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On the road again
  • Around the World with Jan
  • Around the World with Jan

On the road again

From the land of fire and ice to the wilds of northern England. A trip to reacquaint myself with old friends and make new ones. Read more
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  • Trip start
    June 28, 2023
    Around the World with JanOn the road againAround the World with Jan
    The rainbow street leading to Hallgrimskirkja
    The rainbow street leading to HallgrimskirkjaA passing localA little hidding image - the author lived here for a whileA protest poster

    Same same but different

    June 29, 2023 in Iceland ☁️ 9 °C

    Finally made it to Reykjavik feeling like the living dead after 27 hours. The city is familiar but not the same, busy and rowdier, not the quiet town I first visited 5 years ago.

    The airport at Reykjavik was humming, very busy with lots of flights coming and lots going out – heaps from the U.S. and UK. The landscape between Keflavik airport and Reykjavik is bleak at the best of time because of the dark volcanic rock. The only dash of colour in the grey sky and ocean were the darting arctic terns diving down into their nests in the grass.

    It was much colder than expected, probably only around 4 or 5 degrees – brr. I needed my big coat. Despite the cold, the town is buzzing with tourists. Quite a lot of older people here, probably the only ones who can afford it. I was shocked – prices are at least 50% higher than when I was here last in 2018.

    My next post will be after the hike – no phone, no internet, it will be really nice to have no technology for 6 days.    Read more

  • Around the World with JanOn the road againAround the World with Jan
    Ready to go
    Ready to goJust the beginningThe view was never boringAnother beautiful dayUp to the glacierThe volcanic desert, not much grows here1Made it1Are we really going to climb up there?Down the other sideThorsmork, the last day

    The wanderer returns

    July 7, 2023 in Iceland ☀️ 16 °C

    Well, the hiking is done and I’m back in Reykjavik. Some of the trails were quite hard, the terrain nothing less than stunning, always. We slipped and slid on volcanic sand, navigated narrow trails across landslides and trekked over snow. We slogged up steep hills and slid down again. At times it felt like we were never going to get to the top, but we did, all of us and lived to tell the tale.

    We started our trek at Landmannalaugar and were surprised just how many people were out there hiking. There were 16 in our group plus our guide, Zach. I was the only Australian. Our accommodation was multi-share in every sense of the word – 8 to a long double bunk each with a single mattress. We were glad of the huts, outside was pretty cold. The hot shower we could pay for at each campsite was a bonus to wash off the fine dust that covers everything after a day's walking.

    We were blessed with gorgeous sunny weather, the only rain we had was after the day’s hiking was over and it didn’t last long. Clear skies meant we had amazing vistas of the glaciers and those volcanoes, the names of which no-one can pronounce.

    I wasn’t prepared for how beautiful the rhyolite hills would be – the vivid reds and oranges contrasting with the stark black lava and brilliant green vegetation where there was any. The first two days were spent walking through that terrain, I never got tired of admiring the view. The landscape was split by deep canyons with glacial water surging through narrow rock faces. You can’t see the canyon until you’re right at the edge. Some of the edges were a bit too scary for me to look down.

    We walked through a pitch black obsidian desert called Hrafntinnusker which seemed to go on for ever, starkly contrasting with the rhyolite hills around us. The chunks of obsidian looked like pieces of glass, dragon glass if you’re a Game of Thrones fan. The whole landscape looked like it was from another world. It was never boring.

    We crossed rivers that flowed directly from the glaciers – some of it quite deep but fortunately we were able to cross on foot – no bridges for many of them. One of the highlights for me was the day we trekked up to volcanic craters Magni and Modi, named after the sons of Thor, which were formed after the 2010 eruption. We had to cross the Devil's Spine hanging onto a chain - pretty scary for me but I did it, legs shaking when I got to the end.

    When we emerged from the volcanic terrain and descended into the Thorsmork valley we walked through beautiful birch forests with stunning flowers, quite a contrast to the treeless landscape we walked through for almost 4 days.

    We were all tired by the time the bus took us back to Reykjavik but everyone was amazed by what we saw and what we achieved. A great group of people, who supported and helped each other walk on some pretty tough terrain.

