Walking in Europe

Now back in Canada!

Well.. what a trip… it’s so nice to have landed in Vancouver tonight. We’ll make the final hop to Trail on Pacific Coastal tomorrow and be in Nelson by the afternoon. Thanks Emily for looking after home and Poppy while we’ve been away!❤️

Eleven weeks of backpacker travel. While we weren’t always on top of the daily distance tally, Ali did a great job with Strava and mapping apps. We estimate over 600 kms of hiking/walking routes, day hikes, city exploring and various other wanderings. We visited 5 countries: Switzerland 🇨🇭 , France 🇫🇷, Italy 🇮🇹, Austria 🇦🇹, Iceland 🇮🇸 (6 if you count two hours in Slovenia 🇸🇮 while we switched buses travelling from Trieste to Villach 🙂). We travelled mostly by public transit (one short Uber in Villach when a nice local, noticing our packs, stopped to ask: “Going to the train station? Then you want the bus stop on the other side of the street”- just as our bus went by across the street… 😜… my bad). Ali also successfully hitch hiked when one bus drove by on a Dolomites mountain road full of people and not stopping- next would be an hour wait, so out went her thumb. Super nice fellow from Spain and his Mom picked us up after 50 cars went by. We also found out that public bus service on certain routes in the Dolomites abruptly stops for the season on a seemingly random day in September. But it meant for a great day’s walk into Cortina d’Ampezzo from Passo Giau. We also had a week in a rented camper van in Iceland-a perfect way to have transportation, accommodation, and cooking all in one. So grateful for not having to use the tent in Iceland! 🥶💨💦🌧️.

We walked, talked, climbed, sat down, rested, laughed, cried, slept, snored (I did), cooked, ate, learned “good morning” in a couple of languages, met up with friends, stared speechless in awe at mountain landscapes, nature, art, flowers, farm animals, fields, forests, glaciers and steam vents; took pictures, took notes, high-fived at the summits and passes, learned so much; sometimes we rushed, sometimes we took our time, had afternoon naps and evening cuppas, ate great food, and met other wonderful hikers and travellers. Ali has gracefully put up with my (occasional?) grumbling and mumbling, was patient with my failing hearing, and pre-coffee morning mood. There’s no other person on this precious planet that I would do a trip like this with. I love you Alison! ❤️. Thanks for reading, followers!

Pics from the last day before rushing for the plane!