Around the World with Jan

Around the World with Jan

I've spent a lifetime travelling the world and I have no intention of ever stopping. There are so many amazing places to see. Leia mais🇦🇺Sydney

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My Caucasus Adventure Around the World with Jan
Iprari, Caucasus Mountains
21 de agosto de 2022, Geórgia ⛅ 33 °C
We’re well and truly in the mountains now. Everywhere you look there’s this amazing vista of jagged peaks, snow capped mountains and glaciers. We’re really only a short distance from the Russian border up here.

The walking is steep at times and the track stony and dusty. It’s very dry and can still be hot during the day.

The wildflowers are all in bloom and they make an amazing foreground for pictures. There are butterflies everywhere and bees of course, they make a lot of honey in the Caucausus mountains.

The local wine takes a bit of getting used to, not least because it comes in a plastic bottle. A lot of it is home brewed and it’s designed to be drunk immediately. A glass is about all I can manage.

The accommodation is more basic but warm and comfortable and there’s a hot shower which is a bonus after a day of what’s reasonably hard walking.

We’ve just done our hardest day – 22km and it was hot and dusty but the views were to die for. It doesn’t get much better than this.

A few more days then we’re back to the city and a few final days of culture and history after the trip finishes before I come home.Leia mais
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My Caucasus Adventure Around the World with Jan
Tbilisi
16 de agosto de 2022, Geórgia ☀️ 35 °C
Passing from one country to another was relatively painless and quick. What struck me straight away is how dry the countryside was as we headed into the inferno that is Tbilisi.

It’s hot – especially in the afternoons and early evening. I wasn’t prepared for it to be in the high 30’s here. Thank goodness over the next few days we head towards the mountains and much cooler temperatures.

Our hotel is a small modern boutique one placed in the old town so we’re surrounded by history and this amazing mix of Georgian and Russian architecture with a bit of Baroque and Rococo thrown in. It means wooden balconies, pastel colours and cobblestones, a contrast to the Soviet mega buildings scattered throughout the city.

The traffic is constant, it’s a noisy, and busy city, full of tourists.

There’s lots to see here. When I get back at the end of the hiking I'll have a couple of days to explore more of the city before I come home.

Georgia feels very different to Armenia so I’m looking forward to getting out seeing more of it.Leia mais
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My Caucasus Adventure Around the World with Jan
On the Trail
13 de agosto de 2022, Armênia ☀️ 21 °C
We’ve now been out on the trail a couple of days. The walking is a lot of going up 300 to 500 metres so in parts it’s quite steep.

We started out in cloudy weather which was easier to walk in but obscured the views with fog and cloud until we got up pretty high. Now it’s sunny, humid and hot. Fortunately there is a lot of forest walking which is beautiful.

There are wildflowers everywhere, bees and butterflies galore so lots of stops to take photos. The views are now clear and we can see just how beautiful the mountains are.

The places we are staying in are quite small villages but the accommodation is clean and comfortable and the food is incredible – lots of fresh vegetables, much of it organic. Hopefully we’ll work off all that food while we’re walking.

A few more days and we’ll be crossing the border into Georgia.Leia mais
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My Caucasus Adventure Around the World with Jan
The Pink City
7 de agosto de 2022, Armênia ⛅ 32 °C
I’d almost forgotten the joys of the long-haul flight. The lack of sleep (including a screaming baby), trying to find the gate for your connecting flight and then worrying about your bag arriving. I got no sleep but I did catch my connection and I actually saw my bag being put onto the plane – all good.

Yerevan, the ‘Pink City’. Many of the buildings here are faced with pink stone because they don’t make bricks in Armenia. The architecture is quite varied, much of it on a grand scale. Republic Square is surrounded by spectacular buildings with a huge fountain in the centre. More on that later.

English isn’t widely spoken so visiting a supermarket or eating in a restaurant is interesting. Menus and museums seem to have English translations because I have no chance of even guessing the words! The rest you just make up as you go along.

Instead of denominations of 1, 5, 10 and 20 it’s 1000, 5000, 10000 and 20000. Try doing that calculation in your head. I never was good at maths. You have to be careful that you don’t give someone a 10000 dram note instead of 1000 especially when you’ve had no sleep. By our standards things are reasonably priced but I don’t know what people earn here. Eating out is certainly cheaper than Sydney.

