Wednesday 1 August 2007

Barcelona




Just to confirm that yesterday I completed the GR11. It took 44 days, although my book suggests 46, others have done it much faster with light loads. I had to walk 2 hours to Cadaques to get a bus to Figereus, and got a connecting train the Barcelona.

After writing my last blog I ate in the hotel which played the theme from Titanic on pan-pipes continually, so I ate up and paid my bill smartish as I had another early start. The room was baking hot, and the bed about 3 inches shorter than my body. With this and a mixture of excitement I hardly slept and left around 5.30. I had to wake the owners to retrieve my passport, and they were not at all happy. Ha! I had achieved my revenge ;-)

The walk was still tough, the path having been re-routed several times over the years so confusing and overgrown. Cacti now helped the thorn bushes take their piece of me, however sunrise over the ocean was a sight to remember. The weather again was sunny, clear visibility down the coast and rather warm. I met no other walkers all day. There is a cafe next to the lighthouse at the end, and I drank firstly a beer, then a coffee, and then a coke.

The additional day has allowed me to have a look around Barcelona. I can hardly express the massive culture shock this is after so many days wandering in the wilderness. So I have left my pack in the room, and rather than walk, I behaved like a proper tourist and took the tour bus around town.

5 comments:

AndyBee said...

Well done Barrie!! An epic walk by any standards.

Now you have to return to the real world, perhaps you should use your new experiences and go into designing Goretex bikinis.

Congrats again - see you soon. Andy

Anonymous said...

Well done Barrie, we have all been following your epic journey.
Can't wait to read the book and see the pics.

From all at Swann-Morton, Sheffield.

Anonymous said...

Wwell done Barrie - they said that the GR11 couldn't be done in flip flops, armed only with werthers originals and soreen loaf, but you've proved them all wrong. Norris McWherter (?) is awaiting your triumphant return.

Anonymous said...

Great pics from the end of the walk, look like you've lost a bit of weight too, not that you were overweight anyway.
When did the dalek join you for the walk ?

david gilbert said...

Hi Barrie,

we did the GR11 back in 2003 for my 40th, so its good to read someone else's account. we did 41 days walking with a break at Benasque when (like you) my wife Cath had really bad D & V caused by dodgy water. i'd do it all again tomorrow if i had the time off work ... thinking about doing the HRP soon, but have since had to do 2-week jobs. did tour of the queyras with monte viso added on this year, sargans to montreux last year, and the gr5 in two halves the years before that. good on you, though the walk to cadaques left us with a feeling on anti-climax; perhaps we should have turned round and walked all the way back again!