    Since July 4 one of the volcanoes about 30 minutes away from the city has started to rumble and there have been tremors. I got a shock last night at the Sky bar where I was having a drink on the 8th floor - the building shook while we were sitting there. It may be common for the locals but we tourists got a bit of a surprise.

    Next stop England where I think the hiking will be a little easier with no scary steep bits.    Read more

  • Around the World with JanOn the road againAround the World with Jan
    The cathedral in Newcastle - impressive
    The cathedral in Newcastle - impressiveThey say this was the model for Sydney Harbour Bridge1The heart of Newcastle on a sunny dayThis water does not look invitingArbeia Roman Fort, South ShieldsSome in the railways has a sense of humour - WallsendYes, I'm going the right way

    Walking the Wall, but not yet

    July 16, 2023 in England 🌬 19 °C

    I know I’ve been a bit quiet since I got to the UK but I haven’t done any serious walking, until today. Supposedly 25km, it felt a lot longer. Hard surfaces, fighting a headwind along the River Tyne, it was hard work even if it was flat.

    There’s not much of the wall to see on the first day from Wallsend to Wylam (I’m in a small village a bit off the path) in the most beautiful old guest house with high ceilings and in an enormous room. These places are destinations on their own. I love it.

    Anyway, let’s hope tomorrow is a little easier, 15km and there will actually be some of the wall along the trail.

    I really enjoyed my time in Newcastle. I had no idea how beautiful the old Georgian buildings were. Unlike so many other countries, they’ve been preserved and I was staying just off Grey Street, voted the best street in the UK.

    It was busy, last week was graduation week so parents and their offspring were out on the town celebrating. I spent the last couple of days at Whitley Bay right near the ocean. Crazy people swimming in water that was only 13C. It was not warm.

    I spent yesterday at the Roman Forts – got drenched 3 times, thunder, lightning, hail, you name it, the weather gods threw it all at me. Thank goodness today was dry. The museums so far have been exceptional. I hope there will be more to see on the way.

    I think tonight will be an early one. All of me aches, it was a tiring day. Pizza for dinner and an early night.    Read more

  • Around the World with JanOn the road againAround the World with Jan
    It would be hard to get lost with all the signs
    It would be hard to get lost with all the signsJust one of the gorgeous B&B'sTypical countrysideBeautiful flowers everywhere - achoo!A far as the eye can see....Yep, that's a mighty wallWhat's left of a milecastleOne of the most important Roman sites - Vindolanda

    Definitely walking the Wall

    July 19, 2023 in England ⛅ 19 °C

    Today I’m half way through the walk and it was the toughest of the days so far – not because of the distance but because it suddenly wasn’t flat any more, it was a constant up and down. As well as that you there was the weather to contend with. The day started with fog and ended with sunshine with a pelting rainstorm or three in between. The crags were steep and particularly treacherous when raining with slippery stones and mud.

    This is where you see the real wall – long stretches behind and in front of you giving you a very good indication of just what an amazing feat of engineering Hadrians Wall was. Sadly great chunks are now part of local farms, houses and churches as generations pilfered the easiest material they could find, the stones from the wall.

    The views from the top of those crags were stunning, it’s obvious why the Romans built their wall here – you can see for miles and the steep crags meant that they could easily defend their territory from the wall and the forts along it. No-one could approach undetected.

    This part of the wall lies in the Northumberland national park with stunning oak and sycamore trees, amazing wildflowers and bodies of water called loughs. Lots of birdlife too. This is where I’ve seen the most walkers – many of them only tackle a couple of sections and this is one of them.

    The Roman forts were a whole other story. There were several of them visible today, the most amazing being Vindolanda. That site has been built on since before Hadrian so there is 2000 years of history there, and it's still being excavated and slowly revealing its secrets.

    The artefacts found there and still being found were stunning – from painted glass fragments to items of clothing and jewellery to pottery much of it in amazing condition. It’s a fantastic place to see just how the Romans lived and played. Extraordinary.

