h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Well, PSG and I are back from our trip to Spain. It didn't go to plan, nothing we do ever does. It was, however, very good . Be warned, it was quite a long holiday so this is a very long journal

Friday 10th June, Gatwick Airport

It was the day after I got my exam results, so I was in a rather good mood. I finished packing and then went to my friend's house to travel to Gatwick with some friends of mine. The train was on time and everything and we met up with PSG fine at St. Pancras station. Then we went to Gatwick airport where we spent the entire night. It wasn't a very interesting place. It was impossible to sleep, parlty because it was extreamly bright, and partly because there were a load of teenagers trying to dismatle a coke dispenser. Despite this I still managed to sleep for an hour.

Saturday 11th June, Barcalona, Beger and Gosol

We went a long way. It was my first plane fligh and I was stupidly excited. Turns out I have no fear of flying, quite the opposite. PSG, who has vertigo, got a running commentry (even when he was pretending to sleep of how everything was really small and how the clouds were beneath us and looked like fields of snow. It wasn't long before we got to Barcalone, where it was exceedingly hot. We had some fun trying to work out how to buy and carry petrol (which we needed for one of the stoves). Then we had lunch and got to the coach station where we travelled to Berger. By the time we got there it was late, and the bus we were going to get we discovered only operates on week days . so, after some dinner (my first lot of tapas) we got a taxi to Gosol. there were seven of us together, but fortunately with the limited Spanish we knew and some frantic hand movements we managed to get a minibus to take us the 40 kilometres. By the time we got there we were very tired, so shortly after putting up the tent we went to sleep. There was a huge thunderstorm, as there was every night in Gosol, but we had no trouble sleeping through it.

Sunday 12th June, PSG's birthday

As you can imagine, after two days of travelling and only an hours sleep we were very tired, so didn't really get going until midday. After lunch we decided to go for a short walk, so got a map from the information centre. Gosol is a tiny village so there wasn't much else we could do there for the day. According to the map, we were setting off on a gentle 6 mile walk, so we didn't pack any food and enough water to last us that long. I know my past experiance should have taught me a lesson, but it didn;t occur to me that we would be walking for more than a couple of hours.

The map however was no good at all. Being in Spanish wasn't really the problem, but the scale was so large it was very hard to work out how long the route was and how high. We set off at 2pm and were walking for over six hours. The wal was also by no means flat. I have rarely been so tired and felt rather sorry for PSG, it being his first ramble and birthday and all . Dinner was nice though

Monday 13th June, Pedra Forca

As I've mentioned, PSG has vertigo. Pedra Forca is a big huge mountain with two pointy bits. This didn't look too good from the start . PSG did very well though, and we got quite a fair way up . When it came to scrambling up scree though things got a bit much, so PSG and I came down whilst the others came down. It enabled us to have an afternoon off and catch up on some sleep . In the evening we went off to a restaurant as the others were too tired to cook. The Spanish however don't seem to know what vegetables are and dinner was just the meat, some chips and a bit of bread. Not sure what i would have done if I were vegetarian

Tuesday 14th June, a shorter walk

The plan was to walk to another village and then get the bus back. It started off fine but then the map struck again, and the path dissappeared. Eventually we changed our plans and walked back. We cooked a huge BBQ, it was fantastic

Wednesday 15th June, on the move again

We wanted a change from Gosol, the place was nice but small and only had one shop which sold practically nothing. We went back to Beger then got a coach to some other place. We the changed our plans and went by taxi through part of France to Andorra, specifically Canillo. After putting up the tent we went to a restaurant and had a lovely three course meal with real vegetables . We were to stay in Canillo for most the rest of the holiday as it was a good location for walking and for buying food, though we still could only get UHT milk. They did however know what tea was, and despite being weak, it was far better than Gosol where they had none at all

Thursday 16th June, a big scary mountain

Today was another case of beeing caught out by the silly map. According to the map, we were going to get the bus to most of the ascent to get onto a nice ridge. We'd then only have 400m ascent left to do but be about 3000m high, on a ridge that was steep one side but gently sloping on the other. You can probably guess that things didn't go to plan .

