Canadian banks love it when you travel. When you travel outside Canada and use your credit card or withdraw cash from an ATM, your bank converts the amount you charge or withdraw into Canadian dollars at a fair exchange rate, close to the Bank of Canada rate, but then adds 2.5% or more, a foreign … more
Last Friday, August 30, we arrived in Menton on the Mediterranean, the end of our trek through the French Alps. Since our last post a week ago, we have had mostly good weather with more late afternoon showers and, as we approached the sea, warmer temperatures and more haze. On Saturday we left the GR5 … more
Another day off after an excellent but tiring week of hiking. This week we have spent most nights in valley towns. Each day has been a climb over one or two cols and an afternoon descending as much as 1100 m. The trails are rocky, steep and sometimes exposed. It may seem odd if you … more
We are in the old touristy town of Briançon today taking a full day off. After the long, hard, sunny descent into Modane last Sunday, we set out on a (surprise!) long hard ascent on Monday morning in rain and fog. The fog and showers stayed with us until early afternoon but the weather cleared … more
Time flies! We are almost half way though our journey to the Mediterranean, staying in Modane tonight, a small town in a valley, after spending last night in a refuge at 2474 m, crossing Col de Chavière at 2796 m this morning and descending 1750 m today. We are glad to have a hotel room … more