This adventure evolves and changes each day, and we never know what to expect. I write this as we all huddle in our motorhome in the rain, while doing maths and watching the floodwaters slowly recede out of the windows (for now!).
Yesterday we visited the aquarium at Canet en Roussillon in bright sunshine and warm wind. It was a wonderful outing for us and the kids, and the aquarium is really worth a visit. It was a short bike ride away from the campsite we are staying at (Le Brasilia) and is right by the marina and beachfront. It was €64 for all of us, as our eldest was classed as an adult. At first we thought that might be a bit expensive, even though we were still going do it anyway. But it really was worth the money! And the lady working there made it so special for the kids.
The experience is super fun for kids from the very beginning, as they enter the first exhibit via a parcour mountainesque pathway. Then the exhibit follows the journey of a raindrop from the top of the Canigou mountain (the closest mountain) down to the plains and harbour of the town the aquarium is based in. It was a really interesting way to learn.
The kids were so excited and really enjoyed every one of the 17 different areas in the aquarium. Their favourites were the stingrays, the doctor fish which nibble at your dead skin, the cowfish and the moray eels. But really every part and species there was very educational and brilliant to see.
It took us around an hour and a half to walk round, and we could’ve stayed for the shark feeding. But it was hot and sunny so we wanted to get back to the swimming pools whilst we had the chance.
Rain was due to come in overnight and there was an orange warning for rain and flood, starting at 5am the next morning. After our last experience with the red warning, we weren’t sure what to expect!
And then at 3:30am in the morning, it started. Just rain at first, tapping on the roof of the motorhome. When we woke up around 7am and put the kettle on, it was actually quite romantic watching the sky change colour with the sunrise and listening to the raindrops.
Then we noticed the ground around our motorhome turning from sandy hardstanding to a pool of murky pine needles! The water was rising quickly! The rain was still lashing down and you could see the immediate impact of each downpour on the size of the pools around us. When we got out to check around the motorhome, our feet were ankle deep in the floodwater, with more threatening to come down.
Our bikes slowly submerged in the water, but looking around it just seemed that our pitch unfortunately had more of a downhill position than other pitches. Some people had even left their inflatable dinghies outside their motorhomes and caravans, so they must have more experience than us with how the water affects the pitches here!
We moved the motorhome forward and across the pitch a couple of metres, just to get the wheels out of the worst of the flood water. Whilst we did so, two tiny little German girls came and stared at us in their welly boots, laughing at our predicament….not offputting at all! 🤣
Almost as soon as we had moved, and made sure everything was okay around us, the floodwaters actually started to recede a bit. Which was a relief as we are due to move to Barcelona tomorrow, and we had visions of being stuck here! Although we both agreed that if that was the case, we wouldn’t really mind, as this campsite has been so lovely. Plus, our kids have made friends.
A few hours later, it’s still raining and we are due another hard downpour for a few hours this afternoon. So we are hunkering down in the motorhome for now, but planning to go out and get wet and eat at the restaurant here tonight. It’ll help to mix up the day and the kids are arranging to meet their friends at the arcade.
We are just so pleased that there are no strong winds with this thunderstorm! We’re still traumatised from the last one. 
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