The start of the walk was fine . PSG wasn't liking there generally being high too much but there weren't any big drops and the place was covered in flowers . There was still the odd patch of snow and one interesting part where we had to climb on to an overhanging pile of snow and jump off it into a stream. Fortunately it was easier than it at first looked. A bit further on though the path was redirect so we went to diverted way. The next path we needed to get though hadn't been diverted accordingly so it met the previous one - basically we were again without a path. We decided to climb up on to of another mountain to join the ridge in a different place. This involved walking up a very steep slope. 100m up (though please remember we were already over 2,500m high at this point) PSG wasn't happy. The fact we weren't on a path and were going up a very steep slope wasn't doing any wonders for his vertigo. We decided to finish up to the peak of that particular mountain then follow the ridge down, cutting the walk short.

After climbing 700m we finally reached the top . However, PSG really wasn't happy now, and every slight gust of wind had im looking for a rock to hold on to. The weren't any. Also, the nice gentle ridge turned out to be a scree slope. There was no choice, we had to go back down all that way to the diverted path .

After this we were stuck as to what to do. We couldn't really go back to the original starting point, as there were no buses to take us back and all there was there wasa petral station (being a tax free zone, there are many petrel stations in Andorra). So, we went back up a mountian we had previously climbed down and onto another ridge. This had no steep drop on one side, but was still too steep for PSG's liking. He managed alright though and we made it alonge the ridge, down to another, and then to a scree slope.

We had to go down the scree slope, there was no choice, there was no other way to get down. Fortunately though it was quite mild as far as scree slopes go and PSG was happy enough to be losing altitude in a controlled manner . The scree slope took us to probably the most beautiful place I have ever been too . The scree slope gave way to a little platue, with two lakes. We walked to the edge of the platue where there was a waterfall. Below was another platue where the waterfull branched into many rivers of water, filling the place with interesting swirls and ponds.

We walked down by the side of the waterfall to the other platue, again coverd in flowers and full of wildlife, especially frogs . I had a fantastic time splishing in all the puddles. At the edge of the platue the streams converged again to form another waterfall. Walking down the edge was fantastic, there were so many flowers. Eventually we hit the tree line again but the scenery and flora were still fantastic. The slope became gentle and eventually we reached Saldue where we had a drink. It was by Spanish standards cold, and the bar owner was rather shocked to find us sitting outside .

Eventually we got the bus after counting 4 by 4 Fiat Pandas, which there are a bizarre surplus of in Andorra.

Friday 17th June, PSG's day off

The others wanted to go up an even scarier mountain. I'd told PSG we wouldn't go up any more mountains so we spent a day together in Canillo. It was great - we had tea in croissants in one shop and went for a walk along the river. We also found a sort of outdoor fitness thing which we played about on for a bit . Generally though we were very lazy, though got a bit concerned when the others didn't return. They eventually arrived after 9pm. They wouldn't say what they'd done straight away, but eventually we found they'd been on a scramble you really shouldn't do without ropes. It was far too late to cook so we went out for a meal in a lovely restaurant, it was even better than the previous one.

Saturday 18th June, everyone else's day off

Today we didn't do much at all, everyone was too tired. It was also far too hot, so I did a lot of lying around reading my book. We went on an exceedingly short walk to a pretty church but that was it. The evening meal though was great fun. We cooked rice but then realised we had no means to rince it. This lead to improvising using a pen knife and an empty cola bottle. The Duch and French people either side of us could not stop laughing . Chocolate is cheap in Andorra, but due to the heat our supplies had melted. We decided to melt down the 700g we had between us and make a chocolate fondue. With a little whisky and some cream the mixture was just right, and we dipped in marshmallows, biscuits and cake. Even between seven of us though there was far more than we could eat and the sugar was messing about with our heads. Before long we were chasing each other around the campsite, several of the people absoloutly covered in chocolate. The Dutch people certainly enjoyed the entertainment

Sunday 20th June, return to the valley

Apathy had set in. It was hot, very hot, and every walk thanks to the map had gone wrong. We decided to return to the valley, with a book, sit somewhere and simply read and talk all day. That is what we did, and it was great . Dipping my feet in the river I was able to keep reasonably cool and it was a great way to spend the day. Tim (a friend), PSG and I set off back a little earlier than the others to get food before the shops shut. Just as we arrived though there was a thunderstorm. We used this as an excuse not to cook so we could go back to the restaurant. The others agreed with this sentiment so again we were treated to a fantastic three course meal.

