Monday 24th - Sunday 30th October 2016
Monday. Rain, rain, rain, rain and more rain. We hid in the dry warm caravan and went out only to find the nearest Mercadona supermarket and buy food for a few days in case the rain continued through the week
Tuesday. It’s not raining Hurahhhhhhh We toddled off to CASTILLO DE ALMODOVAR DEL RIO today, it is an interesting place to visit but seems to me as a bit dishonest as it says it was restored between 1901 and 1936 by the owner Raphael Desmaissiers, 12th Count of Torravala, but from photographs taken between those dates it would seem to me that it was more a total rebuild than a restoration. Despite that it was an enjoyable visit with a number of visual aids, in English or Spanish with sub titles, to give a real sense of Raphael and what drove him to spend his entire fortune on restoring the castle he loved.
Returning to the caravan we made a cup of tea and realising we were running out of milk decided to pop down the the local shop for some more. Backing out of our pitch I failed to notice that the tree on the pitch opposite was growing at a 45º angle so when the reversing sensors were indicating “. . Fine keep coming back the bottom of the tree is 1.8m, away the trunk 1.6m off the ground was smashing into the back of the car - Oh Bu**eration!! Thats not bad luck it’s stupidity - MINE!! - the car was even less happy than SWMBO (she who must be obeyed). The rear windscreen was in thousands if not millions of 2mm square(ish) pieces, the rear windscreen wiper broken, the rear high level brake light smashed, the rear door bent and twisted, and jammed in a closed position.
The tree that jumped out and bit me!!
I do not believe I wanted to do that!!
Matilda, the lady owner very kindly looked up and phoned the local SsangYong dealer, (there are two in the area as SsangYong are far more common here than in UK). Unfortunately the service department was closed for the night so Matilda said she was off duty next morning but would leave a message asking a member of staff to phone the dealer in the morning.
Wednesday. I went back to reception at 9.00am the next morning to find that the member of staff had already rung the dealer and arranged for us to see “Emilio" the service department manager this morning - how good is that?
Having, despite navigator, got totally lost it was early afternoon when we reached Covisa Automation, the local SSangYong (and Mercedes) dealer and found Emilio, who looked at the damage and sucked in through his teeth in the way mechanics are taught on their very first day at mechanics school, and called out his number two for a second opinion (or perhaps to chuckle together at the expense of the stupid Englishman).
Well if the Madrid depot had one they could perhaps get the rear windscreen by late afternoon and would fit it straight away but with all the other work that needed doing they would need to keep the car for three days from the arrival of the glass, the computer was down in Madrid so they could not find out if the glass (and the other necessary bits) were immediately available, but they would aim for completion Friday. An hour after we had arrived we were headed back to the campsite by taxi hoping against hope the glass was already on its way from Madrid.
Thursday. Done nothing today, bored, bored, bored. We have many times in the past considered getting rid of the car and caravan and buying a motorhome but have shied away as you cannot get around when on remote sites and this enforced stay has confirmed our decision as being correct. Strangely the Brit couple in the motor home on the pitch two up from us came to ask about our caravan and how well our car towed it. It seems when they bought their motorhome three years ago they assumed they would be able to sightsee using it but have found many places they want to visit too small to accommodate the motorhome and are going home to replace it with a carava,n and as he already has a “works” car the same as mine was interesting in getting a similar sized van.
Friday. Without being asked to, Matilda phoned the SsangYong dealer today to get a progress report. The glass had not arrived from Madrid until this morning and along with the other parts is being fitted this afternoon. The rear door must have been unjammed and unbent already as it is going into the paint shop on Monday and will be ready for collection on Tuesday.
Thats the good news.
The bad news is that Tuesday is a national holiday and the garage is closed so we can’t pick it up until Wednesday.
Late this afternoon the garage sent an email to Matilda with either a bill (or an estimate) for the repairs attached. I will be on bread and water for a considerable time to come - and now need to go lie down in a darkened room.
Saturday. Market day in La Guijarrosa today so we walked to the village to get some fresh produce. The market comprised two small fruit and veg stalls and a number of clothing stalls. The number of stall holders was considerably more than the number of customers, we felt for them. Still the fruit and veg stalls had what we wanted at very good prices.
Sunday. Bored, bored, bored, bored, bored, bored, bored, bored, bored, bored, bored, bored, bored, bored, bored, bored, bored, bored, bored, bored, bored, bored, bored, bored, bored, bored, bored, bored, bored, bored, bored, bored, bored, bored, bored, bored, bored, bored, bored, bored, bored, by the saints I will be so very, very careful from now on.