Wheeling It: Tales From a Nomadic Life https://www.wheelingit.us On the Road Since 2010, Traveling Across USA & Europe With Pets Mon, 04 Sep 2023 08:36:01 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://i0.wp.com/www.wheelingit.us/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/cropped-Paul-and-Nina-JPG.jpg?fit=32%2C32&ssl=1 Wheeling It: Tales From a Nomadic Life https://www.wheelingit.us 32 32 61249942 Visiting The US (as a US Citizen Resident Abroad) https://www.wheelingit.us/2023/09/03/visiting-the-us-as-a-us-citizen-resident-abroad/ https://www.wheelingit.us/2023/09/03/visiting-the-us-as-a-us-citizen-resident-abroad/#comments Sun, 03 Sep 2023 19:03:16 +0000 https://www.wheelingit.us/?p=62629 continue reading]]> Since my announcement last week (SOOOOO lovely to hear from you all, by the way) I’ve been deep in planning mode. Planning my trip, what I’ll need, where I’ll go….etc.

It’s exciting and oh-so-familiar at the same time. I know the PNW coast like the back of my hand, and just looking at the map has me reliving memories that flow through my mind like a vivid movie reel. I can taste the sea, smell the moisture in the air, feel that sand between my toes. It’s so close I can hear it in my soul.

I can’t wait to lighthouse geek again (Cape Blanco, 2014)

And yet, as I zoom into my soon-to-be drive I also discover places that I don’t recognize. Forest service campgrounds we never went to in “the beast” simply because she was too darn large. Small highway stops we never made, mostly for the same reason. Alas I also find out that many places are already booked up (arghhhhhhhhh!), the inevitable result of more RVs on the road (I guess) and 7 years since I last visited that corner of the world. Even my beloved Cape Blanco, one of the last great FCFS campground on the OR coast, has now become reservation-only (nooooooo!).

I’m going to have to plan this trip out more thoroughly than I originally thought…

On top of that are all the other details the come along with long-distance travel. Although I’m a US citizen (which means I don’t need any kind of travel authorization or visa to come back), I live abroad and that means I do have to think of health insurance, phone service, rental car and all kinds of other details that a US person living in the US might not  have to deal with. It’s an odd (and very specific) topic which may admittedly not be of interest to many, but I figured I’d make it into a blog post just the same.

After all, maybe one day some of US my blog readers will live abroad and decide to come home for a road trip too?

First, A Bit Of Info On My OR Coast Bookings                             

I honestly didn’t plan to book any sites for my up-coming October trip. In fact my whole point of traveling by car and tent was to avoid this very thing, to give me max flexibility so I could just drive and pitch up (or Airbnb it) wherever I felt like it.

Realizing that Cape Blanco State Park has gone to reservation-only changed that plan.

Can’t quite believe it, but the OR coast portion of my trip is now booked!

There are places I must stay at this trip, to soak my soul and recharge the very innards of me and it seems I’m not the only traveler out there with that idea for Oct. State Parks are heavily booked, way more than they ever were back in the days we traveled the coast, and I simply don’t want the stress of traveling 8,000 miles to find out I can’t get into the places I really want to. So reluctantly this week I sat down and booked all 10 or so days of my coastal drive.

I’m not keen on it, but I think it’s going to be worthwhile…

I’ve booked 2 yurts on this trip, my first time trying that!

I’ve got several days secured in Cape Blanco (yeahhhhhhhh!), a tent site at Sunset Bay, a prime waterfront spot at Tillicum FS Campground (which is a “first” for me), a beachfront site in Cape D, and a couple of Yurt stays.

The latter was a last-minute idea and I’m curious to see how it works out. Basically I think I’m going to be fine “roughing it” with a tent, especially for the short time I’m in the USA, but I also know OR weather can be super finnicky. I could get great weather (fingers and toes crossed) or it could rain the entire time I’m on the coast (for the love of Odin, please no) in which case the 2 breaks I booked in a Yurt may save me mentally.

Either way all is booked now, for better or worse….

I’ve Rented A Car…And Found An Odd Cost Loophole 

Car rental prices (in case you don’t know) have gotten insane since COVID.

From what I understand many car rental companies drastically reduced their inventory during COVID, and supply still hasn’t caught up. My car rental for 20 days in OR will cost me close to $1,000 (!!!), and that’s the cheapest option I could find with separate pick-up and drop-off cities. Incidentally I also found an interesting cost loophole as I was pricing it out.

Booking a car using a US address for 20 days (not my exact dates, but an example), taxes not included in price

Renting on my French license (as a resident of France) gave me ~40-50% discount compared to renting on my US license with a US address. Seems nuts, right? I priced out several rentals, both directly and through discount sites like rentalcars.com (all using incognito mode on my web browser) and got a better price with my foreign address each and every time using the exact same dates, insurance options and terms. Whether this is a fluke or a real loophole it’s certainly very interesting and something that I’ve only seen mentioned on a few select forums.

Same dates, same car, same exact insurance options, but using a French address (????), taxes not included in price

By the way I know many of you asked why I’m not renting an RV or van for this trip and TBH I would have loved to, but that price is closer to $3,000 for 20 days which is a bit too insane for me, especially as camping prices are the same on-top either way. For a good $2,000 in savings I’m happy to “rough it” with a tent, at least I am right now (let’s hope I don’t come to regret that choice LOL).

Bottom line, if you’re a s US citizen resident abroad and you need to rent a car back in USA, try pricing it out with your foreign license and foreign address before you use your US license/address (if you still have those). You might be very pleasantly surprised!

I Need Health Insurance..And It’s Reasonable

An often overlooked part of travel, especially for US citizens going home is health insurance.

As a French resident in the French system I am covered for just about everything including emergency treatment all across Europe. However this does not cover me in USA, and as someone who has researched and understands the true costs of US healthcare it would be insane to ignore this.

This is what my credit card “accident insurance” actually covers. Not what you expected, eh? (from Chase benefits guide)

Now I have several credit cards that offer travel insurance, but when it comes to healthcare coverage the devil is always in the details. For example my “best” credit card at the moment (Chase Sapphire Preferred) offers $100,000 “accident insurance” if I pay for the entire trip with the card. This sounds pretty darn good at face value, but if you read the actual Chase policy it only covers me for very, very specific injuries (e.g. loss of a certain number limbs, or permanent loss of eyesight, or death etc.). In other words, if I simply get sick or end up in hospital and don’t lose a limb (for example) I’m not covered at all!

There are other credit cards which offer “emergency medical” coverage as well (which is more all-encompassing) but often you’ll find the $$ values are too low (anywhere from $3,000-$10,000) for US healthcare purposes. If something serious happens to me, IMO this is not nearly enough.

These guys offer a decent product for Americans visiting home
Quote for 20 days of coverage for me in Oct (it’s age-dependent of course so you may get a slightly different price)

I am not yet of Medicare age, so what I need is a stand-alone health insurance policy and not only that I need an insurance company willing to insure Americans who live abroad for short-term visits back home (it’s kind of a weird insurance situation). I’ve only found a few companies that do this, but IMG is one of them and they offer a plan called Patriot America Plus that rides on the United Healthcare PPO network (which is fairly substantial), and also covers COVID-related illness.

I haven’t used this plan and hope I never have to, but for 20 days, I can buy a $1 million coverage plan with $0 deductible for only ~$189 (even less if I chose a small deductible). Honestly I consider this a pretty solid deal.

Bottom line, don’t rely on your credit card to cover you for general healthcare purposes, especially when traveling to USA. Just buy a separate healthcare plan. For non-US residents, it’s not all that expensive and you’ll have peace of mind.

I Need A Cellphone Data Plan…Going eSIM 

I wish I could do my trip to the USA without any connection at all, but alas I am directionally-challenged and addicted to Googling everywhere I go. Plus I want to stay in touch, post some stuff….all the modern conveniences of life whatnot.

It looks like ATT coverage is pretty solid in PNW these days. Not much 5G, but I can live with that.

My French Orange phone plan does provide an “add-on” that I can buy for USA travel, but the data amounts are pretty small (10Gb) and I just know I’ll blow through that in no time, especially as I’m staying in state parks with no WiFi to tide me over.

Thankfully there are several companies that sell short-term data plans (say, 20 days or 30 days) either with a physical SIM or eSIM (which my iPhone can handle) at pretty reasonable prices.

The main “gotcha” with kinds of plans is that they’re sold by third parties (Holafly, Yoho, Airalo, Nomad, Ubigi etc.), so what you really need to figure out is which underlying network (T-Mobile, ATT or Verizon) they’re running on, as this obviously affects your coverage big-time. Also there are hundreds of these kinds of services, but for unlimited data (why not) there’s only a few options that look good and rate well (high customer satisfaction).

Some of the best USA short-term eSIM data options (as of Sept, 2023)

Personally I think I’ll be going for Holafly which runs on both ATT and T-Mobile, and claims to provide truly unlimited data (in their FAQ section they say you could get throttled for 24 hours if the network sees > 90GB usage and decides you have exceeded local Fair Use Policy, but otherwise there are no limits). I’ll let you know if it works out!

Note/ All these eSIMs are data only (no voice calls or SMS), so I plan to use Whatapp for all my calls/texts while traveling. If you need phonecall & SMS ability there are physical SIMs from companies such as Simify that offer data/voice/SMS.

More about eSIMs and travel: Best eSIM For International Travel
More about Mobile Internet in USA: Mobile Internet Resource Center

I Will Need *Some* Comforts Too

I may be “roughing it” this trip with a tent, but I also plan to bring along a few comforts that will hopefully make my life easier.

I’ve done enough long-distance walking over the last 2 years that I have a pretty tight packing list and know how to go light as well as what mini-comforts make me happy. I just need to upgrade things a bit for this car-camping trip such as bringing a tent, camping pad, collapsible chair (essential, I tell you), backpacking stove/pot and portable French press (I must have morning coffee or I will DIE!). Most of these I already have from my old backpacking days 20+ years ago, but I’ll need to bring ’em out, dust them off and make sure they haven’t turned into mouse food somewhere along the way. Perhaps, once I get my gear together, I’ll post about that too.

That’s about it my friends! For those few of you that might actually have stayed with me this far and found this blog post interesting (I know it’s somewhat specialized) DO let me know if you have any other questions. For the rest of you, I will see you here again soon.

The only things I’ll miss this trip? Polly and Paul along for the ride (Cape Blanco, 2014)
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Fall Plans (to USA!!) And Life Update https://www.wheelingit.us/2023/08/27/fall-plans-to-usa-and-life-update/ https://www.wheelingit.us/2023/08/27/fall-plans-to-usa-and-life-update/#comments Sun, 27 Aug 2023 15:23:51 +0000 https://www.wheelingit.us/?p=62546 continue reading]]> It’s been a while, I know, I know.

We’ve just been hanging out…and traveling

It’s the story of my life these days, still trying to find my new balance, that tricky place between living my life and sharing it online. These last 4 months (!!) have been my longest break ever, the absolute longest time I’ve been completely off all social media, at least since I was a young lass before the internet ever even existed.

It’s been an interesting experiment, good in many ways, perhaps a bit lonely in others. I really needed the break, but I can’t deny I’ve also missed the interaction with blog friends old and new.

Lots has happened of course.

Our pets are doing really well, Polly and the two cats. The cats are international travelers now, having made a month-long trek to Italy back in May in the motorhome. If I get organized enough to write about it I will, as it really was an outstanding trip and a place we’ll definitely go back to in the future. Besides who doesn’t dream of la dolce vita, morning cappuccino in the town square, chats with the locals, an aperol spritz,  and the passeggiata, the evening walk all Italians take to socialize and take in the air?

It’s the life, it really it is, and given the free daily treats Polly got at the local butchers, she can most pawsitively attest to this.

We’ve also been for a cool trip into the Pyrenees mountains in LMB, I drove to Nice for an awesome week-end to visit a dear friend and we’ve attended several local events. It’s all been good, really.

But the main reason I’m “back” here today is to share my plans for a fall trip to USA, get some feedback and perhaps the chance to meet-up with some of my good blog friends along the way. In fact this whole plan has come together rather quickly and surreptitiously, which makes it both super exciting and comfortable to blog about. My perfect kinda of travel plan.

Plans…I have exciting travel plans!!

A Quick Update On France

Before I launch into the deets lemme give you all a quick update on our life here in SW France.

This week we saw our very first heatwave…and it was a doozy!!

Honestly, apart from this week it’s been a surprisingly easy summer. While the whole world roasted away, our weather stayed unusually cool and mild. It made no sense really, as places just steps from us plunged into deep drought and suffered intense heat-waves whereas our little teeny corner of France just….coasted along?

In fact all was bliss until this week when our first canicule (heat-wave) and the hottest day we’ve ever seen in SW France sent temps rocketing above 43°C (109°F) and everyone into hibernation in their house caves with shutters closed and air on. It was brutal, but 2 days later it’s back down to 16°C (60°F) and rain. Insanity, really!

The pets have loved it, as has the garden too.

We sowed a single packet of Italian cherry tomatoes in Spring that has now become a forest of 60 (!!) bushes so loaded up with candy-sweet fruit we harvest a good kilo almost every other day.

This is entirely accurate

We used a local “no dig” method too, where we just piled a thick layer hay on the ground in early spring, planted in our seedlings (very deep) after a few months, gave it a good watering and then just left it. No pinching of side-shoots, no additional watering, literally nothing at all. It’s been such an outstanding success that I don’t think I’ll ever do tomatoes any other way.

We’ve also enjoyed an abundance of cherries (late Spring), a crazy number of Mirabelle plumbs and Asian pears (right now) and of course an insane supply of zucchini’s.

The latter is an old gardening joke and the fodder for endless memes. Everyone has so many right now you can’t even give the bloody things away, and should someone leave you a multi-ton pile at your doorstep you have to ask yourself what they really mean by it. Forget “sleeping with the fishes”, it’s “crushed by zucchinis” here in SW France!

And Of Course The Paws

The paws are doing great, truly.

Polly is an old girl now and almost completely deaf, but she’s still in great form, loves her daily walks and is very serious about “the schedule”. Her days revolve around food, naps and herding us into action which mostly involves barking when we happen to miss an important event (say, a few seconds late on the morning feed), as she can’t hear anything else at all these days. Oh and of course, she spends many hours keeping track of the cats. A full and adventurous life.

The cats are an absolute pain in the butt and total joy.

Maya is the crazy lover, always wide-eyed and curious, totally enamored with Polly and wants to be involved and wherever we are, preferably with a paw on us just in case we happen to move while she’s asleep. She’s as nuts as she was when she was a teeny kitten, loves to be chased and has taught herself to fetch, a game she’ll play for hours on end on her own or (preferably) with us to throw. She’s so darn cute.

Dante is still a totally chillaxed cat, soft, sweet and docile except for the rare, odd moments when she freaks herself out and springs up in the air like a jack rabbit with her tail puffed up to three times its size (it’s so random). She prefers to spend her days by herself, napping in her special spots, but can also be intensely cuddly and will reach out her paw to you and meow softly when she wants some love. She’s also too darn cute.

Life with pets is more complicated, but IMO always more fun.

And Now, To The Future 

So yes I’m going to USA, out West no less, in Oct of this year. Wheeeeeeeeeeee!

My (very tentative), ~1400 mile, 20-day plan for USA

It’s been 7 long years (!!!) since I last stepped foot in my beloved PNW. I’ve been planning to go back ever since, but as these things go it just never came together until it suddenly did, just a few weeks ago. Some gentle pushes from Paul, a couple of text exchanges with dear friends and then “the event” that crystalized the dates, the Annular Solar Eclipse in Oregon on Oct 14th.

Oh yes, there we have it baby! That’s the sign.

Once I zoned in on that, everything else fell into place like a line of stacked dominos ready to go. I got my tix booked (on credit card miles, naturally), locked in several visits with close friends, found out my good buddies Technomadia are going to be at Eclipsefest (yeah!) and mapped out a loose itinerary of where(ish) I’m going to travel.

