventures]

Cloudy days tend to be good days to drive a little further and change the view from our van. This is currently it :) excited to visit Gibraltar over the next week 😄👍✨ #gibraltar #spain #españa #vanlife #travel #travelling #england #beautiful #dramatic #scenic #cloudy (at Bay of Gibraltar)

[rachelsadventures]

Found a beautiful sandy beach to relax on and some sand dunes you can relax on! #sandy #sand #sandybeach #sanddunes #pretty #warmwinter #spain #españa #marbella (at Cabopino Beach)

[rachelsadventures]

The REAL vanlife

Been meaning to type this up for a while, I am often asked what it's been like living on the road in a van, for the most part it is fine and that is my usual answer but there are some major upsides/ downsides to trying to live a simpler existence and Co-existing in limited space.

The first problem we usually have, is our van does not come with a shower. It can sometimes be a struggle to find somewhere for this but for the most part we have relied on either going to the local indoor pools for a dip and shower, or used the stove in the van to heat up a large pan of water each - though this is not usually ideal. Thankfully we have managed to shower at a friends place and a camping ground that had no cameras! Yes, last one is a tad sneaky but for the sake of wanting to stay clean as possible, you kinda have to be!

Speaking of water, locating good water and filling up each jerrican can sometimes be a nightmare. Some places have water fountains everywhere you can use (Valencia for instance) and others (I'm looking at you...Malaga!) have hardly any drinking water about! You also have to be on it with emptying the waste water can frequently and making sure the fresh water is topped up.

This also leads me on to emptying our make shift compost toilet - that has been our trusty friend when it's the middle of the night and you 'really have to go!!' We avoid using it as, well, obvious reasons I don't need to go into but we are glad it is there. Just can be a bit of a dirty job emptying it...

Clothes washing is another chore we tend to about twice a month or so, it's important to keep the bed sheets clean and since we have packed lightly, our wardrobes are fairly small so finding the nearest laundrette is usually something we have to think about when we travel to a new destination.

Parking - has been an on and off issue, sometimes it's been super easy to find somewhere free and ideal, other times it has been tricky. Even when we stay in certain towns we try to keep moving so we are in a different place most nights as to avoid any hassle from the English /German local expacts that usually don't take kindly to vans that rock up near them. The spanish have only cared if they've spotted smoke (from our stove) but then panic thinking our van is on fire (opps!)

Wifi is also a precious source when on the road as we are usually off grid and rationing whatever data we have! The best thing to do is to use a friendly café. This doesn't always guarantee decent WiFi mind you 😖

So, prob all sounds like vanlife is a hassle and full of chores from what I've listed off right? Well, it sort of it, however, I think there are many good things about this lifestyle that is worth the boring parts! It's nice having the freedom to go wherever, not always knowing exactly where or what our next morning view will be when we go to park up overnight. We have had fun lighting fires on the colder nights, cooking food together, creating extra features in the van (like the laptop holder above the bed so we can watch films) you also find yourself meeting other people who are living and travelling in vans. We have even made some friends on our journey!

Having a simpler life on the road has currently lifted some weight off my shoulders and given me decent amount of time to reflect and plan on what I want to do when I'm back home and living my 'normal life'. I have a lot more energy and aspiration in me than before and feel incredibly determined to find new and exciting creative career opportunities!

[rachelsadventures]

On a side note, we left Nerja at the start of the week and now currently in Marbella 💖

[rachelsadventures]

The best things, and worst things, about Spain!

Hola! Yes, long time no type!

It's been tricky to find something worthwhile to blog about now we've settled into a rather relaxed pattern of van chores, moving around the country and basically enjoying our extended holiday. Now we have finally found some incredibly good WiFi, I felt now was the time to post an update!

Having been in Spain for nearly two months now, I have developed a fondness to certain parts of the Spanish culture and some others...not so much, but really, Any bad things are minor things, so let's get started!

The best things about Spain:

1- The food!

This one is obvious. The Spanish have a healthier relationship to food quality and production. Mercadona, lidl, Aldi, supersonic and carrfore all stock well priced spanish wine and cheese! The local fruitereers are also a delight selling very cheap produce that is incredibly fresh and delicious. I have become addicted to the Spanish tomatos, they're much much nicer than the normal tomatos in the UK.

2- the weather.

Again, obvious answer. The Spanish rarely have rain/grey chilly days. I have spent most of this winter in the shirt and jeans and been really comfy. Some days I've actually been too warm and been longing for some shorts!! Highest we've seen the temp go is 24 degrees - equivalent to a gorgeous late spring/ early simmers day back home. The spanish still seem to be wrapped up in their coats though 😂 overall, it's been so nice to see the sun more often and I'm yet to get bored of the spectacular sunsets and clear skies!

