Author Archives: MissChloe

About MissChloe

Travel Enthusiast. You only live once so get out there!

Argentina: Central Patagonia (Santa Cruz Province)

Following my visit to Argentina’s Lake District, I continued my journey South into the center of the Patagonian region and one step closer towards the bottom of the world. This area is full of mountains, and glaciers, and many national parks!

Perito Moreno

After a 13 hour bus journey from El Bolson, I made it to the small town of Perito Moreno. I was the only person to exit the bus at 1am and make my way to my little wooden cabin in the town centre. I had come here for only one reason, to see the Cueva de las Manos, only accessible by car or tour.

Cueva de las Manos (Cave of Hands)

I joined a tour group of Argentine people, and we made our way across some very bumpy roads and past wildlife and huge canyons, before finally arriving at the UNESCO site of Cueva de las Manos. This world famous spot has an amazing collection of ancient cave paintings and hand prints, not inside the cave but across the front of it, along a huge rock face. The guide on the site escorted our group through a long boardwalk running across the side of the paintings and with views of a canyon on the other side.

These amazing paintings crowd the walls and include handprints of adults and children from possibly three different times. You can also see illustrations of animals that they would hunt, geometric shapes, that are suspected to represent a map, and there is even a suspected paw print of a puma! The whole collection is made up of different colours, including yellows and bright blues, and are made from different natural materials. I imagine that the person that discovered this must have been completely astonished by all the haunting raised hands.

Patagonia Park

The tour also included visits to other interesting locations nearby such as the Patagonia Park, which had huge salt flats to see.

The locals prepared a lunch for our group of traditional and locally produced food. It was delicious and in true Argentine style, the portions were huge. I tried to tell the people in the group that I was full, but the little old ladies in the group said they wanted to fatten me up and they are like my ‘abuela’ (grandma) and want to look after me! haha

Coloured mountains

The last stop was an hour hike over some amazing hilltops/mountains that were brightly coloured in oranges, red and yellows. This is due to the properties in the rocks and all the minerals being brought out by rainfall. It was pretty awesome, and the short walk to the top gives you an amazing view!

El Chalten & Fitz Roy

Next stop on my trip was to the little town of El Chalten. Getting there was a struggle. It had been raining the night before, and so they rerouted the bus to the only other motorway that took us to the bottom of the country then we turned back around and went back up… A 10 hour journey took 18 hours… craziness.

On finally arriving, I headed straight out for a short hike to a nearby waterfall. It was great to get some fresh air and put my head under the flowing glacier water. I also got great views of the landscape and the town. El chalten is a part of this natural landscape and is an absolute haven for hikers and climbers.

Laguna de los tres

The next day, I started the strenuous hike of Laguna de los tres to Fitz Roy mountain. This hike is only 20 km but it took me about 9 hours. The final km took about two hours as the climb was a directly up ascent on difficult terrain. Normally I walk 4-5 km per hour.

The trail passes through forests, rivers, lakes and grasslands, as well as going through two campsites. It was a very warm and busy day on the trail, but this gave me the opportunity to meet many people. During my day of trekking, I befriended two different groups from Argentina and a girl from Spain. Making conversation with strangers is one of my favourite parts of solo trekking, as I meet so many interesting people from all around the world.

On reaching the top, I collapsed in a pile for a few minutes, then made my way to the lake that was formed by the melting glacier, and took an icy drink, before taking a dip. I spent a few hours here, relaxing and enjoying the sights of the Fitz Roy mountain and the falling water to the drop below.

El Calafate

Next day, I was off to Calafate, on the other side of the National Glacier Park from El Chalten. This town is bustling with tourist shops and restaurants. I have a dwindling budget so I cooked whilst I was there, but still managed to admire the Patagonian Lambs being roasted over the fire through the restaurant windows.

Perito Moreno Glacier

The main excursion to take from El Calafate is to see the huge Perito Moreno Glacier. You have to take a tour which costs about £35 to get to the glacier which is a few hours away. There is then a small charge for the entrance to the park. We were given four hours in the park. I was given a choice to pay extra for a one hour boat ride that takes you closer to the glacier, but I chose not to take this option, and just enjoyed the various boardwalk routes around the front of the glacier.

This huge glacier is very unique and larger than the entire city of Buenos Aires (which blew my mind)! The glacier is apparently in balance,meaning that it loses the same amount of ice each day as is returned to it, due to how the water flows around it. There are three different routes you can take around the glacier’s boardwalk, and they vary by height and length. I did all three, and found the boardwalk system to be very efficient and plentiful in relaxing balconies where you could eat your lunch and watch pieces of the glacier fall into the water below. This phenomenon was amazing. I saw not only the ice fall and splash against the lake, but also the lower layer of ice boil up to the surface and spin around in circles. Very cool.

Rio Gallegos

My last stop in Argentina for a while, was Rio Gallegos. I came here to the bottom of mainland Argentina, to cross the border into Chile. There is not much to see here but it is a good supply stop, and there are some sculptures along a promenade walk and a small house that you can visit as a free museum.

For now, I am off to Chile, for some more trekking and to see the other side of Patagonia, before I return to Argentina, to visit the bottom of the world…

Argentina’s Lake District

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After a few days of bus journeys via Bahia Blanca and Neuquen, meeting a group of hippies and enjoying a local music festival, I finally made it to Patagonia and the Argentine Lake District. A ‘postcard perfect’ landscape.

Argentina’s Lake District sits within the Northwest of Patagonia, near the border of Chile. Patagonia is the Southern region of Argentina, world famous for its scenery, and trekking, climbing, and general adventure sport opportunities. The climate and landscape varies throughout the region and within the lake district are obviously several lakes and rivers dotted around the Andes mountains.

I visited three spots within the lake district, as these were major points on the coach route. They were: San Martin de los Andes, San Carlos de Bariloche, and El Bolson. I stayed in each for 1-2 nights.

San Martin de Los Andes

San Martin de Los Andes sits in the Lanin National Park, named after the local volcano. It is the gateway town to Patagonia for many people, and it is very touristy as a result. It is full of cabin style buildings that make you feel that you have somehow arrived in the Swiss Alps. The town is small but has plenty of bars and restaurants, a few rose gardens to sit in, and San Martin sits on a huge lake named Lacar. You can enjoy swimming in the lake or take a boat out to different places along the shoreline.

I decided to do a short hike of about 10km (about 3 hours) to a viewpoint and then onto a small beach with a little island. I enjoyed a swim here and basked in the sun, although the beach is very rocky, crocs are advised! I looked like a fool sliding around on the rocks. The water was really lovely and clear though, and everyone was respectful of the environment.

San Carlos de Bariloche

Bariloche is a working city that is less tourist heavy, but it’s scenery is absolutely postcard perfect. The town is surrounded by a huge lake and endless mountain scenes. There are not many attractions in the town, and I really just used this for a rest day and to save a little money by cooking from the supermarket. I did manage to visit the local cathedral though. This was a very pleasant building with lots of stonework. You can also walk right up to the lake and sit on the stony beach if you want to.

El Bolson

On the bus to my third stop in this region, El Bolson, I continued to travel along the famous route 40. This very long highway, connects all of these beautiful locations from the North to South of the country. It has now become well known for its gorgeous scenery, and thankfully, the buses use this road too!

