Camino Portuguese – Day 0

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Tomorrow I start walking. 280+ kilometres from Porto to Santiago de Compostela. 15 days of putting one foot in front of the other.

I’ve spent the last week vibe-coding CaminoTrail — my own navigation app. Turn-by-turn directions, photo/video/audio memo tagging, live location sharing, phrasebook, expense
tracking. All the things I need without the bloat. Loaded up my favourite ePub books into Peech, though I suspect I’ll be too busy staring at the Portuguese coast and reflecting on
my own story to bother with Steinbeck.

Why am I doing this? That’s the question, isn’t it. The Camino has been calling people for a thousand years. Maybe I’m answering something older than me. Maybe I just need to walk. To strip away the
noise of startups, projects, the endless grind of building things that may or may not matter.

What I’m worried about: – My knee and ankle. They’ve been warning me lately. I’ve got the tape, the ibuprofen, the sensible plan. But 25km a day is 25km a day.
– The poles. Can I actually use them properly? I’ve watched the YouTube videos. Two planted, swing through. Looks easy in theory. In practice, with a pack and fatigue? We’ll see.
– Clean underwear. This is the stupid worry, the one that shouldn’t matter but does. Will I run out? Will I find a launderette? Will I just embrace the funk?

What I expect to learn: I don’t expect epiphanies. That’s Hollywood Camino — some tearful revelation at the Cathedral of Santiago. Real epiphanies are quiet. They happen on a stretch of empty road north
of Vigo when you’re mile 18 and your feet hurt and the sky is that particular shade of blue you only see in this part of the world.

I expect to learn how small problems feel big when you’re tired, and how small they really are when you’re not. I expect to learn that I can walk further than I think. I expect to
learn that silence is not empty. Maybe I’ll learn something about why I’m here. Maybe not. The walk is the point.

