An Iberian Odyssey (2024)

05/01/2024

My darling daughter Emily. Travelling with you again has been an epic experience. You amaze me with your unique perspective of the world and how you handle the stresses of travelling . You have shown a warmth and care towards others in a way that fills me with such pride. I have Loved seeing the world through your eyes and see the joy and wonder on your face. You are a truly amazing human being and I can’t wait to explore more of the world with you. 💕

05/01/2024

Lovin cuzins 👯‍♀️

Thank you to my dear cousin Leanne. Travelling with you is always a special experience. You have a unique way of seeing the world and I love that about you. You tackle everything with enthusiasm and despite the challenges you face you soldier on. You put up with me dragging my feet like a petulant child and losing one thing or another. These moments with you are priceless and leave memories that I will treasure forever. I can’t wait to walk more distant paths with you ❤️

05/01/2024

So another joirney is done and dusted. Always great to travel and experience the wider world, but it’s also good to come home.

Best part of the trip: Morocco hands down. We had the same bus, same driver, same guide and same peeps. The culture, people, flavours, aromas, colours and architecture are out of this world. It evokes unimaginable feelings, engaging your senses all at once. It has a palpable heartbeat that draws you in like no other place. By far at the top of
my favourite holiday experiences ❤️

The worst: 1) crappy tour company. Aside from Morocco, we had numerous guides, changes of buses and Peeps and too many 1 night stays. 2) Spain- have been there twice Now. We found it dirty, lots of graffiti and people rude- it is the new Paris

Verdict: always wonderful to travel. It opens your eyes, to new experiences. It broadens your opinions, outlook and expectations in a way nothing else can. To travel is to live life to the fullest. Travelling with Leanne is always fun and having Emily this time has been wonderful.

Our next trip is to India in May, so until then stay safe and happy 2024 ❤️

04/01/2024

This is the last day of the tour. We went for a rour if the city wirg alocal guide who was fantastic !

We saw the Pilar Basilica, the Cathedral in the city square ( yes another cathedral) at least the guide made it interesting. There was a little box where people were kneeling and saying rheir confessions, you could see the priest inside, I wonder if they are really listening, napping or filing their nails.

I thought maybe I should go to confession but really what could I say? ‘. Bless me father for I have sinned, it’s been 45 odd years since my last confession. I can’t really tell you how many sins I have done but I’m sure all my haters out there could write you a list. I can tell you that in the past 24 hours I have taken the Lords name in vain 314 times and that’s not counting your sons or his apparently virgin mother.. it is usually in context of using that F word. I would not be so righteous to promise I will not do this again, only pray for his divine love and understanding that I am a mere mortal, and one with very little patience for di*****ds. I can however try to use the devils name In vain instead, however it just doesn’t seem to have the same ring to it. 🙏

Our next stop was Zaragoza and yes another cathedral (waaaa) 😭 like I say , it’s going to take more than 1462 cathedrals to enlighten me. I have gotten to the stage where I enter the church and politely ask them where they keep the wine 🍷

I marvel at all the righteous people on their knees praying and kissing the picture of the pope, patron saint or whoever it is. All I can think is ‘ if I get down I ain’t ever getting back up’ and being a nurse , I gag/ cry / pass out when I see everyone kissing the same picture. I’m sorry to say no God, is gonna save you from herpes or any other poxy disease you are all gonna give each other. In saying that, the cathedral this morning had 2 unexploded bombs on its walls …. No word of a lie. Apparently they didn’t detonate during the war and they think that mother Mary protected the church. I quietly wondered what would happen if I just gave them a poke with a stick and they fell to the floor 😳
Yeah yeah, for all of you gasping in horror, you would have had the same thoughts!

Anyhoo, we were supposed to go to Monserrat ( where they have this really cool monestary on a Rocky Mountain) which houses the Black Madonna. But they said it was too late. Emily and I did this day trip last time we were here so no biggie.

We arrive in Barcelona late and then have to get a taxi to a hotel we booked near the airport. We fly out tomorrow morning. It will be so good to just sit for a long time ( especially after sitting for hours on a bus for the past 3 weeks) No not really, the joys of travelling

04/01/2024

We left Santander to travel to the Basque Country.
We visited Bilbao. the Basque Country's largest city. We wient on a tour of the city with a local guide, visiting places such as: the Guggenheim area, the Old Quarter, the Cathedral, etc.
whilst it was all lovely, we are getting to the end and TBH anyone would think we picked a Pilgrimage tour. We have seen so many cathedrals, churches and d what not and they still haven’t worked out the only thing that’s going to save us is a stiff drink!!!!
We have now termed these trips as “ not another church!!!”

