April 16
April 16 Bells, horns, birds, and bicycles. It took a long time to clear the Pamplona city limits, though it was a good walk. The parks are mature and well maintained, the path was clearly marked with metal scallop shell disks set in the sidewalk. An early Saturday morning, so the streets were empty except […]
April 15
April 15 In what will surely be a constant refrain, a group of pilgrims who apparently don’t understand the notion of letting other people sleep were up, moving and talking loudly much earlier than necessary–the sun is not even up until after 7:00. (I’ll try not to repeat this in writing though I’m sure it […]
April 14
April 14 I didn’t expect to be haunted by Hemingway on this trek, but he casts a long shadow in this region. There are even plaques marking the “HemingWAY.” A number of people started their hike today entirely too early. The auberges are unlike any hostel facility I’ve ever stayed in. Huge clean modern […]
A Walker of Rivers
A Walker of Rivers Water–you’d have thought I’d had enough of it. Starting the Te Araroa on September 1st (against the advice of everyone consulted), I sloshed my way through the Herekino and Rataea forests, splashed up the Mangapukahukanu, climbed any number of peaks to admire the fog, and even tried (unsuccessfully) to wade across […]
April 13
April 13 The first day of the Camino is supposed to be the most difficult– 26 km up and over the Pyrenees from St. Jean-Pied-de-Port to Roncesvalles. The high trail was closed because of late snow, so I made my way up the valley along the river near the highway (along with many other pilgrims). […]
April 12
April 12 Camino minus 1. The day before a trek is all about reading the auguries. Maybe not slaughtering chickens to read entrails, but instead catching the tone or mood of the world that sets the stage for commencement. Feeling good so far about this one. Slept in and packed slowly, then headed out first […]
April 10-11
April 10-11 — Arusha to Biarritz Transitions between treks are all about transit and time. An interminable time in terminals and on planes (Air Ethiopia–good airlines) brought me to Paris, Charles de Gaulle early morning — the cheapest flight I could find from Kilimanjaro to Europe. Some transport brought me to city center and a […]
April 9
April 9 My friend Brian told me that Africa was a place hard to leave. It is difficult to put my finger on exactly why, but part is the sheer exuberance of the place (granted, I only visited east Africa). I could never tire from hearing Swahili (unlike many European languages or some of the […]
April 8
April 8 Having to wake up at 5:30 after the last week of trekking seemed the height of stupidity, but I couldn’t waste my last day in Tanzania, so off I went on a bus to Arusha. At 1.5 million people, it is the second largest city in Tanzania. There I was met by Jackson […]
April 7
April 7 As if the last few days were not strenuous enough, Gideon and Abu had Anna and me up and packing at 6:00. We had a 19 km hike down off the mountain, and Gideon started at what felt to be a 5 km pace. It was downhill but not always an even track. […]