My life is a postcard

18/09/2019

Finally my number is up.

18/09/2019

All roads lead to Santiago

For two hundred plus kilometres we’ve been following the yellow brick road of the Portuguese Camino from Porto in Portugal to Santiago de Compostela to end our primary stage at the Cathedral Santiago. I say yellow brick road because there have been many variations of the yellow arrow, some formal some advocates but all leading to this place.

Now that we are hear, with sixteen hundred other pilgrims, we must take a number. Ours are numbers, 934 and 935. When we arrived at noon the queue was at 336 and now that we’ve had lunch, checked in to our hotel and washed body and clothes the queue is up to 609 so now it’s time to go do some touristy stuff. And wait our turn. Their might be a little shopping involved.

Six hours later and we have a winner. Rana and I got our certificates for the Portuguese Way. Officially stamped at 204 kilometres. This is Rana’s second and my first.

Now for a good dinner an early sleep and the final way to lands end, Muxia.

Foot note, I did an extra six kilometres more than Rana because about three kilometres into our start I got a call from the car rental place asking for the keys that were in my pocket. Doh. But here we are and now for the final legs.

17/09/2019

I’m skipping a few days and some lovely reflection but that has to come later because now we are not far from what is the end goal for most people. We are less than a day’s walk on the Portuguese way from Santiago.

As normal I’ll let Rana fill you in. But to say Rana has does a magnificent job of finding our accommodation is an under statement. Tonight we are at the Casa Grande de Cornide and after the walk we did today up mountains off the Camino is just brilliant, can’t wait for dinner. I’m writing this sitting in the pottery room next to the chess room, below the reading room.

16/09/2019

Two problems in one day

Doing the Camino is about doing it your way.

A few days ago we walked into a small town called Redondella. We thought it would be a quiet mid stop. The smaller towns are often a respite from the bigger towns.

The walk day itself was challenging, the distance was long, the blisters were peaking as we entered the town around four. Then after shower, and compulsory washing of clothes while showering, we met the pilgrims staying in our Albergue. There was a mixture of countries including us aussies, a Belgian, Norwegian, Irish and a father and son compliment of Brits. We met then suggested we catch up after dinner.

The first problem started at around two Am as we ran out of cafes that were open. The second problem transpired the next morning walking off the night before. If one ever thinks that taking a four hundred kilometre walk is some sort of health kick, think again. It’s a marathon of will for more than just the walking miles with a 10kg back pack and apologising every night two your feet. The food that night was the best the town had to offer and the time with fellow pilgrims after dinner turned out even better with lots of laughter as they most often do.

The important scheme is to try and balance a quiet night for just the two of us with a night in an Albergue with Pilgrims. The quiet strategy has been somewhat successful but the food, wine and company have been absolutely brilliant.

The United Nations should take notes. You could solve all the worlds problems just by getting on the road with a backpack and a walking stick.

15/09/2019

Sorry guys but this is how you spend a Sunday afternoon in Spain.

15/09/2019

Oh what a day. Spain is my soul country.

11/09/2019

We are now in the town of O Porinno in Spain staying at the Hotel Azul (blue). Had a short 18km walk today through beautiful streams and bird filled forest.

Hotel Azul is a lovely old place that makes me feel like I’m on the set of Faulty Towers. The smells, the quietness and the very firm but friendly Matron at the front desk round it off. The cafe we stopped at for lunch had Manuel and the boss lady like Basil so the combo gives you both. It’s about six o’clock in the evening, the town is still waking up from afternoon siesta so nothing is open.

Did I mention that, where possible, Rana and I never stop and eat where the mass of tourists (Pilgrims) are. In all our travels Rana and I prefer to choose food where locals eat. The service is not typically the greatest for us because we are “touries”, and not locals, but the food and wine is always good. Lunch of ribs an MYO (make your own) Sangria was no exception.

Right now I’m sitting in the quaint reading room of our hotel with the smell of an old people’s home and my whiskey is charged. I’m going to try and flick out a couple of updates if the Matron will serve me another whiskey. A few minutes ago I went up to our room to get my charger and the wind caught the door, slamming it shut. Rana gave me a dazed gob full, because she, like most pilgrims, typically have a SCAN (senior citizens afternoon nap) upon arrival at the day’s destination. I’m yet to get into that groove but the matron gave me a serve in Spanish just to make sure I didn’t repeat my recalcitrant action.

Now to my next sketch.

11/09/2019

Ponte de Lima was our last stay on the Camino in Portugal. I’m writing about Ponte de Lima because Portugal is somewhere you have to visit and this is our last stop in the place. It’s not about the hospitality because as a people they generally don’t give a dam about tourists. It’s just about the place, the way they live and if you get into their swing they are very hospitable.

