Pyrenean High Route - Section 5 2017 - Getting Back
Posted by Mark Richardson on Aug 01, 2017
Happily Banyuls ser Mer has a night train service to Paris, just as L’Hospitalet pres d’Andorre does, so after taking a meal on the sea front I went to the train station and was able to book a ‘bed’ for the trip to Paris the same night.
My train departed at 7.30pm and arrived in Paris at 6.45 the following morning, I’d like to say that I went to sleep by the Med and woke up refreshed eight hours later in Paris – the reality however was a bit different, the carriages have three bunks either side without enough height to sit, there’s not much room for luggage so my rucksack shared the bed, and there were the maximum six occupants in our carriage. Sleep was difficult with the movement of the train.
On the plus side though, I at least had SOME sleep. I got off the train bleary eyed and headed for the nearest cafe for breakfast, I did not choose wisely and got ripped off.
The earliest flight to Newcastle from CDG airport was at 15.05, which got me back to Newcastle less than an hour later at 15.55. I was home by 17.00, about 26 hours from finishing the walk, though it could have been a lot less if there had been an earlier flight from CDG.
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Mark Richardson |
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Mark was the founder of Ultralight Outdoor Gear back in 2006 and has completed long distance backpacking routes in some of the remotest parts of the world. His favourite hikes have been Torres del Paine (full circuit), the John Muir trail and the Markha Valley trail (Ladakh, India). Although semi-retired Mark has not lost any enthusiasm for minimalist backpacking and is tackling Scotland’s Munros choosing multi-day backpacking routes over the more usual guide book excursions. |
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