The Itinerary

Eric’s walk – Porto (Coastal + Spiritual Variant) – Santiago de Compostela
Thursday 3 – Saturday 19 September 2026 · 16 walking days · 279 km on foot
Follow live: https://camino.ezgeek.co.uk – position, photos and memos from the trail
Day 1 – Thu 3 Sep Porto – Matosinhos
11 km · ascent 185 m
Via: Ribeira · Cais das Pedras · Foz do Douro
Porto: Sé Cathedral — pick up credencial | Ribeira: descend the Barredo steps to the Douro quays
SLEEPS Fishtail Sea House – Rua do Godinho, 224, 4450- 146 Matosinhos, Portugal · +351 22 938 0345 · door 6509 · EUR
27.12
Day 2 – Fri 4 Sep 22.8 km · ascent 373 m
Matosinhos – Vila do Conde
Via: Boa Nova Lighthouse · Obelisco da Memória · Angeiras · Río Onda · Labruge · Castro of Sampaio · Vila Chã · Mindelo · Ávore ·
Azurara
Labruge: bail-out stop | Mindelo: bail-out stop
SLEEPS Cachinnans Hostel – Rua António Pereira Cadeco, 6, 4480-729 Vila do Conde, Portugal · +351 926 069 825 · door
9765 · EUR 33.11
Day 3 – Sat 5 Sep 21.1 km · ascent 97 m
Vila do Conde – Fão
Via: A VeroMar · Santo André · Aguçádoura · Apúlia
SLEEPS The Spot Ofir – Rua dos Veigas 14 – Fão, 4740-369 Esposende, Portugal · +351 916 467 751 · door 5181 · EUR
28.30
Day 4 – Sun 6 Sep Fão – Viana do Castelo
29.2 km · ascent 407 m
Via: Marinhas · Belinho · Antas · Ponte do Sebastião · Castelo do Neiva · Mosteiro de São Romão de Neiva · Chafé · Anha · Ponte
Eiffel
SLEEPS Albergue de Santa Luzia – – Monte Santa Luzia 176, 4900-000 Viana do Castelo, Portugal · +351 258 823 173 · door
0135 · EUR 35.85
Day 5 – Mon 7 Sep 18 km · ascent 712 m
Viana do Castelo – Vila Praia de Âncora
Via: Carreço · Cruzeiro
Carreço: services across the railway | Cruzeiro: high point, then descent
SLEEPS Bombarda 51 – Inn & Hostel – Rua Miguel Bombarda 49, 4910-524 Vila Praia de Âncora, Portugal · +351 967 505 466
· door 0550 · EUR 29
Day 6 – Tue 8 Sep Vila Praia de Âncora – A Guarda
Via: Caminha · Camposancos
Caminha: do NOT cross bridge (arrows point to Tui/Central); ferry ‘Ferry Boat’ signs
Water taxi crossing of the Rio Minho at Caminha – A Guarda (~20 min, book ahead).
SLEEPS Albergue O Peirao – 43 Rúa Oliva, 36780 A Guarda, Spain · +34 682 19 01 02 · door 1758 · EUR 20
14 km · ascent 200 m
Day 7 – Wed 9 Sep A Guarda – Villadesuso
Via: Portocelos · Oia
Oia: monastery
SLEEPS Albergue da Estrela – Estrada Vella, 2 – O Serrallo – Viladesuso – Oia, 36309 Viladesuso (Oia), SPAIN ·
+34649286110 · EUR 20
17.7 km · ascent 286 m
CaminoTrail · Caminho Portugués 2026 · generated 2 Sep 2026 · page 1Day 8 – Thu 10 Sep 16.7 km · ascent 403 m
Villadesuso – Sabarís
Via: As Mariñas · Baredo · Baiona
SLEEPS Albergue playa de sabaris – Rúa Porta do Sol 55, 36393 Sabaris, Spain · +34 686 39 85 75 · door 5030 · EUR 21.82
Day 9 – Fri 11 Sep Sabarís – Vigo
Via: Iglesia de San Salvador de Corujo · Nigrán · Castrelos Park
Iglesia de San Salvador de Corujo: source prints same km as Nigrán — geocode separately
SLEEPS Hostal Real – Real, 22, 36202 Vigo, Spain · +34 699 62 14 49 · door 4824 · EUR 45.45
21.4 km · ascent 431 m
Day 10 – Sat 12 Sep 13 km · ascent 570 m
Vigo – Redondela
SLEEPS A Dársena do Francés – Estrada de Zacande 2, 36693 Redondela, Spain · +34 663 91 12 33 · door 6818 · EUR
22.73
Day 11 – Sun 13 Sep Redondela – Pontevedra
20.2 km · ascent 570 m
Via: Arcade · Pontesampaio · Cacheiro · O Pobo Santa Marta · Casal do Río · Lusquiños
SLEEPS Albergue Nacama Hostel – Rúa das Lavandeiras 1, 36003 Pontevedra, Spain · +34 644 92 92 43 · door 8465 · EUR
23.64
Day 12 – Mon 14 Sep Pontevedra – Armenteira
20.6 km · ascent 741 m
Via: Fragmoreira · Poio · Combarro · Miradoiro do Loureiro
SLEEPS Albergue CAROI HOSTEL – Vilar 5C, Caroi, 36192 Armentera, Spain · +34 696 89 18 19 · door 6063 · EUR 26.36
Day 13 – Tue 15 Sep Armenteira – Vilanova de Arousa
23.7 km · ascent 378 m
Via: Os Castaños · Puente Arnelas · Gombra · Mouzas · Cores
SLEEPS Arco da Vella apartamentos – 23 Rúa Hortas, 36620 Villanueva de Arosa, Spain · +34 679 90 90 24 · door 8754 ·
EUR 73.64
Day 14 – Wed 16 Sep Vilanova de Arousa – Padrón
6.6 km · ascent 138 m
Via: Aduana
Pontecesures: Espiritual rejoins main camino
Plan: Translatio boat Vilanova – Pontecesures (book ahead). Fallback if missed: 35 km land route via Catoira – Valga.
SLEEPS Albergue con encanto d’camiño – 4 Rúa Peregrinos 4, 15900 Padrón, Spain · +34 615 04 67 23 · door 3188 · EUR
22.73
Day 15 – Thu 17 Sep 17.5 km · ascent 453 m
Padrón – O Milladoiro
Via: Pazos · Rueiro · Tarrio · Vilar · A Escravitud · Angueira de Suso · Areal · Picaraña · O Faramello · Rúa de Francos · Osebe
Casalonga Pedreira · A Grela
SLEEPS Albergue Aldea da Pedreira – a pedreira 90, 15866 Teo, Spain · +34 619 54 49 66 · door 8741 · EUR 23.64
Day 16 – Fri 18 Sep 5.8 km · ascent 124 m
O Milladoiro – Santiago de Compostela
SLEEPS Albergue SCQ – Rua Fonte dos Concheiros, 2C, 15703 Santiago de Compostela, Spain · +34 622 03 73 00 · door
0598 · EUR 29.09
Day 17 – Sat 19 Sep Santiago de Compostela – Porto
rest day
CaminoTrail · Caminho Portugués 2026 · generated 2 Sep 2026 · page 2Via: Porto (bus station)
Santiago de Compostela: Pilgrim Office — Compostela (Espiritual variant recognized) | Porto (bus station): journey end
THE CELEBRATION – 60TH BIRTHDAY
Meet Mei in Porto
After the bus back from Santiago on Saturday 19 September: celebration with Mei in Porto. Sixty years old, 279 km
walked, shell earned. See you in Santiago. Or not. Either way, I’ll be walking.
CaminoTrail is live. Location sharing on for those who care. Offline maps downloaded. Knee taped. Poles packed. Clean underwear count: 4. I think.

