From Weymouth to Madrid

So its been exactly one year since I embarked on my voyage around the world without a plane and I think I should take a minute to relfect on what a year it has been. In short I have learn't that the Channel Islands do count as being abroad because my UK mobile network charged me foreign rates when making calls from Guernsey. Secondly Paris is much better with people who can speak French. Thirdly night trains from Paris to Madrid are not suitable for backpacks and lastly that Spanish food is much better cooked by a Spanish family mum.

So when I arrived here I was volunteering on the Spanish version of 'The Good Life' and what fun and games that was (refer back to April blogs). And the plan was to contiue doing this in other areas of Spain until the Summer when I went to Bennicasim festival. However one of the fist things I had to take into consideration when travelling was sudden unexpected changes to plans as my second WWOOF farm fell through. Desperate to get out of solitude I got the whole teaching English thing going in Madrid and moved here at the end of last May. Since then I have lived in three different flats and have learn't the art of the bin liner moving technique and living with only the bare necessities. I am still wearing the same clothes as I did on the Channel Islands with only three added items to my wardrobe since being in Madrd and coming from a room I had in Plymouth with two overflowing wardrobes - this is something to be commended.

Looking ahead quickly my plans have once again changed and I've cancelled Africa Overland for now due to lack of boats going to Oz. However I've found a thing called OzBus which is something of much the same formula as the African thing (converted bus for overland travel with specific group all mucking in on daily activites) and for less time speant on the road (Africa was 6 months, route to Oz about 3). We'll hopefully be travelling through several EU countries before hitting Pakistan and onto Thailand before reaching Darwin to continue down to Sydney.

I am hoping to explore the south of Spain from the end of May to end of August where I shall have decamped from this country ready to embark on a journey to the most southerly continent in the world by the end of August. And yes, hopefully I shall get back to London by any means other than plane (give or take a few sneaky trips inbetween for important social engagements and given I'm not going to be able to make such events for a couple of years after August, I think I deserve that).