SafeStay, 14 euros
I’m sitting on a pavement cafe in the Old Town of Bratislava, sipping a Sencha tea. The weather is fine, 20 degrees, and all is well, so far. My plan is to walk across Europe, following the Austrian Camino towards Liechtenstein and Switzerland before turning towards Le Puy-en-Velay in France where I started my pilgrimage in 2017. That will complete my route all the way to Santiago de Compostela.
Unfortunately I don’t have enough days left on my Schengen visa to comfortably reach Le Puy so I’ll stop somewhere and continue in Season 2. You can find the map on my website but even with the GPS it will take a major feat of navigation to find secretive Liechtenstein, 25Km by 10Km, nestled in the mountains between Austria and Switzerland.
Last night wasn’t so good. I booked and paid £32 for a room in the Easy Hotel in Luton, a special place where negative Ley lines converge and draw the life blood from your soul. I arrived on the last train at 00.40 and after some effort I roused the attendant who informed me that in line with airline policy the hotel was overbooked and I was bumped into the night with the promise of a refund. A taxi took me on a tour of Luton hotels for an hour or so until we found a Hilton in the surrounding countryside which gave me a room at their rack rate. Easy didn’t refund the £32 so I had a quick chat with Booking.com who promised to pay the whole bill.
One of the big hotels we visited was no longer a hotel. It’s now a refugee centre and that brought me down to earth. A reminder of the war in Ukraine and the change now rippling through Europe.
When I walked the Camino in 2016, my intention was to do that one pilgrimage and then return to the normal life. But here I am contemplating my 7th walk starting tomorrow. It’s amazing how much the world has changed in that time. Just think of five major changes since 2016. It’s not difficult, is it?
Pilgrimage 
Great to see you are back on the road Tim and what an interesting itinerary! Look forward to all the blogs and photos. Keep well and Bon Voyage! Rachel
Hello Rachel, that was fast! Thanks for your support, as ever. I can’t wait to start in the morning. With a bit of luck I should be in Austria for breakfast
It’s great that you are once again sharing your thoughts and experiences with us as you travel across Europe.
Bratislava is really nice I have been there on a few occasions and the food and company is always excellent.
Have fun, Nick
Hi Nick, you’re right! The food and beer are excellent. I must return
Great to have mr Tim’s travels back ! Looking forward to sharing your journey !
Hi Linda, it’s great to have you back while I’m walking, Tim
Looking forward to following you along on this latest adventure. You’ve inspired me to also take an annual stroll somewhere. I’ll be doing the VF del sud later this summer, so we’ll be heading in opposite directions!
gute Möglichkeit (if Google translate is to be believed)
Hi guys, I will look forward to hearing about that route. The very best of luck to you
Buen camino Tim! I will look forward to your daily updates which are always informative and amusing .
Jane
Thanks Jane, it’s great to hear from you and is it already 6 years since the Camino?
Good luck Tim, and looking forward to your very interesting daily blogs
Thanks Lucy, it’s good to be back in Europe
Kia Ora, Tim, I was wondering when and where you would be wandering this summer! Delighted to find that your feet are taking you on another challenge. I look forward to enjoying your journey vicariously because a permanent knee injury has grounded me. Kia kaha, Vicky
Hi Vicky, oh that’s not good. You must still finish Shikoku somehow. My knee surgeon only did one knee but he’s expecting me soon for the other
Hi Tim Just thinking of you a few days ago and wondering where you would walk this year. An interesting choice! – I look forward to reading about your daily exploits – Take care – David
Hi Dave it’s good to see you back on the Exmoor lanes of Somerset and I really hope one day we’ll do a walk together
I told you to get an Uber to Luton airport. Oh no, you said, it will be fine. I’m sure had Uber been around in 1247 the pilgrims would have used them.
It wasn’t exactly fine but I did get a great hotel all paid for by Booking.com. They made me sign up to the Hilton loyalty scheme at 2am to save £7.50. Had that failed I was ready to tell the taxi driver to take me to Weybridge and follow your learned advice. Hope you’re both enjoying the cruise
Looking forward to following you
Hi Walkmag welcome along and it’s great to have you reading my ramblings again
Hi Tim, now that our weather has suddenly become drearily wet (I’ve no right at all to complain as we’ve had a glorious long sunny summer & autumn) I’ll look forward to reading your posts about unfamiliar places in Eastern Europe, best wishes!
Hi Philippa, welcome. Some will be familiar and some unfamiliar. It’s great to be back in Europe in the summer
Hi Tim. An amazing read – well done you! Le Puy is well worth the trip so let hope you arrive safely.
Hi Dave, you’re right, Le Puy is a difficult place to reach, particularly if you start in Bratislava. Hello to Cath and hope to see you both on a suitable winter sporting occasion
Hello Tim. A pleasure as always to accompany you on yet another adventure. I have been invited to join the Pilgrim committee at Canterbury Cathedral to find ways of improving the Pilgrim experience. I must pick your brain one day for some insight. Until our next beer, be safe, God bless and buen Camino.
I will certainly come over to Canterbury for a beer and to help you with your mission. I suggest presenting pilgrims with a small hamper to get them through France. Good to hear from you
Tim, I your front page post left me breathless. I assumed you were heading to Prague and Warsaw. Before I could flip to the next page, I was already scanning my mental calendar to see if I could possibly fly over to assist with translating… It was a bit of a letdown, as well as relief, to learn that you are traveling west through the Alps on a quest to find Lichtenstein. We are delighted to follow your blog wherever your travels take you, but just saying – if you ever make a Pilgrimage to Czestochowa, please keep me in mind.
Hi Rebecca, I don’t know why but there are Camino paths all over Europe except for Czech. But that won’t stop me. It would be a good pilgrimage because I have a bit of Czech blood in me but I would need a translator. All I can say is “Budvar”
Hi Tim
Great to see you on the road again and looking forward to the blogs. When the appointment at the Stade de France didn’t work out this year I knew you would find something to beat it.
Bon Voyage!
Yes and where’s the Europa Championship final next year?? Just in case…
That is a fair old walk, good luck.
Thanks Roger I think I should have started somewhere nearer the end
Good luck on your new walk Tim. Enjoy.
Just catching up with your latest adventure, Tim. I look forward to reading about the latest walk. Good luck!
Great post! Your insights into Bratislava make it sound like a captivating destination. I love the blend of history and modern charm you described. The tips for exploring the city are super helpful. I can’t wait to visit and experience its vibrant culture myself. Thanks for sharing!
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