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Stage 9: Cultural burnout was complete, I needed to move out, and fast. I also needed to be closer to Malaga for a morning flight, so checking my Wikiloc app (similar to Komoot ) I looked for an enticing countryside ramble in one of the Sierras in that area. 🏔
Setting off from the village in their direction, I half hoped my borrowed route would include at least one of those peaks, but did suspect that with the previous incumbents recorded walking time it was unlikely. And so it proved, my circular route teased up to the base of the imposing rock faces, but then swung back and returned down to Riogordo, maybe another day?
The weather had turned though, and the wind was ferocious the higher I ascended, and probably unmanageable on the mountain tops?
It was still nice, and a good and necessary reset after the heavy culture, nice views, nature, solitude and fresh air!
By 2pm I was back to the car, but still no digs for the night….so kicked in the AirBnB app, and checked what was available, within 10 mins I had a gaff for the night, just 20 mins away. At a place named “La Ganaderia, La Niña del Rio” - Que? Well, Ganaderia is livestock husbandry…and the second part is the girl of the river? 🤷♂️Soon I was on the goat farm, next to the stream…in the middle of nowhere, greeted by India, the border collie….and my host Lorena, with her mother. Not a word of English, which was good…we “chatted” somehow, and not much later, I was sat with Lorena and her mother watching Spanish TV, in the farmhouse, trying to have a conversation….open fire blazing (well it was only 18C today, so pretty Spanish cold) - it was a nice bookend to my journey.
By 8.30am (after my worst sleep: goat bells, barking dogs and a cockerel….albeit a nice environment ) I was joining the morning commute to Malaga….and jetting off to homeland in order to prepare for the longest flight I’ve ever done….30 hours! 😳😫Sad to see the end of Andalusia, felt I got a real taste of all the flavours, defo be back one day…but more importantly discovered a new way of life for myself that I slipped into with ease, which troubled me slightly prior, in fact I discovered to a certain extent a “new me”, I’m generally rubbish on my own…I need interaction…but unlike where you live permanently this was so different, quite dynamic and transient I guess, constantly having that interaction combined with new geographical discoveries along the way….that now undoubtedly will set the precedent for the continuation of this new chapter, all being well, see, we are never too old to learn 👍….NZ by next weekend (don’t worry I’m killing my social media apps 😜) until the Spring, and then, who knows, but defo Spanish speaking locations will have priority…
And updates on some of those characters I met? Qing did meet those “app friends” in Faro, and messaged me from Lisbon this morning; Eve and John and back home in NY state, and already booked a trip for the New Year to Antártica; Esther is contacting me as soon as I’m settled, to start online conversational Spanish lessons and Ian is back in Mallorca, addicted now, so he threatened, to the same hire bikes that are also in Palma - look out pedestrians!
Landing at Manchester airport, I wasn’t going to let the overly torrential rain dampen my evolved exuberance, and anyway I was really looking forward to meeting my son Jamie for a few beers and a meal in the Northern Quarter….an Ethiopian meal it turned out….ah! Now there’s a place I’ve never been to, but do they speak Spanish? 😂
Adios, hasta pronto! 🥰
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Ethiopian Food - NQ |
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Manchester - ugh! 😭 |  Leaving Malaga 😢😫 |
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