We stopped at a few other places (can’t remember where) but lastly another winery in la Rioja. The tour was far more interesting than the previous winery as we saw how they make barrels from scratch, but the wine they served was terrible and certainly on a par with the cheap sangria we discarded in Barcelona. Not that I am any type of wine connoisseur, but Leanne and I have different tastes completely and usually if 1 of us doesn’t like something the other does. Well in this case, neither of us liked it so that says something.

We also stopped at Santo Domingo de la Calzada. This picturesque historic town is situated on the famous "Way of St James". There was another cathedral and quite a pretty sanctuary that was far more interesting We also made stops in Aragon.
And Zaragoza.
I think they just put their finger on a map and pick a few stops. They term them ‘technical stops’ in other words driver needs a rest. This gets tedious after a while and either the driver has a prostate problem or he’s not taking enough speed. They should take a few road trips with our truckies they’ll teach them how to fool the drug testing and di**le their log books.

We once again got to our hotel late and didn’t really have any dinner.

Leanne and Emily haven’t been sleeping great. Emily because Leanne and I apparently snore and Leanne because she’s uncomfortable or just over the whole thing. Me??? Well I mostly pass out, with odd grunt and grown and according to Leanne somewhere during the night call out in my sleep. “ f—k its hot!!!!’ As I strip off my pj’s and throw them on the floor. Aaahg menopause!!! There is also a possibility I scare the crap out of her in the middle of the night trying to unsuccessfully navigate a different room each night to go to the toilet - and naked at that!

We’ve been speaking to home every day, our uncle is not good and it is a stressful time for our family. We know there is nothing we can do but it still weighs on our minds and in our hearts. We would like to be there to support our parents and I would like to see him one last time.
We will be home in a few days so that gives me some comfort

Hope everyone is keeping well and safe from the storms at home 💕

01/01/2024

Today was a bit of a dud day for me. New Years Day and not a lot open. First place we stopped at was Lugo. We got out and as usual had a toilet stop. What has become increasingly evident is that the toilets in Spain in particular are gross, and usually no toilet paper. Also often only 1 toilet. People take so God damn long and even though you have more clothes on in this climate I still have not been able to work out what the hell takes so long. I’m starting to think that they are doing a full wash, dry and ironI. Come to think of it, it’s highly likely they are working out how to stick their backsides in the basin to clean themselves after. I decided that I would just have to do the basics with what little paper i had salvaged from the hotel. The guide said she would come back for us but didn’t. I wandered around looking for the group and couldn’t find them. I decided to get a hot chocolate and wait for them, but the only place open was pretty crappy. what we are noticing is that the people aren’t especially polite in Spain and on more than enough occasions we have just stood at the counter and been ignored. At least in Morocco they pester you to buy food!!! . After waiting as the only customer for what seemed like forever the obnoxious cow behind the counter informed me they did not sell hot chocolate. By this time I had the s**ts in more than 1 way and thought I would try another toilet. Well that didn’t work out because no sooner had I sat down I saw it also had no paper as well and by then it was too late. One thing you learn in thiis Part of the world is that all the hotels have bidets but public toilets don’t. Well I can tell you no Many how many ways I tried to squeeze my barge arse in the basin it wasn’t having any of it. I waddled back to the restaurant and took some serviettes to finish the job and then realised the toilet didn’t flush. By this stage I couldn’t have cared less. I walked out of the toilet my head held high and bid the poor old man who was just going in to clean the toilets a very happy new year!

I spat obscenities at Emily and Leanne for not noticing I wasn’t with them and then gave the guide a serve for good measures. She was apologetic saying I thought everyone was with me and she counted. I told her she evidently had a finger missing and bade her a happy new years as well as I thundered back on to the bus. I sat in the back corner with my beanie down over my eyes ready to punch anyone in the throat who dared talk to me.

