Thursday, April 21st
"*********** what a view!" is the first thing K says when she sees the place in daylight. I wonder off to find the campsite, hoping to find some people or the actual site. Nobody. OK, we hide our stuff amonght trees, the brightly green tent is visible, but what can we do. breakfast, nad off we go, hoping that maybe during the day somebody will come to the site.I also send a text, asking if it is possible to camp there this day.
Walk witht he help of GPS, to Monte Ortobene, to Redentore. Journey was nice, with good view, good weather (no rain, no sun too hot). On the way there are several pizzerias, all closed and the whole place seems deserted.
From far away we see some building works on top of the hill and on arrival, with several signs indicating for Redentore, we see that the building works are around the statue. There is a sigh, saying that the work will be finished in October 2010. Lunch at 913 metres with good view.
Two men also came to see the view, but left soon. When going back, we saw several other people going towards the top.
When going back, K saw a path, thinking it might be a shortcut. As we had no hurry, we did not take it. Later, when I saw another path going up, I was determined to go and see what is there.
K thought is is just an erosion path, but I saw some footsteps. Got up and had to disappoing K who was half way down. It was the same shortcut!
Back at the tent, we saw a car. We followed it and it was the campsite owner!!!!!!!!!! We said we wanted to stay for the night and he asked what time we need to leave. Because our initial plan had been to Take bus from Nuoro at 7, and it had taken us 3.5 hours to get near the campsite, K had plans of leaving at 3. He was surprised, confused or whatever somebody might think when told something strange. he said he would not be there that early. He said it is possible to go to Nuoro in 1h.
We said we had been to Redentore statue and he said it is closed because the season had not started yet. Also, he warned us that there is only cold water.
After piching our tent, we decided to go and pay, and maybe ask about the correct way to the town or maybe where he would recommend us to go. He said he would give us a map, invited us to a stone hut and gave us espresso. He thought is is not worth going to Sassari and North coast because we would spend too much time on the bus. Maybe a good idea, what I had been thinking after I checked the bus times. We were advised to go east from Nuoro, to Dorgali and Cala Gonone and then on Saturday from Nuoro to Cagliari (because Sunday is Easter Sunday and no transport and we had already booked a hostel in Cagliari).
The village, Cala Gonone is by the sea and when we said it is too cold for swimming anyway, he said that some years ago some other Nordic people went swimming with cold weather.
He was very helpful and tried to phone to the bus company, for the bus times. but no luck. Every time I travel, I meet some friendly and helpful people, amazing!
In the evening we went for walk in a nearby park where people walk their dogs. Nice sunset from high altitude! We climbed up some rocks to see even better view. Super! So beautiful colours and two villages or towns far away in lights, with mountains blending into the warm sunset sky.
We could also see Monte Ortobene!
Back at "home", we ate our last 2 breads and 2 tins of tuna nad half a muesly baton each.
Sleeping in the tent was cold again, but this evening more scary too. He had left lights on, to advertise to everybody who happens to wonder there: here are some people! We heard steps, the dogs were barking. It was definitely humans, not my imagination. At some poiint I was thinking we should move our tent back to some hidden place out of light. Fortunately, nothing happened, maybe they were just wanderers, curious to see whet is there. I slept until 6.30.
Monday, 25 April 2011
Sardinia 2011, day 1
Tuesday, 19th, Wednesday, 20th
Evening panic, ike always before travel, I start packing and organising too late, trying to find some more coordinates of places, check bus times, print out hostel confirmations, online check in etc. I was going to watch a movie with D before going to Digbeth, but no time. Taxi to Digbeth at midnight, taxi driver asks for my name, it does not match. OK, I can go in the taxi, but then he asks whether I use my phone or my brother's, dad's, boyfriend's. No, it is my phone! And then I remember once A booked a taxi with my phone, so the have his name!
