Well it could be worse Lisbon had a tornado and Barcelona’s beaches lost their sand and the rivers we cycled over still had a metre to go so no floods yet although more rain tomorrow. It was an early start as is the norm when Tim doesn’t like our accommodation. I’m not sure Tim slept as he told me it rained all night, he had had to retreat to the sofa bed as the bed wasn’t long enough for him.Still we had a good breakfast well I did, Tim turned down the offer of eggs, too busy packing.It was an easy exit from Cartaya but rain was pouring down so wasn’t long before the shoes that were nearly dry became soaking wet again.

The road was really bad potholes, cracks and raised lumps of bitumen, still it was quiet not much traffic all the small towns we passed were shut up hardly anyone in sight.I had worked out the first ferry across the river to Portugal from Ayamonte was at 10am and hoped to catch it.As we neared the turn off for the ferry quite a few cars came past so I encouraged Tim to go a little faster as wasn’t sure how often the ferry ran on Good Friday.We got down to the docks and I recognised the ferry timetable from the internet but the boat was tiny it wasn’t a car ferry .We got our tickets and boarded yes it was the ferry to Portugal.We were wet and it was a small ferry boat open at the sides, so freezing but within 15 minutes we were in Portugal.

Shops were open and best of all a huge warm cafe at the docks.We briefly chatted to a Dutch cyclist who was on his way to Spain to Malaga he had been blown east hardly having to pedal we were going in the wrong direction.We had hot tea, hot chocolate, and hot milk to thaw out and then the sun came out, beautiful.Unfortunately nobody turned the wind off, it was a maximum of 15C but with the wind chill probably only 10C.I pulled out another just in case item, a windproof cycling beanie, bliss.

We tried to go on a cycling route but discovered it ended up on gravel tracks after 3 days of rain and our delicate road e-bikes we daren’t attempt it.So we were left with the N125 a minor road but the drivers on it had forgotten the 2metre rule for avoiding cyclists and had also probably had a few morning drinks being a public holiday.As we got closer to Tavira there was a reasonable emergency lane to cycle in but we could see drivers ahead veering into the emergency lane for no reason at all.There were a few close shaves to say the least.We were relieved to turn off to cycle into Tavira but the route we chose had all the cobble stones pulled up in the middle,this made it an entertaining ride.The bridge we had planned to ride over was closed off,it looked like it was to give the seagulls and pigeons a bridge of their own to sit on.

A good lunch spot was found with safe parking for the bikes.Tavira is on the Algarve a very touristy area but Tavira has plenty of history back to the Moors and it was where Tim and I spent a week down here when Tim was working in Portugal. I think though we stayed at the beach which is a 10minute boat ride away!The hotel here is great with underground parking with a section for our bikes.It is very busy being Easter weekend so no bookings for the spa and sauna left and I’d forgotten the essential swimming cap for indoor pools, still did enough swimming in the rain today.We managed to dodge the hail and thunder this afternoon and walk up to the old ruins of the castle, you can walk up steep slippery steps onto the ramparts for great views.

Till tomorrow and the rain…Spain’s drought has broken, maybe..