Weather Woes for All

What a week, January 15th to January 21st  has been for weather in Spain. Even for those who were not caught up in the overwhelming cold, ice and snow it has been a very uncomfortable week Places we would not usually associate with snow, had snow. On Benidorm beach they had sun, salt, sea, surf, sangria, and snow. What a shock that was.

My own story was that I had a meeting to attend in Denia on Wednesday, but I just wasn't sure it would be possible. The forecast on Tuesday was that the temperature in Valencia city would be 11, and 10 in Denia on Wednesday. However Denia might experience a light dusting of snow. I decided to chance it.

I left home in Valencia in brilliant sunshine and dry conditions and thought I was doing the right thing. By the time I reached Cullera the sky ahead had turned a dark grey, so I removed my sunglasses. I decided to stop and call a friend in Denia to ask what the situation was. OMG, said he, turn around and go back this instant. We are socked in by snow, traffic is slipping, sliding and slamming into one another. It's a mess! You would be well advised to go home right  now.

So, I did. I went around the roundabout and put my sunglasses on again and drove home and into my garage where my car remains to this moment.

The traffic story is one horrendous tale after another. People were trapped in their cars, without heat for many hours, including overnight. How no-one has died due to hypothermia is anybody's guess. If you had not properly prepared for the journey with food and blankets your experience would have been awfully difficult. This includes trains that were stuck by snow banks, including the much lauded AVE trains. At least I had the presence of mind to call ahead to avoid driving blindly into disaster. I am so thankful that I did.

In the Summertime I usually carry water and biscuits in case I get stuck; and for winter driving I did carry a sleeping blanket and a car blanket. I did these things for the past eighteen years but I never had to use them. Eventually they made room for more practical things in the luggage compartment.

No prizes for guessing what will go back into the car when I go out again.

Be prepared and be careful are really good pieces of advice that we should take serious.

Good luck because it is not over yet.

Copyright (c) 2017
Eugene Carmichael