Digbeth is nice compared to what it was 2 years ago. Sleeeeeeep in the coach until 4. Stansted. At the moment I board the plane, my eyes are closed, I did not even see the safety talk. Arrive in Cagliari, see ticket machine, buy ticket. Now I have a ticket, but no bus stpo. OK, I have time until K arrives, although I need to buy food for 4 days and her bus ticket too, so need to get to town centre. I decide to try my language and ask somebody who works in the aeroport.
"Scusi, dove e la fermata di autobus?"
"Non lo so"
Fimally I found it and texted the location to K. In town centre I bought tickets to Nuoro, walked, walked, walked and waited for K. I was also looking for a supermarket to buy food. Again I managed not to use any English:
"Scusa, che il supermercado qui vicino?"
"Dritto, sinistra, destra"
I bought bread, tinned tuna, cheese, muesli bars. When buying bread, I saw little breads, 'pani integrale' and asked these. At first everything seemed OK< she asked how many, but then started to show me a wholemeal bread, saying something I did not understand. She showed the small ones, then big and I was very confused. Finally, with some kind of sign language she underatood that I wanted the small ones, although I did not really mind. I just wanted some bread to eat!
Sitting in a cafe, eating late breakfast, or the second one of today and writing the diary, I decide to check about the pane integrale. Yes, it is both "whole bread" and "wholemeal". It is quite warm, but locals wear a winter coat, like we wear in Estonia when it is +5. it is +20 and I am wearing short sleeves and would like to change my walking boots for sandals, but walking boots are more heavy.... I wonder how heaby is my bag, forgot to check in the aeroport.
I just realised I do not know what time it is. Does my phone detect the time zone change? Sometimes it does, but then every time I travel, it first refuses to connect to any network, managed in Spain, Germany, France, but in Estonia still cannot. Oh well, lets try some speaking again.
"Scusa, a che ora e?"
"Sono uno e dieci"
"Grazie"
I gave up walking anywhere far, just near the port, and now trying to re-pack my rucksack, fitting all food in. A bit more waiting and I decide to go to the bus station. Only then I realise that what if Kaija's plane is delayed, what if she cannot get to town on time for the once-daily bus? Suddenly I get a text from her, saying thet she is in the airport and will be in town in half an hour. :)
Waiting in the bus station, people come to ask where I want to go, they think I am lost because I have waited so long time, always looking around. No I a, just waiting for my friend.
Suddenly I see a girl, quite blond compared to locals.
On the bus, at some point K imagines that she can hear Estonian. No. we conclude it is all Italian. It is getting more hilly, although a moment ago the view looked like Tallinn-Tartu Road in Estonia. Arriving in Nuoro, high hopes to find the campsite soon. Walk, wlak, walk, after having a map reading session the park. We ask way in multiple languages. Some say it is molto lontano and impossibile andare a piedi. Some say it is vicino, 10 minutes. We see multiple signs for the site, saying it is aperto, but the site is not there. Finally in the dark we ask some people and they say it is 10 minutes again, doubtingly we ask do they mean by walking. Yes. OK, lets walk more. At another sigh, K is so tired that decides to stop. I leave my bag and run forward, to check if the campsite is somewhere near. I saw another turning, hoping this is it, call K and full of hope, we go again, only to arrive at a locked gate. We call the number, no answer. Call mobile phone, no answer. OK, there is no fence, so we climb up a bit and put our tent not at the campsite, but amongst rocks and trees. We have no energy to go forward to the cmapsite and check if there is anybody, lets just sleep and see whet morning brings. We had bread with olive oil and salad and off to sleep. It is possible to fit 2 people in a1 person tent! I just could not think of carrying a two-person tent, especially as I would have had to borrow it from my friend and he said it is "less than 10kg", quite informative answer, when my 1 person tent is 1.65kg. Night is cold, very cold, I frequently wake up, but we are at 800 metres, quite high.
Evening panic, ike always before travel, I start packing and organising too late, trying to find some more coordinates of places, check bus times, print out hostel confirmations, online check in etc. I was going to watch a movie with D before going to Digbeth, but no time. Taxi to Digbeth at midnight, taxi driver asks for my name, it does not match. OK, I can go in the taxi, but then he asks whether I use my phone or my brother's, dad's, boyfriend's. No, it is my phone! And then I remember once A booked a taxi with my phone, so the have his name!
