It is easy, sitting in the lounge of a port front hotel (AC Algeciras) to dismiss the last 2 days. But 2200km is a long way - even when converted into non-Napolean. Todays drive was, however, a lot easier than yesterday.

The main advantage had been a good nights sleep - and this despite the clocks going forward. Add a good breakfast, and a more civilised starting time - 9am. And for the first hour or so we had high hopes that the worst of the weather was behind us - it wasn't - and it took almost 400km before we saw our first blue skies!

Half the drive done - the sun out, and it only midday - things couldn't be going better. We swapped over, filled the car, and headed on along the coast. It is a fantastic place, amazing vistas rise up from both sides of the car - a change from the vast orange fields of yesterday.

The steep gorse and olive tree hills are truly spectacular, and the motorway and autovia threads their way south through the valleys. The views are only disturbed, and tragically ruined, by the eyesores that are Alicante, Benidorm, Malaga and Marbella.

The latter can be forgiven, because a few KM south just after the first Repsol services, is restaurant Le Higuian (Possible spelling area!!!). Signposted off the motorway as a service station - there is an attached BP Station. The restaurant sits high above the bay with panoramic sea views - and superb spanish food. The butter bean stew with giant clams is very good indeed.

So with full stomachs we dispatched the last 100km, picked up our open return tickets from the semi-legendary Carlos, sorted out a shop for power adapters (Chinese place on the road outside the port 1Euro), and a 4* hotel for 60Euro.