Tag Archives: Wildlife

Vietnam: North to South – Part One

Booked only a week before, after my trip to Israel was cancelled last minute, I decided to have my first go at Asia this month. Vietnam was on offer so I went for it and discovered a crazy and unique way of life with amazing food and very friendly people.

Getting there

The travel to Vietnam was very very long, whilst the flight duration may say 16hrs by the time we had travelled to Heathrow, and waited around in Bangkok and then traveled to the hotel we had stacked up over 24 hrs of travel. I had thought I’d planned out to miss my jetlag but it actually took 3 days of waking up at 3am to get over it.

We flew with Thai Airways which had tight seating but plenty of hospitality from the crew and the aeroplane food was some of the best I have had. On arrival to Hanoi airport, our taxi driver was waiting for us and we got to our hotel in about half an hour, after seeing some of the cityscape lit up at night.

Hanoi

We stayed in a hotel for our first few nights in Hanoi city. The hotel was immediately a relief with a welcome drink on arrival, a porter to carry our bags and a free upgrade to a very nice room. It was all going well, until my 3am visit to the bathroom…

That is when I discovered scuttling across the floor, the biggest cockroach I have ever seen. When you are already sat on the toilet half way through a wee too, the only choice is to throw your legs in the air! I found myself doing toilet balances at 3am to avoid it. Unsure what to do I spent the rest of the night with a light on unsure what to do and worried if I fell asleep I would wake up with a cockroach on my face. It took me a few days to get past this fear and just accept the potential for creepy crawlies around me.

Venturing out of the hotel into the city was another experience of taking your life in your hands. The traffic is some of the craziest I have ever seen. There is no pavement due to mopeds being parked all over it and to cross the road you must do what the locals do and just walk slowly and confidently over (like you’re sleepwalking) and hope nothing hits you! The roads here are so congested that they even have a street that is famous for a train that comes through as well as all the pedestrians and bikes and ends up about an inch from your face!

We cautiously took the steps from our hotel down to the famous lake which thankfully is pedestrianised around the edge and began to explore our first attractions.

First on the agenda was a few impressive buddhist temples, and also the St Joseph Cathedral. This gothic cathedral looks so strange with all the little asian shacks around it and motorbikes everywhere. I couldn’t go in unfortunately but I imagined it was similar to other catholic ones I have seen. A little bit of Europe in the middle of this crazy South East Asia whirlwind. I later found out from my guide that the french actually governed Vietnam for centuries and is the reason for some catholism here and that they now use alphabetic letters instead of chinese characters. Something to be grateful for as a tourist!

Another day in Hanoi took us on our four hour bus ride to Halong Bay, the famous world wonder that is an absolutely huge bay and once a very important port full of huge bouldering islands. We had a relaxing overnight boat cruise here where the service was amazing and we enjoyed an impressive selection of seafood and bar service on a boat all to ourselves in our small group of nine.

There are many local caves on the islands to explore and we ventured into one, and then towards dusk I had the pleasure of exploring an empty and calm section of the bay by kayak. The only thing that was man made around me was a small floating pearl farm where oysters were floating below growing pearls for fine jewellrey.

At night all the boats have to gather in one part of the bay so you can enjoy the sounds of distant karaokes and good times from your neighbours all around you.

We also got the opportunity to see some amazing charitable organisations on our route from Halong Bay. Two groups of crafters that were helping their community by making things to sell, one was doing it for the environment and the other for the disabled. I will touch more on this in a later blog.

Back in Hanoi, we had one more opportunity to look around. We tried for a third time to see the train on train street, but this time at night. The train schedules on the internet were all wrong, so we got there badly timed and when we tried to wait the police made us leave, even though we were half way through a paid meal. Overall, I would say only go to train street if you are happy to waste a lot of time and maybe only see the tracks.

Something that was well worth it for only about £6 and 1 hour was the Thang Long water puppet show by the lake. This show was a traditional artform telling folk stories of Vietnam in their language and with singing, using puppets within a big pool of water.

I wasn’t sure if it would be entertaining enough, but it was actually very funny at times and the show somehow managed to use smoke and fireworks on the water aswell which I dont even understand how. The best part may have been the music though. There was an orchestra of local folk musicians playing traditional and strange instruments and all in vietnamese formal wear. Overall it was super impressive!

