On the way again

We are getting really very excited about our next OE, not a Camino this time but will catching up with some of our Camino family! First we are off to Rome where we will be attending the wedding of Annie and Eduardo who we met along the way, after some time in Italy we will arrive in Switzerland to again meet up with Eric and Norma, more Camino friends, then visiting family and friends in the UK and then on to Scotland to see Mike & Olivia, how special it will be sadly cannot fit in Brazil this time but it will happen one day.  Will keep you posted!

Some people I met along the way

I have been reflecting on our time in spain, walking the camino and although I did enjoy the simple act of walking each day, for me the highlight of the camino really was the people that we met along the way - I am reminded of a maori proverb...

He aha te mea nui o te ao?  He tangata! He tangata! He tangata!
What is the most important thing in the world? It is people! It is people! It is people!

For me the camino was all about the people - they became like family, the shared journey and experiences broke down barriers, you came to know them well and could recognise them from a distance by their clothing, their way of walking.  It was always a delight to see them again at the end of each day and if you hadn't seen them for a few days - the reunions then could get very noisy - so many hugs and kisses..... here is a small sample of those we met along the way.....

Barbara - a German lady but now again living in Namibia where she had been brought up - Barbara travelled with us to St Jean Pied de port by taxi and walked with us the very first day - Barbara gave me her walking pole at the end of this day - I really came to rely on that pole, we were sad that we never got to see Barbara again.

Juliana & Christina from Brazil - Juliana was a speech therapist and Christina an architect - these two were so caring & loving - they continually encouraged me
Johan - from Sweden, a doctor working in the prison system -Johan was so relaxed in his walking and I really enjoyed talking with him, he was always the last to bed and the last to get up - he celebrated his 50th birthday while on camino.
Dean - a kiwi lad living in London - Dean had biked to St Jean from Paris leaving his bike outside the goodwill shop in St Jean - Blair used to call him, 'the Eta ripples man' because he always got through - often arriving at the alburgue very late at night - he was a bit of a adventurer - staying overnight in a shepherds/pilgrim shelter (cave) the first night over the Pyrenees, he had his own little cooker, but was very cold. Dean had got his gear all second hand and his shorts which were held together with borrowed safety pins did make the distance. Dean had 'other commitments' such as tickets to a music concert in London, a holiday with his sister travelling on her OE - which he struggled with - should I stay or should I go-in the end he chose to stay and complete the camino. Michael (Scotland) & Olivia (Mexico) currently living and working in London. Olivia was another encourager and so graciously interpreted for us many times and helped me especially get medical supplies when I needed it. Michael, so tall, he was steady and considerate - I loved watching him and Olivia walking downhill holding hands.

Hosea-Maria - spanish but living in Germany - retired early from Mercedes (quality control) as both his parents had died young - and he didn't want that to happen to him. Hosea Maria was very precise keeping us informed exactly how many kilometres we had don by the use of a GPS.

Natsumi - from Japan - fluent in English, Portuguese (had been an exchange student 

in Brazil), and Spanish - Natsumi carried a very large pack, she was very sweet, everyone enjoyed walking and talking with her.

Sally a teacher of vision impaired children from London and her partner Roland a pilot with Cathay Pacific who lives in Hong Kong - talking to Sally took my mind of a difficult uphill stage one day. Sally was also a stitcher working on a very complicated pattern she had designed herself

DJ - who I've mentioned before from Korea called me Mama and told Jeremy he wasn't just saying that he really meant it - singing to me a Korean love song was very special
Gille - from France a 'beautiful' man who spoke no English and us who spoke no French - showed me you don't need words to communicate or really understand someone
Brian - a business consultant from Australia - Not sure how we got on to the subject of some of my past but Brian honoured me by listening to 'my story' his sensitivity amazed me

Erik from Switzerland - kindly shouted us several meals
Elke - a therapist for IHC children from Germany - great sense of humour - we had been calling her Erika for about a week before she corrected us! Elke is going send her daughters on a camino for their birthdays.

Anna from Barcelona - who had recently lost her job -was taking her camino slowly so she could find our more about her country's history - she loved to share her country and language with us and took us for pinchas in Logrono. Yum

Luke - from Belgium a lecturer in theology - in particular Galatians, Luke seemed shy but had such a quiet strength about him -

Torsten - a university student from Berlin - I have mentioned many times in my blogs, his sense of humour and enquiring mind really kept me going some days - he made me laugh a lot which was a huge gift considering we were walking 38 km some days

Bernard & Collette who had literally walked out their front door in Belgium

Mr & Mrs 0 from Korea - sweet and gentle people -Mr O walked back down a very steep hill to carry a young women's pack up the hill for her

The Italian who said he was a Templer Knight and was carrying a cape and sword which made for a very heavy pack

Fred a hand occupational therapist from Canada

Majory and Melissa also from Canada a 75 grandmother walking with her granddaughter

Janic a German student was quite worried about me one day stopping whenever I stopped to check if I was OK.

