First stop Teruel.

We had a days drive through northern Spain to Teruel. We chose to take the toll road as we had a lot of miles to do. As we left Santander behind us we drove into beautiful hilly countryside. We started the journey at sea-level in a car that didn't do uphill's without working down through the gear box. So, we spent the first hour climbing into the hills south of Santander. We got to view the scenery in so much detail - we couldn't go too fast uphill!

However, we had to reach the summit at some point and when we did, weeeeee, top gear and cruising past lorries (that had overtaken us on the way up!)

We seemed to drive through the hills for a couple of hours but then all of a sudden they were gone and we were on an massive level plain for hours.

Now, if you have been reading this blog over the past few months you will know all the planning, the detail and the preparation that has gone into this trip. But, there was always the suspicion that I had forgotten something. Well, today we discovered what it was.

We were in Spain - and had forgotten to get any Euro's - we had about 25 from a previous trip. On previous trips we had always paid our toll fees with cash - so now doing 2 hours on a toll road, we had no idea how much it would be and no cash to pay with at the end. With thoughts of spending our first night on Spanish soil in some police cell rather than a comfortable hotel, I decided I needed to get my Nintendo DS out with the Spanish training program on and learn the spanish for 'do you have a cash machine?'

We saw a sign for services and decided we would call at them as we needed fuel anyway. As well as the obligatory fuel station there was a lovely restaurant and small shop as you would find on any of our motorways - with one fundamental difference - no cash machines.

OK, car re-fueled, dogs walked we set off again and called at the next services, this time it was just a fuel station with a snack section - and no cash machine.

Panic was beginning to set in as we got back in the car. An hour later and another sign for services - so, as it was time for lunch, we decided we would try again. Again, no cash machine, so out came the DS again and a moment later I approach one of the assistants to ask 'el toll, puedo pagar con una tarjeta de credito' (can I pay the toll with a credit card).

The assistant looked somewhat bemused as she answered 'Of course!' Feeling quite foolish that we didn't know this we had lunch and got on our way. At the end of the toll road we duly paid our 25 euros by credit card, no pin required, no signature needed, and we continued on our way.

Arriving in Teruel we found our hotel, checked in and then went to look for a cash machine!