Hue

Writing this section of the blog at 4am from a twelve hour sleeper train from Hanoi to Hue. Sharing a bunkbed in a room with three other travellers, I feel quite at home and I am enjoying the bumpy swaying of the carriage more than expected.

At night I can see the reflections of the train in nearby waters and marshlands and the odd distant light of a farmer or two working in the fields and by day the scenery becomes many small villages and plenty of rain!

The train has different classes, we are in a 4 berth, but there are 6 berth and then soft reclining seats and hard seats (for those true hardasses – literally). My room is quite good with a little mattress, space under the bed and a table with a selection of sweets.

The only thing that has been a horror is as expected, the bathroom situation. There is either a squat room for guess what.. squatting, or there is a western style toilet. The toilet started off okay but now I can tell you that by 4am it is not okay. Its a horror show. I am trying to figure out how I can not pee now until 11am. Note to self, must purchase a she-wee for travels!

Once we got to Hue and freshened up at our hotel, with an umbrella in hand, we were guided to the ancient citadel. Hue was historically the imperial capital and home of the kings of Vietnam. It still has the 21 metre thick walls surrounding it and many of the original buildings either still exist or have been rebuilt or are in the process of being rebuilt after collapsing from weather or war bomb damage.

The site is very pretty and a bit of a maze to walk around if you do not have a guide. It is mostly an outside visit except for a few locations where you can visit inside after slipping off your travelling shoes. I Particularly enjoyed the king’s gardens with many bonsai trees and bright green foliage. Obviously, due to all the rain, but green is my favourite colour so I’m okay with that!

The stories about the kings were interesting too. Kings were seen as Gods by the people, but for many centuries the kings were actually puppets for the french to put their influence over Vietnam. The kings ranged from 7 year old boys to a man that went from being a king to a french pilot. So random!

Later in the evening I had dinner with a local family that had been there for generations and the lady’s grandfather had been a direct servant of the king. The family now are well off in the area but still cannot afford to travel much and still work very hard. It is becoming apparent how hard people in Vietnam work to make a minimal living.

The next day in Hue, we ventured around the surrounding countryside and the town centre by motorbike. This thrilling experience was one I will never forget I imagine, it was an adreline rush full of beauty and culture. As I rode pillion to a Vietnamese man named (‘kern’) I explored a king’s final resting place, a local fresh market (where it is so fresh that the animals are still alive), and a local monk community. What a thrill!

Next day we move on to the South to Hoi An… in my part 2 blog.

Doñana Natural Park: An Exclusive Paradise…

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During one of my many days in beautiful Cadiz, Andalusia, I had the opportunity to take a tour to Doñana, a part natural park and part national park, where the inside of the park is only accessible by exclusive tour. I was blown away with the landscapes here in one of the most important natural areas in Europe.

My small group of less than ten with our guide took the long drive to Doñana’s water edge where La Rábida village was and a small ferry was available to take visitors back and forth to Doñana’s beach and natural park. The 30km of white beach is a public space that can be accessed but parked up on the beach waiting for our small group was our exclusive monster jeep that would take us deeper into the park.

The bumpy ride took us through a mix of ecosystems that were strange to find all in one place. Forest was first on the list and as we pushed our way between the trees over our muddy makeshift road, we spotted deers and wild horses.

We also visited some traditional thatched huts that once made up a small village of people that lived in this oasis, but are now government owned as the families have now passed on. The only person with a residence there now is the king that has a palace set in the middle of paradise.

Next was meadows and wetlands with wild free roaming cattles and wild pigs. I even got to spot a mama with three little piglets running around. I asked how the cattle access food and water because this is the driest region of spain, and the ranger explained that ditches have been dug out for the cattle to drink ground water that is underneath, but that is the only thing they do to intervene with their nature. I was very impressed with the animals’ resillience.

After this we ventured into a land of sand dunes that were up to 30 metres tall and vast! We stopped to have a walk around and the dunes that had been windswept there made you confused to think that you were just stepping outside of forests and meadows into this wasteland environment.