The city is full of museums, art galleries and music venues – you could easily spend a week just visiting those. There are lots of people here – it’s summer and they are all on holidays. Oh, and it’s stinking hot – by early evening it’s 34o. I’ve been told that it’s been like this for last 2 or 3 years. I know the rest of Europe is sweltering too.

The city is fabulous to walk around – street art, big trees, wide avenues. A must see is the evening light show in the fountain in Republic Square. Huge crowds wait for the clock in the tower to chime 9 and then it starts running for about half an hour. Definitely worth taking a look.Leia mais
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On the road once more.....Around the World with Jan
The last few days....
3 de junho de 2022, Austrália ☀️ 24 °C
We were lucky to have the time and good weather to do some snorkelling on the reef, floating above giant oyster stacks and walking off the sand into crystal clear conditions to watch hundreds of tropical fish swim below and around us. It was a much more relaxing experience and Turquoise Bay well and truly lived up to its name. The sand was almost blinding, it was so white.

Exmouth is a tiny town with a few shops and some nice cafes. Its surprisingly well stocked supermarket caters for all those motor homes coming through as grey nomads make their way along the coast now that W.A. is open for business.

We saw pictures of what Exmouth used to look like before the Americans set up a communication base similar to Pine Gap – there wasn’t much here at all.

Sadly, all good things have to end and the same goes for the trip. Flight delays made getting home painful and tiring. By the time I got back to Perth it was really cold again and Sydney even colder.

I’ve missed travelling so much - I was made for walking and it's great to get out on the trails again. This is just the beginning....Leia mais
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On the road once more.....Around the World with Jan
Heading for the coast
31 de maio de 2022, Austrália ☀️ 20 °C
We were all ready for a change of scenery as we headed to the coast and Exmouth. We made it in two hops – happy to have a straight run ahead of the rain.

The campground at Yardie Homestead was packed – we went from having our own little space in a vast park to being surrounded by motor homes and caravans in a commercial camping ground. It was great to have top notch facilities but it was busy.

People had told me how stunning the colour of the water is out here – I wasn’t disappointed. It is the most brilliant blue and the beaches are the whitest sand.

One of the reasons I had decided on this particular trip was the opportunity to swim with the whale sharks on Ningaloo Reef. Wow. I’m so glad I was able to spend time with these massive creatures – it’s easy to forget that they are actually sharks because they seem so non-threatening.

The experience was full-on to say the least. You can’t just float in the water and watch them because they swim quite quickly. Your guide tells you to jump in and you can watch them pass and then you swim to try to follow them. It’s hard work. You can’t get too close because they are protected and they don’t slow down. If you can’t keep up, tough luck. After 4 times in and out of the water again we were all exhausted. It was worth it.

The terrain of the Cape Range National Park is quite different to Karajini. Our first hike was Mandu Mandu Gorge walking along a dry riverbed listening to the sweet singing of birds we couldn’t see. We got really close to a couple of gorgeous rock wallabies who didn’t seem to mind us at all.

Our next adventure was one of my favourite excursions - a boat trip down Yardie Creek with a larger than life character who told stories, teased the children and entertained as we made our way slowly into the gorge. We saw rock wallabies and monitor lizards sunning themselves on the cliffs above us and watched magnificent ospreys soar over our heads. At the end, a walk along the top of the gorge gave us a very different perspective and the opportunity to see the ospreys a little bit closer - the area is a protected zone for them.Leia mais
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On the road once more.....Around the World with Jan
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A stunning landscape
28 de maio de 2022, Austrália ☁️ 22 °C
We walked from the campsite under a brooding sky to Joffre Gorge a couple of kilometers away. The light gave the grass a golden glow as we headed for another gash in the landscape, painted brilliant red.

It was a steep climb down into the gorge, well worth the effort. Our end goal was a waterfall trickling down a rock face stacked like tiles into a deep pool. I wasn’t tempted to swim – too bloody cold! It was lovely to sit and feel and enjoy such a stunning place.

Today we tackled Mt Bruce – you would think they could come up with a better name than that! The traditional name is Punurrunha, much more interesting.

At 1,234m high, it's Western Australia's second tallest peak. The views were stunning, making the climb worth the effort. Again we were lucky to avoid the rain which came later in the day.