https://camino.ezgeek.co.uk/liveview?w=UJ55R5

weekend in London …

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Weekend trip to London to meet J2 for his birthday lunch in Chistwick London … and to meet his new girlfriend, Jane.

At this time of year, it would be silly not to throw in a visit to Regent Street to see the magical Christmas lights, and indulge in some Sichuan nom, leaving us completely satisfied!

Christmas lights + mala tang = perfect weekend!

special forces trip to Chengdu and Chongqing …

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4-day Special Forces tour 特种兵旅游 of China (Chengdu + Chongqing) with my mum, Betty and sister, April.

Day 1: Arrival and Chengdu Classics
The trip began with an early 5:00 AM arrival at Tianfu Airport, followed by settling in at home in Wenjiang.
• Meals/Stops: The day started with soy milk and fried dough sticks (“油條”). Lunch was at Jianghu Chuancai, where the traveller’s mother enjoyed authentic Sichuan spice.
• Destinations: In the afternoon, the group explored Wuhou Temple (Wuhou Ci) to experience the Three Kingdoms culture. We then visited Jinli Snack Street (“小吃街”).
• Evening: The long day ended with a dinner at a restaurant specializing in hotpot or roasted skewers.
Day 2: Ancient Town and Modern Marvels
The second day focused on local excursions and architecture.
• Meals/Stops: Breakfast again consisted of soy milk, daozi, and porridge (“粥”), described as simple and warm.
• Morning Excursion: The group travelled approximately 20 kilometres from Wenjiang to Huanglongxi Town. The town was noted for its beauty, old streets, flowing water, and lively atmosphere (“煙火氣十足”). We purchased zhenzhu bao and ate authentic local dishes, including memorable river fish, at a riverside restaurant.
• Afternoon/Evening: We visited the Global Center (“環球中心”), a massive structure housing an international hotel and a water park. The day concluded after meeting the family’s youngest niece for dinner at a hotpot or roasted skewer restaurant.
Day 3: Unexpected Trip to Chongqing
The planned itinerary changed abruptly due to a power outage at the residential area, prompting an immediate high-speed rail trip to Chongqing.
• Travel: After eating jianbing guozi (a type of savoury crêpe) for breakfast at the oversized Chengdu East Station, we travelled 1 hour and 22 minutes to Chongqing West Station.
• Chongqing Sites:
1. We immediately transferred via Metro Line 2 to Liziba to see the legendary train passing through the building.
2. Lunch was at Bayi Road, where we sampled the famous bandeng mian (bench noodles).
3. The afternoon included quick visits to 18T and Xinhua Road (or similar location based on the transcription “下號裡”) to experience the atmosphere of old Chongqing.
4. In the evening, we rode the Yangtze River Cableway to view the city lights.
5. We finished the sightseeing by viewing the fantasy light show at Hongya Cave.
• Return: The group took a Didi to Shapingba to catch the Gaotie back to Chengdu, concluding that even with Chongqing’s hilly terrain, a thorough schedule allowed the 80-year-old mother to enjoy the trip fully.
Day 4: Pandas, Shopping, and Departure
The final day was dedicated to mandatory Chengdu sights before flying home.
• Morning: To avoid crowds, we arrived at the Chengdu Panda Base (in North Chengdu) at 8:00 AM. We were pleasantly surprised that the mother, being over 60, received a free ticket and a refund. Though we only saw the Huahua’s large, rolling back, we acknowledged the animal’s status as a national treasure.
• Afternoon/Final Stops: After the pandas, we travelled via Metro Line 3 to Chunxi Road for snacks and then ate a final meal of authentic Sichuan cuisine. Our last stop was the Taikoo Li Temple to see the glittering golden Buddha statue, marking a “perfect conclusion” to the journey.
• Departure: We returned to Wenjiang, packed, took Metro Line 19 directly to Tianfu Airport, and flew back to Penang, completing the special four-day trip.

