My Good friend, artist,nature artist and amazing human being, has just found a new best friend called Rita (Camper Van) and taken off for an adventure in Spain. This is her page as we follow her on her adventures across Spain 🇪🇸 and perhaps become inspired ourselves.
So where are you Siobhan?
Hiya...Setting off now at 12.10pm for Muros in Galicia 15291
Thursday 6th July
I'm just leaving so just say camping vouga in Louro
Sorry when I'm leaving a place so much to organize before setting off.
Galicia friendly region. Lessons for me are to take each day as it comes and my lessons in being compassionate to myself. Had a release in the cathedral of grief for the loss of my mother and a man put his hand on my shoulder to comfort me. There are good people wherever you go. This helped me let go of some pain I'd been holding.
Swim first thing was a wonderful way to start the day. Engine running heading off to Porto in Portugal. Have a great day. Life is an adventure wherever you are 💕
Saturday 8th July 2023
"I woke up today with my first meet up ahead with my neighbours in my campsite. It was a welcome change from the days spent alone in a foreign country and places I don't know. However there seems to be many tests along my journey. Today was a pin number I didn't know to enter. Having to manage my instant reaction and to see it as something that will get sorted. I think because nothing is readily available to me and the barriers are more these things seem bigger than they actually are.
Siobhan Grice: So we set off just after 9am headed for Caminha which is the nearest town to this campsite Covas in Portugal. My Portuguese neighbours Fatima and Mario drove me to the town center where we enjoyed the local pastry and coffee. We spent the next few hours walking around the town, meeting a local artist and seeing his studio and the local churches. This is a special place due to its locality as it is opposite the Spanish coast and is where 2 rivers run into the Atlantic ocean.
I also was taken to a phone shop so was relieved to get my Portuguese Sim to replace my Spanish one.
I would definately recommend a visit here for its culture, history and a calm tranquil place by the sea.
We later went to Villa Nova de Cerveira which is another old town which has a Saturday market that a lot of the Spanish come over to buy from. You can but anything you want here I was told. We didn't stop to look as Mario doesn't like the crowds but it's good to know.
Back to camp and a call from my daughter made my day a very good day and glad I had taken time to rest and not drive.
Oh yes and not forgetting that Rita is ever present in one if the churches I visited. Saint Rita was watching over me looking a little stern though
Wednesday 12th July 2023
" It's exactly 2 weeks since I arrived in Spain and I've now been in Portugal 6 days. Ive been staying at a lovely campsite called Orbitur on the edges of Caminha. It's shaded by large pine trees among others. I was very tempted to stay here and find work and in fact on asking here there was a kitchen hand job going on this campsite. My desire to stay in one place and feel settled was there for this place. However the job would have only covered my camping fees with nothing extra and going for a walk into the centre again I had time to reflect and realized my desire to be settled was not as strong as my desire to explore. And after all that's what this journey was about....
... So after some deliberation I chose to travel on today. Either to head down to Lisbon or a little down the road where there's a free parking spot for campers. As yet I haven't decided that far.
...."this place is special as it has access to both Spain and Portugal. A short boat journey you get to Spain. I swam yesterday in the Roaring Atlantic ocean then a few minutes walk round the corner the calm seas of the beach next to the campsite. Best of both worlds.
Visited the local Museum, saw some buskers by a cafe, went back to see the Church celebrating it's 500 anniversary although much much older parts of it where Santa Rita looks on. Here I asked for guidance on what to do. Visited 2 art studios and spoke to another artist Jose who is part of a collective whose name I shall look up.
The other thing was to do.my online First Aid course for work which I stayed up half the night to do and which I will continue before I leave wifi access here. This can be a problem.
I'm still tired but feeling stronger and settling into this lifestyle more. Onwards upwards I go into the light of infinite abundance and love 'with hope in my heart, for you'll never walk alone, you'll never walk alone' Carousel and song sung at Welsh rugby matches 😃
Wednesday 13th July 2023
"My first night sleeping in a parking place for campers. It was a different feeling going to bed without that security if knowing somehow you were being looked after within the confines of a campsite. Also with having to finish off my online course at the nearest cafe to get wifi meant I was returning back in the dark. I think managing my fear and anxiety over the uncertainty of what lies ahead is the biggest hurdle I am learning to get over. I stayed in Vila paixa Ancora next to a skatepark. People stop there for days without being moved on. A friendly Frenchman helped me into the parking bay and told me that nobody has died here so far.... A comforting thought 🤔
However I was very glad of the welcome and it all seemed a very legitimate place to stay. I even had directions from the local police which was to drive to the front. I would say that my discomfort in staying the night came from asking a woman the way who was very helpful but took me back to my camper van and was eyeing it up inside. I had told her too much information and thus played on my mind.
It was a rest stop and up to find a cafe for coffee and the toilet then after a chat with the french woman who was parked next to me with her husband I set off. The mural of the wolf was a good sign and she showed me the vans her son had painted. He is on fb. I didn't show her any of my work which I need to be more prepared to do. I'm ony way to Lisbon in the A28 which is a till road and expensive but rather than mess about I want to get there in good time to see my friend Edgar. Im ready to see a familiar face as it is hard going at times being a solo traveller. I really feel I need to use my Yang energy on this journey which of course is a good lesson for me. I've stopped at a services just to put sun cream on as my arm was burning through the window of my van. A note to myself to put cream on first thing. So onwards I go. One last thing the couple told me about another park up place in Lima which was 50 km from where I was and spaces for 100 campers.