Off on hols again.

Message

HowardQ · #1 Post by **HowardQ** » Wed Dec 26, 2012 12:00 am

I'm off to the usual villa I rent in Spain at this time of year early on Thursday morning, so won't be around until the 13th of Jan., (see later).
Off back to Andalucia, in the foothills a few kms past Frigiliana, (inland from Nerja).
It's a very quiet, peaceful place, where we celebrate my birthday, Terri's birthday, our wedding anniversary and the New Year away from it all.
It's a big birthday for me at the end of the month, as I will be an official pensioner.

Obviously better to celebrate that quietly in some far away place, so I don't have to suffer the banners and balloons and stuff outside the house, or whatever.

Having said I won't be around, wi fi should be working at the villa and will be taking the netbook and 3G phones, so hopefully will still be in contact.
Enjoy the rest of the holiday and have a good new year.
It would also be nice to get some dry weather in the new year.

blinkey501 · #2 Post by **blinkey501** » Wed Dec 26, 2012 7:44 am

Have a good time Howard. And have a good birthday

Aladinsaneuk · #3 Post by **Aladinsaneuk** » Wed Dec 26, 2012 8:48 am

Early birthday greetings - have fun

Dusty · #4 Post by **Dusty** » Wed Dec 26, 2012 9:22 am

I like your style, Howard. Have a great holiday and my congratulations for each occasion as it arises! That's a lovely part of the world and has some great roads for riding.

kneescratch · #5 Post by **kneescratch** » Wed Dec 26, 2012 11:03 am

Happy Birthday Howard,

You can't get away without advertising a big birthday like that.

Oh and Happy New Year too

Gary

HowardQ · #6 Post by **HowardQ** » Wed Dec 26, 2012 12:52 pm

Hang on, I've not got there yet!
(actually it's the 30th).

But thanks anyway folks.

HowardQ · #7 Post by **HowardQ** » Wed Dec 26, 2012 1:07 pm

Dusty wrote:I like your style, Howard. Have a great holiday and my congratulations for each occasion as it arises! That's a lovely part of the world and has some great roads for riding.

Sadly I have never been there on a bike,
BUT, will be doing the A397 San Pedro to Ronda and the old road from Almunecar to Granada then back down via the Autovia del Sierra Nevada down to Salobrena.
Even in a Fiesta hire car they are great fun with superb views and empty at this time of year.
Must go and get the packing done!

BikerGran · #8 Post by **BikerGran** » Wed Dec 26, 2012 3:20 pm

Have a good time!

lazarus · #9 Post by **lazarus** » Wed Dec 26, 2012 5:31 pm

And now you are approaching 65, I guess your thoughts are turning towards getting shut of the Falco ( whilst you can still straighten your back after a ride) and buying a BMW.

Falco9 · #10 Post by **Falco9** » Fri Dec 28, 2012 8:25 pm

HowardQ wrote:
Dusty wrote:I like your style, Howard. Have a great holiday and my congratulations for each occasion as it arises! That's a lovely part of the world and has some great roads for riding.
Sadly I have never been there on a bike,
BUT, will be doing the A397 San Pedro to Ronda and the old road from Almunecar to Granada then back down via the Autovia del Sierra Nevada down to Salobrena.
Even in a Fiesta hire car they are great fun with superb views and empty at this time of year.
Must go and get the packing done!

Nice one Howard,
Once again I rented a GS in Andalucia in September this year and once again we did the "San Pedro" pass run...........still un-believeable.....make sure you go down the pass as its loads better than going up (too many quarry wagons)
If your near Ronda see if you have time to try this place out for lunch........amazing food and the biggest steaks in Spain. Its great value and superb food (and the owners speak a bit of english which helps)
El Muelle, Barriada La Estacion 1, Benaojan, its about 10 mins drive from Ronda down the MA-555, right next to the station

F9

HowardQ · #11 Post by **HowardQ** » Fri Dec 28, 2012 11:29 pm

lazarus wrote:And now you are approaching 65, I guess your thoughts are turning towards getting shut of the Falco ( whilst you can still straighten your back after a ride) and buying a BMW.

We are here in Andalucia and it is nice and sunny, a bit cooler here in the foothills than previous years, but still very nice, and no bloody rain!
As for the BMW, I got one earlier in the year, but fortunately it was the comfy, smallish 4 wheel version (a 123D), otherwise I'll stick with the Falco and the ZX9R for now, as both are still comfy enough for me at the moment.

HowardQ · #12 Post by **HowardQ** » Sun Jan 13, 2013 7:05 pm

Back home from hols, almost like I've never been away with WiFi in both villas and vast areas of Spain.
The weather was a bit of a shock to the system.
Had 16 days of sun and no rain!
The first 9 days were at the villa up in the hills behind Frigiliana, where I have stayed for the last few years at this time.
Being up on the "Campo" means it was about 5 or 6 degrees colder than down on the coast, so the best we got was 15 or 16 degrees at the villa with clear blue skies and a few occasional fluffy clouds. Even then it was still great to sit in the sun and even better down on the coast in Nerja.

For the last 7 days we went down to Calahonda about 10 miles outside Marbella and stayed at a town house a few hundred metres from the coast, sadly the weather was between 22 and 26 in the shade!
This meant it was way over 30 sat in the sun and we had to suffer this all week, so came back with a sun tan.
Seriously, I never expected it to be this good and really enjoyed it, so coming back to frost and temperatures 20 odd degrees lower was another shock to the system.

randomsquid · #13 Post by **randomsquid** » Sun Jan 13, 2013 7:23 pm

Welcome back, hope you're ready for the snow.