Our guide showed us some viewpoints here high up on the dunes as well as insects that were living in the sand and it made me curious to try to identify the animal tracks I was finding in the sand. The park is home to many endangered species including Spanish imperial eagles (which we thought we saw) and the Iberian lynx, which mostly keeps to itself.

Finally we returned to the beach for a drive amongst this long stretch of sand, crabs and driftwood before stopping our jeep so that the guide could show us a scorpion he found sitting under the wood.

I was totally blown away by this absolute eden of a park and considered how I would love to revisit as I sat down for a nice meal back on the other side of the water. I realise though that this exclusive park would not allow me back again unless it was on a tour so that they can properly protect this truly beautiful space. I feel very lucky to have had the chance to visit.

Buenos Aires, Argentina: Paris of the Americas (Part Two)

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Following my first trip to Buenos Aires, I returned to the capital city at the end of my three month trip around Argentina to have a final week there, enjoying some attractions I had not been able to visit in my first visit. This time I was joined by a travel companion and was staying in a luxury hotel.

A focus on Evita

Following my first visit to Buenos Aires, and visiting the grave of Evita, a famous Argentine first lady, this time round, I visited the Evita museum. I was keen to learn more about her life and work for the state. The museum is housed in a previous home for the poor that was set up through a foundation that Evita begun. The museum has several rooms with projections of Evita’s film clips as an actress, her speeches as an activist and also a viewing gallery for her red carpet gowns.

I found the museum to be really interesting but unfortunately photos were not allowed. The information was really good about her early life, career, relationship with president Peron, and her death. I learnt that she had a lot more involvement in charity work than I had realised. She also won the vice presidency but turned it down, which I was not aware of. After finishing our look around the museum, we had a tasty lunch in the museum’s restaurant which has a very nice courtyard.

A walk around the parks

I was able to visit a few more of the park’s in Buenos Aires this time, although not all of them, as the rosalade (rose garden) was closed for upkeep.. very annoying. I did manage to visit both the Botanical Garden and the Eco Parque which are next door to each other. This took a full morning, and both parks were worth a look, and free to enter.

The botanical garden has many exotic plants and large trees as expected, and had attempted to theme different sections by different garden styles, for example french or italian.

The Eco Parque is a very different experience. This pretty park used to be a zoo with many large exotic animals, and elegant victorian styled animal houses. In recent decades, most of the animals have been moved to other locations, or sent back to their natural habitat.

There are a few that still roam through the park though, because they are either too old or unwell to move, or do not need to be relocated. The park still has an old camel, plenty of capybaras, strange half rabbit half deer things, and even some monkeys. It is a pleasant place to take a walk in the middle of this huge city, as you never know what new animal will be around the corner.

Nightlife

In the evening, I was lucky enough to be rejoined by my German traveller friends again as they also finished their journey in BA. We headed out to Palermo Hollywood for a night of clubbing and mischief. After a night that lasted until around 6am, I was glad for my full hotel continental breakfast the next day!

La Plata

For a day out, we decided to visit the capital of the Province, the city called La Plata. The city was easy to get to, only 90 minutes on the train, and the main attraction there is a beautiful cathedral.

The cathedral is gorgeous on the inside, and as well as the main church, the attraction offers exploration of the crypt with a museum about its construction and original pieces, the opportunity to be lifted up the tower, and a sweet restaurant. A lovely morning out.

Horse riding in the Pampas

The province of Buenos Aires is part of the ‘Pampas’ region, and this is where the gauchos (Argentine cowboys) farm cattle the most. So, I decided to book us a day of horse riding in the area.

The four hour riding experience included a traditional asado lunch at the house of a local which was pretty special, and the horse riding itself was an unforgettable experience. For good and bad reasons…

The horse I was given, was a little young and barely broken in. This was coupled by the style of gaucho riding which is very different compared to english riding. The saddles and riding kit on the horse is very different and there is no front to the saddles. You are also expected to ride one handed and without a riding hat.

Whilst a little nervous about my horse’s behaviour, I took on the challenge. We rode through long grasses, roads, ditches, and woodlands and after trotting, cantering and a little bucking by my horse, I did manage to stay on the horse! Even though I was a little banged up. The experience was good fun, but the major downer was the extreme amount of mosquito bites I endured all over my legs i was rubbing toothpaste on my legs for days after! (Fun fact: it takes out the itch).

