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Grampians Peak Trail 3 Day Walk (with No Roads Expeditions).

Grampians Peak Trail 3 Day Walk (with No Roads Expeditions).

The last year has been pretty tough for everyone in Australia and especially those in the travel industry. International travel is no longer an option for most, so Australians have to look for alternatives closer to home. This is where innovative operators such as No Roads Expeditions comes in, offering a variety of experiences within Australia and especially here in Victoria, from where they…

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How to walk Mont Blanc and put on weight!

How to walk Mont Blanc and put on weight!

Can someone explain to me how I managed to walk for 9 days, traveling about 160 kms, ascending(and descending) 10000 metres and STILL managed to put on weight?!

Was it the food, the wine, the beer…or all of the above?

Maybe? Um, perhaps? Oh, ok…yep!

Oh, and brilliant company in spectacular surroundings!

The appetite is wet the moment you enter this wonderland, attacking all the senses…

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and finally...Amsterdam.

and finally…Amsterdam.

We arrived in Amsterdam at about 4pm after an eventful train trip from Bruges which was delayed by almost an hour due, sadly, to a suicide on the system, and a mad dash to catch our connecting train in Brussels which thankfully waited for us!

The trip from there was super quick courtesy of the brilliant fast trains that run throughout Europe, thundering along at breakneck speeds. Mmm, any…

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Two days In Bruges

Two days In Bruges

Our time in Paris is up, on to Bruges…but not before one last look out the window,

then down 4 flights of stairs for the last time!

Metro to Gare du Nord

and off via Arras & Brussels to Bruges, a trip of about 3 hours.

Bruges is a beautiful medieval town, some may say a reproduction as most of it was flattened during WW2, but hey, it’s still very lovely.

We are staying in an outstanding B&B…

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Last day in Paris

Last day in Paris

Our last full day in Paris started with Rachael running along the Seine, and me not! Only because my runners passed away a few weeks ago, of course?! I spent my time looking out the window.

Breakfast done we headed off by metro to the Canal St Martin, which runs for about 2kms, with a series of locks holding water levels stable, as it drops quite a bit as it heads downstream.

It’s a pretty cool…

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Light and Colour in Paris

Light and Colour in Paris

Some months ago I read, in a French blog I follow, about an impressive new visual arts show and subsequently saw some initial, glowing, reviews for it…so today we get to judge it for ourselves.

Atelier des Lumières is an immersive exhibition of the works of Gustav Klimt plus a shorter exhibition by an artist working under the pseudonym, Friedensreich Hundertwasser, and an even shorter…

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Street art and The Panthéon

Street art and The Panthéon

It’s another beautiful day in Paris, perfect to finally visit one of Frances most revered sites, Temple of the Nation, the Pantheon.

Once a Christian basilica, Napoleon 1 decided to honour the great servants of the state in the crypt, while the nave was reserved for worship.

Victor Hugo was the first interned upon his death in 1885, the huge basilica seeming to be the only place worthy of…

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Downtown Paris by day, Montmartre by night.

Downtown Paris by day, Montmartre by night.

I’d like to say we were up and at it today, making the most of the beautiful weather, but, non…we slept in. Oh, and Rachael was very keen on checking out the washing machine.

So, a bit slow out of the blocks, but finally after croissants we headed towards the river Seine. We wandered past a flea market then on to Jardin du Palais Royal, a typically structured park lined with elegant trees,…

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On to Paris

Our time in Chamonix has come to an end, a fascinating town filled with shops, cafes, hotels and a bit of ritz. Even a small casino Specks managed, surprisingly, to spend some time in!

One last walk around town while Rachael, Amanda & Leeanne went for a run…

Breakfast, then a quick look at the local market. We took a wide berth from this cheese stall after Lucy informed us that a cocker…

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Chamonix, rest and reflection...and dinner!

Chamonix, rest and reflection…and dinner!

We’ll, we’ve finished our circumnavigation of the Mont Blanc massif, the Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB) and what a wonderful time we have all had, scrambling up hill then back down dale, all the while following that gliding, cat like navigator, Ismael.

As a group we were very well prepared, having trained hard on the massive mountain ranges around the Mornington Peninsula(!), but it was still a tough…

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Day 10 - Argentiere to Chamonix

Day 10 – Argentiere to Chamonix

(6 hours)

Our last day, and a solid one to complete the TMB, with a climb of about 1100 metres up to Lac Blanc, then down to the chairlift and back to Chamonix.

It was extremely humid, with thunderstorms predicted, making the climb all the more difficult with plenty of breaks to mop the brow!

Once again the views prevailed the pain.

On top of the world, sort of!

The first lake was an oasis of…

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Day Nine - Triente - Argentiere

Day Nine – Triente – Argentiere

( 6 hours – 18kms)

Once again our group promptly hit breakfast at 7.30 sharp, followed by the 8.30 bus to our starting point of Triente, snuggled down in the valley with ominous mountain ranges surrounding us on three sides.

The weather in the valley was cool but we are expecting hot and humid conditions all day with the threat of thunderstorms and foul weather forecast for tomorrow.

With this…

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Day Eight - Champex-Lac to Col De La Forclaz

Day Eight – Champex-Lac to Col De La Forclaz

(6 hours – 18kms)

Well, Hotel Spendide was just that, comfy beds, lovely meals and stupendous balcony views; we could have stayed for ever…but the trail waits for no man, or woman!

The weather was fine and quite warm as we stroll around the lake, trout safely resting from vigilant fisher persons

Through the forest lanes till encountering the obligatory hill to our beautiful lunch spot looking…

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Day Seven - La Fouly - Champex-Lac

Day Seven – La Fouly – Champex-Lac

(4 hours – 14kms)

Today is the shortest walk of the tour, only 4 hours, mainly following the valley, with a short sharp 450 metre climb to our hotel next to Champex Lac.

Breakfast in the boarding house dining room, a team photo on the hotel steps and off at precisely 8.19!

We are nothing if not prompt! Ishmael has never seen such attention to detail.

All jokes aside, the Hotel was really good,…

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Day Six - Val Ferret - La Fouly

Day Six – Val Ferret – La Fouly

(6 hours – 20kms)

We finally leave the Hotel Crampon this morning after three lovely nights with tremendous hosts.

The highlight of breakfast was Leeanne’s statement that she was contemplating an AFD (Alcohol Free Day) today!

Once the giggles stopped we settled back to our breakfast of fruit, muesli & croissants.

After yesterdays shambles with the bus, Ishmael organised a mini bus transfer back…

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Day Five - Val Ferret back to Courmayeur

Day Five – Val Ferret back to Courmayeur

(7 hours…20kms)

Today has a slightly different format as we are catching the bus up the valley to the Val Ferret, and walking back to Courmayeur.

The bus ride itself was crazy, Italian style, with demand outstripping supply by a factor of about three! It’s a narrow windy road up to the Val Ferret stop so the bus isn’t big, but that didn’t deter about 80 people cramming into it, the driver pushing…

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