Spring in Spain? 2 Queries:

[Madmaggott]

We are going for an extended holiday next spring and hope to get as far as Spain; however we will be taking our dog with us and are concerned about possible issues with her.  Firstly, muzzles.  I am told that all dogs must wear a muzzle in Spain, is this true?  Also potential health issues such as parasites; should I take extra precautions over and above the flea and tick treatment and worming?

 

Also:  totally unrelated to the above:  This will be the first time that we have been away from home long enough to have to consider laundry.  Do I need to visit a site with laundry facilities periodically in order to wash/iron clothes and bedding etc? Is this the only option other than washing by hand and wearing wrinkled clothes?  How do others manage?

 

Thank you in advance.

 

[Guest JudgeMental]

They have launderettes in Spain?

[Madmaggott]

It's the ironing that I'm thinking about Judge.  Even I am capable of washing by hand if necessary but lack the capacity to power an iron!

[Guest JudgeMental]

bring a travel iron? Don't launderettes have ironing facilities? or a full wash/iron service (ironing probably expensive (not in S/East Asia:-D).......apart from the odd shirt and jeans what needs ironing when travelling, not a lot I would think?

[sooty10]

Take a small iron and book into a site with electric when you need it.

 

Sooty10

[Madmaggott]

I don't believe that our batteries/solar panel will provide enough power for a travel iron (125 panel with 2x110 batteries) will they?

 

Yes Sooty that's what we thought we might have to do.  We were hoping not to use sites at all and I don't know if launderettes (off site) have ironing facilities, I know most of them in Britain seem to only have an ironing service rather than DIY ironing.

 

[davew]

I honestly wouldn't worry about it. Go to Spain and enjoy it - the dog won't need a muzzle other than in certain circumstances - I think on public transport but not sure (Haven't took any notice - don't like dogs sorry).

 

The only parasites are the nasty caterpillars that live/breed in pine trees at certain times of the year. Otherwise you'll find the place quite civilised, lol.

 

You'll probably end up staying on campsites as Spain isn't like France for wild camping. Its there but a bit scrutty!

 

Pay about 14 euros a night for a campsite with electric, heated showers, sat tv, and a laundry!

 

We have a travel iron for the bit of ironing we have to do. We use site washing machines for some stuff but, like most campers, usually do it in the wash sinks that sites provide.

 

Good luck with the trip - try Benidorm. A town that's open in winter, plenty to do, in winter not at all like the telly programme, good walks, cycling, usually quite warm and sunny and totally geared up for motorhomes

 

 

[BGD]

Hi -

 

No, there is NO requirement for your dog to be muzzled in public places in Spain. (I'm assuming it is not one of the great big vicious dangerous dog type pitbull etc types).

 

Spain has electricity nowadays. Even on campsites. And most sites that we've been to have a washing machine or two.

But the amperage is often not high, so a great big 2 kilowatt style iron could well trip out your hookup trip-switch when on a Spanish site.

 

 

 

 

The Boss Takes a small travel iron when we are on extended trundles around Spain/Portugal etc, but in 3 years has hardly ever used it at all (same as with most of her clothes and shoes and makeup and drugs and potions and..........)

 

Spain ain't big on getting "poshed up", so shorts/T-shirts/sandals are generally the order.

It's maybe worth reviewing what stuff you are taking with you and being rigorous about whether it really needs ironing.......duvet covers don't, sheets don't, towels don't, socks and underpants don't, jeans don't, sweatshirts don't.

To be honest, you can get away without ironing T-shirts/vest tops if you hang them up to airdry in the sun and then re-pack them completely flat under other clothes/weight to press them.........under your bed mattress overnight works a treat.

 

If all else fails, just go to cheapo Chinky Shop or similar, and buy a pack of 5 new T-shirts for 10 euros.

 

 

 

Don't worry. Be happy. :-D

[Tomo3090]

Bruce is spot on with his advice from our experiences. Just keep the "posh frocks" to a minimum and you'll be fine. We've got an iron and a small ironing board, a fold up one, but we left them both behind this tour because we've never used either in 2 years, so if you want to buy it send me a PM!

 

For washing, if you have the room aboard, buy one of those small twin tub washing machines they sell in accessory shops. They cost about 80 quid. Most sites that have laundry facilities, most of them, charge about 4 Euros for a wash, whereas, we just plug the washer into the van and get on with it. The washer takes a double duvet as one load and it is ideal for shorts, "t" shirts and other "smalls"! Ours has started to give a return on the investment after just two tours.

 

Dogs are fine once you cross the channel. No one notices them really. Shops, bars and even some cafes allow them in. So do some tourist attractions. They are banned from a lot of beaches though because the habit of poop scooping is one mainland Europe doesn't seem to have hit on yet as a general rule. Get some Scalibor collars for the dog to protect it from sandflies, some "Frontline" or other spray, to dose it about once every couple of months and you'll be fine. To save yourself some money coming back take a dose of Frontline in the little sqeezy tubes for on it's neck. The vet at the port before you come home has to give it a dose and if you've got your own, and it's in date, it will save you about 10 Euros.

 

A word of caution though. Spain & Southern France can get very hot, even in the spring, so make sure your dog, especially if it is long haired is clipped short before leaving and be careful about leaving it in the van, even with the roof vents open it gets very hot very quickly inside.

 

You will probably need to go on a site about once a week just to give yourselves time to relax and lay off the travelling for a day or so. That will give you time to do the washing, clean out the van and just chill for a bit. Don't forget you'll need to empty the cassette fairly regularly too! Not forgetting fresh water and dumping the waste.