We’ll see how this goes LOL….

The crazy price of rental cars locked in my final decision of how I was going to do all this, and it’s something I haven’t done since my 20’s…car camping with a tent…old school style, baby!

So now the bones are in place, I’ve just got the mini-details to work out: Internet access (I’m researching various short-term data e-sims), where to car tent camp (I know where to RV camp on the OR coast, but tent camping??), and how many stops to make (sadly I only have ~20 days to do it all). Exciting planning, to be sure.

So that’s my long-overdue update my dear blog friends. If any of you have any tips for my upcoming US trip (esp. for car-tent camping) or you think you might be somewhere along my route in Oct please DO please let me know! I would LOVE to meet-up. DO also tell me how you’re doing in the blog comments below.

July sunflowers in SW France…always one of my favorite views in summer
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Camino Portuguese – Facts, Figures and Tips https://www.wheelingit.us/2023/04/30/camino-portuguese-facts-figures-and-tips/ https://www.wheelingit.us/2023/04/30/camino-portuguese-facts-figures-and-tips/#comments Sun, 30 Apr 2023 19:37:07 +0000 https://www.wheelingit.us/?p=61906 continue reading]]> It’s been almost two weeks since I returned from the Camino, and like all these kinds of adventures the emotions and memories keep evolving.

The Camino is a very special thing (Day 8)

I think in some ways it’s hard to take it all in when you’re on the pilgrimage itself. There’s so many visual and physical inputs, so much time spent just walking, or thinking about walking, or obsessing about your various aches and pains, that all the deeper stuff really comes later. When you reflect and look back, when you go through your photos and relive the moments that stood out in time. It’s a fascinating process really, and IMO I think it’s why many people come back and do these things again and again, despite all the physical effort (and pain) that’s involved. Somehow it all goes waaaaay deeper than just what happens on the trail.

But alas, I digress as usual LOL.

What I really meant to write about today is firmly on the practical side. I wanted to go through some facts and figures, tips on timeframe, pace, costs and such and comparisons with the Camino Frances. This is just a mish-mash of questions that have gone through my own head, and what I think others who might be considering the trail would be interested in.

So, here we go…

Lots of nostalgia coming back now, as I look back at our pics (Day 12 on the Spiritual Variant)

The Best Time Of Year – Still Spring or Fall IMO

The first thing I really want to cover is season and what I think is the best time of year to walk the Camino.

No month is perfect (crazy coastal winds, Day 13), but I’ll take rain & wind over heat any day

For the Portuguese this year we started on April 1st (on the Frances last year I started in mid-April) and honestly I think this is pretty much the perfect timeframe. April is a good month in both Portugal and Spain. There is more risk of rain that later in the year, but also more guarantee of reasonable temps, and with every year getting hotter (earlier and earlier)* this is really key.

I’m very heat sensitive, and even going as early as we did there were days on the trail this year I almost over-heated. Between heat/sun (when the air temp goes above ~27°C (80°F)), humidity (which always makes it feel hotter), cobblestones/asphalt (which concentrate the heat) and lack of shade, there were spots I felt very hot indeed. I was fine in the forests or on breezy days, but on still days I started to struggle.

I’d definitely consider late fall too, after temps cool (although I’m partial to Spring flowers and green), but I personally can’t imagine going in June, July or August. I know many do and it’s the most popular time on the trail, but unless you’re very heat-tolerant or willing to walk nights it’s a lot to handle. Just my personal take on it, anyway.

In 2022 most pilgrims traveled in the hot months of summer

*How Early? Last week Portugal reported it’s hottest April on record, hitting 36.9°C (98.4°F) in the central town of Mora. In May it’s predicted heat-waves will already be sending the mercury over 40°C (104°F). That’s too hot, far too hot IMO!

I over-heated a few days, even in April

Accommodations – We Mixed Albergues And Private Rooms

Since we were a group of 4 girls this trip we were able to do a mix of accommodations without breaking the bank, from public Albergues to private apartments. This was really nice.

Albergues are for pilgrims only, and the ones we stayed at in Portugal varied from OK to very nice. Some were bookable, but all the municipal/public Albergues were first-come-first-served, so we simply had to show up (preferably right at opening time) to secure a bed. There was one that had horrible troll-sized metal bunk beds, and one that had death-trap-stair bunk beds, but the rest were decent. Warm water everywhere, laundry options in most, no complaints really.

The nice thing about Albergues is that you mix with other pilgrims (which is part of the Camino experience IMO), but there is nothing romantic about sharing a room with 25-50 snoring/odorous/etc. strangers, so fabulous ear plugs and a good sense of humor are a must. For EUR 10-17 a night however, the price can’t be beat.

Private rooms are open to anyone, so booking somewhat ahead here can be more important depending on how particular you are about your accommodations. As a group of four we paid anywhere between EUR 25-40 each/night for our private stops, many of which were entire apartments and all of which were great. I do like comforts in my old age.

Should You Book Ahead?? Honestly this is so personal, but with ~350,000-400,000 pilgrims traveling the Camino each year, accommodation can be tricky at times. For Portugal we pre-booked ~75% of our nights and although I think we could have winged it more if we’d wanted to (the trail wasn’t overly crowded in April, except the first few days on the Coast), it was nice peace of mind for all 4 of us , especially on such a short (only 15 days) trip. For a longer trip, I wouldn’t book the whole thing simply ‘coz you don’t know how you’ll do mentally/physically each day, so having more flexibility is key. However unless I was staying in public Albergues everyday, I’d still prefer to book ~3-5 days ahead for my own sense of comfort. This is just me.

Travel Pace – Slow But Sure

As a middle-aged gal of shall-we-say average fitness, it’s fair to say I’m never going to break any distance records on the Camino. In fact I do best with a few months of training beforehand (walking 3-4 times/week), starting slow on the trail and then gradually building up the mileage over time.

I get lots of “ass pictures” ‘coz I’m always at the back LOL

It worked for me last year and it worked for all 4 of us girls this year, keeping us healthy and blister-free throughout.

Perhaps even more interestingly, my averages on the Camino Portuguese ended up almost exactly the same as those from the Camino Frances, and this wasn’t something we thought about beforehand. We averaged 16.8km/day in week 1, upping that to 19.9km/day in week 2, and had we continued on I’d probably have followed a similar track to last year.

Clearly these are numbers that work for me!

It’s important to note that the “official” guidebook stages are much longer than this on both Camino’s, averaging anywhere from 20-30km/day (12.5-18.6 miles/day), and I’ve even met people who do much more than this. The bottom line is that there is no right or wrong here. The Camino has lots of places to stop, so you are not limited to where the guidebooks tell you. The much more important thing is to listen to your body and walk the distances that work for you and your feet.

As for me, you’ll always find me happily lost in the back of the pack….Goooooo turtles!

Amazingly my numbers this year were almost exactly like those last year

Route Following – Pretty Straightforward

The Buen Camino map showed both main route (yellow) and variants (green)

Those of you who’ve been following my Camino stories already know that the Camino route is marked by yellow arrows, and this is true in both Portugal and Spain.

For the most part I’d say the Portuguese route was really well-marked with just a few exceptions, particularly the Senda Litoral Route along the coastline (the route from Porto was not marked at all), and some of the crossings between the Coastal and the Central Routes (the crossings are not always on official routes). Outside of these two exceptions, yellow arrows were plentiful and pretty easy to follow, including along the Variants.

That said, sometimes you get chatting or blindly follow another pilgrim going the wrong way (doh…) and in that case it’s helpful to have a few Apps on your phone to check you’re still on the right track. For the Camino Portuguese I found the Buen Camino App (on Apple and Android) and Gronze to be the most helpful. Also Wikiloc (the hiking app) had several of the trail sections in their maps.

I’m not gonna lie…we used them a few times.

Just follow the yellow arrow

Backpack Forwarding – Easily Available

When I started the Camino Portuguese I absolutely, positively planned to carry my full 6.6kg (14.5lbs) backpack the whole way.

I kept my main pack on me, and forwarded my packable daypack with ~3kg of stuff
I used these 2 guys, but there are others

I’d spent months fine-tuning my stuff to get it down to this weight, training with it beforehand and getting comfortable with it. I knew it was fine! Of course this was before my knee gave out (a typical Nina-type event) which forced me to adapt regardless of my best intentions.

Thankfully backpack forwarding services are as readily available on the Camino Portuguese as they are on the Camino Frances.

I ended up using two services, Pilbeo for the Central route followed by Top Santiago for the Spiritual Variant (Pilbeo doesn’t service it) and both were flawless. You can can book these services online 48-hours ahead of time, book multiple legs at once or simply do it day-by-day (as needed) via WhatsApp. If you do the latter you just need to send a text with pick-up/drop-off locations** by 8PM the night before and pay via the link they send to you. Then you simply leave your bag the following AM for them to pick-up while you walk on. Costs are ~EUR 6 per stretch.

In my case I used my little packable Osprey daypack to forward ~3kg of weight, keeping my main backpack and ~3kg of weight with me (my main pack is far more comfortable, plus it has my hydration bladder and the connections for Olaf). Thanks to this off-loading my knee was able to cope, and even eventually heal on the trail.

I was immensely grateful I had this service available to me!

Backpack forwarding reservation (Left: Pilbeo) and Whatsapp convo (Right: Top Santiago). All so easy

**Can You Send Your Bag Anywhere? There’s a lot of talk on Camino forums about backpack forwarding and rumors that you can’t forward to public Albergues or private Airbnb’s. Now I’m not saying some of these people are talking out of their behinds, but what I can say is that I’ve used forwarding services a lot and have yet to stay at a place they won’t deliver, public or private. On the Portuguese they even delivered to several private, code-locked apartments (with owner agreement) and I think that’s simply because many private apartments along the Camino cater specifically to pilgrims who regularly use these services, so everyone is used to it. I’m sure there’s somewhere you can’t forward to, but in that case there will always be a nearby bar/hotel/Albergue you can use and pick-up from. IMO it’s not a problem.

Overall Costs – Around EUR 50/day

As with all things, spending is never a fixed thing.

Some folks only stay at public Albergues and never eat out, choosing to save costs by cooking for themselves along the way, whereas others only stay at private high-end accommodations and spare no costs on eating out. Tastes and budgets vary vastly. That said, having now walked two popular Caminos I can pretty much say for sure that ~EUR 50/day works for me.

Settle Up was great for expenses

This includes a mix of accommodation types (public and private), eating out everyday (usually multiple breakfasts, lunch and a full meal for dinner), beer, wine, snacks, ice cream and basically not holding back much. I don’t eat at fancy spots, but I eat well and I eat often! When we went as four to Portugal we used about the same with awesome food and good accommodations, and we tracked our joint expenses via a genius (free) App that Erin steered us to with called Settle Up.

And this deserves a quick extra note….

Now, I’m not the kind of person who likes to have a bunch of extra apps on my phone, but if you’re ever traveling as a group IMO this one is well worth it. With Settle Up we were able to pay meals/accommodation/etc. without having to worry about splitting each and every bill simply by entering them into the app. The app kept track of each expense, split it in 4 automatically (you can also split manually), and kept track of who owed what to whom, including visually via a set of bubbles so you could easily see who owed the most (biggest bubble pays the next meal….). And no, I’ve no affiliation.

It was SUCH an easy and stress-free way to track group expenses.

How Did The Portuguese Differ From The Frances?

So far almost everything I’ve talked about could relate to either of the two Caminos I’ve walked, but there are a few specific differences which I want to highlight too.

Time On Trail: On of the most obvious differences between the Camino I walked last year and this year was time on trail. I spent 40 days on the Camino Frances (790km/490mi) whereas we only walked 15 days on the Camino Portuguese from Porto (280km/174mi). You can walk the latter from Lisbon too (640km/391mi), but many of the pilgrims I talked to who did this mentioned horrible highway walking, and not many interactions. This time on trail makes a difference, physically as well as mentally. I find it takes ~2 weeks to get totally comfortable with long-distance walking (to the point that it doesn’t really bother you anymore) so on the Portuguese I was actually just reaching my “prime” as we came into Santiago. Also the 2 weeks I spent in Portugal didn’t take me nearly as deep (emotionally) as my Frances experience. That said, not every trek needs to be a personal transformation and two weeks away is easy and fun. It wasn’t bad, just different.

More Route Options: On the Frances everyone pretty much walks the exact same trail with just a few short variants here and there, which means you see the same people the whole way depending on your pace. That creates a strong sense of pilgrim community as you meet and re-meet people, something I found quite special and emotional. On the Portuguese however pilgrims often part ways as some take the Coastal or go inland to the Central, strike out to the Senda Litoral or take the Spiritual Variant. It provides more flexibility and variation in walking (the coast is so different from inland!), but also means you don’t get to re-meet most of the people you see, with just a few exceptions. For this very reason I’m particularly happy I went as part of a group on the Portuguese (rather than solo) as it gave me that sense of strong connection I was looking for. It was luck, but it worked out.

Fewer Albergue Meals: Perhaps one of the most surprising differences we encountered in Portugal was the lack of communal meals at the Albergues. On the Frances it’s common for Albergues to offer a communal meal which is a great way to meet and interact with other pilgrims. It’s another community thing that bonds you, and takes the sting out of having to sleep with everyone in the same room. On the Portuguese however we only encountered one place (Casa da Fernanda) that offered a communal meal, a night that became one of our favorite memories. Once again, since we walked as a group this wasn’t a huge issue, but if I’d been solo I think I would have missed having that daily connection.

Our communal time at Casa da Fernanda was a fab memory (and unusual on the Portuguese)

Cobblestones: I mentioned these in my last post (more than once LOL) so I won’t overdo it here, but it can’t be denied that one of the biggest differences between the Portuguese and Frances Caminos are the cobblestone trails on the former, particularly on the Central Route. They’re everywhere and they’re really hard on the feet! Both Caminos have their share of road-walking and industrial areas so it’s not all natural trails either way, but the Frances definitely has more soft(ish) spots.

It’s All Worth It

The 4 Cheeky Chicas, here’s looking at you

About a week after our Camino finished the 4 Cheeky Chicas were reminiscing on our chatgroup about the walk and what it meant to become a pilgrim.

Which we all agreed is an actual thing.

Once you walk a Camino it stays with you, oozes into your bones, becomes part of you. I suppose all long-distance hikes may be like this (I’ve only done the two), but it’s a specific and unique feeling. We’re not alone, I mean 400,000+ people do this thing every year, but we all face our own personal challenges when we do something like this, and I do believe that changes us fundamentally in some way….and bonds us.

If you ever get the chance to do it, perhaps you’ll let me know if you feel the same way.

Related Post: Wanna read more? Read Linda’s summary of our time together in her blog post here: Camino Portuguese 

Any Questions I didn’t answer? Feel free to ask away in the comments below!

Once a pilgrim, always a pilgrim
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Camino Portuguese (We Made It!) – The Day By Day https://www.wheelingit.us/2023/04/24/camino-portuguese-we-made-it-the-day-by-day/ https://www.wheelingit.us/2023/04/24/camino-portuguese-we-made-it-the-day-by-day/#comments Mon, 24 Apr 2023 15:36:05 +0000 https://www.wheelingit.us/?p=61729 continue reading]]> Done, dusted and complete! A mere 15 days and ~280km after our group started at the Albergue in Porto we walked into the square of the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela and yes, I may have shed a tear or two.

Just follow the pilgrims, one step at a time

As with all long walks it seemed to take forever, yet it was over just as we all were getting into the swing of things.

Camino Time became our hourglass, a parallel dimension where time seems to both slow and speed up. Our days slowed to the step of our feet, our forward progress a snails pace of what is “normal” in this world. Yet in that simple rhythm we packed in so many sights, smells and ever-changing views that our brains could barely remember everything we experienced from one hour to the next. Our days were so full they flew by, even as moments stood still while we were on the trail.

Us girls bonded like sticky glue, the good kind.