    Well, 5 more days to go. Weather forecast isn’t great but that isn’t going to deter me. I’m about to go into Cumbria where the landscape will change again. A bit less of the wall but more Roman ruins to explore.    Read more

  • Around the World with JanOn the road againAround the World with Jan
    Need I say more?
    Need I say more?The wall and meLanercoster Priory - lots of Wall stones in hereThere's a lot more history than just the Romans on Hadrians Wall PathOh for a sunny day!The River Eden near CarlisleThe final leg - yipee!2That's it, done - a modest end to a long walk

    I did it (my way)

    July 24, 2023 in England ☁️ 17 °C

    Well, I’ve finished the walk. My favourite part, the middle bit across the crags where you can actually see what a feat of engineering the wall was. I could easily image Roman legions marching along the military road. To me it felt like I was walking in the footsteps of history. Buried for 2000 years the landscape is still offering up evidence of what life was like for these men. Beautiful pieces of jewellery, glass, pottery, coins and much more.

    My least favourite part – the rain. After great weather for the first six days, it rained steadily for most of the next day. Damp drizzle making the fields a muddy quagmire (and there are a lot of fields to cross). At least it wasn’t cold. The second day of rain was something else again – a steady stream of water that didn’t let up. Thank goodness for wet weather gear.

    The final leg provided challenges of its own – tree felling just outside of Carlisle meant a 30 minute diversion to cover what should have taken 10 and then having to cross a busy motorway because the underpass was under water and I didn’t plan on swimming.

    Sadly there are no pieces of the wall on the last section of the walk except in the walls of houses and churches in the villages on the route. It didn’t matter, I had a sunny day and I walked into Bowness with a smile on my face because I had made it.

    Now it’s time to hang up the muddy and smelly boots and be a tourist for a while.    Read more

  • Around the World with JanOn the road againAround the World with Jan
    1The Magnificant ceiling in Carlisle Cathedral
    1The Magnificant ceiling in Carlisle CathedralYork Minster in the evening sunThe pretty town of KnaresboroughThe Shambles in YorkAnother Tudor survivorDerby countrysideThe Dark PeaksAnother beautiful forest pathThe White Peaks District1Bletchley Park

    Heading Home

    August 7, 2023 in England ☁️ 19 °C

    Well, I’ve had a couple of weeks of being a tourist but I didn’t quite hang up my boots. Two beautiful walks in the Peak district meant that I wasn’t finished with them, or them with me.

    The weather has been cold even for an English summer and on some days very wet but I’ve still been able to see lots and enjoy what England has to offer.

    I’ve visited Norman churches with a history dating back to the Battle of Hastings, walked in the footsteps of the code-breakers at Bletchley Park and walked streets lined with Tudor buildings leaning at impossible angles in the Shambles in York and the back streets of Stratford-on-Avon.

    I’ve seen Shakespeare’s 'As You Like It' in Stratford and eaten in atmospheric pubs that have never heard of gentrification. Lots of the famous department stores I remember when I lived here have now gone from the high streets which is very sad – Debenhams, C&A and British Home Stores have all disappeared. Marks & Spencer is one of the few to survive.

    London is my final stop in a couple of days, to see what’s new and what has stayed the same. It’s been a fabulous trip. By next weekend, I know I’ll be ready to come home.    Read more

  • Around the World with JanOn the road againAround the World with Jan
    Where am I again?
    Where am I again?Italian Garden Hyde ParkSo many lovely old pubsSome things never change - St Paul'sShakespeare's Globe TheatreGrand architecture everywhereWho wouldn't recognise this? Big Ben.A quiet corner - Little Venice

    My home away from home

    August 15, 2023 in England ☁️ 24 °C

    London didn’t disappoint – despite lots of construction work, it hasn’t really changed. It was busier than I’ve ever seen it as if everyone decided that 2023 is the year to go to Europe and the UK and many of them were in London.

    At one point I thought I’d been transported to Bangkok, trishaws lined up outside Selfridges with loud music and flashing lights – who would have thought?

    Despite the crowds, there were quiet pockets of the city with fewer people. My little hotel was in Paddington just off the main road so quiet and peaceful but close enough to walk to Hyde Park or Oxford Street, it was a great find.

    London is still London – there’s a buzz that I haven’t felt in any other city. It’s history and art still manage to charm even after all these years. I was lucky to have warm weather which made walking a pleasure.

    Now I’m back in Sydney it’s time to start thinking about what comes next…..    Read more

    Trip end
    August 15, 2023