Lunch in Uruguay

We became aware that you could visit Uruguay easily from Buenos Aires’ port by crossing in the river ferry for around an hour. It’s always tempting to cross another country off the list if the opportunity arises, so we booked our ferry tickets and took the pleasant ride across to a town called Colonia del Sacramento. From here you can also take a bus to Montevideo (Uruguay’s capital) but we decided to save that for another trip. Colonia del Sacramento is a picturesque town with a very portuguese style to it, from when it was colonised by Portugal.

There are a couple of small museums and a church in the town to enjoy, and we had a long and luscious lunch of a traditional Uruguay dish called ‘chivito’. This is like a giant inside out meaty sandwich. Like Argentina, Uruguay also does not skimp on food portions.

Before we knew it, it was time to take the ferry back across the river. We had a good laugh about how we left the country just fot lunch though! 🤣

Tango

You can’t visit Buenos Aires and not watch a little Tango, as the traditional dance of the city. Not only can you see people dance this in the streets of Caminito in Boca, there are also plenty of theatres offering shows and classes. I wanted to do a class but they were multiple hours and I felt too lazy about it, plus I only had walking boots to dance with.

I did decide to book a show and after a little research, I booked a show at Teatro Porteno. You had an option of paying for the show on its own or with dinner included. I chose to purchase just the show which was about £23 but then on arrival, we were also provided with another menu to pick and choose food. We went for some empanadas and a delicious ham and cheeses board.

The show itself was amazing! Focused on locations around Buenos Aires, there was a variety of styles of Tango on display. They also had an act that used drums and cattle whips to create impressive rhythms with the music. I was really glad I visited.

Another location where tango can be viewed and learnt is Cafe Tortoni. This is one of the oldest and most fabulous cafes in Buenos Aires. The decor is very traditional italian/ bohemian and many famous faces have eaten here. We decided to visit for a merienda (afternoon snack) and really enjoyed our visit with some great sandwiches and cake.

There were plenty of other bits and pieces I experienced in this bustling capital, but these were definitely the highlights. My return to the UK following Buenos Aires was a very long journey, but also gave me time to reflect on my amazing journey around this beautiful country.

After my return to the UK, I will soon be embarking on my next journey, working on board a cruise ship around the Mediterranean…

Iguazu Falls, Argentina; World Wonder of Nature

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The Iguazu Falls meaning ‘big water’ in the native Guarani language, is a huge set of waterfalls set within the Misiones Jungle, at the Iguazu National Park. This world wonder provides a border between Argentina and Brazil, and a unique habitat for plants, trees, birds and other rare wild animals. I visited Iguazu for two days of exploring in the jungle and relaxing with good food and company.

Arriving in Puerto Iguazu

After a fifteen hour bus journey from Corrientes, I finally arrived at Puerto Iguazu. This town is the nearest settlement to the Argentina side of the Iguazu National Park. The town has several hotels and plenty of restaurants for relaxing evenings after exploring the jungle. I met up with a travel companion at this point, and we stayed in a hotel that was surrounded in jungle plants and had a very nice pool!

The jungle by day

During my two days in Iguazu, I visited the national park on both days. The national park is under 30 minutes from the town, and on arrival there is a large visitor centre, cafe, and ticket offices. The park also has paved pathways to lead you through specific parts of the jungle, and various refreshment points. The most surprising piece of infrastructure was the park’s jungle train. It runs on a 3km track to take visitors to the largest fall that is furthest away, and is included in the admission for the park. It is also worth knowing that your second day in the park gets a discount if you show your previous ticket.

Whilst there was some human structures, the park in no way looked ‘well kept’. It is a very wild area and I was amazed at the amount of animals that I was able to see roaming around. In my short time there I was able to see monkeys, capybaras, coatis, toucans, parrots and condors. There were also beautiful insects to see such as colourful butterflies, and huge ant hills with ants carrying leaves back and forth. There were also pumas and jaguars in the park, but they kept to themselves!

