The arrogance of the rich

Jan back

Leaving the marina in La Linea yesterday we went round to Gibraltar to fill up with duty free diesel.  Business is brisk there with a constant queue for the pumps....at 45p per litre why would anyone fill up in the adjacent Spanish ports where it is 113 Euro per litre?

When we arrived, there were a couple of very large vessels on the pumps and a large Discovery in front of us.  We circled for about 20 minutes and then the Discovery got its turn.  We were waiting for an Oyster 82 yacht called Starry Night to finish.  It was on the dock when we arrived and would surely be full soon.  As we were circling close, the owner informed us that they wouldn't be leaving soon because their chef had gone ashore and would be at least half an hour!  So they were parking on the fuel dock while their chef went shopping and everyone else could wait for them.  Greg was apopleptic!!!!  We could see the fuel dock attendant waiting around and I put my hands up to express frustration and one of them mirrored me in a shrug that said 'what can you do!'  

After circling for another half hour they were still there, so we went close again and could see that no fuel was going into the boat but by now palms had clearly been oiled because the attendant pretended to look at the pump and said...'maybe another 20 minutes'....we could see the pipe was laying on the ground and was not on the boat.  They could easily have moved the boat back down the pontoon but clearly couldn't be bothered.

Then surprise surprise the chef returned and amazingly the 'fuelling' was finished and we were summoned in.  Greg complained and as an excuse the attendant said..well they did have 1200 litres which took a long time.  We fuelled our tanks.... with 680 litres in 11 minutes.  We rest our case. 

Apart from little frustrations like that, its really great to be back on board.  I have just returned from a week in the UK, doing a couple of days work, seeing both mums and our children. I have now realised why some of our friends who live abroad never see us when they come home. Its mad trying to fit everybody in and organise the logistics.  I really missed my car....using public transport and lugging sail bags without wheels everywhere did my frozen shoulder no good at all; so in the end I bought an old lady's shopping trolley from a charity shop in Maidenhead, wheeled my bags around on it and then abandoned it at Luton airport on the way back.  I had to dismantle it so it didn't look like a suspicious bag at the airport which may have created havoc; but it served its purpose for the duration of the trip.

Those of you who know me well will understand when I say I thought I was going to do loads of secret shopping in London without Greg there to hold me back..but guess what...I didn't buy anything apart from a tube of mosquito bite cream at the airport; I just don't need anything.....Wow never thought I would be able to say that, but its quite liberating!

While I was away, Greg was adopted by some very nice people in the marina in La Linea and they went out to dinner and for drinks together.  People are extremely friendly in the main and lots of people are discussing where they will 'over winter' because I guess there will be quite a strong sense of community when people are in one place for a while. Nigel and Terry were sailing most of the way and then their wives joined them in La Linea.  Nigel had a special burgee to hoist with the words Wife on Board for when she arrived.  Paula didn't seem upset in the slightest by the witch on a broomstick image that went with it!

'Wife on Board with Broomstick' burgee...not flying very well as there was no wind

We are now leaving Gibraltar and sailing up the coast of Spain....we are really looking forward to meeting up with my brother Andrew and his wife Wendy next week in Estepona.  It's a beautiful day, perfect wind and suddenly seems much warmer.  

Leaving Gibraltar.