Along the way, I saw the damage of the forest fires in the national park the day before. This was quite shocking to see, It seems that it is a common occurrence here though. It created a foggy atmosphere among the mountain scenes.

On arrival to El Bolson, I stumbled upon a huge feria (market/fair) with lots of artisan stalls and food vendors, besides a lovely river scene where people were enjoying pedal boats.

I think El Bolson is my favourite stop of the three, as it had a lovely mix of authenticity and fun for tourists. It was clean, and had lots of facilities. A lot of people that stop here do the 1-2 day hike to Cerro Piltriquitrón but I only had a day here and so not enough time. If I could do it again I would stay up to 4 days here. I did manage to make use of some other nearby hikes though.

I took a cheap local bus out to a natural site that is part of the aboriginal Mapuche territory called La Pasarela. On arrival, I had no idea where I was. I approached a local aboriginal girl, in my best spanish, and she led me there, explaining that it is hard to find on a map. When I found the right spot there was a river with people swimming, and a little information point. The site is completely free to visit, and has many trails and things to see. I visited a waterfall, and then took a second hike to sit by the River Blanco. It was really refreshing on such a hot day.

After visiting La Pasarela I hopped back on the bus for another 15 minutes down the road to Lake Puelo and enjoyed the views of this huge lake among the sunset.

Overall, the Lake District in Argentina is absolutely stunning. There is plenty to see as a nature lover. If I had the chance to travel in my own car, then I would definitely visit more smaller communities, and I would perhaps do more camping, as many people were spending long periods of time in each place whilst camping. For now, I travel further South!

Buenos Aires: Paris of the Americas (Part one)

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I have now spent a week in Buenos Aires to begin my journey through Argentina and Chile. This solo visit is the first time I have been to this city that makes me feel as if I never left Europe. I have dipped my toe into the main attractions and some of the culture here, before I revisit with a travel companion in three months time.

Travel to Argentina

The journey to Buenos Aires from the UK was a very long one. At 3am on the Tuesday I left my home town on a coach to Stansted Airport. At 8am I flew to Madrid. Waited in a lovely airport lounge in Madrid until 6pm (spain time) then took a flight to Buenos Aires for about 13 hours, arriving 4am on the Wednesday (Argentina time). I then had to wait for Argentina to wake up before I could travel to my hostel and check in. It was long but comfortable.

The coach was comfy, the airport lounge was relaxing and the flight to Buenos Aires was very pleasant. I travelled with Aerolineas Argentina (Argentina Airlines) and I had a decent seat, and an empty seat next to me, a personal TV with movies and music, and a blanket and pillow. They provided breakfast and dinner which was satisfying and they were very efficient. I booked a Taxi in advance at the other end, and the driver was really friendly and helpful, and we had a long conversation in Spanish.

First impressions

On leaving the airport, I could immediately be reminded that I was in a third world country. As a capital city, it struck me as very underdeveloped, with many buildings being dishevelled and outdated. Many of the businesses that I could see were targeting those needing quick cash. For example, there seems to be ‘cash for gold’ pawn shops on most streets in downtown.

On the other hand, the outdated buildings do offer a level of charming bohemian style. There is no pretending, many of the streets are just as they have been for many decades. This means their European influence is still very clear. There were many times where I actually felt like I was in Madrid, because of the style of the buildings around me.

My hostel was to a good standard, although bathrooms are definitely a problem here. The first time I used my hostel shared bathroom, the door handle broke off in my hand. I have been to other locations in the city where the restaurant or attraction seems great but the toilet is awful. I went to one restaurant where the door seemed to be from a piece of a shipping container, and you just had to wedge it shut, not lock it.

Supermarkets are also different, after being spoilt by European supermarkets, and being a picky eater too, this has been a challenge.. The supermarkets are much smaller, and offer much less fresh baked goods or easy meals. The fruit is surrounded by fruit flies and you have to search for a non bruised selection, and many of the things on offer are packeted. I have found some bits that I have really enjoyed, such as Pepas, which are their version of jam tarts. Very nice. Creativity definitely comes into play when creating meals from the supermarket.

Food from restaurants and cafes are another story. Every meal or snack I have bought from a bakery or a cafe or a restaurant has been absolutely delicious! Empanadas are the traditional snack of the Argentines, and can be bought with ham and cheese, meat or in other flavours, this filled pastry is addictive, cheap and available in a lot of locations. An absolute winner! I also have tried some asado (their famous grilled steak) I don’t normally like steak, but Wow! This was good stuff! Deserts are amazing here, with dulce de leche (their tasty caramel) in large supply. It has been very hard to reign myself in and not eat tons whilst here!

Uptown and Downtown

On my first full day in Buenos Aires, I took a city tour with a group of Argentines and Brazilians. The tour took us to several places in the North of the city, and then places in the South. The difference was obvious. Uptown is the place of the wealthy, and downtown is for those that are true working class and others that that are struggling to make ends meet. I don’t think I have ever been to a place where the difference is so huge geographically in one city. Apparently, everyone was mixed originally, but decades ago, an epidemic of Yellow Fever meant that those that could afford it, left downtown to move North where the infectious mosquitoes were less of an issue. Now, in the North of the city, you can see skyscrapers and people on their iphones and apple macs, and designer stores and flash hotels. Whilst in downtown, people keep their valuables hidden, the buildings are old and in need of repairs, and on the other side of the railway tracks, lie the slums where some people don’t even have a home. I felt very conflicted about this when in the same hour, you could see people buying designer clothes, you can see a group of six year olds looking through the street’s rubbish for food.

I have learnt that nearly 50% of the population are living under the poverty line, and so many areas of the city are off limits to visitors for safety, and tourist police patrol the biggest tourist sites. I didn’t really feel unsafe at any point, however I was cautious. I mainly just felt sorry that I couldn’t do more to help.

Despite the hardship present, the people of downtown Buenos Aires are clearly continuing to work hard and keep going as I witnessed numerous protests, and sellers of their own artisan crafts, determined to improve their circumstances. The attitude of these Portenos is inspiring, and everyone I met was so generous and lovely. On the Sunday of my visit, I visited the San Telmo Antiques fair, where people were selling their finds, and their crafts. There were some really beautiful items that I couldn’t resist, and I will definitely be coming back for homecoming gifts at the end of my trip.

Not far from San Telmo are key attractions like the iconic obelisk of the city, which memorialises the first foundation of the city, this is in the centre of a huge avenue, and lots of shops and restaurants. A little walk to the river and you will find more restaurants and the striking Puente de Mujeres (Women’s Bridge), this pointy looking landmark, is symbolic of a couple dancing the tango, Argentina’s national dance.

Another special thing to see in the city’s downtown, is Boca. This neighbourhood is full of colourful buildings, and the beloved football stadium. This small area is designated for tourists to visit, and their are many street performers and paid for photo opportunities. There is also a rope and bollards to separate the zone from a destitute area, discouraging tourists from entering it.

Plaza de Mayo is the biggest attraction in the microcentre of downtown. This popular square has multiple historic buildings including Casa Rosada which is a pink building and also the office of the president.

