More of these fabulous photographs!
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Again, taken from here.
I may be able to take one more set in a week’s time.
Year: 2020
Day Twenty-Five of Tom and Chica’s walk
The third episode this week.
Tom’s walk continues!
He is in Granada and his stop was at Arenas del Rey. He now continues along GR7 to Jayena.
As always, taken from here with the permission of Tom and Gilliwolfe.
Read on!
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Day 25: Arenas del Rey (Rio Anales) to Jayena (El Bacal) 16k
By Tom and Chica, 2nd March, 2020.
Written by Tom’s wife.
As I woke in the morning, I was greeted by a couple of squirrels who ran by the tent, up a little tree and gawked at me. Clearly, not convinced about what they saw, they did another circuit and came back for second look. No doubt, this wouldn’t have happened if Chica had been with me.
I was surprised and pleased to find that this spot I had chosen in the dark was right by a ford over the river and actually on the GR7 route. Worked my way steadily uphill through scrub until I reached the pines. The conditions were ideal: cool, fresh and pine fragrant air. Great views down into the river valley below.
The rest of the day was similar – lots of ups and downs and more pines, though in one area there was evidence of these being cleared for cultivation, probably olives or almonds. I also found an old lime kiln and more information about resin extraction.
By now, the shop had opened and I bought tuna, chocolate and a strawberry milkshake. Not a particularly healthy or satisfying meal so I grumpily headed out of town and found a sign to the El Bacal camping area so made for that. Lit a fire, made a brew and settled down at around 9.30pm.
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Wall to wall interest.
Come back next week for another trio of daily walks by Tom, Chica and Merlin!
Day Twenty-Four of Tom and Chica’s walk.
The walk with Chica and Merlin continues.
I must say that this walk along GR7 takes in a great deal of fabulous countryside.
Just look at the opening photograph of the almond blossom and the snow caps in the distance. All credit to the team!
Taken from here with Tom and Gilliwolfe’s permission.
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Day 24: Camp site* to Arenas del Rey and beyond 17k
By Tom and Chica, 26th February, 2020
Written by Tom’s wife.
Woke this morning to find hoar frost on inner and outer of the tent fly sheet. Porridge made for a warming breakfast along with strong coffee and parrots (sic. He means paracetamol. Ed).
As I was packing up, I was joined by marauding dogs, two of which decided to follow me all day to the next village whereupon they promptly disappeared. Bit of a relief as I was rather taken with the cute young Jack Russell bitch, a very endearing dog.
Arenas del Rey was apparently closed for the day so I spent a bit of quality time in the town square brewing coffee, drying my tent and washing my feet at the fuente directly beneath the holy shrine at the front of the church. Fortunately, there was no-one around to witness this disrespectful behaviour!
After foot repairs and a light lunch I set off on route to Jayena. Once it got dark, route finding became trying so at 8pm I pitched the tent by a river. I went to sleep to the ever-present chorus of distant barking dogs.
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I have just about muttered all the ooh’s and aah’s I can about this walk and the stupendous photographs.
Just loving it as much as everyone else!
Day Twenty-Three of Tom and Chica’s Walk
Tom travels on his own.
As you will read below, Tom took the opportunity to travel without Chica and Merlin today.
It was going to be too hot for the dogs.
Taken from here and republished with Tom and Gilliwolfe’s permission.
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Day 23: Alhama de Granada to camp position* 10k
By Tom and Chica, 26th February, 2020
Written by Tom’s wife.
Although Chica is much better and Merlin a very willing substitute, the forecast suggested quite high daytime temperatures so we decided it was best that I do a stretch on my own to try and make up lost time.
I caught the early train from Jimera to Granada where I got a tram to the bus station. The bus to the coast via Alhama de Granada didn’t leave until 3:30 so I had lunch at a pavement restaurant opposite. Later, I sat on a park bench in the sun to read but it wasn’t long before an ancient bucolic type decided to join me and make loud incomprehensible conversation. Eventually, I gave up and went for coffee. Returning to the bus station, I found him fast asleep presumably waiting for a bus. Not mine, fortunately, so a peaceful ride to Alhama but that was shattered as I found myself in the midst of a carnival with everyone in mad fancy dress!
After wandering around taking it all in, I headed to the top of town and filled my water bottles at a fuente then headed off at 6 pm. An hour later I was walking through poplar plantations on a pitch black lane trying to find a suitable camping spot. It was another hour before I picked up a GR7 sign in my torchlight which pointed uphill, too steep to try in the dark.
Luckily, I found a perfect spot above a stream which was only marred by the broken bottles left by previous visitors. By now, it was very chilly so I went straight to bed, glad to have put in at least a couple of hours walking.
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Day Twenty-Four tomorrow!
I must say these are fabulous posts and I shall miss them when they eventually come to an end!
Start your day with music – a guest post!
More on mindfulness!
I opened my email box a couple of days ago and there was an email from Sarah.
It said:
Hi there!
I would be honored to be a guest writer for your blog and of course would reciprocate. I hope you don’t mind that I shared your link in my last post. I am not totally sure if blogging etiquette.
Sarah Kinneavy
MyAmazing2ndChapter.com
Of course I said yes!
Sarah’s background is sociology and she has a degree in the subject. Just as important she owns a dog walking business. I will let her finish her background:
I believe in living life to the fullest.
My daughter is a Cancer survivor- and as a result of that journey- It put my life into perspective. I learned to never take anything for granted- you never know what’s around the next corner. I am continuing to work on becoming the best version of me, while making the most of each and everyday.
Frankly, I do not really know what it is like to have a daughter, or a son come to it, go down with cancer. The nearest I have come to the disease was when I had just turned 12 and my father died of lung cancer.
So here’s her guest post.
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Start your day with music- not the News! Surviving the Coronavirus with mindfulness Day 2
By Sarah Kinneavy, March 28th, 2020
As I continue to try to stay calm with mass panic happening across the globe 🌎 with this pandemic. As I mentioned in yesterday’s post:
https://myamazing2ndchapter.com/2020/03/27/surviving-the-coronavirus-with-mindfulness/
I am using mindfulness to train my brain in how it reacts to stress. The more we do these exercises the better we get at them.
Yesterday one of my friends posted on Facebook to start the day off with music – rather than the news! What a great idea!!! So, yesterday, as I got ready for a job interview and I waited until it was late enough in Hawaii to do my daily well check on my daughter there (she is in isolation in a dorm room – I am not sure if she has the dreaded virus or not). I used music as the focal point of this mindfulness exercise. This 15 minutes of focusing on the music- listening to the rhythm helped keep me present. I wasn’t worrying about getting the job or how my daughter was doing. I was just in that moment of getting ready with the accompaniment of music. It was honestly 15 minutes of pure happiness. What a great way to start my day! One thing I have to add – I try to not let myself think about what the words of the songs mean to me, or when I first heard the song. I just listen and enjoy. Okay- I may have danced around my apartment a bit too!
I can tell you – I did not feel anxious going to my interview like I normally would. I didn’t panic about my daughter’s health – I was able to wait until after my interview to check in on her. Mindfulness does not keep me from ever worrying about my kiddo or the world around me. No – I still worry – but It isn’t swallowing me up whole. And this is key!
I can’t wait to talk to you again tomorrow . How are you coping with all the stress and anxiety?
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That’s a lovely guest post!
And the message is clear and powerful: “No – I still worry – but It isn’t swallowing me up whole. And this is key!“
Learning from Dogs 