Off we go again, half term on the road in the campervan. Plan is to head to Cabo de Gata, the coastal national park in Almería, to chill for a week - just a couple of hours of work a day to keep on top of things, and apart from that, reading, relaxing, walking, running, and hanging out together in the autumn sunshine.

We left Gibraltar to head to the Estepona house first for a night. Idea was to do the shopping, go out for a steak supper at Restaurante Sur to celebrate Faye's 45th birthday, and generally prep for heading away in a more relaxed manner. So it was that with all the above completed, today we set off at lunchtime from Estepona, rather than Gibraltar.

First stop, Malaga, to catch up with Amelia and Lydia, who are on a long weekend city break there. They're staying near Playa de la Malagueta, and we had a bit of fun driving around trying to find somewhere to park - ended up risking an underground car park, which luckily even with the bikes on the back of the van worked out OK.

Met the girls in an unassuming cafe a street back from the beach, and we all sat in the shade catching up and munching snacks for a good few hours - was great to see them. Skye is getting much better generally, and behaved impeccably for the time we were together, which is encouraging.

Then at 5ish we hit the road, in a race to get to the campsite at Cabo de Gata before dark. We just about managed it, only to find the place had closed between when we chose it a few days again, and now! So in the dark, we headed off to another site, a big, open place tucked among acres of Almería's rather depressing plastic-covered greenhouses. 

Camping Cabo de Gata is fine, but not a "destination", so tomorrow we'll probably seek out somewhere with a bit more atmosphere. As it is, under gaslight we had cheese sandwiches and "Flaming Hot Doritos" which actually were genuinely spicy (the kids gamely pressed on with them, though). 

Because I'd failed to buy any chocolate, I nipped to the campsite cafe and managed to buy a magdalena cake each for dessert, which we munched before spotting a fox wander past not 10 metres away, then turning in on a slightly chilly October evening.