Mi querido Carlos

My first month back in Spain has been just perfect, seeing Carlos again and deciding that I'll stay here with him until we can travel together one day again. But I'll start at the beginning of our story...

Mi querido

In September 2014, Carlos (with his friend Javier) and I met four times randomly in and around Xi'an, China, city of about seven million people. The second time we saw each other was while walking up a holy mountain, called Huashan, in the rain. We talked for a few hours, swapping travel stories and visiting, and I was amazed at their adventures... Carlos had been bicycling for about two years at that point, going through dozens of countries, including almost every country in Europe, Russia, Mongolia, Afghanistan, and many more countries, all by bicycle. When we said goodbye, I took their email addresses and carefully kept them because I felt something special about Carlos.

Walking up Huashan in China - Sept 2014

Eight months went by without any communication, but then in April 2015, as I was getting ready for bed one night in Granada, Spain, I got a feeling about Carlos—that I'd send him an email since I was in his country to find out where he was. I thought probably still Asia. A few days later in Seville, I sent an email with a picture of us from the mountain in China and asking which part of Spain he was from and where he was. A moment after sending the email, I remembered Carlos keeps a blog (livemydream.net) and thought to read his last post. I was shocked and very sad to read that he had been brutally attacked in Burma by two men while alone in his tent in a remote field. The post also said he was currently in a hospital in Barcelona, recovering. I quickly sent Carlos a second email telling him how sorry I was to hear about his accident, but that I was coming to Barcelona in a few days and would love to see him if he was up for a visitor.

Barcelona Hospital - April 2015

When I got to Barcelona, I heard back from Carlos and he welcomed me to come and gave me directions to the hospital. So we got to visit for two hours, swapping travel stories and me hearing about his incredible story of surviving the attack in Burma. Over the next three months of my travels in Europe, we kept in touch with email and Skype, and then we agreed I'd come back to visit when I was allowed back in the Schengen area after 90 days outside (visa requirement). So after going to Romania, Bulgaria, and Turkey, I came back to Spain to see Carlos.

Fall colours at Pedraforca - October 2015

Walking in Monteserrat

Once here, we connected as well as every other time we talked, and decided we're together now... and life is good. Carlos is still recovering from the attack, mainly his left knee which he's had several operations on. He goes to physio every weekday morning, I'm taking Spanish lessons, and we're both working on writing projects. On the weekends, we've been visiting his family who live in a village north of Barcelona and exploring natural parks in northern Spain. We've even climbed two mountains with Carlos getting stronger all the time. We dream to continue our travels together in Africa, North and South America, and many other places after his leg heals fully. But for now, we're thrilled to be together until then.

I hope all is well with you, too.

Abrazos y besos desde España!

Walking up Forcanada

At the top

Little villages in the Pyrenees