mum’s birthday dinner (part 2) … in her hometown, Taiping

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Celebrating Mum’s 80th (Part 2) with Taiping-based relatives.

During the morning, my sister April and I also visited Kuala Sepetang, about an hour’s frive from Taiping for the charcoal factory and the legedary baos from what looked like someone’s home in Port Weld. In the afternoon, we dropped in at Antong, Taiping’s oldest coffee factory.

Dinner at the Dragon Phoenix restaurant with my mum Betty, my sister April, my aunt, Say Lan and her family – ex-husband Ah Soon, Chye Chye and his wife, Mei Choo and their daughters, and Chin Aun.

tanjung bungah (Tuesday) night market under a full moon …

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Last visited 8 years ago and totally blown away by the transformation! A true foodie heaven triggering childhood memories of comfy and sometimes sinful local delicacies. But tonight our tummies only had room for the amazing (seafood-less) Koay Kak and probably the best Nasi Ulam in Penang, if not Malaysia 🇲🇾

Tonight, I was there with my mum, Betty my sister June, and her friend Bee Gaik or (real name BG Tan). Bee Gaik is a particularly generous person, very observant of people’s needs, and kindly treated us to a Hawaiian papaya – round little a small fotball!

a vanilla farm in Malaysia … who knew?

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Every now and then, you come across an entrepreneur who truly manages to blend passion with sharp business sense — and Ezra is definitely one of them.

Once an insurance agent, he’s now Malaysia’s first (and biggest!) vanilla farmer. At Kairos, across the water on the Penang mainland, he’s built something really special — a business that not only grows vanilla but also stays true to strong ESG values, focusing on sustainability and social responsibility.

The team hires people from marginalised communities, uses organic methods whenever possible, and keeps innovating — including developing a patented vanilla plant irrigated tower! Experimentation even led to a side business in aquatics and microbe production to enrich the soil.

Today, Kairos has grown beyond selling just raw vanilla pods. They now make extracts, hand sanitisers, Eau de Parfum, and a whole range of vanilla-based goodies.

Here’s to Ezra and his amazing team — wishing them even more success ahead. Truly inspiring stuff. 👏

kew ong yah, the nine emperor gods festival …

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Last night, I spent the ninth day of the Nine Emperor Gods Festival—also the most lively and awe-inspiring day—at the Tow Boe Keong Kew Ong Tai Tay Temple on Jalan Magazine in Penang. The area around the temple was packed with people, incense smoke filled the air, and the atmosphere was both solemn and fervent.

