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A van named Frank

April - October 2021
Road tripping with our campervan Frank, from Zurich, Switzerland to Esposende, Portugal! Later up to Bilbao and over on the Ferry to Ireland! Returning on a ferry to France and slowly back to Switzerland.
Let’s see how it plays out. Read more
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  • A van named Frank
    Day 10

    Gora Euskal Herria

    April 21, 2021 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    Over the hills and far away, we crossed into the Basque Country - lush and green and hilly and like a whole other world again.

    It was a day of scenery changes. From departing the French countryside, driving past huge Atlantic pine plantations on the way to the coast, stopping for a walk up the sand dune, back through highways and cities and ports (Bayonne) along the coast and back inland and up and over past the Spanish border we arrived at a campsite. Empty aside from us and one other van who pulled in later... ideal! And amidst the Pyrenees, who could ask for more? Ok, maybe a couple of cervezas watching the sun disappear behind the mountain. Check👌🏼🍻

    The only sounds, that of the birds, the wind rustling the leaves on the Oak trees and the rusty bells on the sheep grazing in the fields around.

    Feeling a touch of Irish in this landscape too...    Read more

  • A van named Frank
    1
    Day 11

    Dip in the sea

    April 22, 2021 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    We made it! How long did we long for this: sand under the feet, enjoying a beer and pintxos in an actual bar, refreshing in the atlantic ocean..

    On the way to this almost surreal dream we passed beautiful hilly basque landscapes, the breathtaking bay of san sebastian and windy atlantic coastline roads, only to end up above the rusty beach of Zarautz.. Here we give Frank and us another breather and suck up the sun, the sea and all the energy.Read more

  • A van named Frank
    Day 12

    The rocky trail to the turquoise waters.

    April 23, 2021 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C

    Today we took a different set of steps down to the sea...not for the faint hearted...but the reward was worth it: a secluded swim spot at the bottom if rocky cliffs...
    The small exhibit above indicated (with the little spanish we could understand..the pictures helped) it used to be an old mine or something that shuttled the stuff out to boats by those rocks in the sea....
    regardless, now for us, it was a hidden gem to bathe in the crystal clear cold waters and lay on the black stones after like seals...

    and to end the day another special sunset... and some good chats with another pair of swiss van peeps...    Read more

  • A van named Frank
    Day 13

    Another day in paradise

    April 24, 2021 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    Today we wandered many a road, down to the town for some supplies (including some clothes pegs...essential!). Upon our return the sun was still strong so we descended the 400 odd stairs to the beach where we relished in the cooool Atlantic sea.
    Still pinching ourselves it’s only April and here we are swimming away in the sea for a good half hour and then throwing frisbee on the beach....
    Of course after such Atlantic action we decided to cook up a rather delish piece of steak and some tabouleh...👌🏼🧑🏼‍🍳👩🏻‍🍳 dining by the setting sun.... those sunsets will never ever get old!!🌅    Read more

  • A van named Frank
    Day 14

    Off the beaten crack...

    April 25, 2021 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    Who doesn't love to feel alive alive oh? This route certainly did that for us....clambering over, under and through rocks, cracks and boulders, never straying more than a few meters from the waves crashing in...it was quite the adventure route from camp to a small harbour village the next hill over..
    The route back was equally challenging as the walking path quickly became a sheeps trail which turned into brambles and gorse..we found a way, with a few scratches..
    The highlight aside from the slate and cliff landscapes pouring into the sea, had to be the 8 brown donkeys we met along the way who were only to happy to have a scratch and a pet from Tobi-animal-lover !    Read more

  • A van named Frank
    Day 15

    Lekeitio

    April 26, 2021 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    Left Zarautz this morning and drove more wonderfully windy coast roads make a brief stop at the small fishing town Lekeitio, a favourite holiday destination of Mollys parents and where the Camino Voyage (Naomhoig na tinte) folk from Ireland with their currach docked for a night...
    We had a late brekkie at a small taberna and then went in search of the tabac shop, where the friendly shopkeep pointed us towards the chapella shop 🤠 and some other local lady escorted us to the store...talk about lovely locals....

