OUR PETS - 176 days to go

Jed, Jodi and Charlie.  Thank goodness for "Aunty" Kay.  It is wonderful to know that the pets are also going to be going on holiday.  I think that they get more spoiling there than they do at home.  In fact scrap that, I KNOW  they get lots more spoiling - lucky pets.

This was last time they were on their holiday.  It is such a relief to know that the animals will be happy and well cared for whilst we are torturing ourselves in Northern Spain!  Such is life.

GETTING IMPATIENT - 180 DAYS TO GO

I am tired of waiting. It is two years since I committed to walk the Camino. I have wanted to walk it for years but September 2012 was the first date chosen. I was hoping to walk with a friend who was walking that year.  It did not work out so I made a firm decision, in fact my New Years resolution that I would definitely walk in September 2013.  BUT I did not take David into the equation.  David thought I was mad, "who wants to walk 800+ km on a spiritual walk?"  His favorite saying was "someone is crazy and it's not me"  whenever I mentioned the walk. I then rather cleverly, suggested that he attend a talk to be given by my Camino friend.  I told him he needed to know a bit more about this mad idea of mine.  Well guess what?  David caught the bug and I now think he is as or even more enthusiastic than I am.   Unfortunately David did not feel he could be away from work for 2 months in 2013 so once again my Camino was delayed.  But now, third time lucky and I am booked to go.

I wish I could go tomorrow. I feel ready to go now.  I feel like I have been waiting and preparing for so long.  It will be 2 1/2  years since deciding to walk, to actually be leaving.  I am scared that it will be more taxing than I am expecting.  Will I manage to walk about 25km every single day?  Will I get bored, give up or even hate it once I get there?

 

Do I have what it takes to do this?

CAMINO MAP

This is a map of most of the Camino routes.  We are hoping to do the Northern Route (del Norte) which is the royal blue route on the map.  On the map it starts in Irun but we will be starting at Hendaye  (Hendaye is the most south-westerly town and commune in France, lying in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department and located in the traditional province Lapurdi of the French Basque Country.  which is just inside the French border) in France. The del Norte follows the coast all the way to Santiago.  You can take a detour via an alternate route, the Primitivo Route - the paler blue on the map - which runs from Oviedo to Santiago. This is the route we are hoping to take.  It leaves the coast and turns inland.

The workshop on Saturday was very informative and enjoyable.  We learned some more tips and heard from experienced walkers.  It was interesting to hear how many of  their ideas differed from each others.  As they kept impressing on us,  "it is YOUR walk".  Thanks to Elmara and Andree who organise and run this workshop every year.

I came home all enthusiastic and started to weigh the items to go into my pack.  I already have to think about cutting down  and throwing out but it is all part of the fun!