The 4 Cheeky Chicas, the day we met

We were 4 women who barely knew each other before we started (really), but we’ve all been RVers/travelers and I think that meant a lot. Living in small spaces is something we all felt quite comfortable with, and spending 24/7 with someone else is something we’d all tried before. I truly wasn’t sure how it would go to travel in a group like this, but I can honestly say the company turned out to be one of the things I enjoyed the most about this trip. We dubbed ourselves the “4 Cheeky Chicas” and we had a blast.

And of course we had good days, and bad days, rain and sun, mishaps (even before I started) and I once again managed to do something silly to myself. A regular Camino, whatnot.

Let me take you on the ride….

Day 15 arriving in Santiago de Compostela!

Our Route Was Great (But It Was NOT Flat)

If you recall from my last post the Camino Portuguese has several routes you can follow through Portugal into Spain.

Details of our 15-day, 280km Camino Portuguese Route (click to explore)

In our case we ended up taking the Senda Litoral Route out of Porto, then the Coastal Route for 2 days before we switched over to the Central Route (we taxi’d over in fact, as the cross-over portion of this walk is awful). We then followed the Central Route for 8 days, split onto the Spiritual Variant for 2 days, took a ferry up the River Ulla (a legit part of the Spiritual Variant) and walked the final 2 days on the main Camino into Santiago. For the map-curious amongst you, naturally I created an interactive map 🙂

The route ended up being great, but one thing it was certainly not was flat.

You see there’s this persistent rumor on the internet that the Portuguese Camino is “easy” and “doesn’t really have any hills”. I got suckered into this idea much like everyone else, so admittedly I didn’t study any elevation maps before I went. Plus the first few days on the coast were such a breeze, I actually started to believe the rumors were true.

Day 4 from Pedra Furama to Barcelos, when we saw our first real hills
Climbing pause on Day 12. We’re well pooped LOL

But hey-ho, what is a pilgrimage without unexpected challenges, eh?

We encountered our first inclines Day 4, then some rolling hills the next few days before the Camino eased us into our first real slog of a climb Day 7. Thereafter there were several more, the largest of which was on the Spiritual Variant where a part of an incline was so steep I thought my nose would drag on the floor. Admittedly the mountain ranges in Portugal are not nearly as large as those you cross on the Camino Frances, but it’s not a walk in the park either.

There’s some sneaky elevation gains on the CP (this profile doesn’t include the Spiritual Variant). Left axis in meters.

 A Rough Start (Yet Again)

Just like last year believe it or not, my trip to start my Camino this year did not go as planned.

The day before I was scheduled to leave, I clicked online to check-in to my flight and received the following sunny message from Easy Jet “we’re sorry, your flight has been cancelled”. French traffic control strikes had hit home and there were no alternatives for that day, the next or even the day after. Oh no, not again….

Thus started a scramble of a recovery to get out of France which had Paul driving me to Andorra at 5:30AM, then taking a 4 hour bus to Barcelona and finally catching a last-minute flight from there to Porto. Incredibly it all worked out and a mere 12 hours after leaving home I was in the Pilgrims Albergue in Porto meeting up with Linda (thechouters.com). I must have sighed 10 times walking into town that night for dinner, all the stress from the day finally seeping out.

I couldn’t believe I’d actually made it!

The next day Linda and I explored the wonderful city of Porto together with it’s very hilly roads, narrow streets, majestic avenues and plethora of incredible blue-tiles. These “azulejos” date back centuries, originally bought to Portugal by King Manuel I (r. 1495-1521) after he visited Seville, and they weave a unique mosaic through houses and church. Oh, and of course we ate ourselves silly on Portuguese food & drink discovering Pastel de Nata, Galão, Bacalhau and so much more.

At the Cathedral viewpoint in Porto with Linda

That night the rest of our pilgrim team (Erin and Kate (IG: The Scenic Route)) gathered and we enjoyed our first real dinner together. The next AM, April 1st our pilgrimage would start and we were all very ready for it.

The Coast (Days 1-3)

The Coastal portion of Portugal is frankly incredible.

Day 2 gorgeousness on the Coastal Trail

It’s a rocky and wild, breezy and clear, with a sea that goes from deep blue to feral grey depending on the day. A good portion of the walk from Porto, at the least the few days is along a wooden boardwalk and if you get the right weather it’s some of the prettiest scenery you’ll see. It’s super easy walking too, right by the ocean, and unless the wind picks up (which I’ve heard can get pretty crazy) it’s just so incredibly pleasant.

Honestly I went into the “zone” here so fast I barely saw it coming.

Our first day was non-stop rain, but the adrenalin of starting the Camino kept us all in high spirits, and of course Olaf made his debut keeping me cozy and dry.

Our next two days were brilliant sunshine and I was just swimming in a happy cocoon of my own. I kept falling back from the group, getting distracted by all the pretty stuff, reveling in the salt air and beautiful views, soothed by the sound of the ocean as I walked. Both nights we dined gloriously and in Matosinhos we ate gelato on the seawall as the sun set, one of our favorite memories of the entire trek.

Perhaps most surprising for me was how many pilgrims we saw here. The Coastal Route seems to be gaining popularity in Portugal, so much so that Day 2 the donativo (by donation) public Albergue in Labruge had so many pilgrims they splayed onto sofas and floor, packing in at least twice what the place had bed space for.

Still, I can’t deny had a pang of regret when we left the coast to go inland. Maybe one day I’ll come back and walk the rest?

It was soooo gorgeous on the coast

The Central Route (Days 3-11)

We crossed over to the Central route in the middle of Day 3, taking a taxi to avoid a horrible highway walk along the cross-over, a “cheat” I would absolutely do again.

Once on the central the entire atmosphere of the Camino changed yet again.

The weather was heavier here without the ocean breeze, a mix of towns and forests, trails and road with scents of eucalyptus and cow dung, flowers and farms. Our first night we stayed in a shiny new Albergue with only 4 others, so quiet and pleasant we wondered where all the pilgrims had gone. I felt brilliant and strong, marched straight up the stairs to bed and then felt my knee give out.

Oh crap……

The whole thing just kinda caved suddenly, like it would no longer support my body. Mechanically it was fine while my leg was straight, but there were shocks of a pain if I bent it with any weight on it. I briefly pondered if my Camino would end on Day 3, and surprised myself by being OK with that. I’d walked a Camino before, I’d had a good 3 days on the trail (zen days, glorious days even), so what if I had to go home?

Day 6 at the beautiful Roman & Medieval bridge of Ponte de Lima

That’s when we met our first Camino Angel, a fellow pilgrim who just happened to be a walking pharmacy of sorts. She sorted me out with creams and pills-of-unknown-origin (we are such a trusting lot, us pilgrims), I contacted a backpack forwarding service to take most of my load the following AM (Pilbeo), slept on it and figured out how to walk without bending my knee too much. Day by day, step by step, and surprisingly the knee did get better (slowly) and I made the entire walk…..classic Camino stuff.

Our next days on the trail were fabulous.

Day 4 we ended up in Barcelos, a UNESCO heritage town known for its ceramics and the Rooster of Barcelos (Galo de Barcelos) which has become the classic symbol of Portugal. We stayed at a wonderful little place (Casa de Ana), explored town and just had the best time. This is a town I’d happily visit again.

Day 5 was a highlight. It was a long 22km hot day where Olaf gained multiple admirers, with pretty scenery, lots of cobblestone walking (oh, so much of that hard stuff!) and the night at a private apartment next to Casa da Fernanda, an Albergue famous throughout Portugal for it’s warm welcome and communal meal. We participated in the latter with ~25 others, eating, drinking and singing until well after dark when we finally managed to sneak off for some much-needed rest. Honestly, this was one of our best experiences.

Day 6 we walked through grapevines and a breathtaking valley blanketed in Calla lillies. We ended up in Ponte de Lima at a little hole-in-the-wall for lunch, over-heated but happy. The latter is a beautiful city known as the oldest villa in Portugal with a gorgeous stone bridge, a portion of which was built by the Romans in 1AD. They say you leave your past lives behind and start anew when you cross it, a step we would take right at the 100km mark the next day.

Day 7 was our first real challenging uphill. “4km straight up” so we’d been told the day before by a local, his hand tilted at an alarming incline for emphasis. And indeed it was. It was hot, it was pretty, it was hard (really, really hard on the knee) and we were all wobbly by the time we made it to the top. But hey we made it, to walk another day….

Day 8 we crossed into Spain. It was another long 23km day with way-too-much cobblestone (the Portuguese really loooove their cobblestone) but we had several pretty forest paths and the surprise of seeing the fortified city of Valença, an imposing town of Roman origin which was quite unique. That night we were so trashed we didn’t even go out to see the local fiesta in Tui. It was a long night too, in troll-sized metal bunk beds, the worst stop (at least for me) of the entire trail.

Day 9 & 10 were easier days in Spain, mostly because…no cobblestones! A mix of trails and road with a few steep hills thrown in, our first bagpipe players (yes, it’s a thing in Galicia), several river-walks and nice stays. We ate brilliantly, squeezed in three breakfasts (yeah!) and encountered our first bout of truly heavy humidity, a weight that would stay with us through to Santiago de Compostela.

Day 11 was a tough day with two huge uphills and downhills. More buckets of sweat here, a few close calls on the highway and a wonderfully tropical forest that dripped like mist all around us. That night we ended in the city of Pontevedra, a well-preserved old town famous for its extensive pedestrian area. Another place I’d love to explore further.

The whole of the Central Route was very “Camino like” if that makes any sense. Small, interesting towns, interwoven with forest trails, road and rural areas. The biggest difference between this and the Camino Frances that I did last year were the cobblestones on the Portugal side….oh, so many of those darn cobblestone paths. It’s hard walking even for the best of shoes and we were all relieved to see the last of them once we entered Spain.

I loved Portugal…the food, the towns, everything….but by Odin I will not miss those stones.

Day 7 at dawn, ready to do our biggest climb yet

Spiritual Variant (Days 12-14)

The Spiritual Variant has 3 steps (of which one is by sea). Click to enlarge.

The Spiritual Variant is a newer Camino path that was created to follow the route that the remains of Santiago the Apostle James supposedly took from Jerusalem to Spain in ~41AD. It splits off from the main Portuguese Route ~4km after Pontevedra and adds ~73km to the overall walk (less if you take the ferry).

These few days off the main trail were some of the best and hardest of the Camino for me.

Day 12 was an insane day, 22km with a never-ending (or so it seemed) uphill that had us sucking air and walking almost horizontally in spots. But it also gave us some of our most stunning views of the trip, high pine forest and a thrilling arrival to an open café (with cold drinks!!) as we dropped into the 16th Century Monastery at Armenteira. We stayed with the sisters that night and got blessed at their singing service, both memorable events.

Day 13 was an even more insane 26km day that started with a hike through the most magical kind of forest. Moss-covered banks, waterfalls and 17th century stone mills combined into a fairytale trail that had me deeply in the “zone”. Then came the longest, most mind-numbing flat hike that lasted an eternity, or about 18km (which felt about the same), followed by ~5km of side-ways rain and howling wind at the coast that were too much for even Olaf to endure. It was the best and the worst.

Day 14 we took the ferry, an accepted part of the Spiritual Variant that takes you up the River Ulla through mussel farms, medieval forts and ~17 “crucieros” (stone crosses), the only Maritime Via Crucis in the world. Apparently anyway, for our day started in grey and rain, and that’s pretty much all we saw.

Overall the Spiritual Variant was far harder than I expected, but also well worth it. I’d choose it again in a heartbeat.

I’d definitely do this stretch again

Main Route (Day 14-15)

On the last few days of the Portuguese Camino ALL the routes converge into one as you walk to Santiago. Like always seems to happen for me, I go somewhere else on those last few days, deeper into a more pensive place, joyful but also sad in some ways.

The end of Day 14 Galicia threw all the weather at us and our walk from the ferry to our destination had us stopping and starting, taking our ponchos on and off as cold rain swept through followed by baking sun. It was a frustrating walking day, but that night was another highlight for all of us. We rented a private house and had a lovely, simple girls night together. Linda made tuna pasta, we drank Albariño wine, we vegged and we just enjoyed our last time together.

Day 15 just swept by. A 17km hike of which I don’t remember much, a celebratory beer before our arrival in Santiago and hugging each other in the Cathedral Square once there. Such a special moment.

I wrote this on my IG Posts the day we arrived and it’s deep enough for me that I’ll repeat it here. It’s always strange finishing something like this. You plan and dream of it for ages, you love and curse it when you’re on it, and then suddenly it’s over and the void that’s left brings you back again…and again. I truly feel this.

Can’t quite believe it’s over!

The Aftermath

This was a long post (with perhaps too many pictures, apologies), but I wanted to get all this down in one.

I actually continued my journey after I left the girls Day 15, getting a lift from Erin, her hubby and their dog Mr.Cool to Muxia and then taking a bus to Fisterra, towns known to medieval pilgrims as the “end of the world”. I’ve always wanted to visit these to see that 0.0000km Camino sign and to end my pilgrimage at a lighthouse, the gorgeous 1853 Faro de Fisterra. It was a fitting finish, and sitting in my hostel room overlooking the ocean that last night I thought how lucky I was to have experienced yet another pilgrimage, with great company to boot.

I enjoyed a wonderful final day at “the end of the world” with Erin, her hubby and their dog Mr.Cool

Last year I needed to do something extreme, to get me out of a deep rut and reconnect with my inner strength, and the Camino gave me that. This year was not the same, I was in a different head-space with a group (not by myself) and it was only 15 days. What could possibly be achieved in such a short time?

Yet I found I needed to reconnect again in a different way, re-set my compass so-to-speak, and once again the Camino gave me that. Perhaps it’s the physical challenge of doing something like this, or perhaps it’s the people you meet all walking towards the same goal, but I do believe you come out of experiences like this stronger, more connected, more confident. And truly, it’s a joy to find that again.

I thank the Camino and the 4 Cheeky Chicas for that.

Day 13 bliss in the magical forest (yeah, that’s the look)

Post-Post Note/ I have another post coming on this Camino, perhaps a more practical one with stats, differences etc. (I’m still deciding)? Either way, DO feel free to ask me questions below and that may help steer my course. And thank you all for taking this journey with me on the blog.

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T-4 To The Camino Portuguese https://www.wheelingit.us/2023/03/26/t-4-to-the-camino-portuguese/ https://www.wheelingit.us/2023/03/26/t-4-to-the-camino-portuguese/#comments Sun, 26 Mar 2023 17:21:57 +0000 https://www.wheelingit.us/?p=61672 continue reading]]> Four sleeps to go. Four nights before I (hopefully) get on a plane and sail through the sky to Portugal for my 15 day adventure on feet. Wheeeeee!

Hello world, hello Camino training

It’s strange and familiar all at the same time.

Familiar for the routine that I know is to come. Walk, eat, sleep and repeat. Life distilled down to its simplest elements, strangers turned friends by a common goal and your body pushed to acknowledge both its hidden strengths and obvious weaknesses. I don’t have same the fears as I did last time mostly because I’ve already done it, but that’s also made me a smidgen lazy. I haven’t trained as hard and am not nearly as fit. In fact I might be a little too chillaxed about the whole thing?

Time will tell…

Strange too because it’s been a while. Since I’ve done this, since I’ve blogged and told stories, since I’ve shared my life online. It’s no secret to my readers that I’ve struggled with social media these past months. I want to record this trip for myself (and for those who dream of doing the same), but I’ve really come to dislike the shallowness and grind of the online world. I find it draining and overwhelming. Maybe there’s a happy middle-ground somewhere?

Time will tell what this Camino brings

Again, time will tell…

Then there’s the new and the hope. The fact that this time I’m walking in a new country with folks I’ve planned with beforehand. The hope that I’ll actually be able to fly out of France next Thursday (there’s a few disruptions going on here at the moment, as you may know) and the anticipation of what this Camino will be like. I know it won’t be the same as last time, I know that. Yet I really hope some parts will be, and I also know I must open my heart to all the new things it can be, because one thing is certain and constant:

The Camino gives you what you need, not what you you want.

