Well, after months of wondering how things would be when we returned to Pandora, we found out when we arrived here in Almerimar now nearly a week ago.
We visited our son Chris in Manhattan for the night before departure and then headed to JFK to catch an 11:00 pm flight to Madrid where we “enjoyed” a 4 hour layover before catching a flight to Malaga, about two hours from the apartment that we rented for about a week while I get Pandora ready to put in the water.
When we got to JFK, thanks to the funding issues for TSA, the lines were terrible and we decided to purchase Clear, at about $300 for the two of us, so that we could bypass the masses. It was an expensive option but shaved hours off of the process. Another “pay to play” option to circumvent our totally dysfunctional government. I feel for those that could not afford this “line breaking” option. Soon, I expect that Clear will be so popular that those lines too will be terrible.
By the time we got to Malaga and went to pick up our car. we were greeted with a very slick car rental agent that tossed all sorts of requirements our way including a strong statement, when she saw our pile of luggage, that I had to rent a much larger car as it was illegal to put down the back seat in a compact car to make more room for luggage and we would surely be pulled over by the police and get a ticket. In my sleep deprived state, I didn’t sleep a wink on the flights, I relented but it didn’t occur to me that I could look it up on-line, until we arrived at the apartment when I looked it up. It turns out that she made that up. All and all, it was only $55 more but I was totally annoyed at being “taken”. When I returned the car the agent confirmed that we had been misled so I plan to file a complaint. A
After all that traveling and no sleep, we finally arrived at our apartment and have been very pleased with it. The cost is reasonable, has a beautiful view of the marina. Two bedrooms, a kitchen, close to Pandora and a generous balcony. Nice view.
All winter long I have been stressing about Pandora’s house inverter/charger that allows us to heat water and run electronic equipment from our house batteries, by converting the 24v DC current to `110 AC. After nearly a decade the unit has finally died. I tried to get someone to look at it while I was away but it never happened. When I returned I learned that they were now too busy so I am out of luck. The good news is that we can function without it as we have a small inverter that can power our laptops and other small appliances. I will have the unit replaced in Sardinia when we leave her for the summer.
For sure, it is always something on a boat but compared to other things that can go wrong, this isn’t terrible. The biggest issue though is that getting the old unit out and the new one in place will not be easy as there is a lot of complex cabinetry in the way. I’ll have to decide how to handle this as the cabinetry work will surely be more than the electrical. Details to come on that front.
You may recall that I had a tangle with a pod of orcas last summer and they left my rudder badly damaged. Well, the repairs are done if not quite perfect. Sadly, I confronted the guy who made the repair and he as, shall we say, less than supportive. It’s fine I guess, but not up to my “anal” requirements. As nasty as he was I was pleasantly suprised yesterday when I visited Pandora and discovered that additional repair work was underway. All better now.
Another issue that we have faced is that we are quite early in the season and the winds have been unrelenting and from the wrong direction. However, as we get toward the end of our first week here I can see that things are beginning to improve so it looks like we may have a decent window to head north to Cartagena later next week.
We can’t launch when it is windy as getting into position to Med moor can be difficult so having a calm time of it is important as I really don’t want to bang up Pandora on her first day in the water for the season. Backing up against a rough cement wall isn’t for the faint of heart, even with help from a yard attendant. Calm is good…
So, the plan is to launch on Tuesday, perhaps Monday if they get a cancelation and can fit us in. And, better yet, there may be a window of a few days for us to head up the coast to Cartagena late in the week.
We rented a car for a few days earlier this week and drove to a lovely town, Nijar, up the coast. The town is steeped in history and has tiny winding streets, so narrow that you have to fold the side mirrors to navigate many of them. We’ve been to Nijar before and Brenda was particularly taken, as she always is when she sees stuff made of fiber, by the hand woven fabrics made there. Last time we were there, in August, she had seen a carry bag that she wanted and for some reason, didn’t purchase. Well… She was now determined to fix that oversight and off we went.
We had a bit of an issue finding the same shop but finally, after some aimless wondering and a bit of “back and forth” discussion such as “I think it’s up that hill”. Her response “no, it’s not there”. My response, “I think it’s up that hill”. Her response, “ok, if you insist”. Well, I was right, and she found the bag. I take my wins when I can đŸ™‚ Happy Brenda. She loved the bag so much she purchased two. I wonder who the luck recipient will be of bag #2?
In case you are wondering, yes, she did knit the sweater below. Fun fact: She is loving the “sweater weather” here, 70s during the day and 50s at night. Much improved over the 100+ degrees last August.
After securing her new bag, we had a lovely lunch near a church courtyard. It was a beautiful spot.
Very scenic in every direction.
And speaking of sweaters, which I was until I got distracted by bags and food, she just finished this one yesterday. Note her contemplative look, gazing into the distance, no doubt planning her next sweater… Always the next sweater…
I guess that’s about all for now. We decided to extend our stay in the apartment as the boat launch is delayed till Tuesday and it’s still trashed down below. I’ll admit that having a full week to get Pandora ready to launch has been a treat as it makes for much shorter work days. Just cleaning her has been a challenge as the Sahara dust, that blows in from the south coats the boat with an orange haze and it takes some doing to scrub it off. Paul, who watched Pandora over the winter, was diligent in washing off the dust several times a week which helped a lot but there was still a lot of scrubbing to be done.
Sadly, both Brenda and I caught colds on the flight so not feeling too great hasn’t helped with my stamina. However, the end is near, or should I say that the beginning is coming very soon as we head out to explore the Mediterranean.
An added benefit if being here for longer than planned is that we have been enjoying eating out. There are literally dozens of places to choose from all around the 1,000+ slip marina. We are both enjoying checking them out as is witnessed by this photo. Carbonico is Brenda’s fave, discovered during our last visit. We will probably eat there again tonight. I should mention that dining out here is a lot less expensive than in the US, often about half the price, and tipping isn’t expected or asked for.
I can’t wait to get underway and now that the adverse winds seem to be moderating, my anxiety about what lies ahead is being replaced by growing excitement.
And yes, we are here and while we aren’t going there yet, I am optimistic that “there” is getting closer.