Don't make me go home

The day we get on the ferry back to the UK is getting closer; although we are not negative about coming home, the very best thing about the past year has been the freedom to do as we please, without having to go to work and it is hard to feel positive about returning to being a wage slave once more. Although we are not sure we will ever get the opportunity to have a full year travelling again, we have started to think about how our future can include long trips with the Blue Bus.

We are looking forward to seeing everyone we know back at home and stuffing our faces with crumpets, chip butties and Theakston’s Old Peculiar at our first opportunity, while reading the Guardian. However, at the moment we are getting wistful thinking about the things we will miss about camping in mainland Europe. This list includes:

Fantastic bread – only the UK is obsessed with sliced white loaves

Quiet roads and motorways with no traffic jams

Meeting new people

Sitting outside in cafes drinking good coffee and watching the world go by

Cheap and good red wine

Small, spicy green peppers

Tins of tiny green lentils

Star-gazing on camp sites

Seeing new places and exploring

Warm sun

Sleeping in the van

Having the time to bird watch, look at flowers and generally enjoy the natural environment

Sweet, juicy oranges

The photographs are from Praia de Mira, a resort that does not have a lot of charm, with the exception of the blue and white wooden church; inside this has a mixture of religious and fishing icons. The beach at Praia de Mira stretches on and on; the fishing folk were on the beach messing with nets, boats and tractors.