So here we are at T-4. My bags are ready, my flight is booked, many of our Albergues are already booked (it’s Easter Week, so it’s likely to be busy) so I thought I’d take this opportunity to test my toes in the waters of blogging again and tell you a bit about what we’re going to do.

Here we go…

Let’s see how this goes, eh?

The Portuguese Way Is More Than One

First things first, I thought I’d talk a bit about the path itself.

Lots of ways to walk the Camino in Portugal

Those of you who’ve been following the blog a while already know that the Camino is not just one path, but literally any pilgrimage that leads to Santiago de Compostela in NW Spain where the remains of the Apostle St. James the Great are said to be buried. There are hundreds of paths, thousands of them even, and last year I walked the most popular (and well-known) route, a ~780km trail that starts in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port in France, commonly known as the “French Way”. It was IMO the perfect path for a first Camino.

This year is going to be quite different.

We’ll be starting in Portugal and walking south to north, but in addition to that we’re also combining several different trails. This is because the Portuguese Way is not just one path, but a multitude of them. You can walk the entire thing along the coastline, or do the whole thing inland; you can start at the bottom or half-way up; you can crisscross between coast and trail or you can veer waaay inland; or you can do a mix of them all.

Each of these paths has their own name too; the “Central route” (goes through the middle), the “Coastal Route” (as you’d expect), the Spiritual Variant” (a new little squiggly bit in the north), the “Fatima Route” (an alternate inland stretch from Lisbon), the “Camino Nascente“ (a less-travelled route starting in Tavira) and so on and so forth.

There really are a TON of options!!!

The majority of pilgrims chose either the coastal or central route (the two most popular trails) walking from either Lisbon (longer route, ~30-35 days) or Porto (shorter route ~12-15 days). The other routes see far less foot traffic.

The Camino in Portugal is just one of thousands of routes to Santiago de Compostela

It’s A Popular Route Too

Although the French Way is the most well-known Camino, the Portuguese Way doesn’t track far behind.

The Portuguese Way is the 2nd most popular Camino

In fact it’s the 2nd most popular route to Santiago de Compostela and the numbers are not insignificant. In 2022 (which was a Holy Year mind you) 438,000 pilgrims requested their Compostela (completion certificate) in Santiago of which 123,802 arrived via the Portuguese Way. Of the latter 93,193 walked a central route while only 30,609 walked along the coast.

That’s a lot of people!

Much like all the Camino routes it has a strong season to it too, with summer being the most traveled and winter the least (in fact many Albergues even shut down over winter).

Personally I think summer is far too hot for any kind of hiking in either Spain or Portugal (last year both countries saw many 40°C/104°F days), but I seem to be in the minority according to the statistics. Either that, or normal folk are just way more heat-tolerant than this pasty white Dane.

I’m amazed how many pilgrims chose to do the Camino in the crazy heat of summer last year!

The Route We Chose

For our Portuguese adventure the girls and I (we have yet to name our pack) have decided to walk from Porto, and our plan is to do a mix of coastal and inland routes which should give us a nice blend of different kinds of landscapes and towns.

The walking route is not exact here, but these are more or less the stops we plan to make (click to navigate)

We’ll start by the coast for a few days until we hit Labruge, then we’ll steer off towards the inland route and follow that from Rates to Ponteveda where we’ll swing off to a little side-trip on the “Spiritual Variant” before we walk into Santiago de Compostela.

The entire route is around 280km. We start on the 1st April and expect the whole thing to take ~15 days. Let’s hope the weather holds!

Honestly it’s a way easier route than the Camino I did last year, much shorter with far less up and down (no huge mountain ranges to cross here), and given its popularity we don’t have to worry about roughing it either. There will be plenty of other pilgrims, lots of inexpensive Albergues to stay at along the way and even backpack forwarding services if we need them (such a luxury, really).

Oh, and food….there will be PLENTY of places to have second and third breakfast. Thank goodness! TBH that might be the part of the Camino I’m looking forward to the most.

What’s In My Backpack

This is all of my backpack gear

The nice thing about doing a trip like this the second time around is that I didn’t really have to think too much about what I’m bringing with me because I already did all that work and research last year!

Basically I’m doing the exact same pack as I did for the Camino Frances except for a few small changes.

For my feet I’m sticking with my well-proven combo; my Merrell running shoes with Injinji toe liner socks and Darn Tough main socks, together with Gehwol foot cream and  thin stretch-tape for foot care. I’ve got snazzy new lime green shoes this year to replace the turquoise and pink ones I wore last year (which I’m still using for training by the way, over +900km later after I bought them), but it’s basically the exact same set-up. Plus I’m packing the same light-weight pair of Decathlon sandals that I used last year for post-hike relaxing time.

For keeping clean I’ve ditched the useless wilderness wash and am just bringing two soaps; one shampoo soap and one body soap (that I’ll use for both body and clothes) together with sample-sized portions of facecream/toothpaste etc. in little cosmetic sample containers. My body-sized Packtowl is of course coming along this year as well.

Olaf is coming, of course!

For clothing I’m sticking with the “wear one, pack one” formula, so I have my “day” outfit that I’ll be wearing everyday (hiking pants/T-shirt/bra/underwear/socks) plus I’ve got one “night” outfit which I’ll change into after I’ve showered post-hike (long underwear/2nd T-shirt/bra/underwear/socks). In addition I’m bringing two layers (wind breaker + puff jacket), my Altus poncho (for rain), and only two extras (one extra pair underpants + one extra pair socks).

For my electronics I’m going iPhone only again (no extra camera), but I’ve finally caved and bought a power bank. We’ll see if it’s worth the extra weight….

Oh, and of COURSE I’m bringing Olaf (my Euroschirm HandsFree hiking umbrella). He’s as excited about this second Camino as I am, and keen to present himself to a new fanbase.

All-in-all fully loaded my backpack weighs 6.6 kg (14.5 lbs). I may try and shave a bit more off it before I go, but I’ll probably end up very close to there for the trip.

Basically I’ll be wearing this exact same outfit again (except my shoes are lime green this time)

So Here We Go

Like a bird starting migration I’ll be spreading my wings and flying south in just a few days.

It feels good, it feels natural and there’s a deep part of me that longs for both the challenges and the joys that are to come. This is an “easy” route as Caminos go, but it’s still going to be two weeks of hard walking, so it’ll be much more than just your average hike. And I know me, I know what I’m like. I will love it and hate it, I will laugh and I will cry, and I will probably do something silly to myself, but I will come out of it different once again. Renewed like a sculpture molded in clay (well, a middle-aged sculpture), re-focused and re-energized for what comes next. That’s the plan anyway.

Time will tell….

POST POST NOTE/ My dear readers, thanks for bearing with me as I figure out my next steps blogging-wise and elsewhere. I probably won’t blog while I’m on the Camino as it was quite a lot to handle last year, but I plan to post on Instagram (link) and will definitely have something to say when I get back. See you soon, hope you all are well.

The path ahead is all new
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New Year, New Plans https://www.wheelingit.us/2023/01/15/new-year-new-plans/ https://www.wheelingit.us/2023/01/15/new-year-new-plans/#comments Sun, 15 Jan 2023 19:56:44 +0000 https://www.wheelingit.us/?p=61600 continue reading]]>
I’ve been in hibernation…

Happy New Year my friends!

Like a bear in hibernation I’ve been away and in that time one year passed and another has came our way. I can’t quite explain where all the time went. A bit like a dream it passed in a fog interrupted by meals and family time, kittens that now rule our lives and sunrises that transformed the earth into crimson dyes and orange flares.

It’s been a warm winter (far too warm in fact) so we’ve been basking in the mild weather and brilliant sun.

Certainly all the pets have loved it, and although this unusual weather does worry me for the future I can’t deny we have too. From the fiery colors of fall, the blanket of leaves that now cover the ground to the bare landscape that gets painted daily by the winter sun it’s been a time of change and thoughts of changes to come. And in between things have happened, and plans too.

Such are the ponderings that I plan to share with you today.

But I’ve had this for company…and ponderings thereof

Our Kitties Are Growing Up

Our little kittens are not so little anymore.

They’re fully leash-trained now and have been exploring the big, wide world outside like the little adventure travelers they will undoubtedly become. As such they’ve discovered the joys of long grass that sways in the wind, grasshoppers that spring out like play-snacks from hidden dens and all kinds of buzzy, movey things that can be chased around to no end. It’s supremely exciting and sometimes so over-stimulating that all they can do is sit wild-eyed and frozen trying to take it all in.

They’ve also been continuing their education in the ways of hoomans including playing dominos, watching football and generally just laying about. We take all these things seriously, you know…

But that’s not the only big development they’ve had.

Our crazy springtime-like weather has been so believable that one of them (little Dante) went into heat, an event that rarely happens before 6 months of age and never (so my vet assured me) happens in winter.

Right…..

Now I’ve personally never seen a cat in heat, and having had the pleasure I must admit it’s not an experience I will ever want to go through again. The female hormones that infused my little furbaby transmorgrified her from a cute, sweet, chillaxed kitten into a raving sex-crazed tiger.

Oh the joy of calm….I can’t even tell ya

There was the overly-affectionate part (not so bad), the frenzied need to escape and seek a mate (a bit scary, but manageable) and then the worst of it all, an incessant ear-piercing meow that sounded much like a racoon being strangled 24/7. A sexy-call (so I gather) that could easily travel several km through heavy traffic.

And…it….never….stopped…..!

For 5 days straight we gritted our teeth during the day, slept with earplugs at night and then only got about a week of breather-time before the whole thing started again (Fun fact: once a cat goes into heat, she keeps going through heat cycles every few weeks until she either mates or the breeding season ends….in October!!!). Our agony finally ended this week when the vet did the internal chop-chop, the first appointment I could get after Christmas.

Oh sweet mother-of-peace, even my tinnitus was a relief after that!

Now our cute little kittens are back to being cute again. They hate the cones of shame, but they sleep sweetly, cuddle up to Polly in bed and always have to have at least one paw on each other, the dog or me.

Awwww…it melts my heart.

They’re so darn cute I can barely contain my heart

I’m Out Walking Again

This spring-time enlightenment has triggered more than our dear kittens, and has relit a desire that’s been smoldering in me since last year.

I’m gonna do the Camino Portugués!*

It’s easy to guess of course, for those who read this blog regularly. An adventure that so impressed me I couldn’t help but repeat it, an experience so profound I simply had to do it again. Either that or I’m just a sucker for self-suffering (and travel amnesia makes it seem so much better than it was)??

Yup I’m doing another Camino folks, another long-distance trek, albeit this time in a slightly different way.

It all started around 6 months ago when I casually discussed the idea with Kate while we were camping together in the Pyrénées. I wanted to go back on the Camino, but I wanted to do an “easier” one and explore some new ground. I was toying with the idea of the Portuguese Camino*, walking from either Lisbon (longer) or Porto (shorter) to Santiago de Compostela. Not only would it give me the chance to explore a country I’d never yet seen, but it’s supposedly a much more chillaxed (in other words, less hilly) trail than the Frances.

“Why don’t we go together?” I threw out impulsively, not really thinking she’d agree

Here I am again…

A little while later I discussed it with another friend Linda who (so it happens) was already thinking along the same lines. She wanted to do another long hike (she’s already done two: the Camino Frances and the Via Francigena), but Steven (her husband) suffers from plantars fasciitis and didn’t want to do another, plus she didn’t want to go alone. So we tossed the idea about….then she discussed it with one more friend…then another one and bada-bing-bada-boom a few months later there we were: 5 gals ready to go**

I guess this means it’s really happening now???

So here we are again. One year on and I’ve started to get my lazy butt back out there, clicking through the km, getting ready for another long-distance hike. It’ll only be ~280km this time, a mere 15 or so days, a baby trek compared to the one I did last year. But it’ll be new ground with new peeps, both of which I’m super excited about. The extra bonus? I’ve got all my gear sorted already so all I need to do is get ready and go.

The adventure starts end of March. Stay tuned….

*Note1/ At some point I’ll be doing an in-depth post on the Camino Portuguese route. In the meantime this post from Stingy Nomads is an awesome resource to read.
**Note2/ You can see ALL the info on everyone who is going on this adventure in Linda’s post from today on their blog

Oh, this is gonna be good. I feel it…

I’m Sensing Changes Ahead

A New Year always seems to turn a page somehow, even though it’s really just a construct in our minds.

And this year seems particularly so for me.

Ready to take on the world….in a new way

Betwixt the lights of the Christmas tree, fires in the open hearth and walks outside, my mind has been intensely occupied by the now. These last months there’s been a deep shift in my soul and I’ve started to question where my life will go.

Perhaps you’ve sensed it in my writing? I wouldn’t be surprised if you have.

I’ve been writing this blog for almost 13 years now, an incredibly rich, abundant 13 years, and I’ve loved every minute of sharing that adventure. But I also feel the need for a new direction is at hand. I honestly, truly don’t know what that means yet, but I do know I that won’t be blogging weekly anymore. For now I must go inwards, away from these external things of man, to re-find my inner-Nina-fire and see where it leads me.

It may be just a short break before the adventure takes me and I get that overwhelming urge to write again. But my dear readers it may also take a little while. At this point I just don’t know.

So I guess my message is this: be patient with me, I am with you and I do feel I will be here again. In the meantime may the joys of nature take you, and I’ll see again you soon my friends.

New year, new plans…until we meet again
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Canal Boating In France II -> Lattes To Argens https://www.wheelingit.us/2022/12/18/canal-boating-in-france-ii-lattes-to-argens/ https://www.wheelingit.us/2022/12/18/canal-boating-in-france-ii-lattes-to-argens/#comments Sun, 18 Dec 2022 14:34:33 +0000 https://www.wheelingit.us/?p=61436 continue reading]]> Pre-post note/ This is a biggie and it took a while, my apologies! Life stuff and other stuff (I had to hand-draw a map, amongst other things…naturally) delayed the publication, but here is finally our Lattes -> Argens SW France canal boat trip in all it’s grand, full glory. Enjoy my friends!

“If you don’t make this bridge by 8:30am on Saturday you’ll be stuck for 3 days because of the wind” stated the lady, rather nonchalantly I thought for a mere 1-week rental

That’s us crossing the amazing Bezier Canal Bridge! (Day 6)

We were undergoing the long check-in process for the rental boat, getting a fast and furious data dump of the entire route that Hector and I were struggling to keep up with. There was key info on the locks (“some have buttons, others are manned, they all close for lunch, don’t worry it’s easy” errr, ok…), critical forks not to be messed up (“turn left here or you will be sucked into the sea” yikes, righto…) and finally a huge drawbridge that only opens twice a day or not at all if the winds kick up….which of course they were about to do for a whole 3 days starting on Sunday!!

“This bridge?” we asked pointing to a thin line near Frontignan “How far is that? And can we really make it by tomorrow morning??”

Nothing on the canal map made any sense to us land-dweebs at this point.

“You’ll have to leave right away” she replied “and try to get close tonight” then waved her hand dismissively “but don’t worry, it will all be fine”

{{gulp}} stress…injection…here

Crossing Étang de Thau is almost like being in open sea, and why the wind really matters (Day 2)

This wasn’t exactly the chillaxed start we’d expected and it broke all the “never boat on a schedule” mantras we’d heard from our various boating friends over the years. Then again, apparently we’d been incredibly lucky so far not only with the weather, but also the taxi from our end point in Argens (where we’d left the cars) to Lattes.

“All the taxis are on strike today” she explained when we turned up, looking surprised we’d made it “you are very lucky it came for you”

Huh, well then….I guess ignorance is bliss?

So we loaded up the boat in record time, got a whirlwind tour of the amenities by the boat technician (generator here, pump toilet here, holding tanks over there etc…thank goodness we’re all former RVers, is all I can say!), got taken out for a literal 15-minute test drive and then were happily waved off.

No experience, no problem and a tight schedule to meet…what could possibly go wrong?