In the corner of the square is also the Cathedral. This was a lovely building to visit and had no fee. Not only did it have beautiful spaces, but it is also the location of a guarded tomb of the important General San Martin.

General Jose de San Martin is extremely important to many people across South America. The mausoleum remembers his notable role in freeing Argentina, Chile and Peru, and helping them gain their independence. According to my guide, San Martin remains are on the outside of the cathedral’s main nave, because he was actually not catholic, but a mason.

Uptown

Head to the North of the city to the neighbourhooods of Recocleta, Palermo and Barrio Norte, and you will see that everything becomes more polished and modern. Even the subway line ‘D’ is much nicer than the other subway lines. It is not a subtle change but dramatic.

One of the biggest attractions is the Recocleta Cemetary as it is a beautiful site of memorials and grand tombs. Many of them have stories to go with them, but the most famous of all is the tomb of Eva Peron. Known by many as ‘Evita’ (little Eva), she is famous around the world for her acts as a socialist and as the wife of President Peron. She has even been played by Madonna in a very successful musical. There is a lot of love for Eva in Buenos Aires, and a museum about her short life, which I plan to visit on my return to the city.

You will also find in the north of the city, a collection of parks, many of them were closed on the Monday that I visited and I will try them again in my second visit. I did manage to visit the popular Japonese Gardens though. This was only about £4 to enter and was a peaceful space in the city to relax and enjoy the pretty architecture and coy fish.

El Tigre

If you take a train and head further North, you will arrive at El Tigre. This town is the Argentinian version of Venice. It did also remind me of the Broads National Park in Norfolk a little too. The town is at the beginning of the wetlands on the Parana Delta, and is made up of a central town, and then a community of people that live on separate islands within a river network. Whilst there, I wandered around the promenade where there are some gorgeous buildings, and then took a little boat tour of the river. The boat rides on the river here are not for the sensitive types, I was glad I had not eaten yet, as the boat was lifted from the water and waves crashed down alongside me. It was quite an experience! The little houses on the side were very interesting to see, but what was more strange was all the abandoned items in the river. I saw at least two rusty shipwrecks, and a telephone pole that looked like it might come down at any moment. It was very odd! I would have like to have ventured into more remote parts of the delta, but my tour just stuck to the main strip.

With my first stop in Buenos Aires complete, I am now on my way into the Pampas and towards the Lake District of Argentina.

What an Airport Lounge is really like

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Airport Lounges have long been represented as stylish hang outs for first and business class passengers whilst they wait to board their flight. I have now tried multiple Airport Lounges for myself and from my current seat in Madrid’s Cibeles Lounge have decided to reveal all I have learnt, about these coveted spaces.

It is no surprise that many people choose to escape to an Airport Lounge, when the hustle and bustle of the main dining and seating halls of the departures areas in airports are often so noisy, and uncomfortable. Airport Lounges are more affordable than ever now, and us mere mortals from Economy are finding our way into these spaces, to treat ourselves to pre flight relaxation.

There are different levels of Airport Lounges, with some being specific to frequent or prestigious flyers of specific airlines, and many that are simply ran by the airport and vary by quality. I have spent time in some excellent lounges, as well as ones that did not feel very special at all. The main way to determine if it is worth it, is to find out in advance what is on offer.

What to expect

In all airport lounges, you can expect to have unlimited food and drink (including house wine and beer), comfy seats and WiFi access. The quality of these three things can vary though, so it is always worth looking for reviews and photos before you book.

In Madrid’s Cibeles lounge the Wifi is good but you still have to log into it every hour as it is time limited… a little annoying and not really an advantage over the main airport WiFi here. The food is nice, but of course very local and basic, so mainly pastries, breads, and salads. The seats are awesome! There is a mix of seating areas, a desk area for those wishing to work on laptops, a dining table area, and an armchair area. Every seat has individual access to a power outlet so I am enjoying my comfy armchair with my computer.

In some extra special lounges you could access benefits such as a restaurant service, hot food at all times, free alcoholic beverages, a concierge service, a place to shower and even somewhere to take a nap. Some lounges have gone the extra mile to create a relaxing experience with special rooms for playing video games, or in the case of Virgin Atlantic’s Clubhouse Lounge at Heathrow, you can get a complimentary spa treatment with the right pass. That sounds really good to me…

Normally, you can access your lounge for up to three or four hours before your flight. There can be exceptions though. Cibeles were good enough to allow me an extra two additional hours because I was already in the airport as a transit passenger.

How to get in

Some lounges are still reserved for the elite passengers; those with a business or first class ticket, or with membership to an airline. If you are lucky enough to afford a better ticket, then you can enjoy all its benefits for hours before departure.

Many lounges can now be accessed by all classes of passenger thankfully, and there are several ways to access the space.

Depending on the popularity of the lounge, you could purchase access face to face on arrival, but this is risky, as some can become very busy. It is safer to book in advance. You can do this through either an agency or directly with the airport. Many airport websites will have the ability to book a lounge direct.

The other method, is through an agency website. Websites, such as Holiday Extras, Wowcher, and Lounge Buddy are all examples of easy platforms to book a lounge, and receive a printable voucher to take with you. This costs on average about £30 per visit.

If you are a regular flyer (with different airlines) then you could consider investing in an annual pass that gives you access to over 1300 airport lounges across the globe. Priority Pass offers either 10 free lounge visits and then discounted visits for $299 USD or unlimited lounge visits for $429 USD. This includes all the lounge benefits, plus access to customer support, and their app.

Either way, the rules to remember when you are going to book your lounge, (assuming that I have convinced you of the benefits) are:

Book in advance where ever possible
Book the correct time of arrival, to give you the maximum benefit of the allocated time, so after when you expect to get through security, but before your 45 minute pre departure boarding time.
Book the correct lounge in the airport! If it is a big airport, make sure you are booking a lounge in your terminal of departure.
Check the reviews and photos of the lounge.
Check the serving times for any hot food menu (I was caught out by this in the Cibeles).
Print out your voucher if you can.

And enjoy!

Top 10 destinations to visit in 2022

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A new year brings new possibilities, and after two years of Covid travel restrictions, and a worldwide vaccination programme fighting off the latest variant, everyone can finally start to consider their well deserved holiday breaks. So the question is, where to go?

I have a good idea of what locations are on my list to visit during 2022, perhaps you would agree with my top ten choices for this year. Hopefully, I can tick at least some of them off this year.

Patagonia (Argentina & Chile)

Patagonia, the place, not the clothing line. With my tickets already bought, I am very excited to be visiting Patagonia this year. The region of Patagonia is shared between the South American countries of Argentina and Chile. It is an untamed area of 400,000 square miles, full of mountains, lakes, and glaciers. This area is as far South as you can go before you hit Antarctica.

Popular with nature lovers and active travellers, it is full of activities but can only be visited at certain portions of the year, as during the Winter, it becomes too cold and dangerous to inhabit. I plan to hike as many national parks as I can, as well as visit wild penguins and if I am lucky, see some whales!

Scottish Isles

Another one, for a good bit of hiking and bird spotting, I can not believe that I have not yet visited Scotland! I keep meaning to head up the road to visit the land of the Scots, but I have not yet got to it. If I can get the cash together, I would like to purchase a van, do a campervan conversion, and use Scotland as my testing ground for the vehicle.

