Blogs from Sierra Nevada, Andalusia, Spain, Europe - page 3

Is it something about September? Perhaps it’s the thought of Christmas and the coming winter or maybe I’m just a bit slow and it just takes me till September to get myself in gear and make it to the airport. What I mean of course, is that it’s that time of year again. This time last year I was rushing around madly purchasing technical gear stressing about camper vans and making lists of places to see prior to jetting off half way around the globe to New Zealand. Well here we are again, embryonic plans still born before conception, thoughts of touring South East Asia put on hold by my continuing medical woes, lack of energy and Dini’s Mums prohibition on going anywhere were they just might be committing Human Rights violations. Hey that’s what adventures ... read more

This village isn´t technically in the Sierra Nevada; the entrance to the National Park is just above it... but for some reason it (or even Las Alpujarras) isn´t a choice on this site? After Madrid I stopped back in Granada for a night (thanks, Antonia for the room and laundry). While waiting for her to get home, I hiked around town, and had the following for 7.50 euro; a beer with jamon cerrano (ham) and bread, a rioja with bread, egg and roasted red peppers, and a Rioja with a tuna sandwich. She was apologetic about getting home late, and I laughed. The next morning I hiked to the bus station and found that the next bus to Orgiva was about to leave. I sprinted to the terminal only to encounter a cantankerous bus driver who ... read more

Hi Folks, I'm really in Thailand at the moment but this is the first chance I've had to let you know about Spain. We landed in Madrid and hired a car and went immediately to a city called Cuenca. It is build spectacularly on the edges of a deep ravine. It rained and it was cold. The hotel was a typical pathetically uncomfortable, badly furnished and expensive European hotel. We needed sleep but didn't get much. The sights were great and we moved on quickly and drove down to Segura de la Sierra in the south in Andalucia. It was spectacularly beautiful, cold but we stayed in a comfortable apartment at the top of the village just below the Moorish castle. We did a couple of long walks, the last of which we were snowed off ... read more

Today we decided that we would have an easy going day with a dive up to the “Three Villages” in the hills and then a drive over to the Gaudix “Cave” village. After talking about our plans with Jeremy over breakfast he convinced us that the Gorge was a preferable option over Guadix. Plus the Villages and the Gorge hike where in the same general direction whereas the Villages and Guadix where in opposite directions. We finished another lovely breakfast and hit the road towards Las Alpujarras. Well, if Marilyn Munroe is curvy then this road is Marilyn doing power Yoga. Non-stop switchbacks with some of the curves feeling like you must have done several 360's before finally straightening out. Barb kept oohing and awing at the views but I couldn't take my eyes off the ... read more

In a matter of a few days, I received an email asking for my help on a horse ranch in southern spain and then had an offer for a ride down the mountains into barcelona from a couple that was staying at the BB. how could i resist? so i packled my bags, explored barcelona and Montserrat - an old pilgrimage walk to a monastery - for a day, and then spent the night on a bus to granada. for ten days i have worked on a horse holiday riding farm. which means that i have living and breathing horses. it has been amazing. the rooster wakes me and my ranch buddy, elisabeth (from norway), every morning at dawn, we roll out of bed and get terrorized by the herd of horses grabbing hungerily at the ... read more