We then stopped at O Cebreiro which was a quaint little Galician stone Village. From there we went on to León. We had time for lunch but Leanne and I ran into 1 dilemma after another. They either had stopped serving food, didn’t serve us ( which is common) or not what we wanted. Most of these places sell a mix of food Mostly run of the mill
Food to try and cater for everyone. Tney serve a lot of bread. Leanne let’s say has a rather refined palate and really likes things like sardines, other seafood especially stinky slimy fish, cheeses, olives and the like. She doesn’t like rice, pasta, salad,
or many standard fast food dishes. She gags at carrot which tends to be in many hot dishes. By the time we sauntered in and out of the restaurants checking the menus or if they would actually serve us we missed out. We did however find a cart that sold mulled wine and hot chocolate so that was lunch, we were supposed to see the gothic cathedral as the doors were meant to open at 4 but that didn’t happen. I’m thinking that it knew better as my mood was filthy and they were worried I’d go in and knock all the heads off the statues.

We arrived in Oviedo about 6 and they were going to visit the town on a walking tour. I told
Emily and Leanne to go as I wanted to stay in the hotel and sulk. I needed a good shower and to go through my luggage. We have a few more days until the tour ends and to be honest I am ready to come home. It makes you realise how good we have it in Australia. In saying that, I find it strange that Morocco in Africa seems more civilised than Spain ….. and it has toilet paper!!

31/12/2023

We went for a city tour in Santiago de Compostelar. The cathedral is amazing. According to the Catholic Church, James the Great[a] (died AD 44) was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus. Ge was the first to be martyred. Saint James is the patron saint of Spain and, according to tradition, his remains are held in Santiago de Compostela in Galicia.

The Camino de Santiago, or the Way of St. James, is an ancient pilgrimage trail originating in medieval times. Made up of a vast network of roads and paths, pilgrims travel to arrive at the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela.

31/12/2023

Party starts early here in Spain

31/12/2023

Happy New Years Aussie time 🍾

31/12/2023

We then stopped at O Grove a seaside village in Spain. We went on a boat that was supposed to edu ate us on growing mussels. There were fresh muscles galore and Leanne was in a food coma after eating a full bucket of like 100 then stealing from the old lady’s sitting near us. That was washed down with really good wine and champagne. Towards the end they played this Spanish song that everyone sang. We looked I
Him up on the internet and he’s a pretty hot youngish guy. We sang along in our own version of Spanish. Some old luvs got up and had a dance and it was a really festive time.

We then had some free time in town. We quickly found a packed bar with live music and the best pink champagne. Leanne and I and Deb and Dave ( from NZ) started our NYE celebrations. The music was good and we wondered if we should take over the mic and sing something like Khe San. Before we knew it we had to get back on the bus which was a bit of a kill joy. Hopefully our local area will have some festivities going on.

31/12/2023

Our first sop today was at Casa des Estampas (House of Prince) a hilltop monestary. It was unbelievable. The church itself was small and quaint beautifully adorned in the walls, ceilings and floors. The grounds were amazing with pockets of splendour throughout from gardens, to caves, to lookouts and Monuments. We went up by funicular and walked down 600 odd steps. Each level
Presented itself with statues, water features and spectacular views of the town below. There were cute little houses that looked like fairy huts. inside were religious statues depicting different scenes. It was a wonderful start to the day

were many crazy arse people jogging and cycling up and down the hill. With all the stairs they seemed to take with ease. Why on earth people find that exciting, I mean I don’t ever remember waking up And going ‘today I think I’ll go for a quick run ip the hill to the bottom of the site, than run up 600 thousand stairs 2 at a time’ I’d need more than an ambulance I would need divine intervention.!!!

30/12/2023

We left Lisbon and drove to Fatima a central Portuguese town that's home to the Sanctuary of Fátima, a Catholic pilgrimage site. The Capelinha das Aparições marks the spot where the Virgin Mary allegedly appeared in 1917 and blessed 3 young Children. Leanne and I said a prayer for uncle Inno but didn’t stay too long in case the Chaple caught fire from us heathens. I bought some holy souvenirs that will satisfy the good Christians at home.

We arrived in Oporto in time for lunch. Leanne once again had her seafood, Emily ordered hers and I just ordered whatever in haste. Some porkie thing and some cod to try. The pork was pretty average and It took a while to chew. I must have looked like a cow chewing its cud. The cod was coated in 6 inches of batter that was soggy so overall it was a thumbs down. The only saving grace was the sangria which was made with champagne and had melon and pineapple in it. We then went to a local winery where they make port. It was really interesting and we got to do a bit of taste testing ( just to aid digestion of course)

We went for a sort of city tour when we got here. The few streets in the main city centre were lit up beautifully. The shops were really expensive like oration, la coste, prada etc but dispersed in between were souvenir shops 😂 it was really bizarre. It took like forever to get to the hotel as the traffic was horrendous ( apparently they had a marathon) which diverted traffic. We got to the hotel about 7 pm and no dinner in sight. We were booked to see the Fado show with dinner but there was not enough interest so they cancelled it which was a bit s**tty.