Isabelle from Spain - between jobs and because of a 'boy'

Sven from Denmark - really enjoying meeting new friends and walked the 'first day' with the film crew making a Danish documentary

Mark from Germany who helped set me straight - he overheard me having a little moan that we had taken the 6km longer option by telling me we were going exactly the right way because it was far more beautiful

Eduardo - from Brazil - working as a Sociology lecturer in England - 5th Camino researching the reasons of modern day pilgrimages and Annie from Germany who met Eduardo on a previous camino - they see each other every 3 wks.

Sasha from Germany - enjoying the gastronomical delights of northern spain

Tom & Derval from Ireland - not long married - had honeymooned in NZ - they were a lot of fun

Linda from Canada very kind & caring

Ernst from Austria travelling with his sister and a friend - he entertained us one night by singing folk songs from Africa.

A Danish film crew - will be filmed in Denmark at Christmas - Michael the presenter always looked great - he was even walking in a tie

Plus there are were very many more people and stories.....

This is the way

These are a few of the different markers that showed us the way we should walk - generally they were very obvious,
often just simply a yellow arrow painted on the side of a wall or on the footpath

other times more subtle - such as the brass shells embedded in the footpaths - especially in the towns which caused some confusion at times and even getting lost now and again

our way

Each night Michael would recite the names of the places we had stayed so here I will map out the way we walked with km

Day 1 St Jean Pied de Port - Roncesvalles 24.8 km (adjusted for climb 31.7km)

Day 2 Roncesvalles - Larrasoana 27.7 km

Day 3 Larrasoana - Cizur Menor 21.2 km

Day 4 Cizur Menor - Cirauqui 27.8km

Day 5 Cirauqui - Villamayor de Monjardin 21 km

Day 6 Villamayor de Monjardin- Viana 29.6 km

Day 7 Viana - Ventosa 29.9 km

Day 8 Ventosa - Santo Domingo de Calzada 33 km

Day 9 Santo Domingo de Calzada - Belorado 23.9 km

Day 10 Belorado - Atapuerca 30.3 km

Day 11 Atapuercan - Burgos 20 km

Day 12 Burgos - Hontanas 31 .3 km

Day 13 Hontanas - Boadilla de Camino 33.5 km

Day 14 Boadilla - Carrion de los Condes 26.7 km

Day 15 Carrion - Terradillos de lls Templara 26.8 km

Day 16 Terradillos - El Burgos Ranero 30.9 km

Day 17 El Burgos Ranero - Leon 37.5 km

Day 18 Leon

Day 19 Leon - Hospital de Orbigo 37.9 km

Day 20 Hospital - Santa Catalina de Somoza 25 km

Day 21 Santa Catalina - Riego de Ambros 33.9 km

Day 22 Riego - Villafranca de Bierzon 37.4 km

Day 23 Villafranca - La Faba 21.6 km

Day 24 Le Faba - Triacastela 24.8 km

Day 25 Triacastela - Ferrerios 38 km

Day 26 Ferrerios - Palais del Rei 35 km

Day 27 Palaia de Rei - Ribadiso 26.4 km

Day 28 Ribadiso - Monte Gozo 38.2 km

Day 29 Monte Gozo - Santiago 5 km

The story of the doll

I think I said in an earlier blog that I would tell you the story of the doll and why I gave my kiwi doll away. I had asked the brazilian girls Juliana and Christina how they had travelled to St Jean Pied de Port to start their journey - they told me they had flown into Pamplona and then taken a taxi across to St Jean - "Wow" I said that must have cost you - 80 Euros was the reply, but the taxi driver took us for lunch!! "Lunch! how strange" I said "I wonder why he would do something like that" Ah Juliana said there is a 'Story'.... Of course there is always a 'story'
Juliana then proceeded to tell me about the story of the doll - Christina & Juliana had some friends who did the camino and who took the taxi from Pamplona to St Jean - the taxi driver gave them a doll that his wife made to remind them always of his country and perhaps they would then come back again to return the doll to him - they gave the doll to the the girls and they brought the doll with them back to spain - i'm not sure how they knew they had the right taxi driver but anyway as it transpired they returned the doll to the rightful owner who was so overcome with emotion that he took them to lunch - the story so stuck with me that I just knew when the time came to say goodbye to the girls I must give them the kiwi so that one day they would come to NZ and return it to me... now wouldn't that make some story...

Home again..

