I “cheat” on the walk from Calalucca, starting a taxi ride away. The basic idea of the tour so far has been to do the Mare a Mare Nord starting from Sermano heading towards to Porto. My walk up to Lac de Nino meant that I skipped one part.
As it turns out, I find the walk easy, at least in comparison with the last couple of days. I arrive at the hotel mid-afternoon and just mellow out until dinner. This is easy to do as the location is great, looking down the valley and over the hotel pool.
In a change to our advertised programme — mainly the Mare a Mare Nord — I decide to walk up to the Lac de Nino, as recommended by the lady running the hotel I’m staying in.
The walk starts in a pine forest a ten-minute taxi ride up hill. The path begins fairly gently but soon consists of large rocks. As I ascend the rocks get smaller and loser. Walking gives way to scrambling and a little climbing. I realise that I’m lucky to be heading upwards as the opposite direction looks to be almost impossible for people as dextrous as me.
Today was a significant tested for me.
First there was the endurance. I set off around eight and arrived after six, with lunch the only significant break — and that was less than an hour. The terrain was steep, with both climbs of over a thousand meters and descent of the same, meaning that it wasn’t just the distance that was battering my feet.
The first day of walking was to take me from Sermano to Corte. I was driven to the start by taxi along the scary, narrow lanes that surround Corte.
It doesn’t take long before things start to go wrong. Crossing a stream I manage to put my whole foot in the water, fortunately only fleetingly and so I am not completely waterlogged.
The plan today is to get to Corte. There are two trains a day, which effectively means that I have to choose between sightseeing in Ajaccio or Corte — with daylight hours fading fairly early there would be no time to do both. Since I’m back in Ajaccio on Friday evening I decide to take the early train.
As I fly over it, I note the vivid blue-green colour of the water as it glistens in the midday sun. This is not the Mediterranean as I approach Corsica but the English Channel shortly after leaving from London City airport. It’s amazing how the sun enhances even the most seemingly mundane scenes.
It’s three hours and a change of plane in Paris before I see Corsica for real. In fact it was cloudy and only visible for the last few minutes of the descent. First impressions: very hilly, mountainous even. The cream houses scattered near the coast are attractive and give the impression of a place that is in the south of France or Tuscany.
Do you remember where you were when you heard that Diana had died? I do. I woke up on the Sunday and switched on the radio over breakfast. Nothing but slow, miserable songs on Radio 1. And Capital. And Heart. Indeed, every channel I tried — and there are a lot in London. The occasional announcement that “due to recent events it wasn’t appropriate to continue with the usual programming” did little to enhance my understanding of what had happened.
This weeks PhotoFriday theme is “Vacation.” Here is my entry. When most people think of ‘vacation’ they think of a beach holiday. This image is of Menton in France.
Please also vote for my entry in last weeks challenge. I’m entry number 91.
This weeks PhotoFriday theme is “Futuristic.” Here is my entry.
When I think “futuristic” I think “space travel” and “space men.” I’ve never been into space but I have been down Karl Johans Gate in Oslo, Norway.
Please also vote for my entry in last weeks challenge, Large. I’m entry number 193.
This weeks PhotoFriday theme is Sky. My entry was taken a couple of years ago on a walking holiday in Tuscany. I used my EOS300 and Fuji Sensia 100 slide film.