By the time we were ready to go it was 11.00am. I asked Alison for the gate fob to check out and all hell broke loose. She denied that I had given her the fob and I had an earful of screams!!! Bloody embarrassing for me, but she was beyond the realms of embarrassment. In Audenge there was a deposit of €30 for the fob, but it turned out we were lucky not to be charged for the lost here.

We had to stop to adjust Adrian 's seat as he fell asleep and I took the opportunity to get Alison to drive. She was still moaning and grumbling and I lost my cool and shouted for her to shut up. She was in tears and driving behind a lorry!!! I admit I was a bit worried that she may just drive up the lorry's arse and I was not belted up attending to Adrian . I am still alive …hehehe.

By then it had been raining almost continuously and we decided to drive on, but I was back behind the wheel. We passed many small towns and villages but they all seemed dead. We were looking for somewhere to ditch the push chair but Alison remarked that the folks we saw needed wheel chairs more. It wasn't until we got to Benavente and was told the restaurant opens at 9.00pm that we realized, afternoon, is siesta time in Spain . Adrian made friends with the receptionist and exchange gifts.

We did have a look at the Parador in Benavente but at €80 for room only we decided to give it a miss.

We had a good dinner at the hotel restaurant and I had an early night after a half bottle of red wine and awake at 2.30am to write.