"Because of the weather forecast for tomorrow, we have been forced to only use the 20 km route tomorrow.
The area around the Lake of Istan will be too dangerous due to heavy rainfall, hence we need to cancel the route of 26 kilometres. This also implicates that for the participants of 30 kms the route will be reduced to 24 kms, as per picture attached. This will not be of influence to your medal achievement.
Unfortunately vandals found it necessary to destroy and remove M4DW signs that were put up by our volunteers this morning at 04.30. This caused confusion for some participants.
We apologise for the inconvenience."
That sounded a bit ominous. And, yes, I was one those who were "inconvenienced". lol. The tail of the remains of Hurricane Leslie was coming. But the weather forecast this morning didn't sound too bad and it wasn't actually raining. My right foot was sore but I patched up my blisters and got ready to walk. Yes. I can do this. I think. We walked up to that start. It's only a little slope but my legs were already protesting. I got some encouragement from my pals that it would wear off. We got to the start and it started to rain. Still time to bail out. Here are the ladies ready to go.
But the rain stopped and I packed my waterproof in my rucksack along with my camera and phone, starting to track a couple of minutes before the off. Yes. I can do this! This was my route..
I was leaden-footed as ever but still set off at a brisk pace. Up ahead a patch of sunlight broke through so I stopped to get my camera out and photograph it.
There were a couple of heavy showers and I had my waterproof on and off a couple of times. It took a while, but by the time I got to the first checkpoint, despite the twinges, I was feeling OK.
I enjoyed walking past the golf course, feeling the urge to take up the game again. I didn't see anyone playing. Fair weather golfers? Huh!
We went passed some aborted apartment building. Everything's not always sunny on the Costa del Sol.
But the weather was clearing now and there was a nice view of the mountains again.
Once again, I was struck by the lovely flowers about. I wonder what these are?
Going past the American college, I recognised where we were... we had come this way on Thursday.
And just over the bridge we crossed then as well...
..was the final checkpoint.
There were lovely views up the river.
Now my fellow walkers had suggested we meet up at the last checkpoint and walk the last of the walk together. I had been mentally calculating distances and times and thought they might get there before me. I didn't want to keep them waiting, so had kept going at a brisk pace (not as brisk as Sally and Chelle can go, though). I arrived at 11:40 and they weren't there. They were only doing 4km more than me and started 1/2 hour earlier. I sat and waited for a while. Plenty of others stopped to have a breather by the beach.
Cathy appeared. She had left the others behind so she could finish in good time to get her earlier bus and plane home. Then I got a text from Miranda saying they were just past the second checkpoint and had about 8km to go. I did some more calculating. I was starting to stiffen up, so decided to try and walk back along their route and intercept them. I got to a point where I thought I surely should have met them and wondered if they had diverted from the official route to go through the Puerto José Banús harbour. I headed back to the final checkpoint and, just before I got there, got a call from Miranda saying they were there. I crossed the bridge again, but where were they? I went round the corner and look what I found!
What a welcome! Not just the remaining 30km walkers, but they had bumped into Nicky and Janice, who were doing the 20km walk too! It was the highlight of my week! So we did the last few miles together. There was a lovely sense of team spirit walking together.
Chelle pointed out these marvellous sand sculptures, which I had completely missed when walking along here on Thursday.
We went though the marina.
As we approached the finish, we walked up the Via Gladiolo.
As was explained in the festival guide, "A gladiator was a swordsman who fought for his life in the arena during Roman times. The winner was showered with the flower gladiolus. Walking 20 or 30 kilometers a day for four consecutive days is a personal victory, hence the Via Gladiolo". Here we were met and presented with gladioli.
We went and collected our medals.
After a couple of drinks I got Chelle to photograph me with my medal and gladiolus...
..and I photographed her with hers.
As we left, there were still people arriving. And everyone was given a big "Yay", just as we were.
We had some time before our bus to Malaga airport. So after getting changed from my still damp things I visited the hotel rooftop, where I got the ladies to photograph me in my polo shirt with finishers medal...
..and took a picture of the view.
And here is a view of Gibraltar.
I then went and revisited the old town. In the Paseo Le Alamada was a sculpture I had missed previously... Eduardo Soriano´s “Girl on a swing”.
It was Sunday and the Iglesia de la Encarnacion was open. Here is the organ....
Those en chamade pipes look wicked!
The town centre has some quirky shops. Here is... a cork shop!
And this deli had lots of tempting delights.
Before I went, I had to have one last thing. Some spanish paella....
Delicious. And now it was back to the bus station, bus to Malaga airport, plane to Stansted and drive back to Bury St. Edmunds in the pouring rain, giving Miranda a lift. (thanks for keeping me awake as I drove). Home at 2:30am.
Well that was fun. Thanks to all for the companionship and fun. Will I be back next year? Not sure yet. Maybe I can do the 30km routes next time?
Here is a slideshow of my album of the day's photos...
..and you can see the album here on Flickr.
Details of my route can be found here on MapMyWalk.
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