Bungee Running

So, we need a specific type of gearbox oil for an elderly campervan in France on a bank holiday. It was never going to happen. In a filling station I eyed up a bottle of transmission fluid but put it back again. No good, wrong spec. 

We popped in to the Pont Du Gard, the Roman triple layered aqueduct just after we left Arles. 

Impressive architecture from the Italians, but why three layers ? Hot and cold water I can understand but what is the third ? 

We found the knack of dealing with the gearbox issue. It was crude and rudimentary, but it worked. A bungee cord tied around the gear stick when traveling in 4th gear. 

It'll do the job until we can find some of this special gearbox oil that we need. 

This heat is draining. I constantly feel sleepy when I've been driving for a while. But it's too hot to sleep in the van, even with our extra air conditioning. 

We arrived safely in Roses on the Costa Brava. Most of the teams were already there, lounging around the pool, drinking beer. How could we resist ? It was Eileen's birthday after all. Jo was certainly on a mission. Cava country, last night of her holiday, she was throwing them back. Then she hit a wall after 3 drinks. It was 8pm after all and her eyelids were drooping. We bullied her in to coming out though. 

Tapas ! Sangria ! Much merriment and laughter. Well, apart from the birthday boy who was suffering from throat problems and snoozy in the corner.

 

Roses is a standard touristy seaside resort, I'm guessing like many others in the Costa Brava. Many camp sites, many lobster coloured British tourists, restaurants and a bustling beach front. Time to move on I think...

Oh, found out from John that whilst we were looking so hard for this specific gearbox oil, we needn't have. In an emergency you can use normal engine oil, or even olive oil. Now he tells us, when we have looked in several shops, it's dark and I am full of sangria. Ahhh, mañana....