tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29239838399267447882024-03-11T00:09:29.696+02:00My pilgrimage to Santiago...a journey of discoveryUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger115125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2923983839926744788.post-56513909756621374982014-06-17T23:08:00.001+02:002014-06-17T23:08:38.483+02:00Via de la Plata -2014I am currently walking the Via de la Plata route in Spain. If you'd like to follow the journey, here is the new blog address: <a href="http://www.walkingfortheark.blogspot.com/">www.walkingfortheark.blogspot.com</a> I look forward to sharing the experience with you!<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2923983839926744788.post-1454211171228871922013-12-16T01:06:00.000+02:002013-12-16T01:06:09.638+02:00A wordless journal - Alto del Perdon to Lorca.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2923983839926744788.post-13730638344680356452013-12-12T12:39:00.000+02:002013-12-12T12:41:17.897+02:00A wordless journal - Zubiri to Alto del Perdon<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2923983839926744788.post-87075465768660911182013-12-10T14:54:00.000+02:002013-12-10T14:54:51.154+02:00A wordless journal - St Jean Pied du Port to Zubiri.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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September 2013</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2923983839926744788.post-66541069589633872802013-12-04T14:46:00.000+02:002014-05-09T08:32:10.741+02:00The journey continues!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qrUOvnmKCe8/Up8NoLFqL8I/AAAAAAAAJv8/aokW8ZT7wT4/s1600/20130909_082249.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qrUOvnmKCe8/Up8NoLFqL8I/AAAAAAAAJv8/aokW8ZT7wT4/s320/20130909_082249.jpg" height="187" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St Jean Pied du Port - September 2013</td></tr>
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It is now just over two months since I arrived in Santiago for the second time. When I decided to walk the Camino for the first time I could never have thought that I would be back just over a year later, this time leading a group of pilgrims on a journey that would touch my heart in a truly special way.</div>
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I remember the contrasting thoughts that went through my head the first time I walked all the way from St Jean Pied du Port. When the blisters on my feet turned every step into a painful challenge, I couldn't imagine myself ever repeating the experience. Yet, the very next day when I walked through the most beautiful places you could imagine, I knew that, God willing, I would return.</div>
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Little did I know that the plan for my life included not just returning to the Camino on my own, but with a group of people, all filled with expectations and exhilaration. So it happened then, that on the 9th of September this year, I led a merry band of pilgrims across the Pyrenees on a journey that would last us three weeks, taking us across the countryside of Spain and ending in Santiago de Compostela on the 29th of September.</div>
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Once again the journey was special beyond words. We encountered angels along the way, we made new friends and we included strangers at many a dinner table, thus experiencing the true meaning of compassion and friendship. We were able to laugh and cry with fellow pilgrims and most of all, we were able to celebrate life in a way that is not always possible when we are caught up in our busy routines back home. </div>
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I continue to marvel at how God works in our lives. The many years of working as a tour guide in my own country equipped me in many ways to undertake this very special task. My solo walk of five weeks a year ago ensured that I was familiar with life as a pilgrim and as we walked from town to town I felt as if I had been there the day before. Finding actual stones on the ground that I had photographed the year before made me feel as if I truly belonged on those ancient paths, it was as if I had a built-in compass leading me along the way!</div>
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I will never forget the many special moments that I was privileged to spend with the members of this little group of pilgrims who came from all over the world. Walking into Santiago as a group, many of us in tears and hugging each one of them in the square in front of the majestic cathedral that marks the end of the journey for many people, was an experience that I will treasure for the rest of my life.</div>
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When I started blogging about the Camino many months before, I said that from the moment I heard of this journey, I knew I was going to do it. Little did I know what an integral part of my life it would become. Back home I am now responsible for putting together the 'Amigos' magazine, the publication produced by the Confraternity of St James in South Africa three times a year. My involvement ensures that I remain in touch with what happens on the Camino, I stay updated with developments at the Pilgrims Office in Santiago and as a bonus my network of Camino friends continues to grow.</div>
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It is a pleasure to publish their stories and share their enthusiasm - the Camino connection is as strong back home as it is when we meet fellow pilgrims on the road in Spain! I am grateful for our Confraternity, being involved in this way means that I have the opportunity to interact with people who share my passion for the Camino and in turn I am able to pass on my knowledge to those who are planning to walk for the first time.<br />
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Here is a link to the official website: <a href="http://www.csjofsa.za.org/">http://www.csjofsa.za.org/</a>.</div>
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Next year in May I am planning to walk from Seville to Santiago de Compostela. I would like to continue to raise awareness for the MSA community and this walk will be dedicated to exactly that. My friend Sonja, who has suffered from this illness since 2010, remains a shining light to all who know her and I am truly grateful to God for the angels he has brought into her life through our Camino connections.<br />
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You can follow Sonja's journey on her own blog: <a href="http://www.msainsouthafricawithsonja.blogspot.com/">www.msainsouthafricawithsonja.blogspot.com</a>.</div>
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Whenever I spend time visiting a church or attend a service on the Camino I envisage walking with a small group of pilgrims who would be walking the Camino purely as a pilgrimage, dedicating their time to meditating on the word of God. My last two experiences on the Camino provided many of these moments and walking with members of the group this September confirmed to me that this is what the Camino is really about for me. </div>
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So in conclusion then - I know that my next journey has to be a solo walk and so it will be. As for my dream of taking a group on a pilgrimage with a very specific focus - that of drawing nearer to God and meditating on his Word, who knows? What often starts off as a whisper in my ear has the tendency to increase in volume until the only thing that is left for me to do is to respond. </div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2923983839926744788.post-44478622638976936522013-05-29T11:11:00.000+02:002013-05-29T11:21:48.316+02:00Camino reflections - 35 days of pilgrimage.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">From the
very first time I heard of the existence of the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage
in Spain, I was inextricably drawn to it. I started planning my trip to Spain within
weeks after meeting with a friend who had walked the 800km from St Jean Pied de
Port at the foot of the Pyrenees in France to Santiago de Compostella in Spain.