All in all it was a pretty good day

30/12/2023

Last stop was Sinatra a little hillside village. It is absolutely stunning. We ambled up and down the
narrow alleyways. Their specialty was a cherry
Liquor that the sell for £1 in a little chocolate
Cup the size of a thimble. Leanne and I tasted that but also found a custard tart liquor served the same way. It was absolutely fantastic, so yummy in fact we had to buy a few bottles. The sights are glorious and it’s exactly what we needed. The bus is are still our biggest debarcle as no one seems to know what they’re doing. We had our bus number given to us for our afternoon tour yesterday and in true bus tour fashion it’s like running with the bulls to get to the best seats. You sort of have to or you end up sitting on the stairs or worse still next to some screaming kids or loud mouthed tourist. Bus etiquette is non existent with people talking loudly whilst the guide is talking (my pet hate) leaving rubbish everywhere, being late for the bus and
Holding everyone up. Leanne and I have decided that our next bus tour will not be so long.

30/12/2023

We had the best afternoon doing an optional tour. First we stopped at a seaside town Cascais. It was delightful, charming and we had the best lunch. Leanne and Dave had their sardines and squid and Emily and I had peri peri chicken. It was accompanied by some rather tasty drinky poos and a generous tip to ‘Kathmandu’ waiter. We have names for everyone on this trip. This guy knew we were Aussies because of our Kathmandu travel wear as apparently only Aussies wear it. In our little group of 12 we are known as Australia, Sydney , NZ, Singapore and Phillipines and that is what we call each other. After lunch We wondered down to the little Markets where Leanne and I had some Mulled wine, for those who have never had it, it is amazing. It’s got red wine infused with spices such as cardomen, cloves, apple, cinnamon and star anise. It’s something else

30/12/2023

We arrived in Lisbon late and had a bit of a walk down the main area near us, but everything was closed. We are having some pretty early starts and my alarm clock (AKA Emily) woke me up at 715 for an 8 am leave. I was up and down to brekkie in 10 mins and spent the first couple of hours in a daze wondering if I was in a nightmare or really having to get back into the tour bus like a sardine can.
We ended up having an amazing day. The
Morning was spent doing a city tour where we supposedly had the best Portuguese tarts ( we beg to differ) but because the line up was 3 km long we figured we should join the queue of cattle so we can ooh and aaaah and agree to keep the guide happy and probably getting her kickbacks. We did however see some really cute horses with reindeer ears on 😍🐴

30/12/2023

We stopped at Évora on the way to Lisbon and visited the Chaple of Bones ( The Capela dos Ossos ).It is a small interior chapel located next to the entrance of the Church of St. Francis. It’s lovely to see a small Chaple that you can really enjoy instead of the massive cathedrals that smack you in the face with the amount of opulence your brain than needs 3 weeks to digest.

29/12/2023

We left for Portugal yesterday. En route to Lisbon we stopped at Jerez de los Caballeros a hilltop village. ( in Spain) then We went on to Monteraz another beautiful hilltop in Portugal. We walked through the medieval castle with all its walls. The view from the top was Magical. It was a bit of a hike uphill, but lard arse here managed - my determined nature kicked I’m. I’ve become an expert of looking as though I’m managing easily but inside I’m half dead.!! I usually ask the if anyone would like to hike up to another point 678 up another steep walk to show my supposed fitness and thankfully noome has agreed. I think they’re worried that have to carry me back like a sherpa. Despite this, all these hilltop villages are charming and totally fascinating.

