Here are some of the characters who are crossing my path these days. You read about A who adopted my spare boots. One striking thing about her is how un-shy she is. She may not be a careful planner in some ways – she was VERY impressed with my preparation when i pulled a needed safety…
The albergue in Roncesvalles is beautifully new and efficient, blending perfectly into an old complex. There were about 85 people overnight, compared to 400 or so during the peak season. Many people, especially Spaniards, start here. I set off with my 3 companions and during the day we spread out and separated, picked up new…
I already have a Camino coincidence story. To start, I confess to lying about my packing list. I was carrying a huge additional item – a second pair of boots that weighed about 800 g. Two days before my departure for Spain; I was browsing through MEC (a mistake) and admired a new pair of…
You know how I said I would be sensible and take my time? At dinner last night, of the 12 people potentially in my new “Camino family” not one intended to walk the “easier” route, let alone take two days to do it. Over dinner I found myself agreeing to join 3 others in marching…
I was driven (something less than an hour) to St. Jean Pied de Port on the French side of the Pyrenees. I could have started walking right away and made it to Valcarlos, 10 km away, but I had promised myself to start slowly so I wandered around St. Jean instead. This morning I had…
The day started with an hour of packing exercise – packing and re-arranging and re-packing my things to optimize the arrangement. It is amazing how many ways you can stuff 31 Litres of stuff into a bag and still not be satisfied. I swung it on my back, fastened the hip belt, clicked the sternum…
The tolls of pre-journey excitement, a 20-hour journey and a 9-hour time change have left me a touch incoherent. The flight to Toronto had an unhappy dog who seemed to be soiling his little travel house, judging from his whining and the aroma. Poor guy. On the flight to Munich a nice East European woman…
Leave house for husband to enjoy in solitary splendour in my absence. Catch bus to airport. Fly to Bilbao. Stay overnight. Go to Guggenheim Museum. Afternoon bus to Pamplona, overnight at Albergue Curazon Puro. Get ride to St. Jean Pied de Port. Stay at Albergue Beilari where I’ll meet other pilgrims at the communal dinner. Start…
Seeing Clarely 