There are so many islands surrounding scotland, (over 900 in fact), making this a beautiful region to enjoy. These isles benefit from rolling wilderness, gorgeous beaches, castles and further whale watching! I am particularly interested in visiting Calanais Standing Stones which is actually older than Stonehenge.

Valencia, Spain

Valencia is the place to go to get warmed up, it has over 300 days of sunshine each year, and 2000 years of history to explore. During a city break, ancient and modern monuments, as well as beaches can be found. It is also the origin place of Paella!

I was due to visit the romantic city of Valencia during 2021, but I had to come home early due to Covid restrictions. I am determined to rectify the situation this year, and I am also lucky enough to have a local friend who can show me around the area.

British Columbia, Canada

British Columbia is the must see tourist region in Canada, and home of the rocky mountains. I was all booked up to visit the area before the pandemic, but then my trip was cancelled. The area is massive, and of course includes lots of mountain sport and trekking activities, but you can also travel through the area more gently on a luxury train.

The region is bursting with wildlife and I am determined to see some bears when I visit, but I also want to visit Calgary (which is the gateway town for those flying from the UK). Calgary is the location for the Calgary Stampede, which is a summer agriculture show and rodeo. It is world famous, but was cancelled during the pandemic, I hope it will be back in full action over the next year.

Costa Rica

Costa Rica seems to be in the media a lot at the moment, and for good reason. This small country makes up 5% of the planet’s biodiversity, as it is full of rainforests, volcanoes, and wonderful experiences involving wildlife and culture. It is also not short of a white sandy beach…

I have known about the destination for a while, because of its passion for conservation and eco-tourism. Costa Rica has 29 national parks, 19 wildlife refuges, 8 biological reserves, and a series of protected areas. I can just see myself abseiling down waterfalls, and camping out amongst the wild animals.

Ljubljana, Slovenia

Another location that catches my eye because of its eco friendly credentials, Ljubljana in Slovenia, is one of Europe’s smallest capital cities. With a backdrop of snowy mountains, nature seeps into the city as they have created multiple outdoor spaces. It sounds really inspiring to see and I can just imagine taking a super nice breath of fresh air there.

Ljubljana has things to do and see throughout the year, and is another place where hiking is easily accessible. The Velika Planina seems to be a particularly unique attraction, as an area with small huts that look particularly pretty.

Norway

Norway, is a place that I (and probably many other people) now highly associate with either the movie ‘Frozen’, or superhero/god, Thor. As well as these mythical beings, the country has stunning fjords, glaciers, and the ‘northern lights’. It just seems to be a magical place to exist in.

I would love to travel by boat around some of the 1000+ fjords and hopefully not get too much seas sickness… I have also discovered that Norway now has an attraction that can be visited, which is very unique; an ancient ice tunnel below the highest mountain in the Alps. I am not normally one for cold places, but this seems like a must!

York, UK

I have done the Yorkshire Three Peaks (technically, I struggled through two…), but I have not actually visited the city of York yet. York, is supposedly very similar to my home town of Norwich, and of course has the famous York Minster, which I would like to visit. York seems to be heritage heavy, which is really up my street, and along side some great places to eat and relax, it sounds like the perfect retreat.

North York Moors National Park is a great place outside of the city to set up the telescope, and enjoy the dark starry skies. I would be happy to add on some camping there, and the end of a city break in York.

Zakopane, Poland

Zakopane, is a resort town in Poland on the other side of the border from Slovakia. It has picturesque wooden chalets and plenty of outdoor activities to enjoy in the surrounding mountains. The town also has plenty of thermal spas to relax in.

Poland is still a very cheap place to visit, and I also have some contacts in the country, that I could visit as part of my trip. This could certainly be an easy break to make happen.

Columbia

Columbia is a country with a mixed brand of coffee, politics, and now disney’s ‘Encanto’. For a long time, I knew little about Columbia, but I now have a dear friend, who is Columbian. He has described to me about the friendliness of the Columbian people, and the lush jungle and mountain scenery. So, now I am intrigued.

This huge nation has several large cities, with beautiful colonial architecture, and a thriving nightlife. In the wild rural areas, there are plenty of opportunities for trekking, sport fishing, diving, and bird watching. I hope to visit with my friend when he next visits. It is always great to be with someone that knows the area.

Fingers crossed, I can find the time and funds to make it out to all these places. There is a good mix of seasons and price ranges involved, so I think I stand a good chance! I hope this year brings as many adventures to you, as possible.

Barcelona & Girona: From a theme park to a quiet space

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My final stay in Spain of 2021 was two nights in the popular city of Barcelona. Whilst there, I hopped on a train to Girona to explore the cathedral for a few hours. This was my third visit to Barcelona, and the city continues to baffle me!

I arrived in Barcelona by train and made my way across the underground network to my hostel ‘Yeah – Barcelona Hostel’. Whilst very busy, the subway system there is a great way to move around the city, you can pay for single journeys or multi day trips, and it is very affordable. I would also say that it has some of the cleanest underground stations and trains, that I have ever experienced, especially when you compare it with grimy subways like NYC’s network.

I didn’t realise until I arrived, that the hostel I had booked is actually a sister luxury hostel to the one I stayed in within Madrid. The hostel is very trendy and only 15 minutes walk to very big attractions. There is a comfortable lounge with access to Netflix and games etc, a rooftop terrace with a pool (though it was too cold for me to use), and the rooms are very comfortable. I also decided to have the breakfast, which can be very ‘hit and miss’ in hostels, but I was impressed with this breakfast, for five euros, I accessed an all you can eat continental buffet, which had a ‘make your own’ pancakes table with all the syrups! Delicious!

It had been a decade since I last visited Barcelona, and I recalled that the last time, I had found the city quite stressful. I wanted to give it another chance, but I knew that I would be avoiding the tacky tourist spot of La Rambla. This is the longest street, with living statues, novelty shops, and lots of pickpockets. I wanted to try to understand more of the Gaudi vibe in the city. Barcelona is famous for the architect and artist, Guadi. His works are very unique with lots of busy shapes and colours, and a vast amount of tile mosaic use. There are several buildings in the city that were designed by him, including Casa Batlló, and Casa Mila.

I left the hostel in the morning to explore and find these locations, and hopefully visit. I don’t know how, but I managed to get lost a couple of times. It seems strange to me that one can get lost in this city, because the entire centre is designed as a grid, with no alleys or shortcuts. This is frustrating though, because it takes ages to walk everywhere, you cannot cut across diagonally to get to your destination faster, you must walk along very long wide streets until you eventually get to the side street you want. The city is so busy and has so many buildings and wide roads, it can be quite overwhelming, especially when you are struggling to find any fingerpost signs to point you the right way!

After some irritation I found my way to Casa Batlló, and the outside of the building is very striking. It is definitely worth a photo. I wanted more information, and began to queue to visit inside. When I realised the cost of admission though, I quickly exited… I am a budget traveller right now, and running low on cash. Most attractions I have visited in Spain, have been less than ten euros to visit. The Casa Batlló wanted 35 euros for admission, which would have been blowing my budget on the first place, for an experience that would probably be less than an hour. It was the same situation when I wondered down to the next Casa Mila, so I just enjoyed the views from the outside and decided to use my imagination for the inside!

