We met Mark and Sal at the camp site in Barcelona (well, actually quite a way outside). They, like us, were pretty unhappy with the high price and poor facilities that faced us there. They mentioned that there was a great camp site along our route south that we should try out; so we did.

The Marjal camp site is indeed in a different class to most, and certainly plays host to different sort of camper from those with whom we’ve thus far rubbed shoulders. For example, we’ve been bezzing around staying a night or two at whichever site is closest to the attraction that we want to see. Here, the site is the attraction and the campers come for many months at a time. Here, it’s a bit like Britain without the houses and the rain.

Everyone knows everyone here, and there is quite a community feel to it all. People run book swap stalls and organised coach-trips to local towns. The camp site mini-market sold all things British, in fact we even picked-up some Cheddar cheese (forgive us, dear reader, it’s been three months of pretending that Emmental is the Real McCoy). The camp site even has Wifi internet available!

Please don’t misunderstand me here or read something into this that not here: I’m not saying that our way of camping is any better, or worse for that matter. Just different.

We got chatting to quite a few residents here, all of whom we found most friendly and excited to hear about our trip. Many were well travelled themselves, although were horrified at the thought of two people living in a Bus the size of ours for any length of time!

Being me, I had to take apart the financials of it all apart and I have to tell you that these people are not dumb. A five month stay here will cost you about €300/month and the cost of food both in and out is cheaper than in Blighty too. We’re told that the sun stays out here much longer. Rather than work until late retirement, to get the money to buy a flat/villa in Spain, it appears that a lot of these people have retired earlier than otherwise possible (say, at 50) and bought a motorhome to achieve more-or-less the same lifestyle ten years earlier.