The jungle path led us through overlapping canopies of huge and unusual trees, until we reached the huge Iguazu river that flows through the park. To cross, there is a number of metal bridges to lead visitors to the largest fall ‘Giganta Del Diablo‘ (Devil’s throat). From here you can view the huge fall from a platform. There are several other paths to the other falls and other features of the park too. It seemed that everywhere you turned, there was a new wonder to behold! We only chose to walk around but other experiences are also offered, such as a river cruise, 4×4 drives, and repel experiences.

The jungle by night

Once a month, during a full moon cycle, there are a few days when you can visit Iguazu Jungle during the night, for a moonlight walk. I was excited to book this, and emailed the national park administration in advance to arrange my moonlight walk, followed by a traditional Argentine buffet.

There were at least twenty people in my group walk, and a guide that gave us a little information, but mostly warned us to not stray from the group, as the Jaguars would be out hunting! Slightly terrifying!

The tour used no lighting at all, not even a flashlight, we were entirely guided by moonlight. This made it quite special, as we could mainly just rely on the sounds of the jungle. We made our way through to the Devil’s Throat, over the many bridges, with the moon reflecting over the river water. The humidity in the jungle during the day had now dropped down to the ground, causing the bridges to be wet and slippery, which really added to the fear factor.

When we finally arrived at the waterfall, it was absolutely beautiful to see by moonlight. It shimmered in white and silver as it fell to the depth below, and the noise of it was deafening amongst the silence.

After the moonlight walk, we wondered to the national park’s restaurant for our traditional buffet. The restaurant was quite fancy, and had a huge parilla barbeque cooking meat of all kinds. I must have had at least three plates of food at that restaurant, as well as a dessert. I was stuffed, but it was also absolutely delicious!

After my weekend in the jungle, I set off to return to Buenos Aires for my final two weeks in Argentina. Iguazu certainly earns its title as a natural world wonder, it is an astonishing place with an abundance of wildlife, and I would be happy to revisit!

Corrientes, Argentina & Ibera National Park

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Corrientes city was supposed to just be a stopover on my way to Iguazu National Park, but due to the bus schedules, I had to stay for almost three nights. This ended up being a stroke of luck as not only could I enjoy the city, but especially because I was able to visit Argentina’s biggest National Park, and the world’s second largest wetland, Ibera National Park.

Corrientes city is the capital of the Corrientes province in the North of Argentina. I wasn’t sure what to expect as many people asked me ‘why are you going there?’. There is little publicised about this city or the nearby national park to visitors. It is still one of the world’s less explored locations. I am very happy about this. The city has a mix of some modern amenities but also a lot of old school traditions. Ever seen a road sign that says that pulling your horse and wagon through is prohibited? Now, I can say that I have. There are plenty of people still using horses to get around, and it is brilliant to see. Made me feel that maybe I could get picked up and trotted away by a local cowboy!

The city sits within this huge wetland area and has the huge Parana river separating it from the next big town. This huge river provides a promenade to enjoy and some beaches, so it is a good place to relax. I enjoyed a local ‘chipa’ (dough cooked over bamboo) and a smoothie whilst enjoying the sunset here. Later in the evening, I had a pleasant experience at the holy week mass in the main cathedral.

It was the week of Easter when I visited, and so all the local tour agencies were very busy. I was worried I would not be able to get out to Ibera National Park (also known as Esteros del Ibera), as it is 2.5 hours from the city, and I didn’t have the confidence to hire a car alone to this wild area. After some long whatsapp conversations with a few agencies, they managed to arrange a private transfer to Concepcion, which is a town that offers one of the access points into the park, and a long kayak trip on the rivers and bogs!

The Park is about 1 million and three hundred thousand acres in size. It not only comprises of rivers, bogs and lakes, but also grasslands, forests and savannas, depending on the part of the park you are in. The park is abundant in wildlife and is used to reintroduce many indigenous species. Deers, anteaters, caimans, and even tigers called Yaguareté can be found here.