I knew I wanted to make a visit to the Sagrada Familia, which is Barcelona’s world famous basilica, designed by Gaudi. It is well known as a complex example of architecture, that 135 years from being started, is still not complete, and construction is ongoing.

I found my way to the building and wanted to visit a ticket office to buy my ticket, as I had no internet data left on my phone to go on their website. I wondered around the perimeter of the building, struggling to find the ticket office. When I decided to ask one of the security officers, I found out that the attraction does not have an office. You must buy tickets online… very unhelpful to me. Alternatively, you can buy a ticket from the tourist information centre, so I then had to get my paper map out, and begin the search for the TIC. When I eventually found it, I had to wait in a long queue, and was given my self guided admission ticket. I also asked the vendor about my intention to visit a park attraction later in the day, assuming this would be no problem as it is a park. She told me that this must also be booked in advance, for an allocated time, and she only had one slot left, so I grabbed that to.

When entering the Sagrada Familia, there is an audio guide available, but you must download their app to use it. Thankfully, the attraction has free WiFi that you can sign up for. I got the app, and began to make way from point to point around the outside and then inside of the church.

There is no question that the design of the building is remarkable and unique, I especially liked the turtles holding up the columns at the front entrance. The inside columns are also designed to make you feel as if you are in a forest space, which I think provides the space with an unusual feel. There are many sculptures of the holy family (which the church is named after), and they are especially prominent over the main doorways. The stained glass in the building provides a multitude of colours in the space, and generally, there is so much intricate design going on inside the building it is hard to know where to look.

According to the information provided, Guadi made a special effort to make sure that the building’s height did not exceed the nearby mountain, because he said that no work of man should surpass a work of god. It seems that Gaudi did intend for the space to honour god, but for me, the space did not fulfil this purpose.

I have visited many holy spaces over the years, and in the past few months, I have been to countless churches within Spain. Sagrada Familia is the only one of all of them where I would not feel at peace, or have the comfort and security I needed to worship God.

The space feels very hectic. Whilst the design is beautiful, the crowds of tourists, the noise, and even the security ropes strung across the pews just made me feel as if it was more of a theme park attraction than a church. I loved the sculptures and the colours, but I did not feel a holy connection here, and the atmosphere was actually very stressful.

Later in the day, I made my way to Park Güell for sunset. This park has a collection of buildings and spaces inspired by Gaudi, and it is also at the top of a large hill, so is a viewpoint of the city skyline. I enjoyed seeing some of the views and there were many people gathered here to watch the sunset.

It did not take me long to realise though, that we were not facing West. The sun was on the other side of the mountain, and it wasn’t going to be as good of a sunset as I hoped. It was still pretty but nothing like some of the other sunsets I have seen on my travels. This is the problem, I have been spoilt rotten!

After this, I walked back down the hill, and joined a friend living locally for some well deserved dinner. This was very relaxing, and the best part of the day for me.

Before flying home, I wanted to take the opportunity to visit nearby city of Girona. I had heard it was pretty, and I also knew that the cathedral was the filming location for some scenes in King’s Landing in Game of Thrones. So, of course, I had to go!

The train journey was a comfortable 90 minute journey on high speed railway. The train station is then only a 20 minute walk from the cathedral. I only had about two hours to enjoy Girona, in the mid morning. On arrival, I could tell that the city had more of a traditional spanish feel, that I am now accustomed to. There is a river running through the centre of the city, and a set of old bridges to cross, before you come to a quaint high street, and pleasant plazas. As I continued to walk closer to the cathedral, I began to ascend up various alleys and steps, to this special church that could just slightly be seen from the bottom of the hill.

On arrival to the cathedral, one can stand in the shadow of the striking building, that towers over hundreds of steps. The steep stairs could easily rival the ‘rocky’ steps in Philadelphia, in terms of my ‘puffed out’ factor. The steps and front facade at the entrance was the view that was used within Game of Thrones for many notable scenes, such as the ‘walk of shame’ and many grand arrivals to the ‘King’s Landing’ location.

The cathedral admission was very reasonable, and also included entrance to the basilica next door. The cathedral has a very wide nave that is quite unique in architecture, and provides the space with more sunlight. There were also some chapels, and a room with a unique sculpture of the sleeping Virgin Mary. I have never seen anything similar to this before.

The basilica is just across the road from the cathedral, and is a smaller space. It still benefits from beautiful designs and art in its chapel, and a lovely altarpiece as well.

After this quick walk around Girona, I headed back to Barcelona, for my flight home to the UK.

Barcelona, and Girona are so close to each other, but have such different vibes. I really liked Girona, because it has a fairytale look to it within the old town, and had a very traditional vibe. It felt authentic. Barcelona also has a fairytale look in many locations, thanks to Gaudi, but instead of feeling relaxed, I find the city very stressful to be in, due to its popularity and ‘overtourism’. It actually feels more like a bustling theme park, with overpriced product, crowds, queueing and a confusing layout. The city is so large and important though, I know that I will likely visit again. Next time, I will try to see more of the neighbourhood areas of the city, as I am sure somewhere in this city, I will find my fit!

Salamanca: The Golden City

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After completing my journey to Santiago de Compostela, I hit the road again, and made my way to the beautiful city of Salamanca for an overnight stay.

Salamanca is a small city in the North West of Spain. Whilst it is not dramatically far from Santiago de Compostela, it was not the simplest to get to. I had to take a train to another town, and then a local bus to Salamanca. After this long journey, I was too early for check in, and decided to start on the sightseeing straight away.

I knew nothing about Salamanca before visiting. Only that it was a city that looked nice in pictures, and had a name that I enjoyed saying out loud… SAL – A – MANCA 😄

It turns out that Salamanca is also known as the ‘Golden City’ because of the golden orange colour of the buildings throughout the old town. The colour definitely does make you feel as if you were in an arabian paradise, but Northern Spain really doesn’t fit that profile! 😄 The city’s old town has a mix of palaces, religious buildings, and university buildings.

It seems that the University of Salamanca is very well renowned in Spain, as the first university that existed in the country. Many of the oldest buildings in the city are under use of the students still today. The public library can be visited for free, and is particularly unique as a building completely covered in the image of shells, giving it the name ‘Casa de las Conchas’. This was interesting to me, as shells are the symbol of the Camino de Santiago that I have just completed. On this occasion, they are related to the marriage between two noble families.

I also paid for the guided tour of the Pontificia university building, which is a separately owned catholic part of the university for theology and law schools, and has an adjoining church. This tour was in Spanish so there was a lot of me trying to follow what was being said, but the general jist of it consisted of a very fancy staircase, cloister and some sort of debate room.

The building was very fancy, and there were many references to important figures from Christianity, the history of the university, and the monarchy. I think you would be very lucky to study in these surroundings.

You can also climb the towers of the buildings and walk around the outside of them. The views of the city are great here, and I enjoyed seeing the bells. The only downside was that it was a foggy day!

Of course, I also visited Salamanca’s Cathedral. You actually get two for the price of one when you visit, as the old cathedral resides inside the new cathedral. When the new one was built, the city decided not to tear the old one down but instead incorporate it. They are very different and make it a very large space to visit. A useful audio guide is included in the visit and pilgrims receive a discount.