The next day, our travelling day started out wet - fortunately we made it out of the park before the roads got too flooded, our guides constantly checking what was still open as the rain swept in. We are all looking forward to a change of scenery and some new and different adventures so were keen to be underway.Leia mais
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On the road once more.....Around the World with Jan
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A long way from home (and loving it)
27 de maio de 2022, Austrália ☁️ 23 °C
Well, it was a marathon to get here but we made it over corrugated roads and in spite of flight delays. Thank goodness all our luggage arrived when we did.

The terrain here is quite different to N.T. - yes there is amazing red earth and the beautiful deep blue sky but the flora is different and the look of the landscape is different.

Most of the walking we're doing is into deep steep gorges with crystal clear streams and pools at the bottom. Rocks are stacked like roof tiles towering above us, making us feel very small indeed. It's something you feel - no picture can do justice to how incredible this landscape is - deep gashes on the earth's surface, not yet rounded and smoothed by time.

Mt Nameless stands at 1128 metres with sweeping views of the Hammersley Ranges and the town of Tom Price and the adjoining scar on the land, the iron ore mine. But of course, the mountain isn't nameless, it has an ancient aboriginal name - Jarndunmunha. It's a steep walk but not a hard one - well worth the effort to get to the top.

A bone jarring drive back to our comfortable campsite in the national park, our home for the next few days and a lovely hot shower - always welcome on a camping trip. Great food, a glass of wine - what more could we possibly need?Leia mais
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On the road once more.....Around the World with Jan
Perth
23 de maio de 2022, Austrália 🌧 16 °C
I left Sydney in stormy weather and landed in Perth with a bump - pretty wild weather there too. I was just glad to be on the road again.

I haven't been to Perth for 20 years so I didn't really remember very much. Fortunately the following day was bright and sunny, great for walking and exploring as I familiarised myself with the city again.

I'm here to explore Karijini National park and fulfill one of my bucket list wishes - to swim with the whale sharks at Ningaloo reef.Leia mais
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ViajanteI love travelling vicariously with you Jan! Enjoy your explorations. x
28/07/2022Responder
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Into the Red Centre Around the World with Jan
Ormiston Pound
10 de maio de 2021, Austrália ☀️ 23 °C
After a very good night’s sleep, we headed out early to Ormison Pound for the last walk of the trip. This is definitely where all the tourists come. We started at the visitors centre to do a loop walk that would finish in the gorge. Once we were on the trail, there weren’t many other walkers.

There was a mixture of climbing and flat walking. So much of the landscape looks like a planted garden with beautiful flowers and bushes – the colours always contrasting with the red dust and the amazing red cliffs surrounding us.

It was a hot walk with very little shade, the low shrubs and bushes unable to provide any shade. By contrast when we got deeper into the gorge and the shade, it was quite cool.

Wading through water that was above my head was interesting. I had to get one of the guides to carry my pack across because I wasn’t going to able to swim with it on my head. The rest of the walk was back in the sun, hoping that we’d dry out before we got back to the bus. Some of our clothes did but not the boots.

Saying farewell at the end of the day was sad because the group were such a great bunch to walk with. A trip I won’t forget in a hurry, well executed and managed and so varied and interesting. I’m so glad I finally got to do the walk.Leia mais
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Into the Red Centre Around the World with Jan
Climbing Mt Sonder
9 de maio de 2021, Austrália ⛅ 15 °C
Up at 1.30 a.m. and off at 2. We started the climb up to Mt Sonder at Redbank Gorge at 3 a.m. At 1380 metres, it’s the second-highest peak in N.T.

A slow procession of head torches made their way up to the summit, 8km above us. The actual summit is sacred so you can’t go to the very top but where we watched the sky turn a fiery red was pretty good. It was cold until the sun rose completely.

As the fire from the sky lit up the landscape, I was overwhelmed by the vista before us – it would match anything I’ve seen overseas. Breathtaking views in every direction – wow.

The path on the way down revealed itself to be a rock garden with beautiful flowers and trees sculpted by the wind. The colour of the rocks provided a sharp contrast making it very photogenic.

Back at camp, some people had a snooze then we headed to the oldest river on the planet which is still following its original course – the Finke River. Again, bloody freezing water so a quick dip and then I was off bird watching.

