PORTBOU

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Yesterday (Wednesday 17th July) I moved on from Morella to Portbou. The journey started with having to get out of bed ...at 7am. I was up before that as I'd had a very poor night's sleep. The hotel was all locked up as the reception desk is not manned between 1am and 8am. I let myself out, and one of the staff appeared! I checked out and he provided mw with coffee and orange juice while I waited for the taxi. The bus starting point is only about 1 minutes drive from the hotel, but I did not want to have to carry my bag down any of the steps I had carried it up on Monday evening. I was the first at the garage - my bag standing at the door while I took some more photos. Then bus driver arrived and we were on our way at 7:50am. The trip back into Castellon passed through villages and alongside fields of olives, stone fruits and citrus trees. We arrived at the bus station in Castellon at 10:30am - on time! I had spent some of the journey speaking to a man who had worked in Australia over 20 years ago - some sort of drilling to do with mines. He knew Tumut and had also lived in other various places in Australia. We discussed a variety of things - Lindy Chamberlain; rabbits, foxes and feral cats; Gough Whitlam, Bob Hawke and Joh Bjelke Petersen!
A direct train to Portbou did not leave until 1:52pm, so I had quite a wait. That turned out well as I had an upset tummy, so that was cleared up before the train journey! The train was 20 minutes late, and thankfully the girl I was sitting next to helped me lift my bag up onto the rack. My bag seemed to have got very heavy overnight! I really did not buy that much in Morella! It's a 4 hour and 45 minutes train trip to Portbou - which is the last town before the French border. I slept for a while and just watched the scenery go by - Barcelona, Figueres and finally the Coast Brava! I walked out of the station with two lovely boys, who helped me on the long flights of steps with my bag.
After almost 12 hours (by this time it was after 7pm) I was pretty excited to find my hotel (Hostal Costa Brava). Portbou is very small and only has a few places for accommodation. This had been the cheapest when I booked the previous night. Booking went fine and the owner helped with my bag as there is no elevator. Then the room! A double bed with a shower recess and sink in the room - a shared toilet is down the hall! Ok - It'll be fine. And of course it is! After the initial shock and a little 'what have I done!' moments I'm back on track! I actually had a great nights sleep! The people are lovely and the wifi is excellent!
Today I tried to post another parcel home - to try to lighten my bag - but the post office here could not cope with that! So I had a haircut instead! Sylvia, perruqueria d'homas, washed and cut (number 8 with the clippers all over!) my hair for 10 euros. I did frighten away a couple of her men customers - hope they come back later! I walked around the town - it snugly fits where the Pyrenees meet the Mediterranean Sea. Visited the memorial to Walter Benjamin - a philosopher who died here when trying to flee the Nazis. Apart from that I'm just relaxing (put my feet in the water - very cold and stoney!) and trying to decide on my route through France!

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