It has now been eight months since I arrived at the cathedral in Santiago,
where for many, the pilgrimage ends.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Not a day
goes by that I don’t think of the experience. For 35 days I became a pilgrim.
For the first time in my life I had given up all my luxuries and immersed
myself in a journey that was not only spiritually focused, but physically
challenging as well. Every morning I headed towards a new destination, not
always knowing where I was going to put my head at the end of the day. I
trusted the advice and accepted the kindness of complete strangers. I shared
meals with fellow pilgrims, who, despite the fact that we had never met before
this trip, felt like family to me. Our only immediate link was that we had all
decided to step away from our ‘normal’ lives for a few weeks in exchange for
life on the road. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Doctors, artists,
drifters, atheists, nuns and priests, we all headed in the same direction day
after day, each filled with our own expectations.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The gift of
hours spent just walking, and the possibility that it presented for
introspection, enabled me to contemplate the deeper issues in my life. I was
able to concentrate, undisturbed, on what I regard as the essence of my
existence – my relationship with God. In nurturing and developing this all
important part of my being, I have since discovered that every other part of my
life in turn, is nurtured, grown and strengthened. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The freedom
to spend quality time with the Lord, without the normal day to day distractions,
is one of the main reasons why the idea of a pilgrimage remains so special to
me.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">People often ask me whether walking the Camino was a life changing experience for me. On reflection I have to say that it didn’t change my life dramatically but it confirmed in no uncertain terms the importance of having a meaningful relationship with God. Dedication, commitment and perseverance are all requirements for establishing such a relationship. It has to be a way of life and whilst walking in Spain I was constantly reminded of the importance of these attributes. If you're aiming for a destination that is 800km away and you have to reach it by foot, you are going to require quite a bit of dedication, commitment and perseverance!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I’ve also
realized that I can never stop pursuing the knowledge and wisdom required to
truly understand what the Lord’s plan for my life is.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Something
happens on the Camino that can only be described as a ‘coming alive of sorts’.
It transcends the normal day to day existence that we all lead. Personally, I
felt an incredible peace fall within me. I can’t describe it in any other way.
I felt as if a light was switched on somewhere inside of me. I met people who I
can only describe as being akin to angels and I have come to realize that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">all </i>the guidance we need to navigate
this world is indeed to be found in God’s word. I found clear, simple and very
personal messages on the pages of my little travel bible on a daily basis!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Along the
way I encountered a myriad heart shaped objects and if you have read earlier
posts on this blog you will know that the heart shape has become somewhat of a
symbol to me. The words of <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ezekiel%2011:19&version=NIV">Ezekiel 11:19</a> and <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ezekiel%2036:26&version=NIV">36:26</a> have had a profound impact
on me and as heart shaped stones, flowers, cloud formations and carvings
continued to catch my attention on a daily basis, I knew these were affirmations
that I would understand. Verses that I had read in the months leading up to the
walk became real to me as I had conversations with people along the way.
<a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=proverbs%203:5&version=NIV">Proverbs 3:5</a>, <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=philippians%204:7&version=NIV">Philippians 4:7</a>, <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20peter%203:15&version=NIV">1 Peter 3:15</a>, <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm%2037:4&version=NIV">Psalm 37:4</a>, <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm%2051:10&version=NIV">Psalm 51:10</a> all had a recurring
theme and I couldn’t help but conclude that my little heart stones were indeed
symbolic of the promises I kept discovering in my little bible.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">After I had
been walking for a while I somehow felt a very real need to dedicate certain
days to people in my life. I would spend time praying for them and as some
people had given me prayer requests, I was able to be very specific about this.
I have loved sharing the experiences that I had on those days. Seeing someone react to things that speak to them via the photographs
that I took on the day that I walked for them, confirms to me that God truly is
at work in all our lives!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I quickly
learned to accept things as they happened to me. Even the unexpected or the
unpleasant did nothing to make me change my mind about walking all the way.
