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| OUR AIRBUS A320 AT BARCELONA AIRPORT |
The walk along the Pyrenees turned out to be quite different to what I had planned, although I was aware from the beginning that I would have to be flexible. My relatively early start date coupled with significant snowfall this year meant that it would have been extremely hazardous to travel alone on much of the central Pyrenees. This meant that I had to use public transport to make progress eastwards. However, this did give me the opportunity to go to places in southern France that I was certainly interested in visiting, such as Pau, Lourdes, Cauterets, Luchon, Carcassonne, Amelie-les-Bains and Ceret.
By arriving in Banyuls-sur-Mer a little earlier than
expected I was able to explore some of the Mediterranean coastal area including
Argeles-sur-Mer, Collioure, Cerbere and Portbou. Also, by getting six nights in
Barcelona rather than the two or three I had expected, I had much more time to
explore the city with Chris. The Basilica de la Sagrada Familia was a must, but
to be able to visit the famous monastery at Montserrat, tour the Olympic Park
and learn about Gaudi’s architectural achievements was a bonus. In retrospect,
two or three nights in Barcelona would not have been enough.
As regards what I gained from the experience, I met lots of
friendly people and had a lot of fun. Whilst it would have been beneficial to
have had better language skills, I did not find that my poor French and even
poorer Spanish too much of a problem. Even when trying to communicate with
people who spoke no English, it is surprising how you can get by with just a
few words coupled with a bit of sign language.
French and Spanish lifestyles are not so very different to the
lifestyles of people in other parts of Europe, but it is nice to gain an
appreciation of the people in their own environment. I particularly enjoyed meeting
folk in the rural areas – the farmers and small shopkeepers who seem to live
quite simple lives. Other walkers that I met on the Pyrenees came from many
countries, but other than the French and Spanish, I would say Germans and Brits
were probably the next most common except when I walked a section of the
Camino de Santiago when all nationalities seemed to be represented.
Anything I lost during the experience? Well, apart from a
map case, I would say an inch or two off my waist. My rucksack was heavy and it
took a while to get used to that. I might have climbed a few more peaks had it
been lighter so I will see what I can do to reduce weight on future trips. Some
items, such as the crampons and ice axe, did not get used often. However, when
I did need them I was thankful that I had brought them along.
Regarding the sections of the Pyrenees that I missed, I will
add these to my ‘to do’ list for the future. A three week walk to from
Refuge d’Arremoulit to l’Hospitalet-pres-l’Andorre should be pleasant, not too
busy and relatively snow-free during the month of September – not this year,
but watch this space.