I set off in my kayak with a group of Argentine people surrounded in marshy waters with lily pads all around. Within ten minutes I saw my first caimen, specifically a Yacare caiman which is medium sized (growing up to 3 metres). It was just poking out of the water, until I got a little closer, then I could see it slip away with that long tail swimming side to side. Amazing! Within half an hour, I had seen another two. It was such a cool experience. I was a little nervous, but the guide assured me that they would not attack, and they did seem quite timid really.

As I continued to row along, I saw beautiful and noisy birds of different colours, and enjoyed the scenery. We stopped for a picnic on top of the grasses, and as we began to dig into our sandwiches, a big Carpincho came by to have a look. These animals are known for being the biggest rodents in the world, and there are plenty of them in this national park. Shortly after this we saw a deer, followed by an owl, and even a south american racoon! I was very happy, I felt like all the animals had come out to see us.

I began to row back with a view of the sunsetting on one side, and a full moon on the other. One of the most beautiful scenes of my life.

The park can be explored by kayak, motor boat and by horse! Although.. you and the horse will have to get a little wet. I would love to return here and stay in the park itself for a few more days exploring other parts, because, just WOW!

The adventure isn’t over yet though, next stop Iguazu National Park! EEEEeeekkkk!

Tips for surviving a 24+ hour bus journey with your sanity

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When travelling in South America, large buses/coaches/colectivos/micros are the main form of long distance transport. It is not uncommon to travel for over 24 hours on the bus to get to your destination, as the distances between towns and cities are vast. Whilst the scenery might be amazing, you can only look out of a window for so long. Thankfully, most of the buses offer decent seats, the occasional rest stop and if you are lucky then you could have a shared TV playing movies (in spanish or silent). To survive the inevitable boredom, it is wise to follow some of the below tips.

Snacks

I have seen a few hopeless tourists embark on a 24+ hout bus journey with no food in hand, and then moan about being hungry for several hours. There are normally rest stops but you cannot guarantee what food will be on sale, or the regularity of the stops. Go prepared. There will not be a fridge so choose savoury items that will keep. Empanadas is a great choice. A large bottle of water is a good idea, but also kids sized fruit juice cartons can come in handy, to give you some much needed vitamins. I made sure to keep all my snacks in a separate bag to my main rucksack so that I could keep it on the seat with me, and not disturb everyone each time I needed something from the overhead shelf.

Batteries

Whilst some of the buses have USB chargers over the seats, this is not the case with all of them. I have found a portable charger (fully charged beforehand) to be invaluable. You can bet that you will not be able to access any signal or internet for the majority of your journey either so there is no need to waste charge on your phone trying and failing to get 4G. Put your phone on airplane mode, and you will be surprised how long it lasts you.

Bathrooms

There is normally one toilet on the bus and toilets at your infrequent rest stops. You can be assured that the hygiene of toilets being occupied by 30+ people in a short period, will not be good. Not only can you expect poor hygiene, but also dodgy locks and no toilet paper is common. Take tissue and anti-bacterial gel with you, I can not stress this enough. It is also not a bad idea to carry some pills to avoid any unexpected stomach problems on a strenuous and very shared journey. To give you an example of the demands of the on bus toilet… on a 26 hour journey, I put off going in the bus toilet as long as I could, until I could wait no more. I took myself to have a wee, to the toilet which by this point (hour 20 maybe) was a state. There was not only no tissue, but also no water in the tap, and I had thought the door was locked. Apparently not. When I went to pull up my pants, another lady threw the door open, and said “I’m sorry but I have to go in, I am going to be sick”. She then vomited into the only toilet for a bus full of people about four times. I did not use the toilet again that journey.

Offline entertainment

Before your long journey, do an audit of your phone/tablet/laptop apps. How many of them can you use offline? There are actually a lot of games that you can access offline that can provide some easy entertainment. I have become a regular player of the offline chess.com app at the this point, but I am still struggling to beat the computer… Previously downloaded tv series and movies on streaming services like Netflix or Disney+ or music from Spotify can also be a great way to kill off the long hours. You can also take to the traditional pencil and paper, and do some sketching, or journaling. I have been improving my sketching by drawing copies of photos I have taken of local scenery and wildlife. If all else fails, maybe bring a book?