Despite all my research beforehand I still had severe blisters on my feet for
31 of the 35 days that I spent on the road. Initially I was intensely aware of
it, every step of the way! As the one set of blisters healed, another would
form somewhere else on my feet. I had taken a pair of Crocs with me; the
purpose of this was to have something to wear in the evenings. Crocs were
perfect as it would not add a great weight to my backpack. Taking these shoes
with me turned out to be such a blessing, as I was able to wear it on the days
that I couldn’t get my feet into my walking shoes.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I soon
learnt that even blessings often bring lessons of their own, as the Crocs
eventually gave me new sets of blisters! I realized that even blisters carried
very specific lessons. I have people in my life who deal with chronic pain, day
in and day out. Yet I never hear them complain, in fact they are probably the
most positive people that I know. My heart constantly went out to my mother,
who has lived with rheumatoid arthritis for years and my friend Sonja, who is
fighting a daily battle with a dreaded disease called MSA. In fact, my
pilgrimage was dedicated to raising awareness of this illness, for which a cure
is yet to be found.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Despite
constant physical pain, these people in my life stand out head above water as
loving, caring children of God who get on with life, despite their ailing
bodies. They encourage others, they support, care for and love with a love that
can never be questioned or faulted! I realized that God wanted me to
acknowledge and learn from these amazing women. Once I understood this, I
walked through the pain with a renewed strength and gratitude. It’s almost as
if physical pain simply became a part of me – a reminder not only of suffering,
but of so much more! <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">In
conclusion – I am eternally grateful that I was given the opportunity to
exchange my everyday life for that of a pilgrim, albeit for a short while. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am thankful that I was granted the grace to
understand the special language that God uses to communicate with those who
choose to listen. I am thankful for the message in Hebrews 13 that reminded me
not to forget to entertain strangers, for by doing so I might encounter angels
on the way. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Before
embarking on my journey I read many accounts written by others who walked The
Way before me. Some of them had that one undeniable life changing encounter
with the Lord along the way, some had a few smaller incidents that really stood
out for them and some were disillusioned, as they never felt the grand epiphany
of sorts that they expected when they started out. I even read about someone
who started out as a Christian and ended up being an atheist by the time he
reached Santiago! Personally I was not quite sure what to expect, other than
that I wanted to cultivate a very real relationship with the Lord. I knew that
having a teachable spirit was essential if I wanted the Lord to work in me and
through me. I did not doubt for one minute that He would guide me, what surprised
me was how very specific and how undeniable His teachings were. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The yellow
arrows that I followed on the road to Santiago led me to my final destination
in Spain. The inner directions I received were so much more profound and should
guide me for a lifetime! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Life as a
pilgrim has also shaped my testimony and for that I will be ever thankful. What
a blessing and what an honour to be able to have the Lord speak to me in a
language clearer than my earthly mother tongue! <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The
following scripture has taken on a new meaning for me after my camino and I know
I will continue to call on these words for the rest of my life! <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“But you will receive power when the
Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all
Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
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* A condensed version of this article appears in the latest printed edition of the Amigos magazine, the publication produced by the Confraternity of St James of South Africa. </div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2923983839926744788.post-88561379412867079042013-04-23T21:53:00.000+02:002013-05-29T10:29:20.002+02:00Why I love coffee shops...<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the Camino words aren't always necessary but a kind ear, <br />
a place at a table and a cup of coffee will always be available - <br />
I guarantee that!</td></tr>
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It's been nine months since I arrived in Santiago. If I told you that not a day goes by that I do not think about my Camino experience, I would be a big fat liar. To call it a hostile takeover of my life would not be fair, as it has in fact been a gradual, peaceful <em>but total</em> invasion of my life.</div>
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I've had a light switched on inside of me that drives me in a new way. I don't always understand it, but I recognise it and it just feels very right. It fits.</div>
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I somehow absorb things with a different mindset and my focus has shifted to being much more aware of those around me and of how my actions impact on them. Hence the title of this piece - 'Why I love coffee shops.' </div>
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Coffee shops are places where you have the incredible privilege of sitting opposite someone, have them look you in the eye and actually talk to you. You can hear their voice, you experience their emotions and you can truly build and nurture friendships. You can laugh together, you can cry together, you can share good news and you can say goodbye with a hug. You can reach out and be heard. Your friendship can make a difference in a way that no written note can ever hope to do.</div>
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That is why I love coffee shops.</div>
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On the Camino I met a wonderful young man who would often take his place at a table in a coffee shop. He'd order something to drink and as pilgrims arrived, he would casually invite them to join him, often offering them something to drink. I was fascinated by his behaviour because without fail, he was surrounded by people, young and old, all eventually chatting to each other as if they'd known each other forever! </div>
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I noticed how even the most introverted young people ended up at his table. I knew instinctively that this young man had discovered the true spirit of the Camino. He had found the most precious gift that anyone could offer to another human being and that many religions consider to be one of the greatest virtues.</div>
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He had found the meaning of the word compassion.</div>
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My encyclopedia says the English noun <em>compassion</em> comes from Latin and means 'to suffer together with'. It goes on to say that compassion is the understanding or empathy for the suffering of others and the active desire to alleviate another's suffering.</div>
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Isn't that a key element of true and meaningful friendship? We all have things in our lives that cause us hurt and unhappiness at times but how often do we think about the fact that those around us may experience exactly the same, or worse? In fact, have you ever thought that your own actions might be causing a friend to hurt - that phone call that you've meant to make forever but are too 'busy' to make or that message that you receive but somehow just always leave on the 'to get back to' list and never actually answer?<br />