 

"Wildcamping" is becoming less permitted now, (discuss!) and the police in some places will move you on pretty sharpish. They are always polite, in our experience, and will give you time to pack up and move. They can issue fixed penalty notices and on the spot fines if you don't comply. It's no use arguing the semantics of law with them, it's their country and they make the rules. They also carry guns! Seriously, it is generally very relaxed in a motorhome when you cross the channel but remember to keep your self protection brain switched on, otherwise it can easily end in tears!

 

Have a good trip.

 

 

[Tomo3090]

Washday blues in Cabo de Gata!

 

Picture didn't load because of a server fault!

[Porky]

Don't rely on launderettes in Spain. They are very few and far between. I agree with all that has been said about using sites and casual clothes. Even in winter drying is not an issue overall and carefull folding helps to cut down the ironing. We spent four months in Spain last winter used washing machines only 3 times, dryers never, but never saw a launderette.

 

 

[PJay]

We go away for three months at a time . I bought a cheap light weight iron £5 in tesco, which I take on holidays as well as in the van. Make sure to take a adaptor with you. I like to iron some things. Some sites have irons but not usually very good ones. If you can't iron in the laundry room, I just put spare towels on the table and iron on them.

It appears it is the men that have replied that you don't need an iron!!!

What do the other halves say???

Pauline

[Madmaggott]

Many thanks to those supplying constructive advice.

 

Our dog is long haired and not a breed that is clipped (although I do clip under her belly in the summer, leaving her 'skirts' so the short hair doesn't show, to allow her to cool better) so perhaps we may not get as far south as Spain if it is very hot.  If muzzles were needed we would certainly not go there as my girl would certainly revolt if I tried to put one on her!

 

In the past we have used mainly aires in France rather than sites and had hoped that Spain would allow us to continue this pattern.  As we are able to spend an indefinite period 'off grid' we tend not to pay for hook up even when on site, however, as I said, we have not travelled for such an extended period before so the laundry issue did not crop up.  I would only expect to iron 'T' shirts and shorts anyway.  I never iron jeans, underwear, towels, etc even at home although I would prefer smooth bedlinen I can suffer a few wrinkles on the bedlinen whilst away but don't want to walk around looking as if I've just got up!

So, in summary:  I will buy the collar for the dog and take the drops with us and take a travel iron and an adaptor oh, and line and pegs!  Don't think I'll bother with the washer as I'm happy to hand wash especially if I've got the OH to wring the washing out!  (I've got arthritic hands.)

Thanks everyone.

 

[Guest JudgeMental]

you would be better of with ACSI discount card for Spain, there are the odd Aire, but nothing like the network in France and they are not municipally run but private I believe........

[Tomo3090]

If you look on campingcarinfos.com, it's a French website, it has all the aires, private and municipal in Europe. You just click on the map relevant for the area you are in and see what aires are there. A lotof them have comments by, mostly French vanners, but quite a few have English ones too. There are also photos, sat nav co-ordinates and a map.

[flicka]

Hi Tomo

campingcarinfos.com

Can you post a link for the Camping Car website, as I am not getting anything like what I expected & can't find Aires details.

Thanks

 

[derek500]

http://www.campingcar-infos.com/index1.htm

[Brian Kirby]

Just from our own experience, the washing is the easy bit, it is the drying that can be a problem.  Hand or machine washing is quite quick, but hang it out and it starts to rain, or goes dull, or the wind drops to nothing!  Dunno why, but that is what we seem to find.  The result, is it can take quite a while for stuff to dry off.  Most of the time it is OK, and even hand washed stuff washed in the morning can be dry by lunch time, but those other occasions always co-incide with the requirement to move on, taking the damp washing with you!  On balance, therefore, a spell on a site will probably prove easiest.

No one has mentioned the difference between parking and camping.  Not relevant on a site, or even on most aires, but definitely relevant if wild camping.  If you are wild camping and hang out washing, you won't stand a cat in hell's chance, IMO, of arguing you are merely parked, and are not, in fact, camping.

It seems the definition I have seen laid out in black and white in French, is broadly accepted in countries where camping other than in authorised places is prohibited.  That is to say, if the only point of contact between the vehicle and the ground is its tyres, and providing no camping equipment has be deployed (table, chairs etc), and no awning has been extended, you are parked.  Even the winding down of steadies will constitute "camping".  You will be liable to be cautioned, and asked to leave.  If you have the language you can try asking if it is possible to park in that location, but if you are told no, it is best, as Tomo says, to comply with the nice smiling man with the gun!  I think a string of washing deployed between the wayside (or wherever) trees, just might be treated as prima facie evidence of camping!  :-D

[mondo]

When we did Spain for 4 months last year we were on a couple of sites which had launderettes..The first site at Villanova Park we think the water was recycled in the washers somehow as the clothes had a very strange whiff when taken out..Now it may have been some sort of fresh/salt mix as this was the case in the washrooms and showers..Whatever it was it smelt very strange this site was a launderette where you did your own washing and then took it out and either used the dryers or pegged it out

 

The second site in Peniscola was a whole lot better well at least when the washing was finished it smelt fresh at least and this one you dropped off your washing and called back for it a la service wash type. We never used dryers always pegged out for the FRESH smell of Bed linen mmmmm!!

 

It was only 5Euros for the wash on either site so as 'er indoors always said 5 euros well spent..we may have been lucky with the weather for drying but we never had any issues with the laundry at all!!

[terryW]

Just a thought regarding colours, we completed 2 months in Italy etc early this year and before going the boss made sure as much as possible was suitable to go in a single load, out went the whites and in come a single colour. Made life a lot easier and no moans about grey washing!