Spain is hilly

We have arrived in Lucena after 2 hard days in the saddle. Yesterday we rode from Marbella to Alora. 3200 feet of climb! Perhaps the pyrenees have been moved? It was like climbing a col in the French Alps! Some fantastic views of hillside towns and some exhilarating descents. We had aimed to reach Altequera but instead decided to stop in Alora which is a lovely town built on a very steep hill. We had to push the bikes up the final few 100m. Hotel very Spanish and not at all corporate which made a nice change. Today we had another hilly day with almost 5000 ft of climb. Dramatic scenery citrus groves and olive groves. The smells were amazing. Lucena seemed very quiet. Most restaurants dont open until 9 pm!

The world around us seems to be going crazy. We are trying to stay positive but it seems likely that we will need to make some big decisions in the next few days.