Next stop Andorra via the Pyrenees. The road from Perpignan over the mountains was much better than anticipated & the brake pedal on the passenger side wasn’t needed. We opted to take the tunnel down in to Andorra, not only for speed but to avoid more winding roads. Within half an hour we were in the capital city Andorra La Vella. Pretty pleased with our pitch & set up in record time, ready for an explore. However the weather had other plans! Along came a thunderstorm that rumbled on for over 3 hours, so we stayed put & planned the rest of our stay. The city is compact but has a nice welcoming feel, without being pretentious. Wall to wall shops selling duty free, we estimated that the Leclerc supermarket in the main street had around 10 long aisles filled with every imaginable alcoholic drink. Perfume & electronic shops were also well represented. Guns, knives, stun guns & pepper spray were freely available to buy. We had explored most of the city within a few hours, but had been proactive & arranged a trip on the tourist bus for the following day. In the distance we heard the rumble of thunder, so wandered back to the site. Just in time before the rain lashed down & another 2 hour thunder storm set in. Alarm set for 8am the next day, to ensure we were at the bus stop for 9.30am. Each day the bus has a set route & the Friday itinerary was “Electricity” with a visit to the Electricity Museum & Lake Engolasters hydroelectric route! Sounds boring? It really wasn’t & electricity played a big part in the development of Andorra. As the tour was only a half day, we headed back to the city & had a meal at one of the local restaurants. It’s not happened very often on this trip, but we went out for the evening. We decided to treat ourselves to an evening at the Caldea Spa. Unfortunately not all the areas were open as it was undergoing a renovation, there was only the premium area open. However we spent 3 hours there, with plenty to keep us occupied. We made use of all the facilities, however a favourite was the “ice cabin”, only us in there! Found a switch on the wall & assumed it was a light, unfortunately for G it was an ice cold shower of water which he happened to be standing under. A good experience & memory of Andorra. The following morning we left Andorra & headed back to France to continue our onward journey.