3- their recycling system

I'm a bit of an environmental person and it's been refreshing to find so many types of recycling bins all within walking distance. So easy! They are all managed well everywhere we have been so far.

4- absence of traffic

Even in the busiest cities, we have rarely been stuck in any traffic jams. Most roads are clear and flat!

5- fiestas!

It's true, the Spanish love to party and celebrate holidays. Grey have more of em! The Christmas celebrations go way beyond new years Eve as we experienced in Maro and their bonfire fiesta!

6- siestas

Whilst it's a bit frustrating to deal with at first, you get used to siestas and everything shutting mid afternoon. We usually take these few hours out of doing any chores to grab a cerveca and relax somewhere, like we are doing right now!

7- the scenery and wildlife

It's different everywhere we've been but each place is special. Whether it be beautiful sandy beaches, tropical palm trees of snow capped mountains - spain is beautiful

8- most people are friendly

Far from grumpy, very laid back and I've yet to have anyone get annoyed with my broken Spanish lol. The spanish are mostly down to earth and have a relaxed approach to everything.

The not so great things about Spain:

1- the city traffic lights. Why have you guys placed crossings and traffic lights as soon as you come off a roundabout?! So infuriating and travelling through any city is slow thanks to the unlogical light systems. Please get a three light system like the UK at least!

2- the swimming cap rule

This one caught us out! I'm Valencia I got a right ear full from the other old ladies swimming and it took me a few minutes to realise they were angry at me cos I wasn't wearing a swimming cap! Not only did we not know this rule (no signs anywhere for this and we were not told) but we didn't have any cos...well, no one in the UK likes wearing them and we usually don't have to! In the end the frustrated life guard threw us both some lost property caps and we've been using them since...I still dislike wearing them though!

3- the strict rules. Again, not really an issue as I've started before, the Spanish are mostly relaxed and not usually jobs worth. However, sometimes we have had issues with parking and I've seen many places ban doggos which is a shame but the worst was going to a restaurant for 'just drinks' do we could get a bit of WiFi time. The waitress came over to ask what we wanted from the menu of the day. When we said we just wanted drinks? 'Oh! No no no no' 'you can't do that!' 😮 we left promptly!

4- being obviously British af and being assumed as a mindless, ignorant tourists. Come across a few scammers on our travels trying to pray on our lack of Spanish bt I think we've been rather savvy in spotting any scams so far and knowing what tricks someone could use.

Annnnd, that is all I can think of for now! To conclude, Spain is pretty great and been a nice, easy and beautiful place to drive around and explore over the winter!

[rachelsadventures]

Cloudy day in marbella exploring the posh harbour full of mclaurens, big designer shops and fancy bars that whilst beautiful, too expensive for the likes of us 😮 fun to have a gander, currently stealing WiFi at the local burger king as we can at least afford their patatas Fritas lol #marbella #posh #puerto #puertobanus #harbour #spain #españa #boats #yachts #sea #expensive (at Puerto Banus Harbour)

[rachelsadventures]

Stole pic of Rich cos my iPhone was being a bit rubbish. We finally explored the #nerjacaves this morning, they were stunning! #nerja #spain #españa #cave #caves #stalegmites #stalegtites #cuavesdenerja (at Caves of Nerja)

[rachelsadventures]

There was a mini firework display too ✨🎉🎇reminiscent of bonfire night #fireworks #firework #nerja #maro #fiesta #firefestival #fire #fireworks #awesome #españa #festival #spain (at Nerja, Spain)

[rachelsadventures]

The awesome fire festival in #maro last night, really fun and cool to chill with locals and soak up the atmosphere #fiesta #nerja #fire #firefestival #localparty #party #festival #bonfire #bonfires (at Nerja, Spain)

[rachelsadventures]

ALL the holiday cats! Richard was also very pleased 😍😂🐈 #cute #cats #kitties #catbeach #adorable #holidaycats #catfriends #meow (at Nerja, Costa del Sol)

[rachelsadventures]

Really love Nerja and it's beaches ✨⛱️🌊 #beach #beautiful #sandybeach #sea #ocean #themed #spain #españa #nerja #wintersun #travel #vanlife #travelblog (at Nerja, Spain)

[rachelsadventures]

Yesterday's adventure to a little place up the mountain side north of Nerja - Frigiliana 😍 was fun exploring, uploading pics now since only just found some more WiFi #nerja #frigiliana #malaga #spain #españa #travel #vanlife #beautiful #doggo #cat #kitty #doggo #cute #pretty (at Frigiliana)