Offline work

If you have the sort of job that you can work offline with, such as writing, then this can easily be a way to lose some time. If you are feeling like you want to put that time to good use. It is a good idea to test this out before your journey by disconnecting yourself from WiFi at your hostel, to see that everything works okay before you start promising on deadlines to be completed. I have been burnt by this myself when I assumed that the Microsoft Word on my chromebook would still work okay offline, it turned out that it was still powered by an online service, so I missed out on doing hours of work.

Sleeping

If you are on a long journey by bus, you will be travelling overnight, and testing out those reclining seats to the maximum. It can be cold on the bus in the evening, as you have not been moving around much, and the drivers always seem to crank up the AC for some reason. Probably to stay awake themselves. The problem is, this also keeps me awake. If you have a light blanket or something to put over yourself, make it reachable. I tried to get my coat from the overhead shelf in the middle of the night (4am), and it was very dark, and very awkward when in pulling my coat out, I accidently knocked a shoe off the shelf and it fell and hit the sleeping passenger in the face who was sitting in front of me. It was really bad.

Sometimes, being awake when everyone else is asleep can be a blessing though. It is super quiet, and you might see an amazing sunrise that everyone else misses. That is what happened to me on one journey…

Overall, don’t underestimate the planning needed before your long road trip. If you put in a little effort to prepare, you will be glad you did.

Argentina: Central Patagonia (Santa Cruz Province)

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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!

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…

Camino de Santiago: Aviles to Gontan

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This week I entered my final third of the walk, and as the rain poured down, the paths became rivers, but I powered on!

The week kicked off with a stop in Aviles, which is a large town. It has charming streets full of arches, old chapels and former monasteries, and a fountain of dribbling monks!

I stayed all alone in a large pilgrims albergue for the cheap fee of 8 euros and prepared for the week ahead.

Next was my soggy 20km to Soto del Barco. Most of the walk was through forests with deep red ferns and overflowing rivers.

I had hoped to find a cheap place to stay, but it was all pricey in this village at the bottom of the valley, so I decided to stay in a hotel. The hotel was beautiful as it was a former 18th century palace, and so enjoyed a little luxury and a slap up meal, of food that I could not identify!

The next day I walked to Soto de Luina. The rain continued and I had only been able to have a few small pastries and a piece of fruit for breakfast. I’d thought I would pass a cafe but all day I didn’t. The day was spent walking through forests.

Thankfully, forests and woodland are in my opinion, the easiest terrain on the joints, as the ground is so bouncy. I grew up in the woods (in a house not in the trees), and feel in my element within them.

The overflowing rivers and lack of food was making this very hard for ‘only’ a 22km walk. The day was full of ups and downs, and I had to stop frequently. A few times I thought I might pass out.

When I finally arrived in Soto de Luina, I made my way to my bed for the night, in an old abandoned school building. No heating, and no kitchen, but its all part of the experience… right? 😣

When I looked at my map, I found that my next stop in Luarca was up to 40km away (that is maybe 12 hours walk), and the morning came and my shoes were still wet, and my body still weak. So I decided to journey by train this day. I felt a bit guilty, but sometimes you have to know when to give yourself a break.

It was also a great place to do the train, as the track rides over the town of Luarca, and provides great views. The train driver was really nice too. We chatted in spanish, he showed me when to take photos, gave me some paper for my shoes, and showed me the control room! It also gave me a chance to nose around the town for longer, and just recover a little.

Luarca is a small town which was founded on fishing, especially for whales. The town has a winding river running through its centre and a reasonable amount of bars, restaurants and shops. As you walk through the town, which is full of grand indiano buildings, you are led to the harbour, two beaches and a climb to the lighthouse, cemetery and hermitage.

The hermitage is open to explore, and the cemetery can also be visited, and has some local famous figures within it.

The scenery is lovely, and whilst I was up against strong winds, I did manage to wonder around and look at the sites before the big storm hit! When I could hear thunder, and see snow, I knew the train had been the right decision this day..

The next morning, I headed to Navia. The rain started early and kept on coming, changing from small drops to monsoons without a second to react. I kept myself motivated by singing along to myself ‘hit me with your best shot!’ And it definitely did, when it began to thunder, I started to freak out that I was in the middle of nowhere holding metal sticks!

