Back to Auckland and then on a train (with a chatty conductor who gave a running commentary the entire five hours on what we could see through the window – including Huntly coalfired power station…) to Tongariro National Park. I think I was the only person who disembarked at National Park station. Not a soul … Continue reading »
Tagged with walking …
Why I can’t walk in snow
When you’re a northern girl in a southern city and the weather turns cold, you are expected to lead the way in a) general hardiness and b) ability to cope with the wintry extremes. But I am a disappointment when it comes to snow. This week’s early winter snow has thrown the UK into a … Continue reading »
Dead trees and Louis Theroux
It’s been a while since I’ve walked in to work but today I made a special effort and was rewarded with two sights to behold: dead trees in Trafalgar Square and Louis Theroux on his bike. The dead trees in Trafalgar Square are part of a week long art installation called Ghost Forest to highlight … Continue reading »
24: Teo – Santiago
‘I just can’t give up now, Come too far from where I’ve started from. Nobody told me The road would be easy But I don’t believe you’ve brought me this far To leave me.’ 7.30am – FF shook me awake ‘EVERYONE’S GONE! We have to get out of here before the Spanish boys wake up,’ … Continue reading »
28: Tui – Redondela
When the sun rose, God provided a scorching east wind, and the sun blazed on Jonah’s head so that he grew faint. He wanted to die, and said, “It would be better for me to die than to live.” Jonah 4v8 And so to Spain and almost immediately we crossed the Rio Minho, we felt … Continue reading »
30: Ponte de Lima – Rubiaes
I’m living on the mountain, underneath a cloudless sky, I’m drinking from the fountain that never shall run dry, O yes! I’m feasting on the manna from a bountiful supply For I am dwelling in Beulah land! In the youth hostel in Ponte de Lima there were rumours of other pilgrims – a rucksack in … Continue reading »
31: Barcelos – Ponte de Lima
‘When you travel, you experience in a very practical way, the act of rebirth. You confront new situations, the day passes more slowly, and on most journeys you don’t even understand the language the people speak. So you are like a child just out of the womb. You begin to attach much more importance to … Continue reading »
32: Rates – Barcelos
We got up at six to steal a march on the day. The sun was rising, and so was a group of vocal Irish walkers from Galway, who woke the other pilgrims in the albergue, whether they wanted to wake early or not – inside I groaned, like I had done when I discovered I … Continue reading »
33: Porto – Vilarinho – Rates
Thanne longen folk to goon on pilgrimages, And palmeres for to seken straunge strondes, To ferne halwes, kowthe in sondry londes; Prologue, Canterbury Tales It was a bit of a mission to get to our starting point. FF and I made our way first on the bus from the youth hostel to the centre of … Continue reading »
55: lavender
Lavender’s blue, dilly dilly, lavender’s green, When I am king, dilly, dilly, you shall be queen. Who told you so, dilly, dilly, who told you so?‘ Twas my own heart, dilly, dilly, that told me so. Call up your men, dilly, dilly, set them to work Some with a rake, dilly, dilly, some with a … Continue reading »