    A splendind quick visit and our last stop in Basque Country!    Read more

  • A van named Frank
    Day 15

    Battery man ‍🦲

    April 26, 2021 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    It was a long day, that required much of our own battery power to keep us going....as we left Lekeitio we headed towards what would have been a most beautiful campsite on the edge of the world (it seemed) with its own tiny beaches, however upon arrival we were greeted by the sheep and no sign of it being open...

    We had driven from Basque Country into the Asturias and it seems that the Covid restrictions were different?!

    We departed (hoping to return another time) and headed to a rest stop (which the caravan part was also closed🧐) in Llanes to meet up with some fellow campervaners that we had planned to meet at the previous camp. There we hatched a plan to drive to a different camp in the Picos de Europa, an hour or so away. And in the Cantabria region of northern Spain. Beautiful. Let’s go! Each prepared for take off, but Frank wouldn’t start.... poor Frank seemed to have used up all his battery too....😔

    After a few attempts to jump start, and some help from some kind strangers/truckers in the rest stop (with our broken Spanish) who seemed to know much more then we, and a few phone-a-friend sessions, still we couldn’t get that engine to start...so then it was time for a brief call to the insurance in Switzerland, and within 30mins a pickup truck arrived and a man (with a really friendly face, we saw later when his mask was off in the safety of his car😷) with his super charger battery pack arrived got Frank’s engine revving again. Talk about efficiency. He and Tobi spoke (bravo Tobi with an impressive command of Spanish when talking batteries and cars and engines!?👏🏻) and it was clear, the battery was kaput.
    So, without much delay we tailed him back to his workshop and there as quick as anything swapped the old for a new and Frank was back up and running!! Thank you battery man!

    Ready to continue our journey to the Picos, and Frank is as powerful as ever. 🔋🚐    Read more

  • A van named Frank
    Day 16

    Los Picos de Europa

    April 27, 2021 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C

    After the day that seemed like three days, we arrived last night, at sunset (9pm!!) in a campsite with our fellow Swiss companions Corinne & Philipp (see their travels here -https://findpenguins.com/2k1puembvvvj7/trip/606…) and Julia... we had hoped to spend some days together...but as the weather got steadily worse and colder and wetter, they left for warmer (hoffentlich) pastures...and we stayed one more day...so Molly could have a swim in the pool in the rain (feels warmer that way) ☔️🏊🏼‍♀️ and Tobi could whip up a nice fresh tabouleh in our cosy Frank (happily sheltered from the rain!)
    It’s un poco a pity the weather is so shitty in Los Picos.... but there ye have it , the rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain....    Read more

  • A van named Frank
    Day 17

    Into the west

    April 28, 2021 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    Giddyup! Heading west once more after leaving the rather wet and dreary Picos (we’ll be back!)...we drive, on, and on, through some spells of sunshine and some rain showers and some very quiet coastal stop-offs. Lunch over a beach, new wild flowers a begging and a view for the soul...later a game of frisbee in three secluded shores separated by rock formations... and a spontaneous dip to rescue said frisbee...by night we finally arrived at the pier in Foz. Perfect for a night before we head down further in Galicia!Read more

  • A van named Frank
    Day 19

    April showers....

    April 30, 2021 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    To wrap up the month, we've been chilling here at our most recent secluded paradise right on the shore...at camping a Vouga in Galicia!

    For the last two days of April, rain was on the cards, but as luck would have it, the days have been sunny and so much of our time has been spent between frisbee down on the beach, swims between the small coves, searching for seashells and reading for hours (we got a few crime novels off the bookshelf here at the Campingplatz, initially to pass the few rainy days...luckily books are great companions for all weather) ...its also a treat that we could "eat out" at the restaurant here and sink our teeth into a fine fresh seafood platter, which of course tastes even better while gazing out to sea....

    Between having the lulling sound of waves lapping the shore on repeat, the birds singing and calling to one another at the change of day and the ever changing colour palette of the landscape which is mesmerising, be it in the middle of the night as the full moon crosses the sky over the velvety navy sea, or at dusk when the land is cast in hues of pinks and oranges, or first thing with a coffee watching the world warm up, silver to gold....

    This is bliss.    Read more

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