travelwithfriends – Creative Meanderings

Some years ago, my mom or someone gave me a book about walking on trail as a kind of pilgrimage. I’m not quite sure why it stuck in the back of my mind over the years as I’ve read a lot of books so far in my lifetime. Even though now I cannot remember the title of the book, I recall the idea of it.

Then, there came an uptake in the spread of online awareness about the Camino de Santiago.

Perhaps, it coincided with my moving to Europe. Perhaps, it was the pandemic. Perhaps, it was just the Universe bringing it back from my past to the present.

My mom and I discussed it as an option for one of our mother-daughter trips, but then somehow time passed and now she’s not sure it’s for her. Then, I read stories about people’s trips going over the Pyrenees, or across Spain. Nothing appealed to me enough to make it a reality. I was never a hostel traveler and my one backpacking-camping outing turned me off from trail walking or such outdoor activity for the rest of my life.

However, one day I saw a post about the Portuguese Camino. Upon further research, I discovered the walk is a lot less taxing. The views are spectacular of the coastline, which is far more appealing than that of trees, bugs, fields, or mountains. Also, the biggest draw was that the terrain is not so challenging making the walk enjoyable.

Also, having waited long enough now, roughing it is no longer a requirement.

So, in a conversation with a friend, we discussed mutual interest. We discussed if we were compatible walking companions. Then, we did some research. Our findings led us to a company that will do luggage transfer so we don’t have to carry our things all day – check ; we can have a comfortable bed and our own shower at the end of the day – check ; we could even afford single rooms for my introverted needs to recoup at the end of the day – check ; breakfast, some dinners, and other transfers were included – check ; all within a reasonable budget – check !

Thus began the plan. We are nearly ready to hit go on the booking to pay for the walking portion. We are also planning what the flights, etc. will look like before and after. But, it’s all looking good! I so love it when hints of the past come to fruition in the present and then a plan comes together.

Stay tuned as we get closer to it all happening (in October).

This was a trip planned sometime back in April, I think. Despite our frequent travels and desire to stay put for a bit, we/I enjoyed our week in Sardinia – still on the island as I type this post, actually.

Some people put it on our radar last year when they relayed stories of their visit saying that it was lovely. So, when we were discussing with our friends about a joint trip, we all quickly agreed to organize our week away here.

After some research and discussion, we decided to do a few days in the south in Cagliari – the capital of the island/region of Sardegna (Sardinia) and a few days in the north near Olbia where many visit for the beaches. We stayed in Airbnbs whilst together to be able to enjoy shared space and have the option of eating in or being able to enjoy leisure mornings.

While I am, personally, more of a fan of hotels and kitchenette options since cleaning up and such is not part of my usual holiday activities, it was actually rather nice to have our own spaces and shared spaces – though I still would choose hotels.

M and I took the ferry over with the car so that we would have freedom to explore around the island. It meant a bit longer travel time for us, but it was a good choice for convenience as I’m not a fan of wasting time waiting for public transport or spending money constantly for taxis. It also meant that we have had an extra day on either side to relax together. So, on the way, we stayed in Livorno since our departure was early in the morning. Tonight, we are further northwest near Porto Cervo so that we can relax in a spa resort hotel along the beachfront before our overnight ferry back to Rome.

As for my impressions of the island, well, not so much for me. I’m sure that in the peak summer months it is more lively, but there isn’t a lot to see. The bike tour we did in Cagliari was fun and interesting, but the guide was very skilled at making the town seem more interesting that it really is. There were some tidbits of culture and history to absorb, but overall, I felt it was a grimy and old place to visit.

In terms of the north, well, the beaches are nice and the water is a pretty blue, but again, not overly engaging. We walked around Olbia center, which was cute and had more of a vibe to it than the south. Still, I haven’t been convinced that I would ever need to come back.

What made the trip was our time drinking, eating a lot of pizza and pasta, and chatting away the days and nights.