27/12/2023

We had the day in Seville today. We started on a walking tour which TBH was the best part of the day. After that we did a cruise in the Guadalquivir River. It was quite uninspiring and certainly can’t hold a candle to Paris’s Seine or the Thames in London. Leanne reckons it can’t even hold a candle to that God awful brown thing they call the Brisbane river. It was freezing cold (1.1c) and the wind chill made it feel like - 10.1 c. Everyone had snot icicles and really all we did was bitch and moan about the s**tty tour activity and how cold we were.
After that we did a tour of the churchie/cathedrally thing. When you’ve been to the Bascillia in Barcelona, St Paul’s and the Abbey in London, St Peter’s Bascillia and church of the Spilled Blood In Russia it’s like ‘oh pleeeeeeze’!!!!! That was €25 we weren’t getting back. There was some plaquie thing for Christopher Columbus but they don’t even know where he came from. In a matter of a few hours it was Portugal, then Spain and I’m sure they threw the Galápagos Islands in there somewhere. And surprise surprise he apparently didn’t look anything like what we learnt in history at school. He was short, balding, had no chin and a honker so big he could have used it as a sail on his ship or maybe the rudder. But anyhoo he did do something pretty awesome……… I think! Our tour guide was……. Mah! We miss Morocco and Mohammed who was like the best guide Eva!
We then looked for some half edible food for lunch. Leanne had her slimy s**t she likes than had a go at some pork cheeks or whatever part that was cold and pretty foul. We had pork croquettes that were pretty average that they threw a few cold chips on them and decided to pour this foul white stuff ( probably aioli) but really just resembled something like a bird had flown off and dropped its business on your plate. We did however enjoy some sangria. We got back to the hotel and Leanne and I walked to the local shop. It was HUGE like Walmart. We felt quite overdressed and thought maybe we should dress like the bogans at Walmart and either wear our knickers on the outside of our jeans or perhaps on our head.
Tomorrow we head for Portugal and hopefully a new guide. Leanne and Emily did a quick handwash and I made them hang their knickers in the cupboard as they wanted to hang them out the window. I know that seems acceptable here in Spain, but trying to teach these 2 a bit of class is really challenging.

26/12/2023

People of Morocco

26/12/2023

Foods of Morocco

26/12/2023

We say good bye to Morroco today. Also our guide Mohammed and driver Abdulla. They were amazing people, Mohammed the best guide I hav had on any of my tours. We gave them a really good tip. The wages here are pretty poor the average being 600 Moroccan dollars per month. (‘Approx $ 90 aud). We basically gave the driver 500 Dirham which is nearly 1 months income and the guide $100 aud about 700 dirham. It’s sad that many people give bring or a pittance. I feel that if you can afford to bring your family For a holiday like this or even just yourself, you can afford a decent tip. Our guide gave us an intimate look into the Morrocan lifestyle, jobs, education, housing, how their banks and corporations work. He talked about family structures, different belief systems etc. He made sure we were at the destinations before the other buses so we had best and first choices, he lent us money until we got to a teller, he escorted us to toilets, tellers, shops etc. He was kind and patient. Tours have their advantages as they are cheaper than silo travel and you would not get this type of education on your own. We are eternally grateful for being blessed with orlur travel team on our Moroccan leg of our journey

Best part of Morocco: EVERYTHING!!!
Worst part of Morocco: the street rubbish

Verdict: Morocco is Not just a destination it is an experience like no other. It is a bustling, energetic country that’s pulse can be felt in all your senses. The people, the culture, aromas, noises, colours and tastes seep into every pore of your body and envelops your mind, your heart and your spirit. It is an experience like no other. You cannot help but be changed by the experience. It is joyful, serene and inspires wonder and awe all at one time. You feel alive and serene all at once as you move from the bustling kazbahs to the simple rudememtary lifestyle they live. It feels like you are going back in time with the simple machinery and donkeys, horses and carts. You truly feel like you are in a flying carpet. Morocca you have captured my mind, heart and soul ❤️

26/12/2023

We headed back to Tangiers yesterdaywhere we will get back in the ferry to Spain. We are staying at the Hilton and actually get to have a sleep in. We had big day yesterday walking through rhemeduna in Fez. It is massive enclosed in 12 km of walls with 5 exits. It’s huge. It was busy, the aromas let’s just say not the best. The smell of chickens, raw meat etc was overwhelming and the spices couldn’t cover it. The guide we had was amazing! His English was great and he was funny as hell. He called the area the ‘stinkin chicken kitchen’. The locals were busy getting ready for the day. Old people pushing and pulling heavy laden carts up and down alleys ( I assume they’re old but maybe they were like 26 or something and just weathered by their lifestyle). We went to a leather factory where they gave us fresh mint to sniff as the smell is rank, reminded me of when I worked in the theatres and we would shove Vicks up the surgeons nostrils with our pinkies when some surgeries like the bowel were being done and there were god awful stenches that would protrude from unconscious bodies. We humans can be gross !!!! We also went to watch how they make pottery and a silver factory. We won’t discuss how much was spent but hence I bought another 2 bags albeit small ones. Leanne has gone wild and I believe she had to have the discussion with Lloyd when she gets back about mortgaging their house. We were all popped when we got here last night.