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I am guilty of this!</div>
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Seeing that young man <em>living</em> compassion as I witnessed him chatting to people along the Way for many weeks, made me feel so incredibly humble. It made me realise how important it is to shift the focus from myself and really listen to others. How important it is to identify and be aware of the needs of my friends.</div>
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How important it it is to pick up that telephone and let my voice be heard. To hear a voice on the other side respond. How important it is to get together across a table and share a cup of coffee. How important it is to care.</div>
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Our lives have been taken over by social media and I use many of these options every day. But today I am reminding you as I am myself, that writing a whatsapp message, sending an e-mail or a facebook note can never take the place of a coffee shop date! Never.</div>
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The Camino has a lovely way of teaching one important lessons. I sometimes needed to hear something more than once to actually get it. Lessons regarding the importance of compassion and living life as a compassionate human being came to me in many forms. In my next post I will tell you about a powerful sermon that lasted about an hour and kept me captivated, even though I understood exactly one word!</div>
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Make that call today and have a cup of coffee with a friend. Put the same amount of sugar in your cup as you've always done, but this time, add a huge measure of compassion! </div>
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I started my walk in Spain with one friend at my side. I arrived in Santiago having met people who have added immeasurable value to my life. A new family of friends with whom I will stay connected to for a very long time. We found and shared that one very great gift that a pilgrimage blesses you with. We discovered how to be compassionate human beings. </div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2923983839926744788.post-71854983384954008462012-12-04T20:38:00.000+02:002013-02-16T13:34:07.207+02:00Packing for the Camino<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Before embarking on my big walk in Spain I researched just about every possible aspect of the journey. Equipment, accommodation, food, first aid requirements, simcards, essential Spanish words and phrases - you name it, I read up about it. Now, almost five months after my arrival in Santiago, I can tell you that even though the basic requirements are the same for everyone, you will have to tailormake your packing list to your very own needs!</div>
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Let's face it - this guy and his owner obviously had very different packing requirements than I did! </div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-x07AHRPGyhc/UL3wcGwBBcI/AAAAAAAAIT0/UkkUueQcpVI/s1600/20120712_111218.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="228" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-x07AHRPGyhc/UL3wcGwBBcI/AAAAAAAAIT0/UkkUueQcpVI/s320/20120712_111218.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I encountered this lucky pooch on the square in front of the cathedral in Santiago. I'll admit that I stopped for a rest in a wheelbarrow en route as well but I wasn't lucky enough to have someone offer to push it for me!</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tABvk1JoEDc/UL33sZyYWdI/AAAAAAAAIVI/CLo6m4X5uj4/s1600/P6271556.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="280" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tABvk1JoEDc/UL33sZyYWdI/AAAAAAAAIVI/CLo6m4X5uj4/s320/P6271556.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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So, back to the packing. My 35l backpack was definitely big enough. My problem was that I stuffed too many things in there! All the sites I visited suggested that one's pack should weigh about 10% of your body weight. For me that amounted to about 6kg. In reality, I arrived in Spain with a bag that weighed about 12kg.</div>
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What can I say? I'm a woman. I don't know how to pack. I'll admit it. If there's a twelve step plan for recovering over-packers, I probably need to sign up! The turning point for me came when my blistered feet simply could not deal with all that weight on my back anymore.</div>
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At some point I had to take stock. I packed everything out on my bed one evening and decided to take out what I really could live without. That's how it came about that I had a little green parcel waiting for me in my hotel room in Santiago when I arrived there on the 11th of July. A gift weighing almost 3kg, sent by myself, with love, to myself. And if I have to be really honest, I probably could have added more to the little box that I sealed with such a heavy heart in the tiny post office in Navarette!</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QnnCgxjZ2pY/UL3wk0pfKQI/AAAAAAAAIUc/XqXd4uYvhPM/s1600/P6140672.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QnnCgxjZ2pY/UL3wk0pfKQI/AAAAAAAAIUc/XqXd4uYvhPM/s320/P6140672.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LzzkuasZqJg/UL3wjRVjzoI/AAAAAAAAIUU/Z4qw0lNsD20/s1600/P6140669.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LzzkuasZqJg/UL3wjRVjzoI/AAAAAAAAIUU/Z4qw0lNsD20/s320/P6140669.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I didn't need a second pair of sandals, nor did I need extra cream, suntan lotion or a make-up bag filled with little bits and pieces that I never touched at all! I certainly could do without extra notebooks, pens and my beloved little travel pillow! And even though the heart shaped stone that I picked up along the way was very dear to me, I had to take the chance that it would arrive safely in Santiago, as that extra weight was wearing me down!</div>
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So this is what my bag eventually looked like - weighing 9kg. Less than what I started with but I have vowed that the most my bag will ever weigh again is 7kg. If I can manage with less than that - even better!</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WWP1A8qDaN0/UL3waMhyf7I/AAAAAAAAITs/6rvNKef2eHY/s1600/20120624_171211.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WWP1A8qDaN0/UL3waMhyf7I/AAAAAAAAITs/6rvNKef2eHY/s320/20120624_171211.jpg" width="193" /></a></div>
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It can't be stressed enough that your backpack should weigh as little as possible. You have to keep in mind that you are literally carrying it for 800km. You will be walking in a country that has pharmacies and grocery stores. Trust me - any items that you might have forgotten at home WILL be available in one of the shops! And even if you can't find it, the general sense of caring that prevails on the Camino that you hear people talking about, really exists. I had people hand me creams, plasters, books, telephones (when mine wouldn't connect), food, water - you name it! Nothing ever had price tags on and these things were always offered with kindness and with no expectations of receiving anything in return.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-F_yiXRTKGKw/UL3wXgAG4LI/AAAAAAAAITk/eLJEgSYncAY/s1600/20120614_151234.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-F_yiXRTKGKw/UL3wXgAG4LI/AAAAAAAAITk/eLJEgSYncAY/s320/20120614_151234.jpg" width="193" /></a></div>