What an amazing day. Dinner was a Sunday roast done in the campfire – it doesn’t get much better than that.Leia mais
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Into the Red Centre Around the World with Jan
Fearless Camp, Glen Helen Gorge
8 de maio de 2021, Austrália ⛅ 24 °C
Today we walked out from camp to the Serpentine Dam, a folly built to service a Chalet built for visitors but which wasn’t much use because of the salt content of the surrounding rocks which contaminated the water.

The reflection of the grey and black rocks where the water cascaded into the dam looked amazing flanked by the stunning red of the gorge itself. Sadly, the fire in 2019 left a scar on the landscape with black skeletons of the trees as far as the eye could see. It is growing back but it will take time.

The colours here are so intense – maybe it’s the deep blue of the sky but the light makes everything so vivid. The rainbow colours of the clay pits and the red earth of the gorges that we walked through were perfect for taking photos – I took lots. Only the local aboriginal men can touch the clay for ceremonial use, preserving it for future generations.

We ended the day with a swim at Glen Helen Gorge. Well, some of us dipped and some swam – the water was much colder than I expected. Stunning location as always.

Our camp, called Fearless, was named after Sue Fear who was a well respected mountain guide who lead some of World Expeditions' trips. We were greeted by a flock of red-tailed black cockatoos - quite a welcome. Didn't think much of the native spiders who decided to visit my tent later in the evening.Leia mais
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Into the Red Centre Around the World with Jan
Serpentine Gorge
7 de maio de 2021, Austrália ⛅ 19 °C
There aren’t enough words to describe just how beautiful the landscape is here.

The birds are amazing – bright green budgies in flocks buzzing above us everywhere we walked followed by a sighting of a wedge-tailed eagle as its huge shadow passed above us.

Simpson’s Gap and Standley Chasm were just stunning. The colour of the rocks, the reflections in the water, the flowers and plants along the path and our local guide showing us how many of the plants here are edible. The chasm itself was spectacular – it reminded me of Petra. Brilliant red stone shining in the afternoon sun.

I have to admit that the terrain on the trail is the hardest I’ve walked on – big rocks became easy trip hazards – you had to constantly be alert to the possibility of a fall. It was hard on the feet. I had been warned.

Serpentine Gorge and Counts Point provided more spectacular scenery. From Counts Point, Gosse’s Bluff looks like a mini Uluru – the result of a meteorite hitting the earth 142 million years ago. The view was amazing – the gorge to our left and the hills and ranges as far as the eye could see. Greens, whites, reds – all combined in a spectacular landscape that seems endless.

The flowers too, from the purple Sturt's Desert Rose to the red of the Australian holly - leaves of every shade of green, some spiky some soft like velvet. More photos....Leia mais
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Into the Red Centre Around the World with Jan
Wallaby Gap
5 de maio de 2021, Austrália ⛅ 20 °C
Day 1 of the Larapinta trail at last.

16 of us, all fresh and clean set out for the Telegraph Station to start walking on a beautiful crisp clear day. There were lots of gorgeous flowers and plants because of rain earlier in the year, a photographer’s paradise for me. I loved it.

It didn’t take long for it to get hot. The first test of our fitness was Euro Ridge – three rock promontories climbing higher and higher with a couple of scary sections (narrow path, steep drop). It was worth it – the views were stunning in every direction and we could see where we had come from.

Wallaby Gap was our first experience of the wonderful fixed campsites that World Expeditions is known for – wow! We had a pre-dinner talk about bush tucker from a very inspirational aboriginal woman who provided delicious food to try followed the first of many delicious dinners.

If this is what the rest of the trip will be like, bring it on!Leia mais
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Into the Red Centre Around the World with Jan
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Alice Springs or bust
3 de maio de 2021, Austrália ⛅ 29 °C
As I looked out the window of the plane at our red centre, it looked very red, dry, no signs of life – I’m sure there was but it wasn't obvious up there. Beautiful sunny clear sky, no pollution, just whisps of cloud and the infinite horizon. You tend to forget just how vast Australia is.

Alice Springs is a small frontier town with not much going for it but it's stunning location in the centre of Australia. I didn't think I'd see this day after 2 failed attempts last year but I couldn't wipe the smile of my face as we disembarked on a glorious warm day.

The town was quiet, many of the shops were closed, not just because it was Sunday but they are struggling to find staff, some of them just haven't been able to continue.

