Bright sunshine again this morning as a herd of cows with bells is driven past the van down to the lakeside. Grete comes back from walking Cleo and reports that the elephants are out of bed, so we all head up the path for a look. It is a truly magnificent scene as we look down into the valley forming the park. There is a flat, grassy valley floor, with pools and a small oasis. On the far side a huge rock escarpment rises up perhaps 300 feet, from which eagles...

As we are getting tidied up a police car drives through the car park on its rounds, stops where Ali and Grete are chatting in front of the vans and asks for our passports. Is it the mayhem in A Coruna? Is it Nick W's interest in the cannabis magazine in the garage? Has Ali taken too many photos? They copy out our details, wish us well and go on their way. Later as we are driving away we pass them in the opposite direction and get a wave and a smile. We join...

Another sunny morning and the joggers and walkers are out again. We decide we saw A Coruna quite closely yesterday so we drive along the sea front underneath the orange iron standards which support the tram wires and street lamps. On the way we see some of the ornate old balconies which are gradually being screened over, turning elegant baroque facades into modern glass towers. We have good views of the sea, bright blue and green today, and the white spume...

The mist and rain has gone and it's a bright morning. The town looks very different in the sunshine; the river is bright blue, the white church is brighter and the castle walls stand out against the sky. Behind the town there are tall rocks with trees and mimosa, and a statue of a deer at the peak. We use the service point in the aire then set off at 11:20. We find our last Portuguese Lidl in a town called Valenca and stock up the wine at €1.50 a bottle. I...

This morning it is very, very windy. We wake and see through the skylights the eucalyptus trees swaying wildly, together with the odd tap and rattle of twigs landing on the roof. Both Nicks decide not to venture into the city so Ali and Grete go on the bus. They find a bar and enjoy a tapas lunch then look around at some of the sights. The cathedral is magnificent with huge buttresses, sculptures and carved stonework. Grete tells Ali the inside is in...