Wednesday 29th July - Bilbao, The Picos, Santander The Guggenheim is an amazing building but I had to agree with the consensus that debated whether its content was worthy of its surroundings. That's partly because I don't really get gargantuan ultra modern sculptures, those more refined would probably disagree. As a basic sort of chap. for me art is about pictures on canvas, or other media and for that I generally do prefer modern art. So the top floor of the Guggenheim held most interest but even that was dwarfed by the architectural genius of the building itself. As amazing as the Guggenheim as a statement on the landscape was, it paled in comparison to the Picos de Europa. En route as I passed Santander on the bike battling a gale, I questioned the sanity of ... read more

Monday 27th July - Back to Spain, San Sebastian This was more like it - the hotel in San Sebastian that is. I am sat up writing this in a bed so large there is a walkie talkie on each side for contacting your bedfellow - should you be so lucky enough to have one that is. The Spanish tourist offices had come up trumps, both here and in Barcelona, so on that basis I could only but recommend them. I had struggled to find anything decent for under 200 sovs searching the internet with a budget that was half that and the Astoria7 was just the job. Anyway I had awoken in Foix to a dull overcast day, my first since leaving Salon la Tour, which always looked like threatening rain. Actually no I was ... read more

Saturday 25th July - Olot and the lower Pyrenees Somone upstairs had finally turned the heating down and so I swapped plans and set off on the bike around 10am. It was a deliciously cool 22C and even by midday had only reached mid-twenties. I felt like I had my own personal AC unit. Perfect conditions for riding a bike - especially without full luggage on a range of cols. What a mega f*cking day! First leg was to ride out to Sant Joan de Abasses - brilliant road, Col de Joubert I think and I yabadaba-dooed out loud in my helmet. Perfect tarmac, excellent bends and stunning views across the Parc de Volcans and further afield to the Pyrenees. The next col, Col de Santiago was possibly the twistiest road I have ridden, it flick-flacked ... read more

Thursday 23rd July - Barcelona It had definitely been a wise move to give up pontificating what next and just get a hotel. I felt infinitely better this morning. There was however no solution to the Morocco problem - even with a clear and air conditioned head. Still at least now I could reason that quite quickly. I had up to 7 days left and I estimated that 4 days of that would be flat out riding in elevated temperatures. All for 3 days in Morocco - it was a crazy notion and I quickly abandoned it. After the initial pangs of disappointment (this trip was supposed to be about finally getting, safely, to North Africa after all) I was philosophical and unusually rational. I would just enjoy Spain instead. The first step to that was ... read more

Wednesday 22nd July - Vernet to Barcelona Two or more hours had gone by and no matter how many times I looked at it - I'd well and truly f*cked it up. I was at the docks in the Transmediterranea ferry terminal, using an internet terminal coupled with my PDF lonely planet guides and maps of Europe and Morocco. It had been hellishlly hot getting here and I struggled to keep myself hydrated. My camelbak had been errantly left in Cath's fridge whilst I watched Harry being Robin Hood in his end of year play before setting off on a rain soaked evening for the ferry. I am sure the camelbak is deliciously chilled by now but not much effing use to me out here. It was 32C when I set off but quickly rose to ... read more