 Sleeping on the Train Station platform in Ronda |
Thursday, July 12
We had arranged to meet the girls at Ronda in the afternoon, and we were there, but they were not. We had a drink in the coffee-shop at the station together with the sandwiches we had brought from Sevilla. The night was coming and we ordered some Espresso to keep us awake, one of my best coffee experiences. In a small glass with lots of sugar taken in one go - the strong taste of coffe with the sugar rush came as a surprise, a pleasant one. It worked for me, I cheered up.
We waited and waited, somewhere between slightly worried and quite annoyed. They never showed up so we changed our plans and was going directly for Algeciras to find a boat to Morocco. The coffee-shop closed for the evening so we found ourselves on a deserted train-station. The next train was not to pass through for six hours. We slept on the platform, waiting for the next train.
Sleeping on the Train Station platform in Ronda |
We later learned that the girls had problems getting from Mirabella to Ronda in time to meet us so they had droped the plan in expectation that we had done the same.
Friday, July 13
The next train arrived at Ronda at 5AM and we boarded. On the train we met this Moroccan going home for the summer. We talked a while until his wrist-watch gave a sound. It was time for hime to turn towards Mecca, even though he was on a train.
In Algeciras we met some other InterRailers going back. They all had a similar story to tell, that they had been conned and lost most of their money and some of their luggage, going to Morocco. We were a bit intimidated and changed our plans again. Our new target was Gibraltar!
Saturday, July 14
So today we would seek our new goal, The Rock (Gibraltar) was our target. Our camp was a mile or so to the east of Algeciras, close to the bay and the Rock was visible due south across the water. We took the local bus to the border, Gibraltar being British territory. Just inside the colony you have to cross the air-field on foot. There are traffic lights saying no-go if a plane is approaching the runway but it was a calm morning, no planes right now.
 Author outside of Gibraltar |
We walked around for a while, enjoying that English was the language of vhoice here. A cab approached us with an offer to function as a tourist-guide for a few hours. We haggled a little and quickly agreed on the price. I guess business is rather slow, Gibraltar is not that big that the locals need to go by cab. So I assume a great deal of the drivers income come from one-day-tourist like us, that need a bit of site-seeing.
 One of the Babarian Apes of Gibraltar |
Sunday, July 15
 Town Square of Algeciras |