Entering Étang de Thau from Canal du Rhône à Sète (Day 2)

Our 185km Southern Route

The route we were taking wasn’t actually the one we had originally planned.

Our initial booking was for a 1-week out-and-back rental from the port of Argens in Southern France, a trip that would have taken us through ~40 locks and only as far as Beziers and back. But a few weeks before our departure the agency called and asked if we’d want to swap for a 1-way trip from Lattes to Argens for the same price with taxi thrown in, allowing for a longer exploration with only 17 locks to pass.

A no-brainer deal, we all immediately agreed!

Our route from Lattes to Argens
Our route from Lattes to Argens

This new trip would take us via two canals and across one very large lake all of which had very different feels (as we would soon discover), but also different rules.

Details of the Canals and lake on our 185km cruise

The first few days we’d travel along Canal du Rhône à Sète parallel to the ocean, then across a large lake Étang de Thau, where the right weather conditions would be critical to cross. This part of the trip would be about nature and oysters, staying ahead of the wind and paying attention to where we could legally stop (only specific spots allow mooring on Canal du Rhône à Sète and Étang de Thau). Exciting, but a little stressy?

Hector and Paul chat on the promenade by the oyster bed farms in Bouzigues

The rest of the week would take us along Canal du Midi, a UNESCO heritage site with several historic cities. Here we’d get to focus on sightseeing and a much-more relaxed cruising style, with the ability to stop just about anywhere we wanted (only a few places prohibit mooring on Canal du Midi). This part would be a breeze, so we thought….

Two Canals, one lake, 185km, 7 days and 17 locks with ~4-5 hours/day of actual cruising….sweet!

Oh, and I made an interactive map (of course): CLICKY

Days 1 Sunset Bliss And Lots Of Firsts 

We officially launched from the port in Lattes around 4PM on Friday afternoon, belongings hastily stored in the various cubby holes, Polly already asleep on the floor and only the vaguest of ideas where we’d end up that night.

Hector took the helm while Brenda, Paul and I figured out the who/what/where for the locks. We decided Paul on land (the surest of foot), Brenda on the rope in front and me on the rope in the rear, an arrangement that would become our norm for the rest of the week.

Our first lock was only 10 mins into the cruise and although quite nerve-wracking at first, the procedure turned out to be super straightforward; wait for the lock to open (this one had a button to call the lock-keeper), motor into the lock, wrap the two ropes around the bollards to secure/hold the boat, wait for the rear lock doors* to close and the water to fill up (tighten slack in the ropes as the boat rises), wait for the front lock gates to open, ropes off and you’re free to go.

After a few of these, we pretty much had it down pat…

The rest of that afternoon we just motored as far as we could, stopping only for a quick shop at a canal-side Carrefour, and it….was….glorious.

Passing La Porte de Maguelone on Canal du Rhône à Sète

Beautiful, placid lakes bounded by land on one side and a long barrier island on the other. We were the only boat around, silent and cruising as smooth as silk, pink flamingoes swooping down, the sun gently setting and a burning sky reflected in the mirror of the canal. It was serene and gorgeous and we all felt ourselves relaxing from the afternoon stress.

We’d made it and THIS was exactly what we’d hoped for!

We found our mooring just as the last light faded, a designated spot just a few clicks from the drawbridge we had to cross early the next AM. Boat secure, wine out and a celebratory dinner on board. A few hours later we figured out the Tetris-game of our two rooms and convertible beds, squeezed in and fell asleep to the quiet lap of water under the hull.

An unexpected, but great first day!!

Hector in his element at the helm on Canal du Rhône à Sète

*Cool fact 1: the door design of most modern canal locks is based on Leonardo da Vinci’s invention of the Miter lock from 1497!!

Day 2: Lake Cruising, Oysters And Vermouth 

We woke up at 6:15AM to a gloriously wind-free day, a good sign for the drawbridge and Etang du Thau (Lake Thau) ahead.

We had just under an hour to reach the Frontignan lift-bridge and we wanted to be in good time as we were told it opens promptly at 8:30AM and closes right after the last boat waiting in line. Miss it and you’re stuck this side of the lake until the next opening at 4PM, and if the wind picks up above Beaufort 3 (7-10 knots) in-between you’ll be stuck for as long as mother Nature decides to blow. Not a window you want to miss!

Waiting at Frontignan for the lift bridge to rise up and go green, precisely 8:30AM

We made it just fine and cruised through without a glitch, stopping right after in Frontignan for a breather. It was our first city-stop and it couldn’t be more beautifully French. A historic town just 5 mins walk from the Canal with a bustling Saturday morning market and several delicious local bakeries to replenish our baguette-and-croissant inventory.

Isn’t that just the essence of French canal boating??

Moored by Frotignan for their Saturday morning market

From here our cruise took us onto the lake, an enormous mass of water that could easily be mistaken for the sea. It was sunny and glorious, and the feeling of open water was an experience we never expected to have on our canal boat trip.

Man, this is fun!

We crossed towards the famous oyster bed-farms** and stopped-in at our first lake-town Bouzigues, snagging the last spot at their teeny little harbor. Our goal here was simple; venture out to explore town and find the oyster-lunch extravaganza that the shellfish-eaters (that would be everyone except me) had been drooling and dreaming about since we started the day. Within 1/2 hour we were sitting at a table in L’Arseillere (dog-friendly of course), a teeny little place that got a fresh seafood delivery minutes before they opened and served platters so large even Hector gasped when it arrived.

The extravaganza was definitely had…

A few hours and several glasses of wine later we all sauntered back to the boat and decided to head directly to our destination for the evening, the cute little port of Marseillan. Along the way Brenda read about a Vermouth place on the port-front, none other than the famous Noilly Prat and once again the Gods of Fate favored us. We arrived at 4:50PM to an open spot on the dock, strolled over just in time for the 5:15PM tour at the Maison and ended up being the only ones there, guided by a Danish girl no less, with Polly invited to join. Perfect!

That night we dined on Vermouth and local produce from the market, sitting tight in port as the wind started to whip up the lake. What a slew of luck we’d had so far!

The port of Marseillan, our evening stop for Day 2

**Cool fact 2: over 20,000 tonnes of oysters and mussels are produced in Etang de Thau each year

Day 3: Canal du Midi And Beach

Once again we decided on a early start so we would cross the very last bit of the lake before the wind kicked up higher. It ended up being a choppy but easy cruise and before long we made it back to the calm of the Canal and the next stage of our trip, historic Canal du Midi.

Now we could slow down and just enjoy….

Approaching the entrance to Canal du Midi

The whole essence of today became just that, slow-cruising, stopping where we felt like and just taking our time. We passed two locks in fairly quick succession, the second of which was a peculiar round lock (L’écluse ronde d’Agde) dating back to 1676. This is where the Canal du Midi joins the Hérault and you can exit to the Mediterranean Sea (as long as you’re not in a rental). The lock-operator told us 60-70 boats go through in summer and the whole thing is utter chaos. Luckily we only had to wait for one large péniche before we could pass.

Thank goodness for end of season….

Right after the lock we stopped off to visit at Agde, “La Perle Noir” (the black pearl) famous for it’s buildings made out of black volcanic rock aaaand (rather interestingly) its nude beaches too. We decided just to partake in the former, walking around town, getting a coffee and seeing the impressive 12th century St Etienne Cathedral. We found the town interesting, but rather dark and morose, as if it desperately needed a power-wash and an injection of joy. A nice place, but not one we felt inclined to stay at.

From here we did a leisurely multi-hour cruise and decided to boondock overnight in a spot near the town of Vias Plage. We arrived late afternoon to moor on the bank, decided to unload the rental bikes*** for the first time, and discovered the other side of “end of season” cruising.

Vias Plage is a beach and party town, the kind of place where bars advertise “ouvert nonstop” (open nonstop) and eighties boom-boom music blasts out of restaurants at volumes that test the limits of human endurance. Only a few places were open end of October however, so the vibe felt rather empty and “all you can eat pasta” was no longer for sale. The beach itself was gorgeous however, and as I stood on the waterfront I was happy to imagine the mayhem of full season rather than actually experience it.

I’m OK skipping the party zoo….

We ended the evening with another boat-dinner complete with wine, peaceful nature and good company. A nice, easy day.

Our quiet overnight spot near Vias Plage, Canal du Midi (you can see the bike/hike trail on the side)

***Cool Fact 3: You can bike or hike almost all of the canals in France and many folks do, especially along Canal du Midi. Click here to learn more: https://en.francevelotourisme.com/cycling-along-canals-in-france

Day 4: Historic Beziers 

A grey today, but we had a super easy cruise ahead of us with only ~15km of water and 4 locks before we hit the incredible city of Beziers.

Everything went smoothly and the canal got prettier as the day passed, with spots of larger trees and even the first glimpses of fall color. Traffic was light too, with only a few other rental boats on the water. We stopped at the town of Villeneuve-des-Beziers for a spot of shopping then made it through our last (and tallest!!) lock of 3m into the port of Beziers, getting sloshed and tossed around by the water pressure before the lock filled and we could move on. We hit our very first docking fee here too, a mere EUR 17 to say overnight (with electrical hookups) just 20 mins walk from the historic downtown of Beziers.

And THIS my friends, is a place you absolutely have to stop and see!

Beziers is a gorgeous setting, a hilly city with a terrific Cathedral at its peak and roman bridges at its base. Dating back to 575 BC it’s one of the oldest cities in France, and for many years it was renowned as the capital of French wine trade. Foodies love it for the fare, shoppers for its grand central avenue (Allée Paul Riquet) and photographers for its unique setting that marries the canal and church with the many winding alleyways of the city.

Oh and guess what else? It just happens to be a Camino route too!****

We spent the entire afternoon here, taking turns to walk into town (it was a little far for Polly), tasting the local beer just down the way (La Gorge Fraiche) and even going out for an evening photo shoot (Hector and I). The latter was meant to be a “quick bike and click”, but we had so much darn fun that we returned to the boat over an hour and a half after we left. Honestly, this place was just fabulous.

We ended the day jazzed up and ready for perhaps the most exciting day to come…the famous Fonseranes Locks.

Oh, I could barely wait….

Hector and I had such fun on our night shoot in Beziers

****Cool Fact #4: The Camino which goes through Beziers is part of a lesser-used route called La Voie du Piémont Pyrénéen (GR78). It’s just one of many gorgeous Camino paths that cross through France to Spain.

Day 5: Lockdown And Wait

“I’m sorry, but you can’t leave”

We were just about to cast off when the harbor master came running over. I laughed, thinking it was some cutesy comment about how we just couldn’t depart his beautiful city, but quickly realized it wasn’t quite so.

“The lock operators are all on strike” he continued very apologetically “I’m sorry, but there’s nowhere you can go”. Ah, I see…

Guess we’re staying right here today (the docking area in Beziers)

It’s a funny thing French life. Striking for workers rights is as much a part of the local culture as drinking wine, so in essence there was really not a more French experience we could have had here. Then again, I’ve never quite been in a situation where strikes have stopped me dead in my tracks and this one really did. On the Canal all the locks must operate together like a finely-tuned machine, for if one shuts down the water simply stops flowing and all the boats with it too. This meant we were really, truly stuck, and once again a little stressed about making it to our end-port in time for the boat drop-off just two days away.

A little hiccup we could definitely not have predicted….

“They should be back to work tomorrow” the harbor master consoled “hopefully”

Everything is always moist on the water, literally

We killed the engine and switched gears for another day in port, always a weird pivot to make when you’re ready to move. So we just hung out and wandered around town, shopped and walked Polly, ate and slept. I wrote notes on our trip, and just for the balance of things jotted down two observations on the downsides of canal boating (outside of random strikes, that is):

  • Everything is always moist: life on the water is…well…moist and every day everything just seems to gets a teeny little bit moister. Bedsheets always feel damp, towels are never quite dry, clothes are always a smidgen humid. It’s fine for a week, but I think I’d need AC or a dehumidifier to do this lifestyle longer-term.
  • Canal water is filthy: sad little side-note here, but while the views can be lovely on Canal du Midi the water itself is most definitely not. It varies from green to murky brown with oil and various other unknowns that sometimes float around. The sections we’d seen had been dead to all sea life too, a direct result no doubt of the many boats that legally dump both grey and black tanks (yes, really!!!!) directly into the Canal on route. That and all the sunk/rusting boats that just seem abandoned along its banks. At some point surely these polluting practices must end?
Surprisingly lots of “stuff” gets dumped in UNESCO Canal du Midi, including black tanks and sunk/rusting boats

All-in-all a day that served as a good reminder that no life is all roses, not even canal boating in beautiful southern France.

The stunning Beziers Canal Bridge, lit up at night (our canal boat would travel on top Day 6)

Day 6: Movement, Bridges and Locks

We woke early to a grey, misty day but with the good news that the lock operators were working again (yeahhh!!). It was going to be a long day too, to make up the km we missed yesterday with 42km of cruising, 8 locks, 1 tunnel and 2 water bridges to get through. Let’s go!!

Illustration of the historic Fonseranes Locks in Beziers (only 7 of the original 9 locks are in use today)

We cast off as soon as the first lock opened at 9AM and crossed over the stunning Beziers Canal Bridge to the base of the iconic staircase Fonseranes Locks. This architectural wonder was constructed between 1662-1681 and remains one of the most unique features of the Canal du Midi, an essential part of its UNESCO heritage status and a bucket-list item for many long-term cruisers. We only waited a short while to enter and took the trip with one other boat, stepping up the 7 locks that raised us 22m in height in the space of a mere ~1/2 hour. It was an exciting passage with near-constant movement and incredible volumes of water that tossed us about at each step of the way.

Exhausting, but really, really cool!

View from the top of the the Fonseranes Locks, such a thrill to experience in a boat!

At the top we stopped at the visitor center for a breather, taking in their 3D immersive video (dog-friendly) to fully appreciate the work that went into building the Canal and why it remains such a special place. Well worth it!

The rest of the day was more chillaxed with only one lock to break up the many hours of cruising. We passed through Tunnel de Malpas, built in 1676 (the first navigable canal-tunnel in Europe), stopped in the little town of Capestang for a quick walk around and a tour of their church, threaded our way through several insanely low bridges (thank you Hector for your expert handling and sang froid), cruised serenely down some of the wildest and prettiest parts of the canal we’d seen so far and arrived at our evening destination Le Somail***** just in time for dinner.

The town of Capestang with stunning Saint-Etienne church

This last stop was a teeny village barely three steps wide, but there were several restaurants (we dined at L’escale de Somail) and a wonderful “must see” book store (Le Trouve Tout du Livre) with over 40,000 books that’s several buildings deep. That night we slept deep with bellies and minds full as the mist rolled in and the rain sprinkled on deck.

A long and grey, but absolutely fabulous day!

Our night-stop in Le Somail, a staging post for the Agde-Toulouse passenger boats back in the day

*****Cool Fact 5: In the 18th century passenger boats took 4 days to do the boat-trip from Adge to Toulouse and guests had to change boats, carrying their luggage each time they reached a lock (around 25 times!). Le Somail was one of the staging posts of this trip.

Day 7: Final Day Cruise & Rain

It was our final day from a week that was so packed with experiences it was hard to believe it was over. And as if to reinforce that message, mother nature sprinkled water from above almost the whole day through.

Still we got a lovely cruise in.

First a leisurely 5km to Ventenac-en-Minervois where a Chateau graced the side of the Canal and (apparently) a wonderful restaurant too. Both were closed this end-of-season though so we just walked around, bought some fresh bread from the local Canal-store and moved on.

Next up was another shuttered town, Paraza with just a single art gallery open and wine-tasting at a small Chateau further in. We walked around and once again were amazed at how eerily quiet everything was in October (it’s dead now, but must be crazy in summer?).

Finally we ended up in Argens where we would drop-off the boat early following morning. We moored right on the bank by town, walked around a bit and enjoyed a lovely sunset and dinner with our friends.

Our cruise was finally, tearfully over.

