Yesterday, we’d lovingly coerced an irregular assortment of carefully packed baggage into the car. The inevitable surplus was then bullied into the remaining space. All we had to do in the morning was wash, dress and go. Every drawer had been checked and cupboard scrutinised. As usual, nagging doubts led to one final inspection.
Melanie lifted our reluctant quadruped onto the back seat and securely fastened her in. Slowly, I rolled out of the underground car park and into the early morning darkness: time, seven a.m.
With a heavy heart we turned inland, circumventing Fuengirola and heading up the Calamorro Mountain. High on the mountain we stared down on the high-rise resorts of Benalmádena and Torremolinos; in the
distance, Malaga’s streetlights brightened the dark sky.
By 7:30 the cloak of darkness had lifted and we were deep into olive country. Up hill and down dale, for as far as the eye can see, are row upon orderly row of olive trees. Growers were hard at work, harvesting their precious fruits. Within two hours we’d reached the ancient city of Cordoba. From here we headed towards the wine region of Valdepeñas. The route is lined with many small towns. El Carpio and Almuradiel: ancient Moorish names bearing witness to previous rulers.
A further two hours passed before we reached the M50: Madrid’s outer ring road. After five and a half hours driving, I was in the groove: a magical time when man and machine work as one. In under an hour, we’d raced our way around Madrid and were driving through the Tunel de Gaudarrama. Emerging on the far side felt like driving into a different world. The temperature had dropped five degrees and remnants of snow occupied mountain hollows. Once through the peaks we made a quick pit stop, topped up with fuel and quickly continued on.
By the time we’d reached Medina del Campo and the stunning Castle of La Mota, we’d been on the road for seven hours. An hour later we were passing Benevente and onward to Astorga.
We were now on familiar tarmac: the N120. After 1115 kilometres and ten and a half hours driving, we had finally arrived home: safe and sound.
Copyright © 2014 Craig Briggs
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