The final stage in Europe

20.01.23 Pujaire - Algeciras: Where do I begin? With the most important thing: I have water again! After vinegar, vinegar, and more vinegar, we tried water tonight and turned on the faucets: There is no longer any smell of diesel: Three testers - Volker, Renate, and Ricci - agreed: Flawless, as my mother-in-law Elfi would say. Tomorrow I will look for water in the harbor - that shouldn't be too difficult even for me - and fill up the tank properly. For me, it's a small miracle, for my brother-in-law Markus, it's a big, almost unbelievable miracle, and for Ricci, who had the tip of using vinegar and detergent, it's no miracle at all. Everyday business, he would say.

My day started with a shock this morning: the alarm went off at 7:30, and I groggily reached for the light switch. I found it, but it stayed dark. On the other hand, I was wide awake and jumped out of bed. How could this be? I tried the light switch in the kitchen: nothing. Above the dining table: nothing. In fact, I had no power! A look at the app for my lithium battery showed: 0 percent charge. How could this be? It was at 100 percent in the evening after the long drive. That usually lasts me four days with my power consumption. I didn't have to look far for the source of the problem. I had set the refrigerator to 230 volts instead of 12 volts - without being connected to shore power. Even a lithium battery doesn't forgive that. I learned something again. Tonight it's already back to nearly 80 percent.

The drive along the coast was fantastic. Countless hills, steeply sloping valleys with breathtaking viaducts and steel structures spanned, and almost vertical rock walls alternated. All under a blue sky and in front of a spectacular mountain scenery, behind which a dark sea of clouds gathered and vainly demanded access to the sun-drenched coastal region. It was a wonderful final stage in Europe, which of course couldn't be without a detour by Ricci. He led us for a short break on a real mountain route, which offered a lot of driving challenges but no rest area. Fortunately, our spontaneous trip only lasted a few minutes before a roundabout gave us the chance to turn back.

When we arrived in Algeciras, Carlos was our first point of contact. I think every motorhome driver who wants to cross to Morocco knows Carlos. His ticket office is buzzing. He greeted us like old friends and had put together an optimal package for us. Tomorrow morning at 10:30 a.m., our ferry will depart for Africa.

And on board will also be the seven to ten motorhomes that complete our group with Berndt and Brigitte, Martin and Angelika, Uwe and Birgit, and Bernd and Hanne. I can't really grasp yet that I will be there too, that I made it!

My happiness is also perfect with the news that Berry will not undergo surgery. The growth on our dachshund grandpa's right front leg will be treated conventionally. A decision that makes things easier for my wife Icke - and therefore for me too.