After several days of driving through cornfields (and believe me, all cornfields look alike), the Black Hills of West South Dakota were a very welcome sight. Somewhere between the cornfields of Iowa, we did manage to find a ballpark and the 'Field of Dreams' movie site. Today we visited Crazy Horse Memorial, which they have been working on for over 50 years. I would guess they need another 50 years to finish the somewhat ambitious plan. But really, it is quite impressive. Also visited Mt Rushmore, one of the must-see sights in the US. Here are some
photos
Signing off from Spearfish, SD.
Monday, September 27, 2004
Sunday, September 26, 2004
Saturday, September 25, 2004
Thursday, September 23, 2004
Greetings from London - part 2.
I am currently in Putney, London, spending my last couple of hours in an internet cafe - of course. In a few hours I'll make my way to Heathrow to board a plane to Chicago. Can't wait to be with Stephen again!!!!
My visit to London was absolutely fabulous - thanks to all my friends.
Silvia & Wayne: thanks for having me at no notice at all really. It is always very easy and relaxing staying with you.
Heleen: We always meet up and it was fab seeing you as usual.
Kristin: So good of you to come over from Uppsala, Sweden, to spend 3 days together. It was bubbly and the shopping spree was great.
Annemie: I've never seen anyone demolish half a kilo of mussels as fast as you did in 'Belgo'. Great to see you.
Peter-Dieter & Bettina: P-D: good to see you again; Bettina: nice to meet you. The Belgian beers in 'The Lowlander' tasted good as they should.
Dan & Lisa: very nice to stay at your place. Thanks so much for organising dinner with friends! I love your kitchen!
Pete: great to see you at dinner and nice to meet your parents.
Bruce: so good you found time to come over from Doncaster for the afternoon. Eventough it had been 7 years since we saw each other, it felt like it had only been the week before.
Dennis Hopper: thanks for being in the 'New Tate Gallery Cafe' when Bruce and I were there.
My visit to London was absolutely fabulous - thanks to all my friends.
Silvia & Wayne: thanks for having me at no notice at all really. It is always very easy and relaxing staying with you.
Heleen: We always meet up and it was fab seeing you as usual.
Kristin: So good of you to come over from Uppsala, Sweden, to spend 3 days together. It was bubbly and the shopping spree was great.
Annemie: I've never seen anyone demolish half a kilo of mussels as fast as you did in 'Belgo'. Great to see you.
Peter-Dieter & Bettina: P-D: good to see you again; Bettina: nice to meet you. The Belgian beers in 'The Lowlander' tasted good as they should.
Dan & Lisa: very nice to stay at your place. Thanks so much for organising dinner with friends! I love your kitchen!
Pete: great to see you at dinner and nice to meet your parents.
Bruce: so good you found time to come over from Doncaster for the afternoon. Eventough it had been 7 years since we saw each other, it felt like it had only been the week before.
Dennis Hopper: thanks for being in the 'New Tate Gallery Cafe' when Bruce and I were there.
Monday, September 20, 2004
Mt Illimani - Success!!!
Just back from 6 days in the mountains, where we successfully summited Mt Illimani (6,438m/22,354ft). It was a long day involving 8 hours and 43 minutes to get up and 4 hours and 35 minutes to get down. But made it up and down safely (and with no blisters!). Now relaxing in the La Paz for 1 day and then fly back States.
Bring on Mt Aconcagua. Signing off from La Paz.
Bring on Mt Aconcagua. Signing off from La Paz.
Greetings from London!
Just a quick one to let you all know that I am in London at the moment.
Have had a great time so far catching up with friends (Silvia & Wayne, Heleen, Annemie, Kristin) and wandering around. And I've got more catching up to look forward to (Dan & Lisa, hopefully Pete, and Bruce)!
I will update this blog later with more news.
I also expect to hear from Stephen today or tomorrow!
Signing off from Trafalgar Square.
Have had a great time so far catching up with friends (Silvia & Wayne, Heleen, Annemie, Kristin) and wandering around. And I've got more catching up to look forward to (Dan & Lisa, hopefully Pete, and Bruce)!