The new cathedral has many chapels and lots of detail, as well as two beautiful organs that can be admired from the front and back. The choir carvings are also exquisite. It is a brilliant place to take photographs. Later, on the self guided tour, I entered the old cathedral, which has a much more plain and simple feel to it. Though the architecture is simple, it does still have many chapels as well, and many more ancient wall paintings to admire. The cathedral also has a small museum space to enjoy.

In the evening, Salamanca’s golden stonework, lights up the streets and the shopping areas and main plaza is bustling after 8pm. I happened to be here after the christmas decorations were up, so I was able to dine outside in the plaza with a lovely meal and a heater, and watch the christmas display with hundreds of local people.

The next morning, I wondered along the riverside, took a look at the roman bridge and visited an art nouveau and art déco museum, within a beautiful building called ‘Casa Lis’. The building has gorgeous stained glass windows and a stained glass roof. Unfortunately, no photos were allowed except for in the cafe, so there is only a photo of my hot chocolate! This was delicious 😉

Finally, I made my way to the train station for my next stop. I was delightfully surprised by the train station in Salamanca. It is huge and has many restaurants and a cinema attached within the building.

Overall, Salamanca was a pretty little city, with a good few things to see that are all very close together. I would be happy to return and visit more of the university, noble houses and palaces next time.

How the Camino de Santiago has changed me

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Before walking the Camino de Santiago, I had thought that people were being cheesy and over sensitive when they talked about their camino experiences. After 828km of different cultures, landscapes, and physical and emotional challenges, I know better now.

It is hard to explain why I began this great challenge in the first place. I liked walking, I wanted to practice my spanish, and I suppose I wanted to prove something to myself, but the truth is that it goes a lot deeper than that. It has a lot more to do with feeding the soul (I know that sounds corny, but it is true).

‘Normal’ life is so fast paced, and so fixed on superficial goals; making the most money you can, being the best at your job, being popular, educated, prosperous in all things. I found that I had become lost in the noise of it all, unable to relax, nor ever fully able to satisfy the expectations of others. Life was not energizing me, and after suffering the loss of loved ones too, I could not see a way out of the maze I was in.

When I decided to leave everything behind to start travelling and begin walking the camino, many people told me that they envied my courage. The truth is, whilst it is brave to leave your comfort zone, that is not what led me to walk ‘the way’. When you get so desperate to live happily, you will try anything to reconnect.

The Camino de Santiago is not a leisurely walk, or even just a physical endeavour. It is a spiritual journey full of physical anguish, beautiful moments and life changing epiphanies. That is what my life needed.

Every day, there was only one goal, to follow the bright yellow arrows, and find the next place of refuge. The only priorities are food, water, shelter and occasionally if I was lucky, heat & hygiene.

There were moments when putting one foot in front of the other was agonising. With blistered feet, tired muscles, sweat streaming down my face, as I carried everything I had on my back. I’d wonder if I made the right choice, if I could carry on. Then, something would happen, something small and natural, and it would change my thoughts. Things like finding an ancient cave, seeing a rare eagle fly just next to me, or a beautiful mountain view.

I had one day, when I had been walking for two hours in the rain, uphill, I was in pain and not enjoying myself. Then, suddenly, the rain cleared and I was at a natural park with views of the sea and rivers running past, birds swooping down to the water below… and then above me a rainbow appeared. This almost moved me to tears. It rejuvenated me and reminded me that all storms are followed by beautiful light and life.

But isn’t that what life is about?

Working through the struggle to get to the happier moments. Life is a constant search, not for happiness as a constant state, as this is not possible. It is a search for moments of happiness, contentment and peace. You cannot have moments of happiness without the contrast of pain and struggle.

Quite a few times during the walk, I compared it to what I imagine childbirth is like to some degree. Your feet swell, your back hurts, you have an agonising physical experience, then when it is over, you forget all the pain and can only think about the amazing result. Often, people forget about the pain so easily, that they want to do it again!

What is perhaps more important that this, is that the more pain you have endured, the more happiness you have the capacity to appreciate. I used to wish that the bad things that had happened in my life, hadn’t happened, but if they hadn’t how could I have the strength and search for happy moments that I have. If you never stumble, how can you learn to get up?

Many people already have all they need to live happily. Medieval pilgrims would have seen normal people today as rich in all they have, and expect us to know our blessings. In the western society though, people no longer can appreciate it. I would now argue that we have become too comfortable, too lacking in the struggle to survive. This is why it is harder to feel happy moments when they come, instead you feel nothing at all.

If you lived in nature, and it began to rain, you would need to find or build shelter to escape it. You may also rejoice the rain, because after long drought, your survival depends on it. I cannot count all the times I have cursed the rain, and been angry about it, simply wishing it would stop, meanwhile I effortlessly wonder into my home, that I did not take any risk in acquiring.

When exploring the ancient lives of paleolithic cave people during my walk, and visiting their shelters, I realised how ungrateful I had been. These people had barely anything, and what they did have, they spent long periods of time making themselves. They lived in damp hard holes in the ground, and had to fight bears and other animals for the right to be there.

This made me reconsider things. I should be grateful for the rain that many others might pray for still today, and the home that I did not have to bleed for.

Once I began to change my mindset, I started to appreciate things. Everything became more special. Whilst the rain may not be may favourite weather, I could now look up and smile in it.

A piece of bread was now vital substance, my socks and shoes were precious gems, and passing animals became welcome friends. I watched the snail slide down the same path as me, and considered his struggle, following the same hard terrain with no tools, and his home on his back. I found a new respect for many creatures that do not possess the aids that we have. I could not match the struggle of the snail, the donkey or the stray cat. I must remember and appreciate this.

It all comes down to perspective, and there is plenty of that around on the camino, from the scenery to the people you meet.

I met so many different people, and had such varied conversations. From simple laughs with local bar tenders, to deep life conversations with diners on the next table to me. Most of the pilgrims I met were searching for the same thing as me. Meaning.

I met a couple that had already been cycling for four months from their home in Germany, wanting to find more joy in their lives. I spoke with an Englishman that wanted to live day to day, and a man from Belgium, who was looking for a new direction.

The nuns, farmers, small business owners and simply just other pedestrians, we were all sharing the same need to slow down. The culture of Spain in general is very relaxed, and people savour their meals and take their time to talk to strangers and neighbours alike. The amount of times I was stopped by a local that wanted to talk with me and ask about my journey, is hard to count! It was so warming, and it just made me feel connected to these people.

Whilst I have met many people, most of my time was spent alone with my thoughts. Friends have asked me if it’s horrible being alone, and don’t I get lonely.. well I did get lonely, and sometimes it made me sad, but more often I was happy.

I could sing as loud as I wanted to songs that I do not know the words, cry about stuff that only mattered to me, and work through my thoughts. I know that it can be scary to face your thoughts and feelings, but it is the only way to move past them.

I don’t believe these are things that someone could have told me and I would have then understood. They needed to be lived. Going back to basics as far as possible, this was the shock I needed, to remember what I have and what life offers us all. To be able to be grateful to just be on this planet and living this moment, and enjoy it!

