Minus 6 degrees C in Ronda at 09.00; plus 26 degrees C in San Pedro de Alcántara at 14.00. That’s the difference between the mountains and the coast.

Yes, the first day of the second month and we set off from home to go to the coast. We had to scrape ice off the windscreen of our car and we were well togged up against the cold. One hour later on the coast and we were distinctly over-dressed! My cord trousers, T-shirt, shirt, pullover, padded vest, scarf and cap - perfect for the mountains - were totally wrong, as we strolled along the new promenade in San Pedro.

After a delightful lunch of calamares fritos, berenjenas fritas y patatas fritas at a chiringuito on the beach, we lowered the roof on our convertible and headed west via Estepona to Manilva, before heading inland to the mountain village of Casares for a coffee in the Plaza de España. Then via Gaucín back to Ronda, it got decidedly chilly in the open-topped car.

Yet, after the culture shock of the coast – high temperatures and high prices – it was good to be back home to normality.

© Paul Whitelock

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