The Doubletree Hilton turned out to be a bit out of town and a little tattered around the edges but it's clean, comfortable and set in a lovely spot across from a dry Todd River. I was just so happy to finally make it! Can't wait to start walking.Leia mais
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Viajante sense of humour!
28/07/2022Responder
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Into the Tarkine Around the World with Jan
Launceston
19 de fevereiro de 2021, Austrália ⛅ 24 °C
Our first stop of the day on our way back to Launceston was Philosopher Falls. The canopy of trees overhanging the roadway provided a shady tunnel along the road as we approached the forest.

The temperature dropped as we started the walk to the falls, dwarfed by tall tree ferns. Massive trunks of fallen trees littered the forest floor and we saw more of the amazing fungi that the forests here are known for.

The walk to the falls was pretty easy, much of it on boardwalks to protect the underlying foliage. The steps to the falls were pretty steep but not a hard walk. We stood in silence for a while on a platform half way down the cascade to listen to the sound of the trees, the birds and the tumbling of water as it disappeared into the trees.

Lunch was a a lovely reserve on the outskirts of town then back into the buzz of Friday afternoon traffic. Not so happy to be back in civilisation, a few more days would have been good.Leia mais
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Looked amazing Jan. A great collection of photos. [Sue & Peter]
18/03/2021Responder
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Into the Tarkine Around the World with Jan
Corinna, Pieman River
18 de fevereiro de 2021, Austrália ☀️ 22 °C
Today we sailed up the Pieman River to the beach for quite a long walk to the Conical Rocks.

The coastline was pretty rugged and wild. We passed a small settlement of fisherman's houses. I couldn't imagine a more remote and wild place to live being constantly whipped by the winds the buffet the West Coast of Tasmania.

Once again the weather was kind and it was sunny. The Conical Rocks are massive multi-coloured rock formations running down to the ocean, making it hard to get to the beach on the headland where they perch.

It was a lovely place to sit and just enjoy.

On the way back on the boat to Corinna we were followed by an eagle and the captain pointed out the Huon pines and the strange way that they grow sideways. They also have male and female trees.

We finished the day with a walk through the forest that surrounds this old mining town.

We had our final dinner together in the restaurant in the 'resort' and the food was really good - huge portions, we all struggled to finish our meals.Leia mais
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Into the Tarkine Around the World with Jan
Corinna, Pieman River
17 de fevereiro de 2021, Austrália ☀️ -6 °C
Our first walk of the day today was along a windswept beach that reminded me of something out of a sci-fi movie. It was pretty wild and woolly out there are as we tried to find some petroglyphs along the edge of the water. They are fairly well hidden. Saw lots of animal tracks on the beach but no critters to speak of.

The Balfour track was next and we once again headed into the rainforest. The temperature dropped significantly and we were once again surrounded by massive trees and every size, shape and colour of fungus you could possible imagine. Another magical place.

Corinna is an old mining town that is now an eco-resort for want of a better word. Sitting right the forest at the end of quite a long dirt road, it's the sort of place you could spend weeks, not just a few days. The cottages were clean, comfortable and spacious. As I sat on my porch, a pademelon and her joey paid me a visit. What a beautiful spot.

I asked the guides to leave me there and pick me up on their next trip.Leia mais
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Wonderful opportunity and amazing pictures Jan! [Janet]
08/03/2021Responder
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Into the Tarkine Around the World with Jan
Arthur River
15 de fevereiro de 2021, Austrália ⛅ 20 °C
We farewelled Stanley this morning. Our first stop was Dip Falls, a cascade waterfall over basalt pillars reminiscent of the Giant's Causeway in Ireland only black. The water looked like pieces of string cascading down the face, coloured a slight brown by the tannin in the water from the tea trees. Very spectacular.

As we ventured again into the forest we were astounded by the size of the trees. I haven't seen anything quite like this before. After lunch we hiked up the Milkshake Hills to look down on a more Australian-looking forest with a view all the way back to Stanley, the Nut and the ocean.

Our last walk of the day was around Lake Chisholm and then on to Arthur River and accommodation much more luxurious than I was expecting. The beach at the mouth of the river was strewn with huge trees, the biggest driftwood I've ever seen - picking my way across it was a bit of a challenge to not trip.

