Author Archives: magwood

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About magwood

Trepidatious Traveller - camino blog is about preparing for and walking the Camino de Santiago. Many future pilgrims have found the blog useful and inspiring, and many who have no plans to walk the camino have simply enjoyed the dialogue http://www.magwood.me

Training commences

Posted on 12/02/2013 by magwood

Living half way up a mountain there is plenty of variety of walking options, and plenty of opportunity to tackle steep gradients – one of the steepest being the concrete track to our house which I have to negotiate on … Continue reading →

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An idea is born

Posted on 11/02/2013 by magwood

Some time, way back, probably in 2011, my eldest daughter Ella proposed two exciting projects.  She had been living in Sydney, Australia since November 2009 and was planning her return to the UK in early summer 2012.  Her first suggestion … Continue reading →

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Day 14, 23 July 2012 – Sri Lanka – Pinnawala & Perahera

Posted on 23/07/2012 by magwood

We have a leisurely 10:00 start when we meet with Anton and drive a short way to the Temple of the Tooth where the only relic of Buddha is kept. We are introduced to a guide who takes us around … Continue reading →

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Day 13, 22 July 2012 – Sri Lanka – Kandy

Posted on 22/07/2012 by magwood

This is the first day that we are able to have breakfast in the hotel and it is a very strange affair. We are the only guests in the restaurant and are shown to a table set with fruit salad, … Continue reading →

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Day 12, 21 July 2012 – Sri Lanka – Yala National Park

Posted on 21/07/2012 by magwood

We are up at 04:30 this morning for a 05:15 departure via an open back jeep to the Yala National Reserve. We see the sunrise over a lake en-route and as we get closer to the reserve there are more … Continue reading →

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Day 11, 20 July 2012 – Sri Lanka – Sinharaja Rainforest

Posted on 20/07/2012 by magwood

When Anton collects us for an early start, he asks us what we thought of the hotel. He tells us that although there are staff quarters for the drivers, they all sleep in their cars because they believe the hotel … Continue reading →

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Day 10, 19 July 2012 – Sri Lanka – the guided tour begins

Posted on 19/07/2012 by magwood

Today is the start of our organised tour. A company called Unique Travel (http://www.theuniquetravel.co.uk) has worked with Ella to provide us with a tailor made tour to fit our time scale and our budget – apparently not an easy task … Continue reading →

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Day 9, 18 July 2012 – Sri Lanka – day of relaxation

Posted on 18/07/2012 by magwood

We have arranged for the same tuktuk driver to collect us from the guest house and take us to the beach today and he is waiting for us when we emerge at 10:00. We travel for about an hour and … Continue reading →

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Day 8, 17 July 2012 – Sri Lanka – tuktuk tour

Posted on 17/07/2012 by magwood

Today we have arranged for a tuktuk to collect us at 09:00 to take us on a tour of the local places of interest. Our driver is a charming man called Chamdi. Our first stop is a twenty minute drive … Continue reading →

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Day 7, 16 July 2012 – Sri Lanka – Galle

Posted on 16/07/2012 by magwood

Another leisurely start and we set off at 11:00 to walk through the Fort gate to the town of Galle beyond. The main road runs along the sea front and the sea is very rough with high rollers due to … Continue reading →

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Day 6, 15 July 2012 – Sri Lanka – Galle Fort

Posted on 15/07/2012 by magwood

We leave the hotel in Bangkok at 04:00 and the streets are still full of life with people partying and food stalls still operating. We take off a little late at 07:15 and Ella is soon asleep so I find … Continue reading →

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Day 5, 14 July 2012 – Bangkok – Grand Palace

Posted on 14/07/2012 by magwood

Today I don’t feel like moving very fast and so we have a late start. Ella goes to the pool terrace for 45 minutes whilst I make a very leisurely start to the day. We decide to visit the Grand … Continue reading →

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Day 4, 13 July 2012 – Bangkok, Ayutthaya – more ruins than you can shake a stick at!

Posted on 13/07/2012 by magwood

Today we are visiting a World Heritage Site situated not far from Bangkok, about an hour and a quarter drive. We arranged a good price for the trip with our taxi driver yesterday and he will collect us from the … Continue reading →

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Day 3, 12 July 2012 – Bangkok – shopping, but not as we know it

Posted on 12/07/2012 by magwood

Its raining this morning – not the unrelenting downpour of our first night, but enough to need to take cover. So we decide to take a taxi to Siam Square, famous for shopping opportunities. I was expecting a mall similar … Continue reading →

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Day 2, 11 July 2012 – Bangkok – a culinary adventure

Posted on 11/07/2012 by magwood

We set the alarm for an early morning wake-up as we are being collected from the hotel at 8:20 to attend cookery class. We have booked with an organisation called ‘Baipai Cookery School’ http://www.baipai.com/About.html, and are picked up in a … Continue reading →

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