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The picture above illustrates how you can use any available space to store things in - an upside down croc makes a good spot to put something in that you would like to reach easily - no need to open zippers and spend valuable time searching for it in the backpack!</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qa-Plja_w30/UL3wh8yL4KI/AAAAAAAAIUM/W2xOJHNzXzI/s1600/P6100444.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qa-Plja_w30/UL3wh8yL4KI/AAAAAAAAIUM/W2xOJHNzXzI/s320/P6100444.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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One of the best packing tips I can share with you if you are planning to walk for the first time is to pack everything in seperate sealable plastic bags. This way everything stays organised and dry, should your pack get wet. I was caught in unexpected downpours many a time and had to scramble to cover the backpack. The last thing you want to deal with is wet clothing. In Galicia it was wet for days on end and getting just the normal washing to dry was a challenge. Remember that you won't have much of a relief backup wardrobe in that precious bag!</div>
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What you see above is the contents of my backpack spread out on my bed during one of my repacking sessions! Luckily these become less frequent as the days go by as you soon get to learn where everything is. Develop a system very quickly and STICK to it! That way you don't have to unpack the entire bag everytime you are looking for something.</div>
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I have to confess that in the beginning I suspected someone of helping himself to the contents of my pack. I was really angry and could not believe that someone walking the Camino could take something from a fellow pilgrim. I still hang my head in shame when I think of the day - probably about two weeks after the item went missing - when I discovered it again. Packed safely, by myself, in the little side pocket on the inside of my pack.</div>
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As these things happened to me I took time to digest and soon realised that I was being taught valuable lessons! Lessons about life, about trusting people, about not always casting first impressions in stone, about honesty, about humility - this list is probably longer than any packing list could be!</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SPU3u4RJTig/UL3wmdz9IJI/AAAAAAAAIUk/otdHb8Loyxg/s1600/P6170998.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SPU3u4RJTig/UL3wmdz9IJI/AAAAAAAAIUk/otdHb8Loyxg/s320/P6170998.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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The little pack above was an example of a gift given to me on the Camino. By the time I got to Granon my feet were really hurting and carrying my heavy pack was definitely not helping. This lightweight daypack was inexpensive but folded up in a little square and the pilgrim who so generously gave it to me had two other packs. Having this light bag meant that I </div>
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could send my heavier pack to the next destination with a courier company and for at least one day I could walk with what I needed for that day only. This basically meant lunch, water, first aid goodies and a lightweight rain jacket. It made life on the road so much easier when my feet were really blistered - I made use of this company for four of the 35 days that I walked.</div>
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There are many courier companies en route and the one that I used, Jacotrans, did a great job. The cost was either 6 or 7euros per time, depending on the route. </div>
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As you will know by now from my previous posts, I did not do much cooking for myself. Those who preferred preparing their own meals however, often complained that they battled to find all the utensils that they needed in the albergues. My friend Eddie insists that these two pieces of gold that he is holding up in the picture below were essential and as he is one of the best cooks I know, I'll put that on my list if I ever choose to cook for myself in future whilst on the Camino.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-y6_pcwPWI7k/UL3weaMyoTI/AAAAAAAAIT8/-HLRFxOV8WE/s1600/20120712_153742.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-y6_pcwPWI7k/UL3weaMyoTI/AAAAAAAAIT8/-HLRFxOV8WE/s320/20120712_153742.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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As for the basic packing list for the camino - if you google those key words you will find pages full of suggestions on as many sites, so I won't list every single item here.</div>
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The following are things that I will never travel without again and they will be packed before anything else when I set of on my next Camino adventure in 2013.</div>
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- <strong>A s-shaped iron hook.</strong> This can be bought at one of the many stores stocking Camino goodies in St Jean or you'd probably find it at most hardware stores. This works great in the showers where there are no hooks - I used mine all the time. I always had a little (sealable) bag with my valuables, a toiletry bag and my towel with me when I went to shower so the s-hook came in handy, even if there was a hook, I could always use another!</div>
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<strong>- A pair of crocs.</strong> If you are unfortunate enough to get blisters, these are invaluable. I walked more than 30km in them one day, they were real lifesavers when I could not get my feet in my</div>
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walking shoes.</div>
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<strong>- Friars Balsem.</strong> Inexpensive and available at pharmacies - the BEST medicine for treating blisters. It stings like anything when you apply it but it dries up the blisters quicker than anything I know.</div>
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<strong>- A pen with ink that won't run</strong> if your notebook gets wet. This happened to me and some of my notes are somewhat smudged now.</div>
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<strong>- A lightweight headlamp</strong> with good quality, long lasting batteries. Essential for going to the bathroom in the dark and reading at night.</div>
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<strong>- Safety pins.</strong> Take a few different sizes, I found a whole host of uses for them and was able to hand them out as people needed it to repair things, secure bandages etc. </div>
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<strong>- A needle and thread.</strong> To repair things but also to thread through blisters. ESSENTIAL!</div>
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<strong>- A lighter.</strong> To burn the needle in case you have to use it on blisters.</div>
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<strong>- A watch.</strong> It helps to have something to tell the time by, especially if you're walking long stretches in the countryside.</div>
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<strong>- A good water bottle</strong> - look for something that can keep fluids cold for as long as possible - when walking on the meseta where distances are long and shade scarce, such a bottle is worth gold.</div>
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<strong>- At least 6 pairs of socks.</strong> 3 Thinner inners and three outers. As wonderful as 1000 mile socks are, they take long to dry, so I won't take them again.</div>
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<strong>- A Spanish simcard.</strong> Try and get this before you start walking as it took me about a week before I actually found an open Vodafone shop. Shops open late and often close for lunch, so I had to wait until my walking schedule coincided with that of an open shop! Not all villages have Vodafone shops, so that made it a challenge. I had a Samsung Galaxy and as it was still under guarantee, I was told by the supplier that in order for the guarantee to remain valid, I was not allowed to put a simcard of any company other than Vodafone in the device. Also, make sure that your phone is able to connect to wifi as there are many cafes and bars offering free <em>'wee-fee'</em> along the route - even in the smallest villages! I really appreciated that as it meant that I could connect with my family - for free! I highly suggest that you load Skype on your phone and link up with your friends or family who are following your journey at home. When I was finally able to get that sorted on my phone it was one of the highlights of my trip - not only speaking to them, but actually being able to see them as well was such a treat! A site such as <a href="http://www.voibuster.com/">www.voibuster.com</a> allows you to make free calls from a pc - I spoke to my family in South Africa for ages at a little cafe one day - the owner very kindly made the offer and I gladly accepted!</div>