A lovely meal, a beautiful sunset and we settled in for the night.Leia mais
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Into the Tarkine Around the World with Jan
Stanley
14 de fevereiro de 2021, Austrália ☀️ 18 °C
Our first taste of the nature of the Tarkine. We spent a few hours at the Tarkine Wilderness Lodge and explored an enchanted temperate rainforest, the first of many on this trip. The temperature drops as soon as you walk into the thick canopy of trees soaring into the sky.

We saw fungus of every colour, shape and size. The trees are more than 200 years old and you half expect to see an ancient creature crash through the undergrowth to greet you.

Our first stop for the night was the town of Stanley - a collection of beautiful well-restored old homes, many of them holiday cottages. This is where "The Light between Oceans" was filmed.

It's the home of a rather special rock called The Nut which of course yours truly had to climb. There is a cable car but I chose to walk at 450 metre steep zigzag trail which takes you to the top. The rest is relatively flat until you loop back and walk down again. The day was sunny so the view was spectacular in every direction. There's even a small forest up there providing a bit of shade towards the end of the walk.Leia mais
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Into the Tarkine Around the World with Jan
Launceston
12 de fevereiro de 2021, Austrália ⛅ 21 °C
This day has been a long time coming. I never thought that it would be more than a year without being able to travel even in my own country. It felt good to take off and head to somewhere else leaving behind all the restrictions and rules.

Launceston has become quite a busy town since I was last here. Still a place of beautiful old buildings but lots more cars. A few more nice places to eat and a revamped waterfront where I could sit and drink a glass of bubbles while the sun set.Leia mais
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UK and beyond Around the World with Jan
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The Final Curtain
2 de outubro de 2019, Inglaterra 🌙 7 °C
Well, it’s done. I’m back in London on my way home. We walked 280km in the end not including sightseeing or the occasional detour when we couldn’t understand the instructions – some things were lost in translation, literally!

Was it worth it? Absolutely! Would I do something like this again? Not a chance! We met some amazing characters from all over the world. We suffered sore feet (thankfully only one blister on the last day) got very very wet on one day and pretty wet on a couple of others.

We had fog, rain, drizzle and sunshine. We walked through trellises of grapevines and saw the biggest pumpkins I’ve ever seen in my life. There were beautiful forests and ancient monuments and more and more pilgrims as we got closer to Santiago.

I couldn’t begin to describe how it felt to walk into the cathedral square on the last day of the walk. It was a lovely sunny afternoon and the place was full of people who had walked or cycled from France, Portugal and the centre of Spain. Some travelled a hundred kilometres while others did eight hundred or more and everyone had a smile on their face even if they limped into the square.

It’s been an amazing trip and I’m glad I did it. Buon Camino!Leia mais
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Good on you! Chat soon, love Anne
07/10/2019Responder
Fantastic and well done guys! x Janet
16/10/2019Responder
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UK and beyond Around the World with Jan
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A Pilgrim's Progress
27 de setembro de 2019, Espanha ⛅ 19 °C
Well, we have 3 days to go and it's been quite an experience. I don't think I had any idea what I was getting myself into.

We set off in high spirits on a grey foggy day from the outskirts of Porto, barely able to see the Atlantic Ocean pounding only a few metres away. Porto was beautiful but very crowded with tourists.

For the last 9 days we've really not seen too many pilgrims on the road but now that we've reached the confluence of the Spanish Camino there are a more of us. I expect that as we enter Santiago there will be hundreds.

We've only had two wet days so far - the first was drowned rat territory - we staggered into the hotel dripping wet. Today was drizzle for most of the morning but it was easy walking mostly through forest.

We've navigated major roads, walked through medieval villages, traversed eucalyptus and pine forests and followed stone walls hundreds of years old.

My feet hurt, my shoes are wet and I'm glad that we're nearly there. It's been quite an experience and we've met so many amazing people from around the world. I must be crazy to do something like this and pay for privilege. But you all know me. I love a challenge. I'm just glad we have a hot shower and warm bed at the end of every day (oh, and the food is pretty good too)!Leia mais
Sounds an amazing experience. Safe travels home. Sue & Peter xx
28/09/2019Responder
Travel is fun but sometimes home is as well. Safe journey home, look forward to hearing all about it xx
29/09/2019Responder
Viajante lovely. x
30/09/2019Responder
Viajanteit sounds like a tough walk - you must feel a sense of accomplishment.
30/09/2019Responder
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UK and beyond Around the World with Jan
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Farewell Folegandros
12 de setembro de 2019, Grécia ☀️ 24 °C
How do you say goodbye to paradise? The Autumn winds are starting to blow up from the sea and the temperatures are getting a little cooler here now. By the end of September, all the tourists on Foligandros will have gone home and the shops will be closed.