Back home to our beautiful granddaughters Giana and Leila - they were so excited to see us again - here they are trying out their bird whistles from spain

Pilgrims progress

we can hardly be called pilgrims anymore - we are now in Whistler, Canada, staying in a lovely lodge by a lake looking up to the mountians which are still covered in snow - it was the last weekend of the snow season, a holiday weekend at that - Queen Victoria day to be exact - so the place was buzzing - we went up the mountain yesterday and did the peak to peak - a gondola between Whistler and Blacomb - an awesome engineering feat - we got to see a young bear cub foraging and some chipmunks who are the noisiest of creatures - the best part is that we are really appreciating a few days in the same place, but we are definitely looking forward to coming home and our own bed... will attach some photos then

sew what!

sewing machine anyone? Wow I had really been missing having some craft to work on when we saw this in Portobello Rd - this was only one of about 3 walls covered in sewing machines -couldn't walk past without taking a photo and thinking of all my 'crafty' friends back home - now I wonder if they all work?

Pilgrims - part 2

wherever we went we seemed to be reminded of our time in spain as on the camino de santiago - yellow arrows and even this sign - a reminder that life will always be a journey and that we can still remain pilgrims even when not intending to be on a specific path - may we continue to put the lessons we learnt on the camino into practise in our everyday life

London - Family, Friends and Fun

The weather is sunny and we are enjoying catching up with people, we had a lovely evening with Fiona who used to work with me in Napier - we enjoyed the show Mama Mia and today are going to surprise Kylie at work and then Robyn & David for dinner. Managing the tube well and think the grey hair works wonders - have had young men give up their seats for me 3 times!!! Last time we were in London we bumped into my Mum and Dad on the tower Bridge so I am full of expectation that we will see someone else we know - early flight in the morning to Vancouver Canada...

Well dressing - Tissington

Every year since nobody can remember the village of Tissington decorate the seven wells - one theory is that it dates back to to the time of the plague when everyone around was being ravaged no one in Tissington died - they attributed this to their water supply so decorated the wells in grateful thanks - then laterly in 1615 when there was a severe drought the town was once again spared - it has been done every year since then - everyone is involved from digging the clay, picking the flowers and assembling them, each petal separately like tiles - it is open to the public for one week and we happened to be passing through on the last day - the wells were amazing but more so because everyone had worked together on it - the estate consists of 10 farms and 40 cottages - we actually just enjoyed wandering around this delightful village

Derbyshire

We are currently in the Derbyshire district, today in the town of Bakewell where Blair's Aunty Dorothy lives - we have just had morning tea with her and his cousin Sally which was lovely - the weather is great and it is such a beautiful part of the country - we were kindly loaned a car (BMW) from Blairs cousin June so made the journey much easier so all in all feel very blessed

Paris

two days in the same bed - a first for over a month - we have had a good day checking out the sights of paris - the Eiffel tower of course,hop on hop off Bus trip, a boat trip on the River Seine,yummy food but oh so many people - took us a day and a half to get here by train - first all the way across spain - 12 hours which took us 28 days to walk. then a short taxi ride to France to take another train to Paris - it is very cold here and sounds like it is even colder in London where we head tomorrow - maybe we will be at least be able to speak the same language!

Alice in wonderland?

There have been so many surprises and curious events along the way that sometimes I have wondered if I am in some sort of bizarre movie - can´t remember if I have already mentioned it but one day way back now we were about 6km from Astorga - we were climbing a hill in the middle of nowhere and found at the top a large barn and in front of the barn was a large table spread with the most delicious fruit, nuts, dates, fruit juice, herbal teas, biscuits etc then a most beautiful spanish man came out of the barn Hola welcome to my Casa - stay a while and help yourselves to the food - it was so nice - wanting a donation only. On entering Astorga I noticed lots of people in wheelchairs so I'm wondering if there was a hospital or therapy centre or something - saw the most beautiful sight - a man in a wheelchair pushing his friend who was in a bed alongside us as we walked - I would have loved to take a photo but thought it would have been a bit rude. They were heading to the town square to hang out. Astorga was quite a beautiful town and we stayed a few hours in the square watching and waiting for the clock to strike.... two large figures a man and woman dressed in Maragato fashion came out on the hour striking the time out on a bell.

Blair into Santiago

Hi everyone I realise now why I was not in to best frame of mind coming into the final destination, after spending a very difficult night breathing I thought that at one stage I was going to choke to death and Jillian thought that she would have to do tracheotomy with her pen.This sounds dramatic but you had to be there.who would have thought that my desire to learn to slow down and to have more patience would be in the form of a spanish hospital from 10.00 am to 4.30pm the next day after arriving.Because of language difficulty we missed our call and also we were in the wrong room for awhile till a kind man told us we were waiting in the childrens waiting room! Once this was established we were in to see the Dr who was very thorough and would not let me leave until she was happy, so now officially I am a druggy for a week.
The blessing in all this was that i never got real bad till we were near a hospital in the bigger city.We are now sleeping in pension accommodation as my snoring and breathing would keep the whole Alburgue awake and half of spain by the sounds of things - Jeremy and Jillian were hitting me in the night and the rest of the room were a little cold in the morning toward me.