I pulled myself together and carried on, assuming that I was the only person mad enough to be out here, when another pilgrim appeared behind me.

This peregrino from down under, had managed to leave from Irun a week after me and was now overtaking me! Bit embarrassing… After walking together for an hour though I realised he had been doubling up trail lengths each day, not taken any rest days and was not stopping to look at things. Whilst I may end up being the last pilgrim of 2021, I still think slow and steady is a better experience. I do hope I’m home for Christmas though…

The arrival in Navia was met with a big smile from me, and in the pouring rain, and frozen to the core, I arrived at my hotel. Navia is a reasonable sized town and the hotel I stayed in was pleasant. One cheeseburger, and a warm bath later, and all was restored.

The next day was a big one, about 33km to Ribadeo, and into the final region of my camino, Galicia. It feels like forever that I have dreamed of standing in front of that beautiful Galicia sign. A sign that I have travelled over 600km and I am almost there!

I walked from sunrise to sunset, and the day started with the rain but by the afternoon there was some sunshine. There was also plenty of uplifting camino related signs, statues, and artworks. The day covered a mix of landscape; some forest but mostly road.

I did have a very natural river experience, when the river had overflowed the footbridge. I had to take my shoes off and cross bare footed. It was freezing, but fun!

At one point, I was given a choice of two routes, an inland one, and a coastal route. I chose the coast, so I had something to distract me from my ongoing pains, and because now I spend a lot of time trying to read the sky for clues of what direction the clouds will blow. It looked clear that way.

I made the right choice! I had 360′ views of nearly clear skies, with the ocean on one side and mountains on the other. This really was a nice surprise.

After 10 hours on the road I had to really push myself to make it over the bridge into Ribadeo as the night sky rolled in, and it began to rain again. The bridge is massive, and the views of the city are stunning, especially lit up at night. Then I got to the other side and finally saw the Galicia sign… and gave myself a big pat on the back.

Ribadeo is a must see stop, as it has lots of services and shops, and some gorgeous buildings.

The next morning, my body felt ruined, everything hurt and my foot was inflamed. I was facing another 10 hour walk, and there was no way I could do it. It was a sunny day, and I did not want to waste it or fall more behind. I spent some time in the nun’s convent praying for strength, visited the pharmacy for more ibuprofen, and took the one daily bus part of the way to Lourenzá.

I stopped here for a few hours and took a look around the outside of the gorgeous monastery which unfortunately was closed. I had some octopus and bread, and I walked a short 4km through forest to a nearby country lodge to rest my injuries. A while later that day, the Aussie stumbled in, and I was shocked to see that he wasn’t days ahead. It turned out, he had worked too hard, and was suffering with an injury now as well. There is no getting out of this walk unscathed!

The next day was supposed to be an easy 18km. The rain kept coming but I made it to my first stop in Mondenedo, this little city has a cathedral, that I was keen to visit. It was 3 euros to enter but did include an audio guide. The cathedral has a strange layout following many extensions, it has three naves, a chapel in the center, a small cloisters and a small museum inside. It is worth a visit, as the art work and choir in particular are lovely.

The city has a few other historical buildings, and an exhibition about Camino del Norte inside an old church. The man looking after it was very chatty and helped me to consider my next stages of the walk. He also warned me of an upcoming bank holiday when all the shops will be shut. The exhibition itself was quite interesting focused on the upcoming locations on the walk, within Galicia.

Once I had walked out of Mondenedo, I began a very long and vertical ascent. This eventually took me to the other side of forest, and I then walked about 10km through farmland. There are no services here, just me, the cows and two horses that took a run at me! I was entirely soaked, but singing along to my motivational playlist, which helped.

Then I decided to look back, and there was a double rainbow! Just the pick me up I needed, and lucky that I saw it. A minute later it was gone. An hour later, I finally arrived at Gontan’s pilgrim hostel. My clothes (2 outfits) were washed and dried for the first time in a week, and I fell into a coma.

The week has brought me a mix of emotions. There have been a lot of times when I have considered abandoning the camino, but I am still here, and still persevering. Pilgrimages are never meant to be easy, and with Santiago de Compostela so close now, I cannot turn back! Fingers crossed I can keep my body going until then…