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<strong>- Small locks.</strong> I just always felt it was a safe and sensible option to lock my backpack when I had to leave it in an albergue, guest house or hotel.</div>
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<strong>- A lightweight sleeping bag</strong> is essential as far as I'm concerned. I loved being able to sleep in my own bag, whether they had blankets or not. In hotels or guest houses I would use the sheets etc. provided, but in albergues I preferred my own sleeping bag by far!</div>
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<strong>- A good quality, lightweight rain jacket</strong> with hood is a must have! I loved the one I bought at home and I know it will travel with me for many years. Make sure that it is windproof - that really helped me in a storm that we were caught in whilst crossing the Pyrenees. There is a difference between 'wind resistant' and 'windproof'!</div>
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These are some of the main things that come to mind right now, as I think of more items I will certainly mention them in future posts. </div>
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In summary, looking at this next photograph, I have to wonder if I'm not meant to walk my next Camino with a donkey as companion. Not only will I be able to hitch a ride if my feet play up, I will be able to pack for all occassions... </div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2923983839926744788.post-21360061370835214722012-11-30T13:11:00.000+02:002012-11-30T13:32:12.702+02:00Food on the Camino<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I have to admit, I was really looking forward to meeting the leaner, fitter me that I thought would emerge after walking for 800 kilometers. Turned out I emerged fitter but probably not weighing that much less. In all honesty, I never bothered to climb on a scale either before or after the walk but just looking at the changes in my body, I certainly noticed a firming of sorts. As I needed the energy to keep walking, I decided that <em>that</em> meant I could eat whatever I wanted! 'Whatever-I-wanted' turned out to be a chocolate croissant almost every morning with my coffee, crepes Suzette and creme caramel as part of three course dinners, hot chocolate, sweets for the road... </div>
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I'm sure you get the picture! If you don't, allow me to treat you a visual tour of some of the delicacies that came my way during my 35 day trip!</div>
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Let's start off with the salads. I have to say, the recipes didn't change that much but I always enjoyed the typical asparagus, tuna, corn, tomato and lettuce combination that arrived on my table. I found it to be filling and once you're a week or two into the trip you notice the slightest variation - an added slice of apple or olive becomes a real treat! The old me would have moaned and groaned about this boring repetition, week after week, but somehow on the Camino I saw food as a blessing that sustained me and I only recall sending empty plates back to the kitchen!</div>
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This salad was a real treat, prepared for three of us by my Spanish friend Ivana at the albergue in Azofra. Chickpeas, boiled eggs and carrots with olive oil, loads of laughs and a glass of red wine - enjoyed under the trees next to a little pool in the courtyard - priceless!</div>
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Then come the mains! From vegetable soup to tripe, I was game to taste it all!</div>
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Yes, you guessed it - this is a plate of tripe and trotters. When I saw this on the menu in a little restaurant in Al Acebo, the quaintest mountain village on the route, I knew that that was going to be supper! My mother and grandmother have always prepared the best tripe dishes, so I am quite familiar, and yes, quite in love with this dish. This was prepared with different spices and takes a second place to my mom's recipe but nonetheless, it made me think of home and once again, my plate went back empty!</div>
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Paella - Camino style!</div>
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I really looked forward to having this dish as I'd heard so much about it before starting the walk. This is Pulpo, or octopus, and the place to have it, according to the guide books, is Pulperia Ezekiel in a town called Melide. The restaurant itself looks like a school dining room with long tables and benches - they seem to do mass production of this one dish, so not very personable. The food however, was good and the advantage is that by the time you get to this spot you know just about every other patron in the restaurant, so company is also bound to be good. I found them to be expensive and almost felt as if I was falling straight into a tourist trap but I'm glad I stopped to experiense the Pulpo, if nothing else! </div>
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Good old trusted calamari rings and a nice bottle of wine was lunch with my husband in Finisterre!</div>
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Dessert...</div>
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This was dessert at the famous albergue in Villar de Mazarife, San Antonio de Padua. Pepe Giner, who runs this place, is not only a wonderful physiotherapist but a great cook as well!</div>
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No words needed with this image... I justified eating this by telling myself the distance I was going to walk the next day would balance out the calories! </div>
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I found the Tarta de Santiago irresistible! I'm still to experiment with it back home but this traditional tart has been associated with the Camino for a very long time. For the recipe and a little more information, click <a href="http://spanishfood.about.com/od/dessertssweets/r/tartadesantiago.htm">here.</a></div>
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The coffee...</div>
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I am not able to start my day without a cup of coffee. True to form then, this is how every day on the Camino began. Coffee in glasses, coffee in plastic containers, coffee in mugs, coffee in cups. One of the first things I learnt to ask for - café con leche. Sometimes it came out in Portuguese but they always understood me! Have I mentioned that I <em>love</em> the coffee in Spain? I can honestly say that I did not have one bad cup of coffee on this trip. Somehow a good cup of coffee and a croissant before you start walking in the morning helps you deal with whatever your challenges are, be it blistered feet, a bad night's rest because you were in the middle of a snoring contest - even a heavy backpack seemed to feel lighter after a good cuppa!</div>
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Then there were the snacks...</div>
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...never ending!</div>
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Just to make sure you know that I also added healthy things to my daily menu - here are some of the choices I had offered to me along the way. Sometimes it was just lying on the ground, sometimes it was displayed along the roadside and you could help yourself in exchange for a 'donativo' and sometimes it was offered to you by fellow pilgrims. Either way - I never lacked a choice of fresh fruit and vegetables along the route.</div>