Monday 21st June, return to Barcalona

We packed up our tents and got a but to Andorra's capital, Andorra la Vella. This is a very touristy area and not good for spending any time in. Wehad lunch and went to a couple of shopd, but PSG and I got bored so went to a park. It then rained very heavily and we ended up being soaked through before we had a chance to put coats on, so we went to the coach station and read a book for a bit. The others soon had the same idea. Mid afternoon the coach left for Barcalona, and we arrived just after six. The youth hostel we intended to stay at though turned out to be both horrible and fully booked. We found another that was nice and clean but had to be spread out over three rooms, staying with people we'd never met before. PSG didn't like this too much, and though I'd rather be with people I knew, I still didn't mind it as much.

Tuesday 22nd June, Barcalona

We had one full day in Barcalona and decided to make the most of it. We went practically everywhere. The Ramblas was quite horrible. The gothic cathedaral had lovely architecture but I didn't like the inside much. Gaudi's cathedral was really quite dreadful. The Roman centre was fantastic. The Gardens de Montjac we fantastic, and from there we got a view of the entire city. We had dinner in a square were some music fesitval was taking place

Wednesday 23rd June, London

We took the plane back to Gatwick and then PSG, Rich and Dave had to go there seperate ways in order to get back home at a reasonable time. The four of us Beeston dwelling people though spent the day in London. We went to the science musuem where we left our bags and then to a lovely Italian restaurant. Then we went to Hyde Park, reading our books under a tree in the evening sun. Eventually (11pm) we got back to Nottingham and very shortly after getting home I was asleep.

And the rest

PSG drove to Nottingham on the Friday to help me pack and drive me back to Hemel. He's now back at work , and so at the other end of the country . I'm continueing job hunting and catching up with my family. It is thankfully not so hot here

Blimey - you seem to have packed a lifetime into that two weeks! It all sounds fab and I particularly approve of the sitting around reading books part

Liz
~

Yes, it took me a fair while to write that journal . It was too hot to go up any more mountains, lazing about seemed like a far better idea

It took me a fair while to read your journal
I'M glad you had a fantastic time, I pity PSG, I dread hights - didn't when I was younger, but now, I never go up to the castle top - I'm so scared to go down again

He said that next time he'll choose the destination , and it won't involve mountains .

That sounds fair to me I don't mind visiting a castle, as long as nobody expects me to climb up -and down - thos horrible stairs they usually have

PSG feels exactly the same

not castle stairs!

Glad you had a nice time though

I love castle stairs myself though, but then I have no fear of heights

It was good , but now I'm back in Hemel where the news headline was grass growing quicker than expected

Don't laugh that's terrible!

I kind of have a fear of heights, I don't go dizzy or anything I just don't want to die

The last time I was here the headline was that a paving slab was cracked (no one had tripped on it or anything, it wasn't really dangerous, just cracked). The last summer I was here a plant grew in someone's garden and no one new what it was. The following week it was disclosed to be a teasel. The following week the weed was vandalised.

I was once scrambling up a scree slope when it started to fall. I managed to find some slightly more stable scree for a bit so didn't fall too far myself. It took about a minute for me to then decide my next move and that was probably as scared as heights as I have ever been. I scrambled on a further three scree slopes that day though . There are a few things I won't do though and I don't like abseiling (spl), the whole going backwards thing worries me a bit.

I see everything's happening down your end

It's not the most exciting of places . Kodak was here, and a firework factory, but they're gone. All that's left is an odd roundabout you can drive both ways round with six smaller roundabouts around the outside

I know that place! (well I've heard of it)

Quite a lot of people have . Several of them have taken diversions to avoid it

I feel left out , I haven't taken a diversion round it. Not fair

I haven't taken a divertion round it either

Unc, are you talking about this ? http://www.bbc.co.uk/threecounties/have_fun/360/hemel_magic_roundabout.shtml

It's not as famous as this one, eh ? http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/brunel/A2998452

uhh... well to be honest, I've never heard of that one. Sorry.

that's the one

Ours is smaller than the Swindon one I think, though there's a river flowing through Hemel's