According to tradition, devotees observe a vegetarian diet for all nine days as a form of purification and respect for the deities. I joined in this “Nine Emperor vegetarian fast” and truly felt the sense of physical and spiritual cleansing that comes with the festival. In the evening, a grand send-off ritual was held in front of the temple, during which a symbolic spirit boat representing the Nine Emperor Gods was sent out to sea, signifying the deities’ return to heaven. At that moment, firecrackers exploded, drums and gongs thundered, and the scene was absolutely breathtaking.

Outside the temple, an opera stage had been set up where traditional troupes performed mythological stories. The procession featured beautifully decorated floats, nine majestic lion dances, and a huge, colorful LED dragon twisting and dancing through the night sky—a truly dazzling sight. What left the deepest impression on me were the shirtless men who entered trance states believed to be spirit possession; swaying and shouting to the rhythm of the drums, they seemed genuinely empowered by divine forces.

At the end of the procession, staff members stamped the back of my clothes with the words “health and longevity,” symbolizing peace and good fortune.

It was truly a feast for both the eyes and the spirit. Not only did it allow me to experience up close the strength of Chinese religious faith in Penang, but it also gave me a deep appreciation of the unique devotion and intensity found in traditional festivals.

nonya nom, michelin level …

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Tucked away in the heart of George Town, Auntie Gaik Lean’s Old School Eatery is more than just a restaurant, it’s a love letter to Penang’s Peranakan heritage, and truly celebrates pretty much all the nonya dishes you are likely to encounter in Malaysia. Awarded one Michelin star in 2023, this charming spot feels like stepping into your grandmother’s kitchen. A couple dishes in particular stole the show: the Perut Ikan, Beef Rendang and the Inchi Kabin.

A bit of trivia: Adrian Tan (the son of Auntie Gaik Lian) told us that the ornately carved screen behind the front door came from the set of the movie Crazy Rich Asians (the famous mahjong scene).

The diners tonight were me, my mother Betty, my sister June and her husband David, and their son Stuart with his girlfriend Loretta.

Thanks to Stuart, my nephew, for the lovely treat!

post-beach dinner in the hills …

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After spending an afternoon in possibly the dirtiest, as in most littered, beach (Pantai Pasir Panjang) in Penang, we stumbled on this Thai restaurant named Genting Hill Restaurant. And like its namesake, Genting as in the infamous Genting Highlands resort in Malaysia, the incline was just about do-able in April’s Yaris, but not a problem for Andrew’s Zeekr, a.k.a. the tank!

Perfect execution, from start Miang Kham (เมี่ยงคำ) which is a kind of leaf wrap where you stuff herbs and other goodies into a little packet of loveliness, to finish Tub Tim Grob (ทับทิมกรอบ), a dessert of water chestnuts boiled with tapioca and indeed looks like red rubies!

Tonight the diners were me, my mum Betty, April (my sister) and her husband Mike, their son Andrew and his wife XinDee and their children Hugo and Oscar.

traditional breakfast, Hainan style …

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Until this morning, I never knew that Malaysia owed its traditional breakfast hertiage of kaya toast and more importantly, coffee, to Hainan.

Ho Kow Tea House is known as a great place for a proper breakfast in Kuala Lumpur’s Chinatown. The curry cheong fun was a new dish for me, and the “Cham” (a Malaysian blend of coffee and tea) was truly eye-opening.

Highly recommended … but be warned, the queue could be unbearably long!

diwali is in the air …

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When you arrive in Kuala Lumpur in late evening, after a long flight full of smelly people from Doha, Brickfields (KL’s little India) was just a delight of sights and smells, with stalls selling clothes, cakes, toys, fireworks and everything else to make this year’s Diwali a paricularly memorable one.

Naturally, my sister April and I succumbed to an Indian supper of Dosai, Mee Goreng … and of course, a steaming hot cup of Teh Tarik – who knows, this could be the surprise cure for jet-lag 😉