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Finally - the beer shandy!</div>
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My absolute favourite drink to have when it's really hot and especially when I'm really tired, is an ice cold beer shandy. For those of you who are not familiar with this drink, it's beer mixed with either a fizzy lemonade or lemon juice. I soon learnt that in Spain I have to ask either for a Clara, or for a Cerveza con limonada. A true lifesaver when the sun sits high and your pack weighs heavy on your back!</div>
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A typical day on the Camino! Tending to aching feet whilst enjoying a shandy at a roadside cafe - no one would blink an eye in this part of the world! I often smile to myself when we're at a nice restaurant back home, enjoying a shandy outdoors and I wonder what people would say if I took my shoes off and brought out my Betadine and plasters! You've got to love life on the Camino!</div>
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A Magnum ice cream and a coke for the road, a shandy with lunch and a stamp in my Pilgrim's passport. Three of the daily chores taken care of at one stop!</div>
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So, as you can see, there is no reason to think that you won't be fed on the Camino! They've got that sorted. I guess if you're considering undertaking this adventure to lose weight, you'd better start working on that willpower right now!</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2923983839926744788.post-32786888037658717942012-11-13T22:19:00.000+02:002012-11-14T10:28:20.259+02:00Camino angels<div style="text-align: center;">
From the very first moment that I decided to walk the Camino, I knew that this journey was going to be unlike anything that I had ever experienced before. Instinctively I knew that I was going to be taught many lessons, that I was going to have to walk with an open heart and that having a teachable spirit was going to be essential.</div>
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I had asked for God's blessings and I knew that John Brierley's wonderful guidebook was going to be a mere tool, the directions that I truly needed to guide me on the correct way would be provided in a very different form! </div>
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Right from the start, certain verses in the Bible jumped out at me. One of the very first verses that I was unmistakably drawn to was Hebrews 13:1-2:</div>
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<em> "Keep on loving</em> <em>each other as brothers. Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it."</em></div>
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These words made such an impression on me that I put it on the blog as a permanent element.</div>
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Today, four months after I arrived in Santiago after having walked for 35 days, I found myself giving thanks for the numerous angels who walked with me, laughed with me, guided and protected me, cried with me, sheltered and fed me.</div>
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I give thanks to a faithful God who truly keeps His word!</div>
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So today I'd like to give specific thanks to the angels who...</div>
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...spoke to me in a language that I could understand</div>
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...offered a service that enabled me to continue walking - Jacotrans transports your pack to your next destination if you need to walk with a lighter day pack. They came to my rescue four of the thirty five days when I couldn't get my blistered feet in my shoes and had to walk wearing my crocs. Having a lighter day pack on my shoulders enabled me to carry on walking. I promise I didn't write the above but I certainly agree!!</div>
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...doctored my feet, unselfishly sharing their own medication and bandages...</div>
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...offered me safe places to sleep, sometimes without even expecting to be paid...</div>
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...offered me the use of their computers to contact my family, free of charge...</div>
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...blessed my life with their warmth and love, translating for me when my Spanish was not good enough and made me laugh until the tears ran down my face...</div>
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...took the time to make these little gifts to hand to weary pilgrims as they checked in to the quaintest little albergue...</div>
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...brought this precious medicine all the way from South Africa so that I could treat my blisters...</div>
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...offered to feed the hungry and expected nothing in return...</div>
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..saw me taking pictures of this cross in the sky and then offered to take a picture with me in it...</div>
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...decided to turn a tired old geyser into something that made me stop and smile...</div>
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..made me this wonderful salad on a day that I was hot, hungry and tired to the bone...</div>
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...planted these trees next to the road, therefore providing a shady spot in the middle of nowhere...</div>
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...stopped next to me and handed me this ice cold bottle of water through a car window on a day when a heatwave made it almost impossible to walk...</div>
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...decided to put this table up under a tree, again in the middle of nowhere, thus providing a place where pilgrims can have their meals...</div>
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...gave me ice to ease weary, aching muscles...</div>
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...who picked me this St John's Wort and made an infusion for me to drink to ease my hay fever induced migraine...</div>
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...provided cooked eggs so that breakfast could be packed for the road...</div>
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...sang and played their instruments on the way so that others could bask in what I can only describe as angelic sounds...</div>
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...left gifts, not expecting anything in return...</div>
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...made me smile when the hills became steep...</div>
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...provided little stones to put at the foot of the Cruz de Ferro for those who didn't bring their own...</div>
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...made sure my eye caught this little gift hidden on a sidewalk in the middle of a busy city...</div>
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...took the time to paint this special sign - I know that each pilgrim reading this feels as if it was written for him or her exclusively!</div>
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And finally - the biggest thank you to...</div>
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...the countless angels who undertook the enormous task of painting thousands of yellow arrows across Spain. These arrows became so much more than just the route markers that ultimately led me to Santiago. They served to reassure me in so many ways. As long as I saw them, I knew I was following the correct route. I had the assurance that I was where I was supposed to be and that all was well. They assured that I reached my destination and I knew that once I had passed the very last one, I had to look out for them in a different form. </div>