I will update this blog later with more news.
I also expect to hear from Stephen today or tomorrow!
Signing off from Trafalgar Square.
Tuesday, September 14, 2004
Greetings from Llangollen!
I know it's been a while, but internet access in these little hamlets I've been staying in has been non-existent. The one place that did have a library with a connection I hit on the weekend, so the library was closed. So no, the cows haven't eaten my maps and compass yet!
So this is day 13.
It has been quite an experience so far. The weather hasn't been too bad (1st 8 days were very warm and sunny, 1 day of constant rain and then scattered showers and some very blustery winds) and my rain gear held up well. Did walk 3 days with wet feet though, but I don't think any hiking boots would have stood up against that amount of rain and wet grass! And one can walk with wet feet.
Some of the long steady downhills have been a bit hard on my knees - I did end up buying a second knee-brace and that helped. Blister number one is not too bad, but the 2nd one on my heel has been giving me a bit of grief.
Until yesterday I felt very good and positive (after 12days). But now I'm beginning to get more than a bit weary. Yesterday was a very difficult and long day; luckily I had 3 walking companions and we all kept each other going through the many ups and downs.
Today I decided to 'travel with my luggage' to my next accommodation - my feet and knees are ever so grateful. I am however getting a bit 'mentally' tired of the walk and am contemplating not doing too much more walking anymore. I may still go with my luggage to the next few stopping points; I may do some shortcuts or,... I'll decide today.
Don't get me wrong though: so far it's been an absolutely fabulous experience! The walks and views and people I've met (B&B hosts and walking companions) have been wonderful. Doing it on my own has been quite an experience.
But I do want to avoid finishing in a negative mood - that would spoil the whole adventure.
And last but not least: Stephen called me on the 12th and 13th and it was sooo good to hear his voice!!! His Bolivian adventure is going really well!
Good afternoon from Llangollen, Wales.
So this is day 13.
It has been quite an experience so far. The weather hasn't been too bad (1st 8 days were very warm and sunny, 1 day of constant rain and then scattered showers and some very blustery winds) and my rain gear held up well. Did walk 3 days with wet feet though, but I don't think any hiking boots would have stood up against that amount of rain and wet grass! And one can walk with wet feet.
Some of the long steady downhills have been a bit hard on my knees - I did end up buying a second knee-brace and that helped. Blister number one is not too bad, but the 2nd one on my heel has been giving me a bit of grief.
Until yesterday I felt very good and positive (after 12days). But now I'm beginning to get more than a bit weary. Yesterday was a very difficult and long day; luckily I had 3 walking companions and we all kept each other going through the many ups and downs.
Today I decided to 'travel with my luggage' to my next accommodation - my feet and knees are ever so grateful. I am however getting a bit 'mentally' tired of the walk and am contemplating not doing too much more walking anymore. I may still go with my luggage to the next few stopping points; I may do some shortcuts or,... I'll decide today.
Don't get me wrong though: so far it's been an absolutely fabulous experience! The walks and views and people I've met (B&B hosts and walking companions) have been wonderful. Doing it on my own has been quite an experience.
But I do want to avoid finishing in a negative mood - that would spoil the whole adventure.
And last but not least: Stephen called me on the 12th and 13th and it was sooo good to hear his voice!!! His Bolivian adventure is going really well!
Good afternoon from Llangollen, Wales.
Monday, September 13, 2004
Where is Caroline?
Just spoke to Caroline, and she is doing extremely well on her long-distance-foot-path adventure. A few blisters, but apparently nothing to worry about. I am sure Caroline will give a full update once she gets to an Internet terminal. Which apparently has been quite difficult from the little villages and hamlets that she recently passed through. Go Caroline.
Saturday, September 11, 2004
The Training is Over
Just back from a week in the Cordillera Real mountain range. We completed High Altitude training and acclimization. So we are ready to tackle Mt Illimani. It is wonderful to get out of a tent and into a hotel room with a shower.
Signing off from La Paz.
Signing off from La Paz.
Monday, September 6, 2004
Hay-on-Wye at the foot of the Black Hills.