It truly is a pilgrimage, and a journey to explore yourself, and I would recommend that anyone who feels lost, walks ‘the way’.

Camino del Norte: Top 10 best places to stay

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During my two months following the Camino del Norte from Irun to Santiago de Compostela, I have stayed in all sorts of places. Some were absolute luxuries and some were absolute horror stories. I have now narrowed down my top ten.

On the Camino de Santiago’s many routes there are lots of accommodation types on offer:

Albergue / Hostel

Very similar to each other, many are pilgrim only. The main differences to remember are that in an albergue you generally have one main hall for everyone, lights out and lock up at 10pm and have to be out by 8am. Many have no heating, and you have to keep your fingers crossed for a bottom bunk, as after a week of walking, you won’t want to be climbing a ladder each time you need to wee.

Pension

This is normally a guesthouse but sometimes a pension might have a bunk room, and extra services. Normally it is owned by a husband and wife team, and they will have a bar/restaurant next door.

Pasada / Country Lodge

These are like luxurious pensions and tend to be in a rural scenic location, in a small village, and possibly the only place to stay.

Hotel

I would say that a hotel is obvious, but it is not. There are many different standards and many hotels have no services at all, and are really pensions. For me, a hotel needs to have a manned reception, this was only common in hotels above three stars.

Top 10

To make it to the top, the accommodation has to have the big three; great location, great price, and a great bed.

1. Blai Blai Hostel, Zarautz

I had a really comfy stay at the Blai Blai. The hostel is in a popular location for not only pilgrims but also lots of surfers. The woman on reception was very nice and helpful. There is a supermarket above and to the side of the hostel, so very convenient. The rooms are very clean and modern, with all the outlets you need in your own little bunk. The only cons were that there was no oven (not uncommon), and no in house washing machine, I had to go to the laundarette down the street.

2. Albergue Bide-Ona, Portugalete

Unfortunately, I don’t have a photo of this one. The guy managing the albergue is really friendly, and helped a lot with information and route planning. The albergue is clean and organised, and has a really chilled vibe to it. There is also a really reasonably priced cafe down the road where I got a giant bowl of cesar salad that was delicious.

3. Pasada Villa Rural, Guemas

Again, another one with no photo. This is pretty much the only place to stay in Guemas, as it is a tiny village. The lodge is really nice quality though, and the owners have a restaurant next door which is handy. The views from the rooms are really nice and you can enjoy sitting on the terrace too.

4. Canal Hotel, Unquera

I think the photo below is enough to earn the Canal Hotel a place on the list! In general though, it was a pleasant hotel, with clean rooms, friendly staff, and a free breakfast.

5. Casa de la trinidad (San Francisco Convent), Laredo

This convent had no heating but otherwise it was great! The nuns sign you in, and then buzz you in and out when you go for dinner. The rooms are very clean, and there is a kitchen available. It felt very special to sleep in the convent, and I had the room to myself (there are only two beds to a room).

6. Casa Espana, Villaviciosa

I really thought I had a photo of this hotel but apparently I don’t, and that is very annoying! It is a very pretty hotel! It is a historic building and has a gorgeous appearance outside and inside. In my room was lots of hard wood antique furniture. Everything was very clean. The staff were also very helpful.

7. Boogalow Hostel, Gijon

The Boogalow hostel is still fairly new and it is a really comfy stay. A great location, facing the beach and with sea views. There is fun decor including games and best of all, a swing chair! The hostel offer lots of free muffins and snacks etc, the only downside was they needed a few more bits of kitchen equipment, in case there are lots of guests wanting to cook at once.

8. Hotel Palacio de la Magdalena, Soto del Barco

This former palace is beautiful and very luxurious! I had so much time in the bathtub, and laying on the comfy bed. They even gave you your own dressing gown. I realised later that there was also a spa! Unfortunately, I was only there one night and did not have any swim gear so could not take advantage. I did use the hotel restaurant which was very fancy and still reasonable at only €16 for the menu of the day. Plus, they gave me complementary leek cake!

9. Casa de Manas, Grove

Beautifully finished country lodge, surrounded by a river and cows. The bed was very ‘princess and the pea’ style, the radiators looked like marble, and the bath was a jacuzzi. Very nice! The owners were also very helpful and provided a free breakfast at the restaurant a little up the hill.

10. Hotel San Marcus, Sobrado dos Monxes

Comfy room, and nice bathroom. Very cosy, with a balcony to sit on and views of the monastery. The lady running the hotel also made free drinks and snacks available 24/7 and breakfast was included.

Doing the camino off season, did leave me with less options to choose from this year, but I am so glad I managed to get a bed at these locations. I would recommend to anyone doing the walk, to mix it up and sprinkle some different types of stay into your trip. You deserve a little luxury after walking for 40km in one day, and the baths really help!

Camino de Santiago: Vilalba to Santiago de Compostela (FINAL 100km)

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This week was my final 100km to Santiago de Compostela. Many people begin their entire route from here, for me, it was the beginning of the end, of a very long walk.

Now that I am in Galicia, a new language has been introduced again, a subtle change in culture and architecture. It is so interesting to see the subtle changes. The terrain is flatter and now includes many forests, and little services.

The week began great, leaving before sunrise to walk to Vilalba, I enjoyed my first walk in mostly sunshine for many days. I got some brilliant photos, and whilst my foot was sore, I was full of positivity. Especially once I saw the first road sign to Santiago! It finally felt within reach!

I made my way to a cafe, which I found then to be closed, but hung around outside looking sad until the nice spanish lady let me in! She opened up just for me and I had a hot chocolate, and a long conversation in spanish about politics and Galicia. Very good practice.

Before I knew it, I had made it to the hostel. I was all on my own at the hostel, and it was 1km outside of town, so I had an interesting attempt at ordering a delivery. After a long struggle, I finally had my cheeseburger and chocolate brownie, snuggled up in my sleeping bag.

Vilalba is a nice town, with lots of shops and services, a little castle. It would make a good rest day stop, if I had not been so eager to finish!

The walk to Baamonde was very rainy and had many roads, except at the beginning where there was a pretty boardwalk route through a park along the river. It was ‘only’ 22km but a big struggle with an already very sore foot and knees. Thankfully, I had some company in the second half, in the form of a lovely pilgrim from Switzerland. He had already walked 2000km, and was already ready to get to Santiago by now. I love walking alone, but it is nice to have someone else to listen to other than your own thoughts sometimes. Eventually, we made it to our hostel, and enjoyed a lovely dinner together of baby squid again, of course.

Baamonde is a very small place, but it is also the marker point for being 100km from Santiago de Compostela. This makes it a starting point for many people’s journey. For me, it was a beautiful sign that my journey was almost complete.

The next day I had a choice to make. I could do one long day of at least 32km to the next stage, or take another route over two days (doing 15km, then 25km). The guy from Switzerland wanted me to join him for the big hike, but my foot hurt too much. I decided to stick with my plan of long afternoon rests and went with two days. So we went our separate ways, with an agreement to celebrate together in Santiago.

