Spain - Santiponce - Antequera - Motril.

Italica Ampitheatre near Santiponce.  See below just how enormous this Ampitheatre is, Wiki tells me it was built in 1AD and seated 25,000 people which it appears isn't large for an Ampitheatre.

Somewhere around Santiponce we had more trouble with 'Tabitha',  a blockage in the fuel line which was probably stirred up with the repairs of the fuel tank in Castro Verde.

David's notes say:-  'Breakdown fr. airlock in line, Fr. gent & birds to rescue.'

My translation is:-  'Tabitha' broke down because of an airlock in the fuel line, thankfully a French gentleman with a couple of ladies on board stopped and helped us.'  :-)

Antequera on route to Malaga.   Just look at my plaits!!  What am I?  a 16 year old?  I do remember my long hair was causing problems as bathing was at it's minimal because we spent most nights camped beside the road... plaits it was.

 

Malaga was a bit of a surprise, it was the first time we were truly on the Mediterranean Sea, it was warming up and we were really looking forward to a swim but Malaga had been discovered by the English Tourist and we found it hard to find real Spanish food because so many Cafe's advertised Fish and Chips, Fried Eggs and Chips and so on.  Very funny really but not our type of town so we continued along coast heading East.

One night we settled down for the night well off the coast road in the middle of nowhere.  There was hardly any traffic and no houses around.  The weather was warmer so we kept our windows open but closed the curtains and we were soon asleep.  Around 2am we were both woken by the sound of motor bikes surrounding us, they stopped, David and I froze I didn't know if he was awake, he didn't know if I was awake.  Male voices were heard then a curtain was lifted and torches shone in, we stayed frozen, then a torch was shone in the cabin.  David sat up and said 'Hoy!'  

The men turned out to belong to the Spanish Guardia. David, who is good at languages kept saying... Mañana Valencia :-)  he did say a little more as well,  they soon got the message and left us alone. 

After this incident we decided to seek the Guardia out and ask where a good place to settle for the night would be. 

The next night we were near Motril and found two young lads who took us to this exposed pebble beach which wasn't ideal but we were happy enough. But then... we couldn't get rid of them.  We started setting up our beds and sleeping bags and they were amazed having never seen a sleeping bag before.  They stayed and stayed... eventually David gave them a packet of cigarettes each and said the words he'd learnt got rid of Guardia and that was...  Mañana - what ever the next town was and they reluctantly left us alone.

Below from Google Maps is similar to where we were camped for the night.

 I also found a photo of their funny shiny hats... :-)