My solo trip to Antwerp this month was to be the deciding factor for whether or not I could do the Camino de Santiago. (For those not in the know, that's a pilgrimage of sorts across Spain.) On day three in Antwerp, after I started getting sick and was met with cold and uncaring people everywhere I went, I let myself off the hook. I wouldn't walk the Camino. Then I got home and realised that I
could do it. I could save up the money to go, I could take off 50 days from work and still come back to have a job, I could fly there by myself, I could find my way to the starting point, I could walk those 500 miles and reach the end. So what was my reason for not going? I couldn't think of one.
I'm planning on starting in the spring of 2016, which gives me plenty of time to lose some LBs, gain some muscle mass, break in some shoes and set up a game plan. I'm scared as hell to think that I'm gonna do this, but why not?
To help get me psyched for the trip, I ordered a bunch of books on The Camino to add to my little collection.
5 comments:
I'm so envious. You know of course that doing the camino is one of my dreams which I'll never fulfill (kinda like all my OTHER dreams LOL). You know, as ever, I'm rooting for you and demand to see your stamped booklet when you return!
You can totally do the Camino! You don't have to do it all at once - you can break it up into however long it takes. A week one year and then later just pick up where you left off. There are no set rules for where to start or how to do it. Give it some serious thought and then come back to me with a decent reason why you can't. I think you'll find that you won't have one.
Don't underestimate me! I can always think of tons of reasons to weasel out of something!!! For one thing, the Spanish sky doesn't match my eyes! I'd clash!
But seriously, ladies and jellyspoons... you are absolutely right, of course. But I think I'd have to work on getting up out of a chair without becoming winded before I thought of something like that.
However, in addition to the camino, the OTHER walking thing that's been a dream of mine is to do some Wainwright Walks in the English Lake District. Are you familiar with those? A. Wainwright's walking guides to the Lake District? If not, you need to answer this one simple question: has your address changed in the last several years or is it still the same. I'm waiting for the answer...
I never heard of the Wainwright Walks but I'm about to head on over to Google and find out!!
You'll be able to see it for yourself when you get the package I sent ya. Didja get it yet???
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