25/12/2023

Merry Christmas to all our loved ones back home. It is a difficult time for many of us, may we find solitude in each other and the true meaning of the day 🌲 ⛪️✝️🤶🏻

24/12/2023

Today we drove to Fwz. We stopped at a few places. One was a little village wheremany people lived in caves. It was so weird as they were very basic and functional but also had electricity and plumbing. Ie real toilets. There were tons of kids following us around asking for money. Talk about survival of the fittest. You could see there was some type of Pecking Order with the kids. It started
Getting a bit roughWhen one guy who obviously had a disability, short, wonky legs and a bit mentally challenged was going off at the other kids
Most likely because they tease him. His behaviour was pretty volatile and this nice guy maybe in his 30s was trying to Walk him away and settle him down. Next minute this little s**t ran up to him and kicked Him and than ran up to the top of the wall where he knew he couldn’t get him. Well this guy went off his head and picked up this rock that was probably bigger than himself and was trying to hurl it up at this kid who was still baiting him. His legs were all over the place and he was trying to tell him off with his over sized tongue. At that point Mohammed our tour guide decided we were safer on the bus.

We had lunch at a stop on the way through. Leanne finally got to have camel and I had a taste and it was pretty tasty. Although I did wonder if it was my
Poor cameo from last night we were eating, which was quite Possible as it tasted pretty fresh. Let’s see who gets the last Laugh now !! 😂

We stopped on the way to look at all the monkeys. They were fairly well behaved and no incidences recorded. They loved the food we gave them. One of them had a red apple and chomped away at it . They seemed fairly tamed.

I noticed tonight I’ve got a red bumpy ring on my upper arm. I’ve come to the conclusion I’ve contracted MEARS that god awful corona virus from camels. If I’m right I will die a painful traumatic death within 24 hrs. So I’ll say my goodbyes now in case I don’t come home. I want to be buried here in Morocco and you can all fight over my belongings and assets.

23/12/2023

Later in the afternoon we went on a 4x4 trip out to the Sahara Desert. Our driver Hassan was fantastic. He had music blaring which sounded a mix between Morrocan pop and country and western. Her was singing and dancing away in the front and got us all involved. Never mind I can’t sing a note, I probably sounded like a camel hollering but he seemed pleased. Once we hit the dirt track he was so much fun. We were sliding all over the sand, up small dunes and we had a great time. The other 2 cars were let’s just say ‘ careful’ maybe ‘cautious’ all right the were ‘boring as crap’ and we became the envy of the convoy. Hassan tied our head bits on for us and we felt very Morrocan. We checked out a few nomadic sites and had a cup of tea with one of them. Her son kept peeking around the corner with his grandpa slippers on. It was pretty funny

Then we got to the site where the dunes just spread out before us. Waiting for us were convoys of camels. To say we were excited was an understatement, however I was worried that lard arse here wouldn’t be able to get up ( which I did with some help) not sure how the camel handlers felt being Islamic and all having to push someone’s ginormous backside up and practically losing their arm in the process. Maybe it was easy for them, after all I’m sure the have to put their arms up camels hoo haa’s when they give birth. And these guys are tough, no cow gloves for them, no siree bare hands it is. I guess it’s one way to keep warm.

I was also worried that the poor camels legs would collapse under me. He was a champ anyway and managed up and down the dunes albeit grunting and groaning. I’m sure if he could have he would have turned around and spat at me.. We got near the top where we got off our camels. I’m sure mine has never been so grateful and for the next hour his other camel friends gave him sympathy. We trekked up the last part of the dune. I thought I was going to die at this point. You may as well asked me to climb Mt Everest. I did however make it to the top. We watched the sun set over the dunes which was pure magic. It was such a surreal experience. The guides were amazing taking heaps of photos for us.
We had to get back on our camels for the journey back. My camel gave me a look of disgust as I took a run up to get back on ( a la getting up on Helen Sheehan bed) I think it was trying to feign being sick or dead just to avoid me. We finally arrived back and my camels legs practically splayed out. Getting off can be just as hard as getting on, so I thought I’ll just tuck and roll. I believe my camel is now at the camel infirmary having traction and possibly counselling.

An Iberian Odyssey

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