Cruising beauty on Day 7

Now You Know All

This ended up being a longer blog post than I anticipated, but such are the best experiences sometimes.

Thank you friends for a wonderful adventure!

I wanted to bring you along day-by-day, let you feel the feels and imagine yourself together with us on this cruise. Honestly it was just fabulous, despite the grey weather (the last days) and the few unexpected barriers that came our way. Life at 8km/hour (the maximum cruising speed of our Peniche) was relaxed and easy, and although I might have liked our boat to be a smidgen larger (it was a bit of a squeeze for 4), it really worked out very well.

Polly, our dear old girl was wonderful the whole way. Paul had to lift her in and out of the boat several times a day (a strain for him), but the rest of the time she was totally chillaxed. She’s such a great travel-dog.

As for moi personally (incredibly) I never felt sea-sick despite my drop-at-a-hat tendency for it, although the world did rock and roll for a few days after we were done. I’ll never be a sailing gal, but it’s nice to know that canal boating is still something I can do.

Plus of course we got to do this wonderful adventure with good friends, which made it even better especially when you slot together so comfortably as the four of us do. Thank you so much, Hector and Brenda for making this trip with us!

And finally if you made it thus far, my dear blog readers, thank you for chugging through this long post. Is there anything else you want to know? Something I didn’t cover? DO feel free to comment and ask away below!

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Canal Boating In France I -> Practical Details https://www.wheelingit.us/2022/11/27/canal-boating-in-france-i-practical-details/ https://www.wheelingit.us/2022/11/27/canal-boating-in-france-i-practical-details/#comments Sun, 27 Nov 2022 21:39:23 +0000 https://www.wheelingit.us/?p=61354 continue reading]]> We’ve made it to October, blog-wise anyway (wheeeee!) which means I have another exciting adventure to share.

Sunset on the Canal du Rhône a Sète, Southern France

This time it’s something I’ve never done before, but always wanted to do; taking a canal boat trip in France. I’ve dreamt about this idea for years, and sometime during our many COVID lockdowns last year it all just bubbled to the surface and demanded to be. The time was nigh, the place was here and we just happened to have good friends coming to Europe who were eager to jump on deck with us.  Around 8 months later it all came together in a fabulous 1-week, 185km trip down the Canal du Rhône-Sète and Canal du Midi in Southern France.

And honestly it ended up being even better than I’d imagined….

Envision yourself cruising along at a pleasant 8km/hr on a calm canal, stopping in at a quant French town to eat oysters harvested that day from the sea, over-nighting for a tour of famous Vermouth producer, crossing historic aqueducts and drinking sundowners at your own private boondocking site. Oh, and you’re on a UNESCO heritage waterway during most of this too, by the way.

Yeah, it’s pretty frikkin cool!

This was the essence of our trip with our good friends Hector and Brenda and I’ll share all the juicy details of that in my next blog post, but before we got this far there was quite a lot of prep research that had to be done. What is canal boating in France? Where can you go? When should you go? How do you actually do it? And how much does it cost? So many questions on a subject I knew absolutely nothing about 10 months ago, but that I can now share all the beautiful details of with my readers.

So if you’ve ever dreamt of canal boating in France, but never knew the what or how, these next 2 blog posts are for you. Enjoy!

Part I: Practical details (below)
Part II: The actual voyage Canal Boating In France II -> Lattes To Argens

Docked by a Castle on Canal du Midi

What Is Canal Boating?

Quite simply, canal boating involves navigating inland rivers and waterways (most of which are man-made, or at least have been adapted by man) with a flat-bottomed craft.

Wine transport on the French Canals near Agen circa 1906

In France it’s a tradition that dates back to the 17th Century and the construction of the first transport canals used to haul heavy goods (coal, food, wine etc.) that simply couldn’t be easily moved any other way. In those days barges were either sailed or pulled manually (by man or horse) before the engine was invented and took over, well after the Industrial Revolution.

The visionary and designer of Canal du Midi, Perre-Paul Riquet

The first of these canals appeared in the North, Canal de Briare, constructed 1604-1642 to connect the the RhoneSaône and Seine valleys, and by the mid 18th century more than 500 wine barges used this route.

However the most famous (and most insane) project was undoubtedly the Canal du Midi in the South, an ambitious 240 km (150 mi) waterway constructed to connect the Atlantic to the Mediterranean Sea. In truth it seemed an impossible project that no one dared attempt before an eccentric and passionate French-man by the name of Pierre-Paul Riquet came into the picture.

A wealthy salt tax collector by trade, Riquet had a vision and a design and in 1666 he managed to persuade the then-King Louis XIV to give him the job. The project became one of the greatest construction works of the 17th century requiring fifteen years and employing 12,000 workers at its peak with multiple engineering feats so phenomenal (specifically ingenious lock and bridge-aqueduct designs) that the Canal du Midi is now a UNESCO Heritage Site in its own right.

Pierre-Paul Riquet made several engineering breakthroughs in the 17th century, including the oval lock design

These days there is still some commercial traffic on the bigger canals, but the smaller canals are no longer hauling goods and have simply become pleasure-cruising and tourist routes. However they all retain the essence of the grand history that once was.

Docked at Bouzigues for a fresh oyster lunch

When Can You Do It?

For pleasure-boaters the open season for canal cruising is primarily April through October. The main reason for this is weather (ice is possible in winter, plus it’s just miserable that time of year), but maintenance (parts of canals are often closed or drained for maintenance in winter) and lock closures also play a part.

What are locks, you say? 

Well, locks are mechanisms used for raising and lowering boats between stretches of water of different levels on the canal. They’re kind of like mini-double-dams which can be filled and drained (with a boat inside) and they’re the reason canals can exist as they do through hills and uneven ground.

Height profile of Canal du Midi from Toulouse to the sea

As an example the Canal du Midi starts at Toulouse at 132m above sea level, climbs to a summit at Seuil de Naurouze at 189 m above sea level and then ends at the sea. A total of 86 locks manage this change in water level, some of which are automatic while others are manned by VNF (Voies navigables de France) personnel.

In summer all these locks are open from 9-12am and 1-7pm, but in winter you have to call ahead and request permission to pass (assuming the portion of the canal you plan to cruise is itself still open), so it’s not quite as straight-forward.

Also like all tourist-type operations the height of summer months tend to be the craziest especially on the most popular canals, while April and October are quieter.

You can guess which month we chose….

Inside a lock on Canal du Midi

Where And How Can You Do It?

In total there are ~100 navigable waterways running ~8,000 kilometers across France and pretty much any of them can be done in a canal boat.

Mostly it comes down to a personal choice of what kind of cities and landscape you’d like to see, and how many other boaters you want to share this experience with. For example Canal du Midi in the south is famous with multiple spectacular/historical towns and is thus one of the most popular (=highly visited) canals, whereas Canal du Nivernais in the center of France is a less famous/quieter alternative. Both are interesting trips with lots of places to stop and discover, but they’re simply different experiences.

A map of the main French Canals (source: Wikipedia)

How you want to travel is also key….

Generally there are 3 ways for non-boat-owners to travel the Canals of France, but not all methods are available everywhere:

  1. Hotel Barges or Private Barges – Hotel Barges are smaller boats that only carry ~8-12 people with a skipper and crew that take care of everything for you. The barges typically have staterooms for all guests, but may only have simple common areas such as a deck and one main dining/lounge area. They’re intimate yet full-service, generally quite luxurious, can travel all canals and have itineraries that can be customized to the guests.

    One of several fancy hotel barges we spotted on Canal du Midi
  2. Riverboat Cruises – Riverboats are larger boats that can carry upwards of 150 people or more. More space and options here especially individual cabin-types and (often) multiple common areas, plus these boats can go faster and thus travel further (e.g. across multiple countries) than the smaller barges, thus allowing for more sightseeing. However the itinerary is fixed and you can’t travel the smaller/narrower canals.

    A riverboat in France (picture source: French Waterways)
  3. Self-Driving Cruises – These are smaller, self-driving rentals. You must navigate yourself, self-cater everything and you can’t go very fast (most rentals have limited engine power), but you have ultimate control of your own itinerary. Also key for paw-lovers, these boats are generally pet-friendly.

    Our cute little rental boat (Locaboat) boondocked for the night on Canal du Midi

Which one of these you choose is completely individual. Do you want to just kick back and let someone else take care of everything, or do you want full control your own route? Do you have the $$$ to rent your own private barge and skipper or do you prefer a cheaper self-rental or riverboat option? Are you bringing a pet or traveling paw-less? All options can be fun, just in different ways.

Finally, certain canals can only be navigated by specific types of vessels. For example the cruise from Paris->Champagne in the north crosses areas with commercial traffic and so can only be undertaken on a hotel-barge or commercial riverboat, whereas Toulouse->Beziers in the south can be done by hotel barge or on a self-driving rental.

Note/ Climate Change & Drought – This past summer was unusually hot sending parts of France into severe drought conditions, lowering water levels and causing closure of over 521 km of rivers and canals to water traffic. Canal du Midi (around where we were) was not affected, but other canals (and canal boaters) were. A good rental company will always guide you and offer alternatives, just be sure to ask about their policy regarding drought closure before you pay a deposit.

How Much Does It Cost?

This is one of those “it depends” questions, especially what option you chose and when/where you decide to go, but I’ll give you some general ranges for reference.

Hotel Barges are a luxury option

Hotel or Private Barges are by far the most expensive option as they tend to be intimate/lux, fully-serviced and catered. I’ve seen prices ranging anywhere from EUR 2500/person to EUR 7000/person for 1 week cruises.

Riverboats range a lot in price depending on the size and luxury of the boat, but they’re typically cheaper than hotel barges. I’ve seen prices around EUR 1000-2500/person for 1 week cruise.

Self-Driving Rentals tend to be the least expensive option running around EUR 600-2300/week for the entire boat (multiple people can rent a single boat, making it quite economical). On top of this you should expect to pay extra for diesel, plus rental bikes and post-cruise cleaning (if you opt for it). Lastly if cruising one-way you may need to pay for a taxi to take you back to your start dock.

Note that end of the season (April, Oct) rates are always significantly cheaper than the high-season months (middle summer), no matter which option you chose.

Same boat, 1-week self-driving rental Sept vs Oct (a significant price difference, eh!)

Note/ Minimal Docking Fees: Although the self-driving rental price may still seem quite high, it’s worth noting that we paid minimal docking fees our entire trip. The ports on Canal du Rhône à Sète were non-paying (during our timeframe) and Canal du Midi allows free docking almost everywhere (with a few key exceptions). The boat price is basically lodging and driving in one.

What Did We Choose?

Obviously we researched quite a few options before we went, including a private boat hire (we actually found a really cool deal with an independent captain, but the barge was on a canal was more than 7 hours away, too far) and a self-drive rental. A riverboat cruise was never an option for us simply because we were bringing Polly (naturally) so it had to be dog-friendly.

The fore cabin of our P950E (the L-sofa converted to a double bed at night)

In the end we opted for a Locaboat hire. Compared to Le Boat we felt they had a much greater variety of modern (i.e. not so beat-up/used) boats on offer and the one we chose (950E) turned out to be a great choice. It was in very good shape, had bow-thrusters (which ended up being key for maneuverability!) and a really clean, modern, flat layout which suited Polly perfectly (who can’t really do stairs anymore). Plus it had two “rooms” that could be separated at night and converted into one spacious grand living space during the day. It was compact, but fine for the 4 of us.

Bonus points? A few weeks before our hire date they offered us a one-way cruise instead of a return for the same price with taxi thrown in, presumably because they needed to move a boat. This ended up being a fabulous gift in retrospect, and took us to places we hadn’t even considered beforehand.

But those details are for the next post….

Suffice to say we loved our cruise and would absolutely recommend it, especially with good friends on board. An adventure well worth taking!

Polly relaxing in the aft cabin and kitchen. The sofa here also converted to a double bed at night.

Specific, Useful Resources:

There’s several specific resources which I found very useful for our canal trip planning:

We used this book daily!
  • VNF -> This is the organization that operates/manages all the waterways in France. Their website (https://www.vnf.fr/vnf/) has information (in French) on all canals, locks, closures, news. You can also plan/map a specific itinerary via their trip planning page here: http://www.vnf.fr/calculitinerairefluvial/app/Main.html
  • French Waterways -> Comprehensive website in English on everything to do with canal boating in France. They also offer booking services from hotel barges to self-rentals (https://www.french-waterways.com/)
  • Guide Fluvial, Editions Breil -> IMO hands down THE best books for canal cruising with specific map details on navigation/stops/locks as well as useful phone numbers and more. We used our Canal du Midi (07) book absolutely everyday of our cruise (https://editionsdubreil.com/en)
  • Self-Rental Agencies -> Two of the best-rated self-rental agencies in the biz are Locaboat, and LeBoat.

Continue Reading Part II: Canal Boating In France II -> Lattes To Argens

Overnight stop, Canal du Rhône a Sète (life is good)
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Wales Part III -> Gower and Cardiff (And Home) https://www.wheelingit.us/2022/11/21/wales-part-iii-gower-and-cardiff-and-home/ https://www.wheelingit.us/2022/11/21/wales-part-iii-gower-and-cardiff-and-home/#comments Mon, 21 Nov 2022 18:25:54 +0000 https://www.wheelingit.us/?p=61237 continue reading]]> There’s snow in the Pyrenees today and the air is wet with the first touches of true winter weather. My now seems such a long time ago from then, yet my thoughts still cast back to the last few days of September and the end of my trip to Wales. Such is blogging life sometimes, real yet not always up to date.

Gower literally blew me away (Rhossili Bay)

So lets go back in time together, shall we?

Along winding roads to the south of Wales, out to the mysterious Gower Peninsula where pirates once roamed and surfers now flock for waves that travel for miles on the second highest tidal range in the world. Then over to the coastal city of Mumbles with its Victorian pier and finally away from nature to the very, very big city, exchanging empty trails for crazy traffic, cafes for restaurants and (of course) seeing a last grand castle to complete the mix. I got lost, I got blown away and I finally got to eat that curry I’d been dreaming about since I landed in the UK.

This is my last blog on Wales, the end of my epic trip and a fine finale to my time in this gorgeous place.

Port Enyon Bay and the ruins of the old Salt House, Gower Peninsula

The Gower Peninsula

If you look at a map of Wales there’s a rather interesting squiggly bit that sticks out into the Bristol Chanel about half way down the southern coast.

National Parks & Areas of Outstanding Beauty in Wales

It’s the last “green” bit before you hit the denser parts of the country around the big cities of Swansea and Cardiff, a teeny outcrop of only ~70-square-miles (180sq km) that looks almost deserted on the map with only a vague network of roads and plenty of parts that seem impossible to get to. But it’s also famous, both for its epic tides and also for its distinction of being the first area in the United Kingdom to be designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in 1956.

All of which makes it irresistibly intriguing, of course.

When I get here I find that everything is different, yet again. Still wild but perhaps not as rough as some of the other parts of Wales I’ve been to so far. The hills are a smidgen softer and more rolling, weather beaten but not as raw as the North. The beaches are larger, much larger (especially when the tide is out) and there are more sheep than anywhere else I’ve been to so far. In fact for the first time ever I’m blocked along several roads by herds who saunter as nonchalantly as princes, clearly in charge of the place.

The forecast is intense too, a call for strong winds and scattered showers, both of which deliver decisively during my stay. Nonetheless my day here became one of my longest so far, with 7 separate stops and plenty of dubious drives down narrow roads to random places that I just had to see.

The type of day I just love.

My stops in the Gower Peninsula

Pirates & Surfers

“Come on Nina, you can do this”

The pirates lair (or dovecote), depending on what you read

I’m trying to motivate myself out of the sheer panic of having climbed down a ridiculously narrow path on a cliff in lashing rain to a unmarked prize. I got here because of a pirate story, which I can never resist, and ended up sliding on my *ss down the trail because….well….I’m terrified of heights, but determined and stubborn as a mule. Still I had to admit this felt adventurous and I basked in adrenalin when I finally found the hidden cave sealed behind a 60ft stone wall.