Digbeth is nice compared to what it was 2 years ago. Sleeeeeeep in the coach until 4. Stansted. At the moment I board the plane, my eyes are closed, I did not even see the safety talk. Arrive in Cagliari, see ticket machine, buy ticket. Now I have a ticket, but no bus stpo. OK, I have time until K arrives, although I need to buy food for 4 days and her bus ticket too, so need to get to town centre. I decide to try my language and ask somebody who works in the aeroport.
"Scusi, dove e la fermata di autobus?"
"Non lo so"
Fimally I found it and texted the location to K. In town centre I bought tickets to Nuoro, walked, walked, walked and waited for K. I was also looking for a supermarket to buy food. Again I managed not to use any English:
"Scusa, che il supermercado qui vicino?"
"Dritto, sinistra, destra"
I bought bread, tinned tuna, cheese, muesli bars. When buying bread, I saw little breads, 'pani integrale' and asked these. At first everything seemed OK< she asked how many, but then started to show me a wholemeal bread, saying something I did not understand. She showed the small ones, then big and I was very confused. Finally, with some kind of sign language she underatood that I wanted the small ones, although I did not really mind. I just wanted some bread to eat!
Sitting in a cafe, eating late breakfast, or the second one of today and writing the diary, I decide to check about the pane integrale. Yes, it is both "whole bread" and "wholemeal". It is quite warm, but locals wear a winter coat, like we wear in Estonia when it is +5. it is +20 and I am wearing short sleeves and would like to change my walking boots for sandals, but walking boots are more heavy.... I wonder how heaby is my bag, forgot to check in the aeroport.
I just realised I do not know what time it is. Does my phone detect the time zone change? Sometimes it does, but then every time I travel, it first refuses to connect to any network, managed in Spain, Germany, France, but in Estonia still cannot. Oh well, lets try some speaking again.
"Scusa, a che ora e?"
"Sono uno e dieci"
"Grazie"
I gave up walking anywhere far, just near the port, and now trying to re-pack my rucksack, fitting all food in. A bit more waiting and I decide to go to the bus station. Only then I realise that what if Kaija's plane is delayed, what if she cannot get to town on time for the once-daily bus? Suddenly I get a text from her, saying thet she is in the airport and will be in town in half an hour. :)
Waiting in the bus station, people come to ask where I want to go, they think I am lost because I have waited so long time, always looking around. No I a, just waiting for my friend.
Suddenly I see a girl, quite blond compared to locals.
On the bus, at some point K imagines that she can hear Estonian. No. we conclude it is all Italian. It is getting more hilly, although a moment ago the view looked like Tallinn-Tartu Road in Estonia. Arriving in Nuoro, high hopes to find the campsite soon. Walk, wlak, walk, after having a map reading session the park. We ask way in multiple languages. Some say it is molto lontano and impossibile andare a piedi. Some say it is vicino, 10 minutes. We see multiple signs for the site, saying it is aperto, but the site is not there. Finally in the dark we ask some people and they say it is 10 minutes again, doubtingly we ask do they mean by walking. Yes. OK, lets walk more. At another sigh, K is so tired that decides to stop. I leave my bag and run forward, to check if the campsite is somewhere near. I saw another turning, hoping this is it, call K and full of hope, we go again, only to arrive at a locked gate. We call the number, no answer. Call mobile phone, no answer. OK, there is no fence, so we climb up a bit and put our tent not at the campsite, but amongst rocks and trees. We have no energy to go forward to the cmapsite and check if there is anybody, lets just sleep and see whet morning brings. We had bread with olive oil and salad and off to sleep. It is possible to fit 2 people in a1 person tent! I just could not think of carrying a two-person tent, especially as I would have had to borrow it from my friend and he said it is "less than 10kg", quite informative answer, when my 1 person tent is 1.65kg. Night is cold, very cold, I frequently wake up, but we are at 800 metres, quite high.
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