Day 23-24, Faro – Tarifa – Gibraltar – Iberian Peninsula by Auto-Stop

Day 23, Faro – San Luis de Sabinillas (near Marbella); ~500km, 4 cars, much time waiting

In the morning I joined A. and A for breakfast and left together with them.

It took forever since I got the first lift. It was to a supermarket incredible 2km further away. At least I could buy some fruits and port wine for home there. With two other cars and after endless dozen of minutes I found myself on a service area where after some time English guys stopped. One was going near Malaga and I decided to go with him. First I intended to go south at Sevilla and via Cadiz to Gibraltar and Tarifa, but now I would approach the two destinations from the east. The English man was living in Spain for 16 years and delivered beer. At the service area where I got out a young guy on his way to work near Estepona gave me a lift. He worked at security at a restaurant and was upset of Russian tourist who in his opinion are mannerless.

After he dropped me off I tried for maybe an hour to get further and thought about sleeping on a round-about, but it was quite visible that’s why I rather followed the street for maybe 3km and found a more appropriate place for my tent.

Day 24, San Luis – Tarifa – Gibraltar – La Linea; ~120 km, 5 cars

In the morning I continued to walk to the next gas station where a couple drove me to another gas station before Algeciras, where I ate breakfast.

Algeciras is one of the main ports of ferries to Morocco. That’s why cars completely full with passengers and stuff as well with packages as high as the car itself on the roof were driven around.

After about two hours a young couple took me to Tarifa where the most southern point of Europe was supposed to be. When I arrived there was even a sign, welcoming people to that point. The only problem was, it was not the end of the small street. There was some fortress on an island called “Isla de las Palomas”. And on that island was the real “Punta de Tarifa O Marroqui” – the southernmost point. But entry was not allowed because it seemed to be kind of a military area that separated me from the 600m far point.

But a ridiculous Spanish military area is nothing that could hold me back from visiting the last of the whatever-mostern point of Europe. So I took off my shoes, walked to a part of the fortress that didn’t seem occupied by military. I climbed up and left my backpack there and continued to walk or sneaked along the coast. No stuff member bothered me and with GPS switched on I walked to the real southernmost point.

High tide started and I did to Gibraltar. After the passport control – unfortunately I didn’t get a stamp – I wanted to put my passport back in the backpack in the customs area. Suddenly a customs officer said, I should ask for permission. I didn’t know what he meant, laughed and asked if he could repeat what he said. He said I should ask for permission again. I asked if just for putting the passport away and laughed again. He got grumpier and said it wouldn’t be funny. This area was for customs purpose only and I had as an impolite tourist had to ask for permission for whatever doing there. Maybe he thought I’d pull an AK47 out. Anyway I didn’t reply anything but walked away.

It was really funny in Gibraltar. Gingers were all over the place and to hear the British accent while having Spanish weather outside was pretty nice. Also you have to walk over the airport’s runway when entering the city.

I was given two postcards for free, because I only had 10 Gibraltar pounds as note and after having filled them with words, I started to climb the Upper Rock. But it was the wrong one since I wanted to see the airfield from above but I went too south. At least I passed some monkeys who are important for the citizens. Because if they extinct Gibraltar would be part of Spain again.

At least on my way back I had the opportunity to stand at the runway when an Easyjet plane took off. We stood around 100m away from the air plane taking off. Then I walked out of La Line de la Concepción and tried to get to Granada. But at 1am – I didn’t get any further – I was told that the highway was closed due to a bush fire. As I walked to highway entrance I could see the horizon shimmering in a red tone. So I lay down behind a gas station supply building and when I woke up at night, the air smelled heavily smoky and ash was flying from the sky.

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Day 23