The View Across the Beach Towards the North Coast of Africa and the Rif Mountains
We are now just a few miles north west from the town of [Tarifa](http://www.andalucia.com/tarifa/home.htm) on the [Costa de la Luz](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Costa_de_la_Luz) (‘*The Coast of Light*’). From here, we can look across the Strait of Gibraltar at the [Rif Mountains](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rif) and [Tangier](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tangier) in [Morocco](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morocco). Or look west across the Atlantic, or east at the Mediterranean.
It seems odd looking across only 9 miles of water at another continent, one that I’d always thought of being worlds away, yet now seems so accessible. It’s hard to resist the urge to board a ferry and see what it’s like on the other side of the water.
Evidence of more adventurous explorers is here. [All Terrain Motorhomes](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morocco) that look like they are ready to ford wild African rivers or plough across the Sahara desert are parked here and there, often wild camping on the beaches, or on campsites, waiting for their sea crossing to another continent, or perhaps having just returned and preparing to venture once more across Europe as the weather improves.
We are glad to have found some where that we can sit outside in the sun again. After about 10 days in the mountains the novelty of chilly weather was starting to wear off! There is still a nip to the air here, it’s only about 14 degrees, but the sun is quiet strong if you can keep out of the breeze.
We’ll spend a few days here, Mel needs to finish off a few [sculptures](http://melaniedeegan.com) ready for her [exhibition](http://www.gallery4art.co.uk/exhibitions/february2012) and pack up for the journey home next week. My word it also seems odd to think that our journey is now so close to an end. I did some planning yesterday for the drive back through Spain and France, and there won’t be a huge amount of time for sightseeing on the way, although I am hoping to fit some in!
As this is as far south as we can go, it seems a good time to update the route map so far.
[bikemap 1415496]