“This is soooooo coool” I shout, to no one but the wind

Culvers Hole was my first stop in Gower, a dovecote believed to have been built in the 13th or 14th century and steeped in smuggling lore. Some say it was just created for pigeons and eggs, but legend has it the powerful local pirate John Lucas used it as a storehouse in the 18th century and even created a secret tunnel big enough to ride a horse to the nearby Salt House. I’m partial to the second story of course, but either way they don’t mark the trail here, so only the most adventurous (or stupid) try to find it.

I guess that means I’m both?

When I make it back to town I’m soaked, so I buy a coffee and a pastie to warm up and chat to a local who tells me I’m lucky I hiked when I did.

“You should have checked the tides, love” he chides “They’re the biggest in the world here, you know. In spring surfers ride the bore up the Severn River for 10 miles. Don’t be hiking without knowing!”

I find out later that he was almost right. The tides aren’t quite the largest here (that prize goes to the Bay of Fundy in Canada), but they are impressive and can be as much as 50ft (15.4m) putting them in 2nd or 3rd place worldwide, depending on exactly which website you look at. And he was spot on about the bore. Apparently it is quite popular to watch surfers tackle it in Spring and Autumn when it hits 4 or 5* size.

What a cool event that would be to see!

A smile of relief on the way back up from my Culvers Hole hike

Windy Worms, Castles and Stones

My second stop in Gower takes me out to Worms Head and Rhossili Bay, an island and beach on the western tip only accessible at low tide and (apparently) one of the most popular attractions on the peninsula.

When I get there the wind is blowing so hard I can barely stand up and it takes all my strength just to pull out my camera for a pic. Still, the view is staggering, a gorgeous cliff adjacent to a massive (enormous) beach where the sand seems to ripple like waves. There’s a single house on the opposite cliff and a few brave ant-people who look like they’re miserably hiking out there.

Rainbow and insane winds over Rhossili Bay

I walk the 1 mile across the cliff-top to the island getting blown sideways the whole way, decide not to cross (bad tide-timing, I checked!) and simply hike back. A short, beautiful outing, but absolutely exhausting against those gale-force winds. I buy a coffee and cake to replenish the bodily drain.

Any excuse for cake, really….

The walk out to Worms Head

My last stops that day are 14th century Weobley Castle which is more of an old high-society home than an actual castle, and Arthurs Stone, another Neolithic burial chamber in the middle of nowhere.

Weobley Castle, a simple ruin in a lovely location

The latter is a relic dating from 2500BC with a 25-tonne capstone which legend has it was a stone in King Arthurs shoe that he threw across the Loughor Estuary to Cefn Bryn, by which time it had grown to an enormous boulder. There’s obviously a wee smidgen of a date miss-match here (Arthur, a mythical figure in his own right, would have existed more around ~6th century) but the story is cool nonetheless.

I end the day at a very quiet Airbnb in Oxbridge Beach, too puckered out to do much except eat and sleep.

Arthurs Stone on top of Cefyn Bryn Common with its 25-tonne capstone

Mumbles At The Beach

The next morning I make a few final stops in Gower.

First up a last hike in Three Cliffs Bay, described as the most beautiful beach in Gower by a man who’d walked the entire coastal trail (which honestly, hats off to him). It ends up being a lovely final nature walk for me, down a steep trail to grassy dunes and a lovely bay. There’s even a motorhome park here (on the clifftop) which looks absolutely spectacular. Definitely a place I would stay.

Lovely Three Cliffs Bay (can you see the ant human?)

From here I drive to Mumbles which is a cozy, medium-sized town known for it’s Victorian Pier, a very run-down 1794 lighthouse and Oystermouth Castle. I park at the far end of town and end up walking the entire bay, enjoying a coffee in a superbly bohemian café (Creoso Lounge) perusing the little high-street section and exploring the long historic pier at the end which advertises itself as “835 feet of fun”. It has an arcade and is touristy but quite cute, actually.

The Castle is my final visit, a lovely 12th century specimen with a very good orientation video. It’s dog-friendly too, which immediately warms me to it. I decide Mumbles is a cute little town with  a bit of everything.

As I finish my walk I people watch a bit, a favorite pastime of mine for many years. I spot a van playing hard rock in the parking lot, a young hippie couple living their dream on the road. I also see people out walking everywhere, and I can’t help but eavesdrop a bit as I walk past:

“Not once in our five years together have you taken me to the mall” I hear a middle-aged lady complain to her companion, close to tears “not once!”

I think about that comment for the next 20 minutes, wondering where modern relationships are headed in this world. Somehow I must be a rare case, or just an abnormality, but I simply can’t imagine that would ever become one of my woes. Not ever…

Cardiff, The Big City

Back to “real life”, big city life.

My final stop in Wales is Cardiff where I arrive to the most horrendous traffic I’ve seen this entire trip. There are people everywhere, cars backed up for miles, and the noise is an affront to the senses after so much time in the wilds. But it’s also bustling and exciting, with a multicultural city vibe that’s very appealing.

My hotel is called the Coal Exchange, an historic building from Cardiff’s significant coal roots. It’s magnificent and has piping so old you have to run the water in your room for 20 minutes just to get anything warm from the decrepit boiler downstairs. On the plus side my room has a spa bath. I’m definitely using that later….

I spend the rest of the day exploring this vast city, from it’s port area (which now hosts the dramatic Millennium football stadium) to the center of town by the castle. I learn that Cardiff was the biggest coal exporting port of its day, with over 11 million tons of coal shipped in 1913, at its peak. I also learn it was the port where Captain Scott launched his fateful expedition to Antarctica in 1910 on the Terra Nova. Interesting stuff.

By the time I reach the center of town it’s raining like the dogs.

Grey-day selfie from the top of Cardiff Castle keep

I explore Cardiff Castle, a magnificent medieval castle with a Victorian Gothic revival mansion that has wonderfully ornate rooms. At the top of the old keep I take a selfie in the grey over the great city, a view that would be quite pretty on any other day. From here I walk the old town, discovering some lovely Victorian and Edwardian-era covered arcades, the likes of which I’ve never seen outside of Paris. And as darkness falls I escape the rain to a curry shop where I finally, blissfully get the curry dinner I’ve been dreaming of since I got to the UK. So good, so good….

Early morning vibes at Cardiff port

Homeward Bound

My final days in the UK I leave Wales with a lump in my throat. I’ve had a good 10 days in the wild country and I feel sad to leave the red dragon behind. I manage a few more interesting stops on my way out however.

First up on my drive east I stop by a fabulous arboretum (Westonbirt National Arboretum, in Gloucestershire, England) where I enjoy a long walk and see the first colors of fall in all their glory. A sign of change and changing times which I find rather poignant. The grounds are (of course) impeccable and many folks are out enjoying them as I am. Not to be missed, English gardens…

From there I head to an overnight in the cute and historic town of Cirencester in the Cotswolds. It’s a great walking town famous for its Roman history and excellent cream teas (which of course, I partake of). The grounds of the largest amphitheater in Britain can be found here, built in 2nd century AD and rumored to have held 8000 people in its day. There’s not much left of it now except for the earth it stood on, but it’s still rather cool to stand there and imagine what once was. Plenty more to this place that I didn’t mange to see in the short time I was here.

The next day I pass by and visit an old friend (hi Andrew, if you’re reading this!) and then take the 4 hour ferry back to France. My trip is done!

On the grounds where the largest Roman amphitheater in Britain once stood

It’s Been An Awesome Trip

There’s nothing that revives the soul like the company of old friends and the wilds of nature, and this trip encompassed both of those things.

Admittedly I knew little to nothing about Wales before I went, but I have to say the place blew me away both literally and figuratively. I’ve rarely seen such gorgeous coastline or explored so much in such a little area (so many interesting squiggly bits!). Over 400 castles, 870 miles of coastal trail and endless places to get lost. What’s not to like? It was both invigorating and exhausting and I’d do it again in a heartbeat.

Diolch to you, my Welsh friends. Here’s to when we meet again.

Just a regular 2-way road in Wales….I’m kinda gonna miss these TBH
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Wales Part II – Pembrokeshire https://www.wheelingit.us/2022/11/14/wales-part-ii-pembrokeshire/ https://www.wheelingit.us/2022/11/14/wales-part-ii-pembrokeshire/#comments Mon, 14 Nov 2022 16:05:59 +0000 https://www.wheelingit.us/?p=61131 continue reading]]>

“Fall in love again”

The first sign I saw in Pembrokeshire

The tag line on the retro beach poster was one of the first things I saw as I drove into Pembrokeshire on a sunny Saturday morning. Created as a series of six marketing designs around 10 years ago the message clearly stuck and the image too. It was kitsch but colorful with a vintage edge that immediately spoke to me.

“I think I’m going to like it here”

Deer Park trail by Martins Haven (it started raining sideways just moments after this pic)

That afternoon I did my first hike on the 186 mile coastal trail, and over the next 4 days it all just kept getting better. From beaches to cozy towns, craggy cliffs to Neolithic burial chambers, Pembrokeshire would become my love story of Wales, the spot that gripped my heart, took me into the wilds and helped me find myself again.

You’ll see….it’s quite the place.

Sunset at Broad Haven Beach

Perhaps The Best Coastline In the World?

For those not in the know Pembrokeshire is a county in the SW corner of Wales.

Pembrokeshire in SW Wales

It’s a 1,590 km² slice of land rated by National Geographic as the second best coastline in the World in 2010 for its particularly unspoiled beauty and preservation. The coastal trail here winds 186 miles through 50 beaches with over 35,000 feet of ascent and descent. It’s spectacular enough to seduce even the most miserly of walkers and has weather that can be as tricky as Tylwyth Teg (Welsh fairy folk), at times alluringly gorgeous only to turn around and betray you moments later.

Oh it’s wild, so very wonderfully wild!

My own trip here would take me on no less than 26 stops along many parts of the coastal trail, through towns and (of course) with a few castles thrown in. I hiked at least 60km, always keen to see what was just around the next corner of craggy coast and stayed with the most lovey of hostesses at a small farmhouse in the middle of nowhere. Plus of course I ate a fully-cooked Welsh breakfast everyday (yum, yum) and took afternoon tea and cake too.

You need fuel for all those steps (that’s my excuse anyway).

My 26-stop exploration of Pembrokeshire (click to explore)

Day 1: History and Stones

Perhaps some of the most interesting and unusual historical artefacts in Wales are the Neolithic burial chambers known as cromlechs or dolmens. There are ~150 of these scattered all over the countryside and they’re magnificent to see; huge upright megaliths supported by multi-ton capstones. The structures seem to balance so precariously a mere gust of wind would topple them over, yet they’re still here 5,000-6,000 after they were built. Incredible stuff, really.

Llech y Drybedd takes a bit of detective work to find, but it’s in a gorgeous location

My first day I see two of them, Llech y Drybedd a very dramatic 3-stone chamber that takes some hunting down to find, and Careg Samson a 7-stone beauty that’s right down the way from a motorhome parking area (not many are around this time of year though). Both are way more dramatic than I imagine, and I get to enjoy them all to myself. A very cool experience!

Careg Samson occupies a spectacular spot (and you can park your motorhome nearby)

Further down I take a crazy twist of a drive out to Stumble Head Lighthouse, a gorgeous white beauty with a dazzling conical Fresnel lens (not open to visit, sadly) perched on heath-covered hills. It’s drizzling when I arrive and the wind is howling like a thousand wolves, an insanity that immediately seems to calm me inside.

Stumble Head Lighthouse

I can never really explain why I feel so good in places like this, but I suspect it’s Nature’s trick of taking everything that’s of turmoil inside of me and placing it outside, leaving nothing but calm and peace underneath? Either way I simply bask in happiness and calm as the wind whips my hair here.

Soon after the rain comes down in droves so I wind my way out to the small port town of Porthgain and a superb little pub (The Sloop Inn) where I cozy up to a Guinness and smocked mackerel. The perfect lunch for a grey day.

Finally I head into St Davids aka the smallest city in the UK (it only has ~1600 residents) with one of the largest Cathedrals you’ll see in the country. It’s an interesting spot, a pilgrimage town built on a steep hill that arguably has more fancy outdoor gear shops per square mile than any other place I’ve been, but also has a spectacular Cathedral dating back to the 12th century. The interior is gorgeous and well worth seeing, with an ornately carved timbered ceiling that is the only one of its kind known in Great Britain.

It was the perfect place to end my rainy afternoon.

St Davids Cathedral, a grand beauty located in the smallest city in the UK

Day 2: Cliffs And Harbors

My 2nd day in Pembrokeshire dawns in spectacular sunlight, so I decide to spend it all on the coastal trail.

First up is the Blue Lagoon at Abereiddi, once a slate quarry and now just an interesting deep blue lake surrounded by (naturally) miles of hiking trails. I spend hours here walking to a deserted beach cove, reveling in the raw beauty of the place and just attempting to absorb the immensity of it all. My pictures, without the perspective of another person in the frame, really fail to do it justice.

The Blue Lagoon at Abereiddi

Afterwards I drive down to see Non Chapel, the reputed birthplace of the patron saint of Wales (St David) and the site of a holy well too. There’s more ridiculously gorgeous coastline and of course I spend another couple of hours exploring it.

As an interesting aside, I see several groups of folks in helmets and life vests here which I later understand is “coasteering“, an eco-adventure sport that involves rock-hopping, shore-scrambling, swell-riding, cave-exploring and (even) cliff-jumping. Apparently it’s quite popular in Wales for both locals and tourists alike.

View of Solva (tide in) from the coastal trail

I finish the day in the little village of Solva where the harbor drains completely at low tide. More coastal walking here (I just can’t resist) and a well-earned coffee and cake (also can’t resist). I explore the rock pools and old lime kilns, walk up to the summit and am rewarded by the sight of cliffs that rise like dark shadows against a mirror-like sea. Damn, it’s gorgeous.

Downtown Solva, another pastel delight

That evening I chat to the lady hosting me at Farmhouse Lochmeyler, an elderly woman who’s been running her BnB the exact same way for the past 40 years. It’s simple and cozy, old-fashioned and warm yet also incredibly good value (in fact, I try to persuade her to increase her prices).

“This is perfect” I tell her “you’ve really thought of everything”

“I just do it the way I’ve always done” she answers, most humbly  “I don’t know any other”

Good peeps, good peeps….

Day 3: More Coastal Trail

The morning starts nice, then turns grey, then rains, hails, clears and the entire cycle starts all over again. In other words true Welsh weather and it stays like this all day long.

The teeny little seaside stop of Dale (a popular windsurfing spot, I’m told)

Todays route takes me to the little coastal town of Dale, then to St Anne’s Lighthouse (built 1844, no admission sadly) and a fabulous little café called Runwayskiln where I hide out a squall with the sweetest most lemony lemon cake I’ve had in years (the kind that makes your tongue pucker and drool from sugar at the same time).

I walk to the beach here (Marloes Sands), a miles-long sandy cove with rocks that looks like they were pushed out of the earth in millions of layers to the sky. There’s dogs and peeps out and everyone is enjoying the sunny interlude. Such a gorgeous spot.

Finally I drive out to a remote peninsula near Martins Haven to walk (naturally) another trail and this is where the weather finally gets me proper and good. A storm comes in from the sea like a tidal wave and it begins blowing so hard the rain lashes me from the side. I wimp and hunker under my poncho, but the locals all take it in stride and as I pass by a young girl without a jacket, I hear her mom set her straight:

“Oh stop moaning, it’s only a bit ‘o rain”

They’re made of tough stuff, these Welsh folk.

Stop moaning, it’s only a bit ‘o rain LOL (Deer Park trail, Martins Haven)

Day 4: Welsh Cake And Castles

“Red sauce or brown?”

The question surprises me at breakfast, but apparently it’s just one of the many delights (together with fried bread) that a fully cooked Welsh breakfast can deliver. It’s a solid start to what is about to be my most spectacular day on the coast so far; my Welsh cake, jam and all the rest.