The island of Santorini and the town of Oia where we were staying on the edge of the caldera represent the sophisticated Greek Island. It's stunningly beautiful, especially at sunset and a bit polished. Having said that it doesn't take away from it's charm. It's still very much Greece so the food is amazing and things move at a slower pace.

Folegandros on the other hand is how all these small islands would have been 30 years ago. It's small, half the price of Santorini and the locals still sit in the evenings watching the passing parade of tourists and wondering what we're all doing here.

The island is quieter and less sophisticated which is it's charm. Food is cheaper and everything pretty much closes in the afternoon for a couple of hours. It's also stunning as the cliffs surrounding the main town Chora, fall dramatically in a series of terraces down to the sea.

Our little villa has a view over the town and up to the whitewashed church above us. It's a lovely place and we're a little sad to be heading back to the hustle and bustle of London before the next phase of the trip, Portugal.Leia mais
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Looks beautiful! Lovely photos! Sue & Peter :)
13/09/2019Responder
The joy of southern European islands. You've captured the atmosphere completely Jan. Looking forward to finding out what you think of Portugal (I love it). Di
13/09/2019Responder
WHat a wonderfully romantic place Jan - you may not want to come home! x Janet
18/09/2019Responder
Ahhhh... someone please pour me a wine. xJanet
18/09/2019Responder
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UK and beyond Around the World with Jan
It's all just Greek to me
7 de setembro de 2019, Grécia ☀️ 24 °C
I'm sitting here in Santorini perched on a private terrace on a cliff overlooking the ocean, but more on that next time.....

We spent the last week on Crete in two very different locations, both amazing. Chania, the main town in the Western part of the Island has a wonderful Old Town. With a beautiful harbour setting and narrow twisting alleyways and steps reminiscent of Morocco, it's a delightful place to stroll. Oh,, and the food is pretty good as well - fresh seafood and gigantic Greek salads.

From Chania we drove up into the hills to Milia which was something completely different. Our accommodation felt like a cozy cave with our own private space out the front surrounded by high cliffs and stunning trees. Milia was once an old village which has been rescued and is now an eco resort of a kind you won't find anywhere else.

All the buildings are made of stone and the food is organic with ingredients grown on the property. They have pigs, sheep and goats as well as two gorgeous dogs who decided to come with us on our early morning walk.

The temperature is much cooler up there with lovely breezes whistling through chestnut trees. We had beautiful weather and were sad to leave. Now we're on Santorini so look out for my next edition when we head to Folegandros in a couple of days.Leia mais
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just stunning, will add it to my to do list! enjoy and safe travels xx
12/09/2019Responder
ViajanteLooks amazing, enjoy
12/09/2019Responder
Chania is amazing Jan, we loved it too. Didn't get to Milia but sounds delightful. Di
13/09/2019Responder
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UK and beyond Around the World with Jan
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It's all just Greek to me
1 de setembro de 2019, Grécia ⛅ 25 °C
I'm sitting here in Santorini perched on a private terrace on a cliff overlooking the ocean, but more on that next time.....

We spent the last week on Crete in two very different locations, both amazing. Chania, the main town in the Western part of the Island has a wonderful Old Town. With a beautiful harbour setting and narrow twisting alleyways and steps reminiscent of Morocco, it's a delightful place to stroll. Oh,, and the food is pretty good as well - fresh seafood and gigantic Greek salads.

From Chania we drove up into the hills to Milia which was something completely different. Our accommodation felt like a cozy cave with our own private space out the front surrounded by high cliffs and stunning trees. Milia was once an old village which has been rescued and is now an eco resort of a kind you won't find anywhere else.

All the buildings are made of stone and the food is organic with ingredients grown on the property. They have pigs, sheep and goats as well as two gorgeous dogs who decided to come with us on our early morning walk.

The temperature is much cooler up there with lovely breezes whistling through chestnut trees. We had beautiful weather and were sad to leave. Now we're on Santorini so look out for my next update when we head to Folegandros in a couple of days.Leia mais
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Beautiful people. x Janet
18/09/2019Responder
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