Sand, Sea and Surf

Hi everyone,
I wasn´t sure if I was going to be blogging on this trip since I´m not going to be travelling to far while I´m working but you´ve all persuaded me - so if you don´t like it you only have yourselves to blame...just kidding.

As of today I´m working in a little village next to the city of Bilbao in northern Spain as an au pair. Now some of you will have heard tales from the last time I had an au pair job and might be wondering why I´m trying it again. I think I was just unfortunate with the family I worked with back in Milan but this family seems lovely and I´m looking forward to getting to know them better while I´m here.

I´ve actually been away from home a week already but I spent my time visiting two of my best friends in different parts of Scotland, celebrating my friend Rhona´s 21st birthday with a masquerade ball and then getting under my friend Courtney´s feet as I dosed on the sofa for a couple of days - luckily she doesn´t normally seem to mind me doing this!

So after staying with Courtney I flew out from Edinburgh first thing this morning and after a 1 hour drive from Santander airport we arrived in Sapelo - only a few kilometers from Bilbao. The village is right on the beach and the house is only a 5 minute walk from the shore. The house is beautiful and there´s a lovely garden with a swimming pool.
The family has a few different pets, including 3 dogs and a donkey - the third place I´ve stayed in Spain with a donkey - I guess it´s more normal than I thought!

Ok, so since I´ve only been here a matter of hours I should probably head off so I can experience some new things to write about, but I´ll blog fairly regularly and post it on my facebook and my Drifting Gipsy page for anyone who´s interested. Alternatively I think you can subscribe at the bottom of the page.

the view from my bedroom window!

Ok I´ll speak to you all again soon! Ciao.

A not so busy week

Hi guys,
In case you've been wondering why I've been so quiet this week it's mostly just because it's been a pretty quiet week. Except for the odd panic moment life here at Casa Pedro is fairly tame - and I mean that in the best possible way!

The main project of the week has been to freshen up the little apartment where Linda's dad used to stay. We moved everything out and before we knew it Muhammad - the husband of Fatna who's worked here for years - had the place painted. Unfortunately, while his speed painting was fairly impressive, it was also pretty messy. The last couple of days have been spent trying the chip, sand and scrub excess paint off of wooden beams, wooden furniture and tile floors. At least now its finished and the place is looking shiny and new ready for it's next inhabitants.

Although we never got round to buying any new plants I did spend some time preparing plant pots and flower beds just in case. Although weeding perhaps isn't the most exciting job but when its gloriously sunny and warmer than any Orkney summer it's great to have an excuse to be outside.

One of my specific jobs here last year had been looking after the donkey - feeding him, taking him out and cleaning out the pen. This year I got to keep the job - mostly I think cause the other helper, Mac, is just a little scared of the big guy. Normally Donkey is the perfect example of a good friendly donkey, but typically, the one day I decide to show Mac bow nice he is, he decided to act out.  After a good headbutt to the face and kick to the hand I finally got him tied up before he tried anything else but I think Mac will continue to keep his distance - oh well. Thankfully Donkey's aim wasn't great so he didn't do any damage to my hand but I have been left with a black eye that's now starting to look like very badly applied eye makeup.

Other than that there hasn't been too much going on here - I've had plenty of time to catch up on some emails and even spent a while yesterday just chilling out by the pool!
I had a chance to Skype the other half a couple of days ago which was nice since it's the first time I'm away myself for about a year.
Linda's son Dani arrived last night for a visit, having just arrived from Sweden. I think he's leaving again today but it's been nice to have a little catch up.
It's also been quite how people seem to have remembered me from last year - even the two mechanics who worked on the car last year remembered me!

Pictured below is my good friend Donkey...

Well I can't think of anything else to say so I guess I'll go find something useful to do.
Next time you hear from me I'll probably be either in Barcelona airport or CUZCO, PERU!! :D
Speak to you soon!