Walk the Camino de Santiago

I bought a pair of trail runners the other day… I like the way they feel better than regular sneakers.

I’m working all weekend, and it’s casual dress, so there will be no problem with me wearing my new trainers around our carpeted office to make completely sure they fit right before I take them outside!

I’m normally not this careful with shoes, but they were expensive, and as I’ll be walking long and far in them, I want to know that they don’t rub anywhere!

...begins with an idea.

You read a book and it changes your life for whatever reason. I can remember reading the Four Agreements and making a promise to myself to practice it every day of my life. Other books draw you in by the locations they speak of. As in…DaVinci Code and Midnight in the garden of good and evil. I became obsessed with knowing exactly where these remote spots were, what they looked like, Were there any other great stories about them? Walking along the Santiago de Compostela Camino in Spain is now a dream of mine. I am almost done reading a book The Camino by Shirley Maclaine and now I am looking forward to finding more books on it. I’ve already read several blogs from people all over the world who traveled this spiritual road. I’d love to be able to do it. I know for me, this will be in the far future unfortunately, with kids and all…I won’t be able to take off for over a month. BUT I can still have this as one of my goals I hope to accomplish before I pass on.

I found out one of my American cousins has done the Camino. So has one of my neighbours. I have felt a few signs reminding me that this is a goal that I need to complete in this life!
I have been to Spain, years ago. It was one of my favourite countries to visit. With my growing discontent at work, I wonder if it’s not a bad idea to hand in my notice right now, and jump on a plane and start the pilgrimage? If anyone reading this has done the pilgrimage, how long did you take to prepare?

MUCH harder than I thought, but it was definitely worth it. When I meet more challenges in my life I will think back to how I persevered on the Camino. The people we met were a great inspiration to me. My advice is to take time to let your legs adjust and soak in the scenery!

The reasons are pretty random:

1. I read “The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho and read the bio on the back of the book saying he was inspired by it. Cool. I didn’t realize he was Brazilian, but that’s another story. The story is that I really want to learn Portuguese and go to Brazil.
2. I met someone in German class saying that he’d walked it when he was younger and he recommended that I do it too. He had met his wife there, which I think is pretty cool also.
3. If, through Brazilian Portuguese and German, two goals that I have on here on 43T, inspires a third goal, so be it.
4. I really like walking. I mean REALLY. Let me put this theory up to the test.

I’m a Spanish professor who talks about this all the time—I really want to do this on my sabbatical with the kids.

We arrive in St Jean Pied de Port on April 29th, then head out the next morning. 500 miles in 35 days. Rioja and tapas as a reward at night. Can’t wait…

next holy year

Knew someone who did that, and I think is not worth the pain.
So I give up this.