Drum: TRAVELS
In
35
C atalonia
Approaching 40 can be a traumatic experience.
Marsid Greenidge takes it in his stride as he embarks
on a walking tour of the C atalan region in northern
Spain.
w as nev er one to dw ell on the meaning of life and all the mental
stress that goes with such thoughts. So it came as a surprise that approaching
my 40th birthday and very single that I suddenly found myself caught in a
constant battle in my head thinking that I was running out of time to find my
own nirvana. My personal terror pointed in the direction of an escape from my
family and friends and the pressures of submitting to a public celebration to
mark the passage of time. But what should I do? And where should I go?
I
My desire fixed on the beautiful Spanish city of Barcelona where I had spent
time several years before. After a trawl through the information superhighway I
booked myself a small walking tour of the Catalan region, which would include
Barcelona. I felt that on such a journey I might find the peace and space to
contemplate my future. And with the onset of middle age uppermost in my
mind, a dose of culture and anonymous company felt like my best bet.
My arrival in Barcelona was met by a red-hot summer’s day with the heat piercing
every inch of my body. The only cold came from the shiver at the realisation that
I had booked to walk for 20 miles a day in this heat. Clearly, getting older had
severely impaired my common sense.
But emerging from the train at Placa de Catalunya – in the heart of Barcelona
I realised I had chosen wisely. The sun seemed to have endowed every building
and person with enormous beauty.
My holiday companions were an eclectic bunch