I took the direct route from Lagos yesterday up towards Badajoz, I only let the satnav have her head when she indicated a road that was not on the map, it turned out to be a good choice the road was deserted except when we neared the village of Santa Susana which was lovely, in the middle of nowhere and mostly the sturdy traditional houses, it also knocked 10 miles of the journey. I arrived in Badajoz with plenty of time to visit the castle (Alcazaba) and walk the town walls, I was surprised how big the old town was and overawed to think that the castle was stormed and taken by soldiers using ladders in the face of sustained musket fire but it was at the site of the breaches in the wall that I felt close to Sharpe. Even with the outer wall down there was still a steep slope to climb and this was mined and obstructed as well as being seriously defended by massed soldiers no wonder there were so many casualties.
Last night's hotel in a golf resort was a huge bargain, less than £34 for a big room double bed marble bathroom with a bath to soak my aching body and pig cheeks dinner with beer and wine for the cost of a Big Mac and fries, it was a shame I had to leave early to get up to the British Consulate in Madrid. I got lost in Madrid's underground road system, there are only signs advising you of destinations outside the city and of course my Coleen doesn't work underground but I did get there by 9:45 and everything went well. My case was dealt with by a competent young lady who did not treat me like the idiot I am and after filling out the forms I am now in possession of an emergency passport which will allow me to travel to Gran Canaria and back and then drive home. The whole passport laundry episode is going to cost a minimum of a couple of hundred pounds by the time I get a proper replacement passport and probably another hundred if they catch up with my parking infringement.
Some adventures cost more than others.
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