It was festival weekend and a Sunday. The town was encountering a marching band playoff, we were encountering food and wine in the town common and we had a long chat with Portuguese kid who reaffirmed that doing “The Camino” is no joke. He was two days into his trek from home and already he was throwing in the towel and heading home because of an ankle injury.

The Camino is no joke but if you’ve done the training with packs and have the right drugs it is quite achievable.

Back to Ponte de Lima. The marching bands take it quite seriously. Basically it’s a playoff between cities like the regional rugby league competition is in Australia. The food and country fair is a bit eighties, but so it is in rural Australia still. Rana and I really fell into the vibe. We found a cafe, some good food and wine and just sat and observed the world going by. To be honest it’s one of our favourite pass times anywhere. We don’t do the tourism stuff we’ll but we do enjoy sitting and observing as long as their is good food and wine. If you we’re an outside observer I’m sure we look disparate but rally we are intently observing and comparing notes. We don’t look at technology we enjoy the people.

Find yourself a good cafe, sit and let the world unfold in front of you. You should try it some time. Watch the nutters, the eccentric’s and the just down right normal.

One normal thing we found totally funny was the guys with their shirts curled up over their bellies. Walking towards you is the crown of their beaming white beer gut, walking away from you is your classics plumbers butt, and being of mediterranean heritage, lots of hair........
PS- Zoom in on the photo with the guy I. The yellow shirt and you’ll see what I mean.

06/09/2019

The Duoro Valley in Portugal is not only incredible for its river valley scenery but also for it’s Port Wine.

Rana has taken a fascinating interest in the old school buildings they once stored barrels I for aging. I’ll let her explain. P. S - this video should have a mature audience rating.

06/09/2019

So why have I been so silent.

The truth is we are enjoying ourselves too much and WiFi isn’t working out with the time I have spare after enjoying the local scenery, wine and cuisine.

The best recommendation I can make at this stage is do your self a favour and visit Portugal. For us Queenslanders who have similar weather, my god, for 1200 bucks you could be here chilling and enjoying a totally different culture for less than what you would spend on North Queensland, Bali or the Gold Coast.

The caveat is they don’t speak English much.

Yesterday, Rana and I did a morning walk of eight Km through the town of Régua in the Douro valley, then went for a six Km kayak paddle up the river and after a quick shower at our amazing water front BnB, we took a drive through some very windy roads (fun stuff), till we got to the town of Pinhão for lunch. Lunch was incredible served under ripe grape vines as shade.; whole grilled golden brown Bass and veggies and a local wine to top it off.

Meal after meal, kilometre after kilometre I could wax lyrical over the journey we are having but it would be overload for you the reader so my best option for now is silence. When I’ve melded with the local environment I’ll mellow down and give you something worth reading. I tell you it is no wonder JK Rowling spent her time here writing Harry Potter.

Do yourself a favour and find Portugal.

Sent from my iPad

29/08/2019

Big Wednesday first started out as late Tuesday 27 August when Rana and I took off for the skies to start our thirty year anniversary adventure. That’s right, thirty years ago Rana, her brothers and their friends hired my booze bus to go on her twenty first and we’ve been on a roll ever since (pardon the pun).

As much as I hate long distance travel, big Wednesday wasn’t too bad.

Big Wednesday first started out as late Tuesday 27 August when Rana and I took off for the skies to start our thirty year anniversary adventure. That’s right

29/08/2019

Second course as a flash back to our trip out to the Normandy Coast 25 years ago when Mia was my backpack.

29/08/2019

Just walked 16km through Brussels Doing a day of Tourist stuff. Will post about it later. For now, it’s 4pm, jet lagged as F.@;$ and now sitting in a park in the suburbs near our bnb with a bottle of wine and entree. Crepe of smoked salmon and goat cheese. Creperie Ty Penty

20/08/2019

August on the Sunshine Coast is a perfect time of year for morning walks. Clear skies a slight breeze and perfect temperatures. Every now and then something amazing shows up. This guy on his jet ski was just incredible with his 360 degree cart wheels and barrel rolls on a delightful Sunday morning.

August on the Sunshine Coast is a perfect time of year for morning walks. Clear skies a slight breeze and perfect temperatures. Every now and then someth

20/08/2019

Travelling to the Middle East is not all about desert, camels and conflict. Every now and then you find little jems like this who knows what make of car. We found it in Ramallah in the West Bank of Palestine in 2018.

Travelling to the Middle East is not all about desert, camels and conflict. Every now and then you find little jems like this who knows what make of car. We fo

20/08/2019

For those of you who were not part of my luxury down sizing event the back ground image was my top of the range CLS 250 melting down in a fire with my CEO on the way to a meeting he and I were attending. Nothing like seeing your pride and joy burn to the ground.