The 15km to the little village of Miraz, turned out to be really enjoyable, despite my pain. The sun came out for me, and I could take lots of breaks as the walk was shorter. I walked with a herd of cows for at least 1km which was a fun experience, and I even came across a house where the owner made his own special pilgrim stamp. I knocked on the door, and he especially came out, lit a fire, melted some wax and stamped my passport.

On arrival to the village, I relaxed, soothed my feet and counted the days to Santiago.

The next day was my last walk over 25km, to Sobrado dos Monxes. The weather was very bad again, and the poncho was on all day. There were very little places to sit and no bars to use as refuge until I was an hour from the end. The landscape was quite different, more boulders and I could sense that I was now very high from sea level, making it much more windy.

I did spend two hours of the walk with three local spanish guys. We chatted in espanol, which was great practice for me. They walk the last 100km of the camino every seven years (on holy years) on the run up to christmas. So, they were fresh to the walk, on their first day, and so much quicker than me, who at this point is limping! I have been limping for about five days now… After a few hours I told them to go ahead of me, so I could take a break. Several hours later I arrived in Sobrado.

I was in a lovely hotel this night that overlooked the monastery in town. There was an option to sleep in the monastery with the monks, but at this point I just needed comfort and a hot bath. It was amazing to lay in hot water and soothe my muscles. The next day I left a bit later so that I could explore the beautiful monastery. I wanted to take the mass but the timings did not work with my schedule. The monastery is beautiful, and I almost missed a massive section of it where the door was out of sight! Thankfully, a nice monk pointed me in the right direction, and we had a good chat. Apparantly, they don’t use the large part of the church for masses anymore, instead it can be used for weddings. Very fancy!

Then by 11am, I was on my 22km walk to Arzua, and on to the home stretch now!

I cannot say anything good about this stretch of the walk. The rain never stopped, and I was in agony. I actually attempted to change my socks (in wet shoes) at one point, and squeezed about a pint of dirty water from them. There were many roads, and little places to rest. When I made it to Arzua, I was relieved and exhausted.

Arzua is quite a big town, and the joining point for the camino del norte with the more popular camino frances. This meant I would finally be able to send my backpack ahead of me for two days. Now that my entire body is sore, this is great news!

The next day started with irritation to get my backpack sent off, and with trying to fight for a chance to use the one plug outlet to charge my phone, that was shared by 40 people.

The rain this day was the worse there has been throughout, plus strong wind. I did not have my backpack though, so I felt light and quick for the first time in months. It was great. Whilst, I was still in pain and very wet, I found myself feeling very grateful, for life. Grateful to have the opportunity to be alive and here.

I also saw many other pilgrims along the way now, and I was able to get some sick satisfaction that I was not suffering the path alone. I can now identify a pilgrim with ease. The key identifiers are:

Backpack and poncho
Obsession with stamps
Hiking boots and poles
Tortured look in eyes
Broken spanish or use of the phrase ‘tanta lluvia’
Sports wear
Dirty and smelly looking
Walking with a limp, we all have the same one.

This day I spent the afternoon walking with a very lost looking 20 year old girl from China. She had only started a few days before, and was not well prepared. She only had a small puffer jacket, trainers,a little bag, no sleeping bag, and an umbrella that consistently turned inside out. She was struggling to find her way, and so I offered to help. We walked through absolute rivers to get to the next stop in Pedrouzo but whilst I was ankle deep in water, all I could do was accept it, laugh and keep singing along.

After one final night in a pilgrim hostel, a very cold damp night, I finally made my last big walk to just outside Santiago, Monte del Gozo.

The walk was a lot drier, only raining half the day. It was also an even mix of walking through woodland and road, which was good for the feet.

The best part, came at the end, when I visited the pilgrim monument overlooking my final destination, Santiago de Compostela. The monument is 600 metres off route on a hill, but worth the view. After this, I took a well deserved rest at a hotel outside the city, and found some much needed moisturiser for my poor feet.

The last part of my pilgrimage came the next morning, with a final 4km walk to the cathedral, and to receive my certificate!

Santiago de Compostela

The outside of the city is modern and industrial, with many neighbourhoods as you would expect. The exciting part is when you arrive in the old part of the city. There are many small plazas, arch covered walkways and historic buildings. I began to see the towers of the cathedral from quite far out, and as I approached it, the streets became more winding and maze like. The closer I got to the cathedral, the more pilgrims I saw, from all over the world, and with all the different gear on their backs or bikes. No one arriving on horseback though!

A large plaza faces the breathtaking cathedral, with three other historic buildings, one of which is a very pricey hotel. I was lucky to arrive when it was not raining, and we were all angling for the best shots. After admiring the outside decoration for a while, I made my way to the Pilgrim’s Mass.

All in spanish, the mass was difficult to follow, but the vibe was still nice, and unexpectedly they swung the Botafumeiro (big incense burner) across the cathedral transcepts, which is a well recognised symbol of the church.

After mass, I spent some time admiring the cathedral, and went a little crazy buying souvenirs. I then wondered around a little and came across another christian building that seemed to be quite intriguing. The monastery of San Martín Pinario, now partially used for a hotel, school, and museum. The main church is actually magnificent! Possibly more impressive in artwork than even the cathedral.

The choir sits behind the main altar, which is unusual, and so you can actually go to the back of the main altarpiece, and admire some amazing fine carpentry. You can also go upstairs and view the church from the galleries where a second choir resides! This was a lovely surprise. There is also an opportunity to look directly at the dome ceiling art. The museum also had some good pieces to admire, and this large attraction was only a few euros.

That night I met up with my new friend from Switzerland for our celebratory dinner, and we toasted to our success in making it to the end. He had arrived a few days before me, and told me where he had been shopping for new clothes. Now that I had walked into the city in literally rags, I decided I needed to prioritise a bit of shopping.

I took a bus from Praza Galicia for only €1 out to a big shopping mall, and spent a long while tracking down the right pair of jeans.. 😍 I don’t know why the Spanish only sell skinny jeans?! I have now walked 828km and these thighs still cannot fit in them! In the end I found some ‘mum style’ ones, a bit embarrassing but oh well. It is good to be back in denim.

After my shopping spree, I decided to make a visit to the Museum of Pilgrimage. This museum is four floors and pilgrims can enter for free. 👍The museum holds a mix of photographic exhibitions, historic artefacts, and paintings. The collections explain the origin of the Camino de Santiago (way of St James), who James was, and how his tomb was discovered in Santiago. The museum also explains how the pilgrimage route has become more popular over the centuries and many pilgrims’ experiences. The other pilgrimages from around the world and different religions are also discussed.

This was very inspiring to me, and I was glad to see that the reasons I chose to walk the journey were echoed by others.

Something else not to be missed at the museum, is going to the top floor. Here, I found up close views of the cathedral towers.

The final thing I did before I went to bed, was visit the cafe casino, opposite my hotel for a little cheesecake. This is a gorgeous building that is now a swanky cafe and even has a grand piano being played, to really make you feel at peace.

Overall, the Camino de Santiago has been a very unique experience. It has been a great opportunity to travel slowly, and see beautiful landscapes, as well as small villages and towns, that you would not likely stop in, if you were travelling to your destination directly. The people I have met, and culture and traditions experienced can never be replaced. I had said that I could never walk so far again, but the more I think about it, the more I think I could be convinced…