Over the hills and far away

Hi everyone, for those who didn't know I am now in Spain!! Got here on Saturday and love it already!
On Friday I got up a little early to put my washing out for a last chance to dry. Due to some issues with the washing machine they hadn't gone out early enough the day before. Unfortunately as I was walking over to the line -minus shoes - I felt a sharp stinging pain in my foot. When I pulled back I spotted the wasp I had just stepped on - ouch! The little monster had me hobbling around for the best part of an hour, I suppose at least know I know I'm not allergic...
After breakfast we got packed up and headed over to Luke's bar - we were off on an adventure! Joel and I said our goodbyes to Carly, Greg and Basil then we set off with Luke to Bordeaux - he had an important meeting about possibly having his art displayed in the city. While he was at his meeting Joel and I headed over to McDonalds - Joel for the food, but I just wanted the free wifi.
After that we went and checked out the Monument aux Girondins - a huge column with a beautifully carved statue at the top and an amazing fountain in front. Next we went to Bordeaux's own Notre Dame then the cathedral. As well as being good little tourists we were also on the search for a cheap ukulele but the best we could find was one for 40€ and that was more than he wanted to pay. Just as we headed into the first museum we spotted Luke called to say his meeting had finished so we quickly backtracked and headed back to the car for stage two of the adventure: the Dune du Pilat! It's the tallest sand dune in Europe reaching up to 110m above sea level - pretty impressive! It's surrounded by trees on three sides and the ocean in the other. You walk up the steepest side and from the top the view is spectacular - mile of beach, the ocean and sandy little islands. We ran/walked/slid down the other side to the sea and wen straight into the water then after a little while Joel and Luke took a couple more runs down a shorter stretch while I chilled out and acted as cameraman. Personally I think that pair had fad too much energy!
When we finished we made the long, tiring climb back up to the top. Unfortunately that was when I realised that I couldn't find my mobile! I emptied my pockets and we tried calling it but it was no use. I knew I'd had it at the bottom so my only option was to go back down. I asked everyone I passed to keep an eye out and searched as much as I could down the dune and along the beach. Finally I heard a shout from above - someone had found it and gotten it to the lads at the top. After half crawling up the dune a second time I was reunited with the phone and was much happier. So it's now been lost 3 times in two years: twice hitchhiking and once on the biggest run in Europe - pretty impressive really.
Before leaving we got sandwiches and got organised. After that we set off, Joel was staying at Luke's before his train the next day and they were dropping me off at the junction for the road south to Spain! I had received a message the day before confirming a new project so I decided to go right away. Unfortunately it's a pretty fast road so it took a while to find a lift. The guy drove me about 10 km down the road and dropped me off at a quiet round about just off the highway. Oddly enough though he then returned and decided to take me to a petrol station further down the road instead! He then made sure I had a lift south before he left - how awesome is that?! He spoke to a girl who was heading an hour south to near Bayonne and she was happy to take me. She was a nice lass and we muddled through the conversation despite the language barrier and when it was time for he'd to turn off she insisted on trying to find me a new lift as well. Unfortunately since it was getting dark and it was mostly families no one wanted to take me and after about an hour she gave up and could only wish me the best and hope I found a lift.
After another hour I had practically admitted defeat and had resigned myself to sleeping outside the shop and finding a lift in the morning. However, as I was starting to fall asleep a truckdriver, who'd seen my failed attempts at getting a lift, told me he was going to Pamplona! He wouldn't be arriving until the next day but that was fine so off we went. I slept most of the way to Irun where he stopped for a few hours for some sleep and sardine and corn sandwiches...which he shared. By the time we set off it was daylight and I'm grateful that was the case so I could see the Pyrenees. The mountains were beautiful and we kept seeing this tiny little villages nestled down the the valleys, to tall cut off from the outside. We drove along high above the other vehicles, Sun shining, wind blowing and singing along to some classic British Rock music from the stereo - perfection! Of course I didn't think to take any photos so you'll just have to take my word for it, it was beautiful.
Anyway he actually drove me right up to the new project since he had to drive near it anyway. Reggie (I couldn't properly understand his real name) was definitely an interesting character anyway. He invited himself in for  coffee while I got chatting to Linda.
Linda and Pedro run a small motel/ hostel here, although Linda's originally from Sunderland! She also lived in Durham and worked in Middlesbrough in the past. This was all pretty awesome for me considering my family's from round that way.  Once Reggie left Linda showed me around the buildings before having a nice salad for lunch and that's were I met the other volunteer. A 26ish year old Dutch city lad . I got him to show me the gardens but after that we climbed up the steep bank at the back of the house and went exploring! We walked along the ridge until the path disappeared then turned back since if was getting on a bit - a good option since my knees were protesting after being in the truck so long.
We made it back in time for dinner which was a very nice pasta dish then I spent the evening skyping back home and trying to arrange people visiting me in Portugal in September - can't wait! Eventually though it was time to call it a night so I headed to bed to read.
On Sunday morning I found by own breakfast as instructed then spent a lot of the morning writing and organising things online. Around 1.30 Linda and Pedro's friend Martin took me and the other helper - Jon to his brother-in-law's bar for a while before lunch for a couple of drinks then we returned for lunch - chard and rabbit stew.
Once we'd finished Linda drove Jon and I to the village so we could check out this ancient crypt....but it was closed...nice front gate though, very traditional looking. Instead we wandered around the village for a while before walking back up to the house. We had dinner around 8.30 then just had a chilled out night talking about good music.
Unfortunately I still haven't sorted my camera connections yet because the connector I thought I could get only works for chargers....any suggestions?
Talk to you all soon!