Cesantes and kiting at last

Have really landed on my feet. Yesterday I looked for Cesantes Camping, a site just behind the beach. I pulled into the lane, it was the right place but could see no camping. What should I do? There are no campsites within 35min drive, let's say an hour, be realistic. I can't stay here so let's go exploring. The roads are great until you get near your distination, then they become narrow twisty affairs. I get to the first site which seems to be a hotel/hostel, I don't think Google distinguishes between the two. It's quite late by the time I get to the next and you know already, it's on the beach but closed. Nothing for it but to hunker down for the night. Another van has joined me so I don't feel I'm taking liberties.

In the morning I meet Luis who is blowing up his SUP, the water is absolutely calm and flat, he's going for a paddle. Luis is Spanish and works on the rigs, 5wks on, 5wks off. The off times he spends in his camper travelling around. He tells me he has parked his van up at Alicante where there are lots of brits doing it, it's a brexit thing. That's good news, exactly what I want to hear, cos that's my intention. We exchange numbers, Luis says I should call him if I need help at anytime. How's that for simple hospitality.

I'm now on route to the other campsites on the peninsular. Some of the routes Google comes up with are mad. The hills are rediculously steep and wind in and out between door steps. At one point I had to stop to work out if I could get the bus through the gap. If I couldn't how would I deal with the trailer, would the handbrake hold?

I would like to say I found a campsite, in fact I found several, all closed, so I head back over the bridge you can see in the photo, to Cesantes. Sort of as an after thought I ring the campsite. Neither of us understood the conversation although I got a strong YES when I asked if the site was open, so I carried on with some expectation. Back where I had been just 18hrs before I stop opposite the final turning and walk over to take a look. There was no campsite where I expected it, but when asked, a woman waved to a location further along the lane, I could make out tents. I had just wasted a day, or had I? I think the great thing about travelling around without an absolute itenery is that you see stuff you wouldn't have seen if everything was planned.

To be fair Cesantes Campsite is a bit run down. There are a few statice tents, the owner is away and things look a little worn out. So, do I care? It is just behind a great kiting location.

I take a 5min stroll down to the beach to find the kiting instructor there. He says that although the water may be flat now, at 4:00pm the wind will blow, it is a local thermal wind. That's the best possible news, I book a lesson for 3:00. It gets complicated from here. It turns out I was speaking to the kite repair guy. Long story short a kite instructor turns up at 4:00 and we get on the water. Horray, it's been forever since I was last on the water.

The great thing about this location is that there is no break or currents, so you just get closer to the shore and don't have the exhausting walks back abainst the tide.

I'm staying here until I've cracked the kite surfing, I'm so close now.

Just as a bonus it seems I've turned up just in time for the annual music festival.

This is an Argentinian band playing on the first night. Saturday night was all shouty boys prancing about the stage, the crowd loved them, I went back to the van. Sunday has been good all day. The image was supposed to unload as a video, will try to fix this tomorrow.

I didn't kite today but tomorrow (Monday 5th June) have arranged to go to Lourido on the other side of the bay with the instructor Artur.