Now we have taken the bus to Finisterre at the end of the world or so the pilgrims thought. On the way to the bus we meet our friend from France Gille so Jillian got more hugs and kisses from her name sake a very special man we thought we would not see again. I was lying in bed thinking that coming to the end of a great adventure and that the richness has been in the family we now have from the Camino, I miss them all already so for the special Ju and Chris we love you and will email soon Blair

Santiago

Well we made it and were in for a lovely surprise to meet the beautiful brazilian girls 'one more time' we went to the 12 o'clock mass and then had a lovely lunch and dinner with most of the 'camino family' Today however has been rather bleak - Blair has had a rather sore throat which seemed to get much worse over night with him unable to breath at times - so we made a visit to the Santiago hospital and were there all day u- he is fine but had to have an IV drip of antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medicines - it was rather a long day as the Dr wanted to keep him for several hours to make sure it was working - so we are now armed with a backpack full of medicine - and did not make it to the bus to Finisterre which meant we missed our rendezvous with Jeremy - however tomorrow is another day and we hope the sun shines

cool change but only 65km to walk

the weather has been frio - actually so cold that none of us could warm up so we walked and walked another 35 km we are 1km from Palas de Rei in a large alburgue with about 100 people or more..... it seems there are more and more people along the way now - we are hoping to get to Santiago by Friday. We have walked today with Jeremy and most of the day Dean (also a kiwi) stopping whenever we could for cafe con leche.... anyway will post again when we can ´a little tired and not always that easy to get to a computer ....

when I survey the wondrous cross - words

When I survey the wondrous cross

On which the Prince of glory died,

My richest gain I count but loss,

And pour contempt on all my pride.

Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,

Save in the death of Christ my God

All the vain things that charm me most,

I sacrifice them to His blood.

See from His head, His hands, His feet,

Sorrow and love flow mingled down!

Did e’er such love and sorrow meet,

Or thorns compose so rich a crown?

Were the whole realm of nature mine,

That were a present far too small;

Love so amazing, so divine,

Demands my soul, my life, my all.

When I survey the wondrous cross

Blair sings this hymn evey day on the camino... there are just so many crosses on the camino that you cannot help but think about it - and how it must have been for Jesus - some of the churches have also very graphic depictions of Jesus on the cross that you really can feel the pain.... our guide book (John Brierly) states that now in modern day spain less than 20% are practising catholics.... and yet the search continues for truth - we have met a young Brazilian man Eduardo who has a PHD in sociology working at a University in England, he  is walking the camino for about the 5th time since 2004 - he was very interesting to talk to and is researching the decline in traditional church attendance and yet the increase in people coming on pilgrimages such as the camino - especially this year which is a Holy year... some of the crosses on the way are actually for pilgrims who died along the way - it doesn't´t say how - but we read somewhere that some died by being hit by cars... and we thought we were safe walking......

The best laid plans

just  so you know we are in Triacstela after a very cold misty daty - we are now officially in Galicia....have not been able to get internet access for several days and since last posting a blog have done some very big days one day over 38km...there is a bit of a glitch in the camino track.... not sure where we were when I last blogged but the first signs that things are getting busier was as we walked into the village we had planned to stop at to find all the alburgues were full - it turned out that a bunch of german school children were dropped of - they are only doing about 15km a day so consequently managed to get all the beds - this then shunted the rest of the travellers to the next village another 4 km away so off we walked - only to find the 'completo' signs come out as we walked by - this meant no room at the inn so to speak.... by this stage it was late and I was getting quite tired not wanting to walk on in case the next village was just as full - so we looked about for alternate accommodation - which we found in the form of a pension - an older woman with her even older mother in their own home so for us that was settled - Jeremy and Torsten were still behind - Blair went down to the track and waited for Jeremy but had missed Torsten by a few minutes - we found out the next day he had slept in the forest.... the next day our plans also went to custard, after walking already 30 km to Cacabelos we found the alburgue was closed due to rennovations... next alburgue was 8 kms away - the town seemed to be setting up for a wine and food festival so every other bed in town was full - so there was nothing to do but walk another 8km to Villafranca - yay we had a bed - and the best thing about this little bottle neck was we managed to meet up with about 9 of our original `family´members.... This alburgue in Villafranca (pictured) reminded me a bit of a treehouse with all its twists and turns - served us the yummiest of vegetable soups.