Finished my 5th day of hiking and 'conquered' the Black Hills! Yep, I know, they are only hills and not mountains, but for me - and doing it on my own - it was quite something! I actually had to walk up twice as that was how my accommodation worked out.
My last 3 days were each about 21km/13.5m. I usually reach my accommodation between 2 and 4pm on those longer days. Plenty of time to relax. Accommodations have been really good so far: B&B's with a family feel, working farms with B&B, room above a pub.
I haven't gotten seriously lost yet (the path does not go over roads but through fields and paddocks and the like - am actually getting braver at crossing the ones fool of cattle!) and am getting better at reading the Ordnance Survey maps. Those together with the guide book and my compass have kept me on the right path.
The weather is still quite gorgeous; so far my offerings to the weathergods have paid off!
Am currently in Hay-on-Wye, a cute little township full of bookshops which I will go and explore now.
Good afternoon from Hay-on-Wye!
My last 3 days were each about 21km/13.5m. I usually reach my accommodation between 2 and 4pm on those longer days. Plenty of time to relax. Accommodations have been really good so far: B&B's with a family feel, working farms with B&B, room above a pub.
I haven't gotten seriously lost yet (the path does not go over roads but through fields and paddocks and the like - am actually getting braver at crossing the ones fool of cattle!) and am getting better at reading the Ordnance Survey maps. Those together with the guide book and my compass have kept me on the right path.
The weather is still quite gorgeous; so far my offerings to the weathergods have paid off!
Am currently in Hay-on-Wye, a cute little township full of bookshops which I will go and explore now.
Good afternoon from Hay-on-Wye!
Friday, September 3, 2004
The Bolivian Experience has Started
Like Caroline a quick post to let you know the adventure in Bolivia has started. Landed after a reasonable flight and getting a reasonable amount of sleep. La Paz airport is at 4,000m (the highest major airport in the world). So was a little breathless just dragging the luggage to the Taxi. The first day was spent relaxing, soaking up the city. Day 2 involved a long bus ride to see the local ruins. Day 3 (today) was an acclimatization hike day. We woke up with an amazing view of Illimani. Spent 4 hours hiking to the local high point (which we did not quite make). But it was wonderful - and tonight we sleep about 800m lower. Also last night in the city, so had a good meal. The next 7 days will be spent in the mountains learning mountain craft.
The other clients and guides are all good people. Pretty lucky since I am spending the next 20 days with them. And everyone else has more gear than me.
So, signing off from 3,750m (La Paz).
The other clients and guides are all good people. Pretty lucky since I am spending the next 20 days with them. And everyone else has more gear than me.
So, signing off from 3,750m (La Paz).
Started Offa's Dyke
Hello all!
A short update as I am in a free-internet cafe and don't want to take up all the time.
Arrived safe and well in the UK, albeit exhausted after no sleep on the flight from Chicago and a long trip from London Heathrow (where BA almost had lost my hiking poles, but luckily they were found while I was registering them as missing) to Chepstow, start of the walk.
After a good night's sleep I felt reasonably refreshed to start day one. After day one jetlag was almost over!
I am now in Monmouth after my 2nd day of walking. These were 2 short days: 13.5 km each. Tomorrow the real fun starts: 21 km (and some 24 and 21 and 19 for the next days and some more serious hills). The weather so far has been fine and I'm getting better at reading the map!
Greetings from Monmouth,
Caroline.
A short update as I am in a free-internet cafe and don't want to take up all the time.
Arrived safe and well in the UK, albeit exhausted after no sleep on the flight from Chicago and a long trip from London Heathrow (where BA almost had lost my hiking poles, but luckily they were found while I was registering them as missing) to Chepstow, start of the walk.
After a good night's sleep I felt reasonably refreshed to start day one. After day one jetlag was almost over!
I am now in Monmouth after my 2nd day of walking. These were 2 short days: 13.5 km each. Tomorrow the real fun starts: 21 km (and some 24 and 21 and 19 for the next days and some more serious hills). The weather so far has been fine and I'm getting better at reading the map!
Greetings from Monmouth,
Caroline.
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