I start with a stunning hike at St Govans Chapel, a teeny 13th century stone building built in the fissure of a cliff where a hermit lived in the 6th century. It’s incredible and the area around it is equally dramatic, a cliff-climbers paradise that apparently also hides unexploded military ammo (curiously enough).

St Govans Chapel, built in the fissure where a hermit lived in the 6th century

From here I head over to the Green Bridge, a natural arch formed from Carboniferous Limestone with cliffs that are so formidable and enormous I struggle to capture them on photo (if you look closely you can see a little ant human on the cliff top by the Sea Stacks). The whole area is simply stunning and I spend hours walking the coastal trail to soak it in. What a place!

For my final outings of the day I decide to throw a few castles into the mix.

First up Pembroke castle, where Henry the seventh was born, a massive medieval structure with a painted map in the courtyard of all the castles of Wales as well as several comprehensive exhibits inside the walls. I add another few km to my walk tally exploring the history and all the corners of this place. IMO this is a “must see”.

Pembroke Castle, viewed from across the river

Next up a smaller castle (Manorbier Castle, aka the Norman’s Castle) where I only get a short 15 mins to explore before it closes, followed by another beautiful cliff walk (Church Door Cove).

Inside Pembroke Castle

I end the day in the lovely harbor town of Tenby known for its 13th-century town walls and long stretches of sandy shoreline. Rows of pretty pastel houses and no end of good places to eat here, but I’m too beat to go out. Instead I enjoy a well-earned G&T at the hotel bar and call it a day.

So many impressions, such an incredible day!

What A Place

It’s been a while since I did this trip (I’m still writing about Sept on the blog even though we’re already Nov in “real time”), but the memories are all as fresh as morning dew. When I look back at these pictures I feel the wind in my hair, the sun on my face and (at times) the rain blasting me from the side. With a bit of luck you felt it too.

Post-Post Note/ Thank you so much for all the love for the kitties on my last post. You’ll be happy to hear they’re doing great, are already leash-trained (managed to complete that this week) and touch noses with Polly almost everyday now. Also, I’ve got one more Wales post to do and then I think I can (finally) catch up to Oct and our water-trip.

Pure insanity on the trail by Stumble Head Lighthouse, pure calm and joy inside
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We Interrupt These Proceedings For: Maya and Dante https://www.wheelingit.us/2022/10/26/we-interrupt-these-proceedings-for-maya-and-dante/ https://www.wheelingit.us/2022/10/26/we-interrupt-these-proceedings-for-maya-and-dante/#comments Wed, 26 Oct 2022 17:29:57 +0000 https://www.wheelingit.us/?p=61084 continue reading]]> Many of you asked and indeed you were right to do so. There’s no way we can keep a secret as good as this under wraps, and besides it would be cruel to hide these pictures from my most dedicated readers for too long.

So here goes…

Our next long-term adventure has started…

The introduction of two little fur-balls to our little family of paws….

Say hello to Maya and Dante, two little kittie cats born in the wild and now part of our lives for ever more.

Aren’t they just too darn cute?

Say hello to our two new paw members

How Did We Get Them?

Like all our animals they simply came to us.

In this particular case our neighbor down the way found four little kittens that a feral cat had given birth to and abandoned. They nurtured and raised them, kept two and asked us an innocent question:

I’ve got my eye on you (and I’m about to destroy this shoe)

“Would you like two little kittens?”

From which followed that one fateful response:

“Well….maybe I’ll just come have a look?”

HA! Yeah well, we all know how that story goes right?

Two days later they were in the house bouncing around, wrecking havoc and winding their devious little way into our hearts. Within a week they’d made themselves comfortable, a massive cat tree had been erected in the corner of our room, 24 aluminum foil balls had been made and mysteriously “lost”, a curtain had been sacrificed and they were most definitely a permanent part of the family.

Such suckers we are…..

Dante and Maya

For names for our new beauties we went towards the philosophical and literary this time around.

I’m just a chill kinda gal (and I had you fooled)

Dante for the more chill and reflexive ginger and white tabby, Maya for the bright and outgoing brown tortoise. We thought in fact we had a boy and a girl simply because the chances of getting two female ginger tabby’s in a lifetime (Taggart was also a girl) are infinitely small, meaning for all intents and purposes it’s just never gonna happen.

Also, for those not “in the know” it’s actually hard to tell in little kitties what sex you’ve got (really it is!).

So it was rather a shock when I took them to the vet this week and found out we have TWO girls. Inconceivable! Another full female fur-family, which I like to think is Taggart coming back to have her say.

Despite this little twist we decided to stick with the names. Dante had gotten used to her name, which means “enduring” or “everlasting” in Italian (Dantea technically being the feminine version, but who’s to say Dante isn’t just the shortened version eh?) and the two names together just had such a pleasant ring to them.

So yeah, Dante and Maya it is. Our two new little girls.

They’re Quite the Pair

Anyone who has ever owned cats know that their personalities are very individual, and you can already tell from kittenhood what they’ll be like.

Ya, we know we’re irresistible

Dante is a chill and lovely cat, her fur soft as a cloud. She’s outgoing, follows her sister in everything and doesn’t have much fear. She was the first to touch noses with Polly and just did it automatically, like it was the most natural thing in the world. She plays and eats like a champ and already has her favorite sleeping spots picked out. When she’s happy she purrs and meows in the cutest little voice. “More petting please, mom”.

Maya is crazy and crazy bright. She’s the most food-motivated cat I’ve ever met; I’ve already taught her to come, follow my finger, and high five. She’s wonderfully inquisitive too, but she’s also super cautious and will study new things from afar before deciding to join in. There’s no fooling this cat! When she gets into a crazy mood she runs like a lightning streak, but when she’s chillaxed she’ll lie on my stomach and purr so deeply you wonder how such sound can come out of such a little body.

And of course the two fight, and chase each other and love each other and fall asleep in each others arms like ying and yang when they’re all puttered out.

Polly Is Curious, And Getting Used To Them

Polly has definitely been very curious about these two new little squirmy things.

The only pic I’ve managed of the 3 of them (when they get close I’m monitoring, not photographing)

There was lots of watching, a few small growls at first, and then the first tail wag when I brought them back from the vet the other day….yes!

She’s also quickly realized (smart doggie that she is) that new cats means regular cat-food-bowl cleanup, something she has not enjoyed since Taggart and Rand passed. This has warmed her to the idea of these two new fast-moving things, even though she still isn’t always completely sure of them.

At this stage I’d say the cats and Polly are still in the “getting to know each other” phase. They’ve accepted each other (no growls, no cat hisses) and have even started to look for each other when they’ve been apart for a while. Plus I think Polly is quietly enjoying the new life in the house (she’s pepped up quite a bit recently).

Good signs that this could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

A little post-sleep stretch

So, We Are Once Again 12 Paws

Some things in life are fated, and I do believe pets are part of that. We’ve never gone looking for any our animals (they’ve all come to us), and although we’ve resisted for oh-so-long in getting more cats I guess in the end it was just destined to be.

So yeah, here we are once again with 12 paws and although I don’t know what my future will hold, I now know for sure that Dante and Maya will be part of it.

Yup, they’ve already got my heart alright
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Wales Part I – North And Central Coasts https://www.wheelingit.us/2022/10/23/wales-part-i-north-and-central-coasts/ https://www.wheelingit.us/2022/10/23/wales-part-i-north-and-central-coasts/#comments Sun, 23 Oct 2022 19:05:41 +0000 https://www.wheelingit.us/?p=60996 continue reading]]> Hey ho, and another few weeks on the go.

Spendid Caernarfon Castle in N. Wales

I’m so sorry, my dear readers. I’m trying not to make this ad-hoc posting a habit (really I am), but in my defense I’ve been busier than ever, busier than even the previous two weeks when I went to the UK. There’s been family over, then we sped off and spent another week canal-boating with friends, and finally we added two teeny little new members to our paw-enclave that are already destroying the house (what can I say….we’ve been suckered in, finally). All of that for future posts!

So many significant moments in so little time.

In blog-time alas we are behind a little, so I will try and move it forward without passing up too much of the good stuff I’ve seen along the way.

Because oh my, do I have some gems to share.

When I last left you I was in the UK on my way to explore the wilds of Wales. A magical place with a crazy coastline, over 400+ castles, a language that looks like it was invented by aliens (technically Brythonic or British Celtic, spoken even before Romans times) and roads so narrow even the most well-honed stunt driver would pucker up a bit at their sight. I dove in and immersed myself fully in this place for over 9 days, allowing myself to be distracted by every castle and piece of wiggly coastline that passed my way, hiking over 100km and embracing the ever-changing faces of the crazy weather that make Wales so indominable.

It was all worth it, and over the next few blog posts I hope to convince you of that too. For if you have not yet been to Wales I think really you must put it on your list. What a place!

Spectacular Conwy Castle in N. Wales
Spectacular Conwy Castle in N. Wales

A Quick Orientation

First off, a quick orientation.

Wales (in red) and their awesome dragon flag

Wales is a constituent country of the United Kingdom that sticks out on the West side of the big island. It’s a land famed for it’s rugged landscape with over 600 miles (970 km) of coastline that varies from dramatic cliffs to low-land estuaries.

Water-wise it’s bounded by the Dee estuary to the north, the Irish Sea to the west, and the Severn estuary to the south. Further inland are two significant mountain ranges; the Cambrian Mountains running North-South across the middle, and the Brecon Beacons in the south. The whole is divided into 22 principal areas some of whose names I’ll use as I work through my travel blog.

On a practical level most folks know of Wales via Snowdonia National Park, home to Snowdon the highest mountain in Wales and England at 3,560ft. In fact my one and only ever visit to Wales was to come and climb this mountain many moons ago in completely inadequate gear and atrocious footwear (predictably, we never made the top).

Ah, the sweet naivety of youth….

Topography and details of the Welsh principal areas
My North and Central Coast stops

This time around, my focus was on much better clothing and a thorough coastal exploration where my inner wild could be set free.

Overall I made 49 stops and drove 930km (578 miles) which may not seem like much, but lots of the roads are crazy narrow and wind more than a snake on a pole. You learn to take it slow and you very quickly get very good at backing up, for roads that are bordered by 6ft high hedges and rocks and barely a hairs width wider than your car are all two-way streets…true and completely insane.

Snail-pace exploration with the constant element of surprise, my favorite kind of travel…

Conwy Castle, one of the jewels of N. Wales

A North Welsh Whirlwind – Gwynedd, Anglesey and Conwy

My first few days in Wales I spend with old friends and their adorable 4 dogs near Dolgellau where I not only get to stay in their custom-built wood cabin (soooo cool!) but also get taken on a fabulous hike and eat my absolute best meal of the week at a vegan restaurant (Foxglove) in Barmouth. Such a great coupla days (no pics, sorry…my friends are off social media).

Their house becomes my base for a whirlwind tour of North Wales, a route that I dub my castle and lighthouse day.

Harlech Castle, constructed 1283-1289

Fun fact: Wales has more castles per square mile than any other country in Europe, a testament to how much this land has been fought over from Roman times onwards. Invaded by the Normans, defended by the Welsh and of course ultimately conquered by the English with multiple fierce wars back and forth in-between.

For my personal tour I decide to visit Harlech Castle, Caernarfon Castle and Conwy Castle, each more elaborate than the last, all built in the late 13th Century by King Edward I as a ring of new English fortresses to encircle the heart of Snowdonia. They’re fabulous and lots of km are walked and many steps are climbed as I explore them in detail. Most of all I marvel at the stonework and imposing towers, and imagine how bitingly cold it must have been to live here (a Welsh noble-woman I would not have wanted to be).

Caernarfon Castle, that took two massive phases to finish (1283-1292, 1295-1323)

By the way in Conwy the city itself is also walled and boasts a rather cutesy tourist attraction, the smallest house in Great Britain. Such a tourist trap, so awesome….

I had more castles planned believe it or not, but then I happen to pick-up a tourist flier showing a 1809 lighthouse (South Stack Lighthouse) along some beautiful cliffs in the very NW corner of Wales. Not only that, but apparently they offer tours (the only lighthouse in Wales to do so)…wheeeeeeeeeeee! I immediately drive the hour out of my way to get there, pay for a full day of parking and skip like a toddler with ants in my pants to the visitor booth to buy my ticket.

“Oh so sorry love, the lighthouse is closed today”

Noooooooooooooooo {{insert sad puppy dog eyes here}}

My little lighthouse heart broke in two.

South Stack Lighthouse, “exceptionally” closed for tours when I arrived sadly

Still, it was a gorgeous setting along the spectacular cliffs and the day could not have been more perfectly sunny or warm. I took a few teary-eyed pics of the white beauty, walked the coastal trail, read about the birds (over 10,000 breeding puffins, guillemots, razorbills, fulmar petrels, shags and kittiwake call this place home in the warmer months) and called it a day.

Exterior view of Caernarfon Castle, a stunning beauty with walls that are said to rival those of Roman Constantinople

The Central Coast – Ceredigion

I finally leave my friends to start my slow-mo exploration south, stopping to explore several towns in the central coastal region of Ceredigion. My pace is set to extreme slothness for maximum visitation, and will soon slow down even further.

The coastal trail at Aberystwyth

First stop is Aberystwyth, a University and seaside town with a long boardwalk, sandy beaches and a pier the type of which you could find in any surf-town on the CA coast. A guy with two enormous speakers on a bicycle rolls by playing reggae at top volume, two hippy types dance and at the far end is a funicular that takes you to a snazzy overlook.  At the top I drink tea and eat a flapjack which sends me into a major sugar overdose and makes my fingers sticky.

Oh, what delicious decadence….

Further down the coast is Aberaeron, that has an upscale Carmel-by-the-Sea kinda vibe packed with gourmet coffee shops, fancy eateries and framed by the most perfect line of pastel-colored houses (a trend I will find extends to almost all small Welsh towns). It’s low tide when I arrive and all the boats are on their keels in the harbor, quite the sight. I walk around town, order a coffee, am asked if I want the milk warm or cold (how fancy) and pet several of the at least 30 dogs I see with visitors around town.

Perhaps this is a dog-lovers upscale town?

The port of Aberaeron, gorgeous with lots of good eating to be had

Finally I take a ridiculously narrow road out to a wild cove (Penbryn Beach) that’s lovely and peaceful and reminds me of the Oregon coast. I spy the beginning of the southern cliffs here and also the famous coastal hiking trail which will soon become a major part of my travels. I spend at least an hour lost in my thoughts on the sand.

I finish the day at a seaside hotel in Gwbert where I treat myself to a gin and tonic and a good ol-fashioned beef and kidney pie. A perfect travel day.

My First Days Are Done

I’ve only started my Wales tour, but I’ve already had so many impressions. From Castles to cliffs, beaches to mountains and all those crazy, windy roads in-between.

Panorama from inside Harlech Castle, N. Wales

Most of all I’ve learned several universal truths about Wales:

Pastels are most definitely a thing here
  • Every town in Wales has ice cream, and all of it is award-winning. This is impressive.
  • Pastel colors are clearly the mandated palette of choice for all Welsh towns. This is so ubiquitous that I briefly wonder if it’s written into law somewhere?
  • There is no such thing as too many castles, nor roads that are too narrow to be two-way streets. I love the first, but never get used to the second.
  • Dogs are allowed almost everywhere, and most eating establishments even advertise this fact proudly up-front. This is enough to melt my heart and endear me to Wales evermore.

Oh, and don’t even try to pronounce the town names. It’s beyond regular human voice capabilities.

Throughout my days I listen to BBC Wales Radio, marvel at my weather-luck (although this will soon change) and chat to just about anyone who will listen as is my nomadic way.

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the central and northern coasts, but I’m about to see much, much more and some of it will really blow me away (both figuratively and literally). Alas, I’m out of space so that story must wait. All that in the next blog post to come your way.

Final sunset at Gwbert on the central coast, the end of a great few days
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