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I continue to be guided every day of my life and I know now that my yellow arrows are to be found in the pages of my Bible, in the words of wise people who cross my path, in the stones that are scattered on my beach and in the innocence of little children. I am richer in so many ways after this experience but most of all, I am thankful beyond words.</div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2923983839926744788.post-45785508654648849502012-11-06T08:48:00.001+02:002012-11-06T08:51:49.706+02:00<div align="center">
My previous post was titled 'Sin palabras'. This morning I searched once again for words to write down here but still it eludes me. As I continue to absorb the experience, almost four months since it ended, I wish I was back in the little albergue in Ruitelan where a new day is always welcomed in with these angelic sounds gently washing over all that have rested there for a brief while... </div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2923983839926744788.post-24795936383050003572012-10-14T18:40:00.000+02:002012-10-14T18:40:28.672+02:00Sin palabras...<div align="center">
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2923983839926744788.post-18581728456994322182012-10-05T18:49:00.003+02:002012-10-05T19:17:24.344+02:00Day 1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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On the 11th of October it will be exactly three months since I arrived in Santiago de Compostella. On that day in July my feet were light and my backpack no longer weighed me down. I had survived! <br />
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I had walked up to thirty kilometers on some of the days, stayed in hostels with strangers and shared meals, stories and band-aids. I cried, prayed and laughed until my stomach hurt. It had taken me 35 days to reach my destination.</div>
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There is so much that I would like to share but for all this time I felt the need to just be. I needed to absorb, process and be thankful. <br />
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About halfway through my journey I came across the stone pictured below. I was immediately drawn to it and I knew that I had received a powerful reminder:<br />
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'Be still, and know that I am God.' ~ Psalm 46:10<br />
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As the words fall in place and before the memories become too distant, I am writing about my experience. Chapter one of what I hope will become a book is done and I feel as if I am on a new journey altogether! As I write, things are starting to make sense and I am realising that almost every single day brought a new lesson - some I am only understanding now as I put everything into words!</div>
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I've decided to continue sharing some of my experiences here on my faithful little blog, even if by now I'm probably the only one still reading it! And when all is said and done - I will continue to hold on to the very special message contained in Psalm 46!</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2923983839926744788.post-73425960983234727372012-05-27T22:38:00.002+02:002012-05-27T22:48:43.127+02:00Day 691 - A big day, a little church and a beautiful bride<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<em>A sunny, bright day filled with love and laughter - what a way to start the journey!</em></div>
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To see your child getting married must be one of the biggest blessings one can experience as a parent. Yesterday that blessing belonged to me. Sitting in the little church next to the sea with my fingers intertwined with my husband's, just as it was 26 years ago when our little Melissa arrived in this world, I knew that everything is exactly as it should be.</div>
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I asked for God's favour, and we received it. My little girl has started the next phase of her life. Her own camino. Hand in hand with a husband who adores her and a desire to live a life rooted in God's word.</div>
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I have a massive 'mother-of-the-bride's-new-shoes' blister on my foot but tonight I will sleep well! </div>
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2923983839926744788.post-61083912204680576792012-05-16T23:17:00.002+02:002012-05-16T23:18:32.194+02:00Day 680 - Planning of a different kind...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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If you're looking for something that will always be there for you, something that will continue to remain active no matter whether you neglect to feed it for weeks and will always allow you to mold it exactly the way you choose, start a blog.<br />
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I've never had such a faithful friend in all my life. It's been weeks since I've posted anything but here it is, with a click of the mouse we resume our chatting as if we touched base yesterday...<br />
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I've really missed writing about my journey leading up to the big walk in Spain. My excitement has not diminished at all, in fact, I'm counting the days now, all 19 of them to be precise!<br />
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It's 680 days since I started blogging about my planned pilgrimage to Santiago and now there are less than 20 left before I get on a plane - a one bag passenger for the first time in my life.<br />
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Right now I am planning my daughter's wedding. On the 26th of May we'll be celebrating this very big day in her life and I'm afraid, right now, that is what all my daily activities center around. In fact, I have a sneaky suspicion that my dreams are pretty preoccupied by wedding decor and menu selections as well!<br />
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A couple of months ago I thought walking the Camino was going to be hard work. I'm not so sure anymore - somehow it feels as if it is going to be the vacation after the hard work - walking 780km seems like heaven compared to coordinating a wedding!<br />
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It's all good though and I know that once the morning of our big day arrives we are going to forget all the hours of planning and stressing and as it all falls in place we'll probably be walking on clouds for days to come!<br />
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In the meantime I am trying hard to fit in a hour or two on the beach whenever I can. I continue to fill my backpack with stones as I walk along - I'm now quite comfortable with carrying weight on my back. The little heart stones continue to line my path every time I head out. I have met some wonderful people on our beautiful beach whilst walking and I continue to marvel at how the Camino connections are working in my life.<br />
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More about these meetings and special people in my next post! <br />
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<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2923983839926744788.post-48335312176988059822012-03-31T20:59:00.000+02:002012-03-31T22:48:46.128+02:00Day 634 - A walk with a purpose.<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bNmGcrALGIg/T3b_47ZSbEI/AAAAAAAAH7A/xlYXSRKA2Wg/s1600/IMG_6672.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="351" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bNmGcrALGIg/T3b_47ZSbEI/AAAAAAAAH7A/xlYXSRKA2Wg/s400/IMG_6672.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Back: Karin, Susan, Gerda, Lillian<br />
Front: Me, Sonja</td></tr>
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Sometimes you can know somebody for a lifetime, but yet somehow you always avoid being alone in a room with them. You just know that after you've talked about the weather, how the year has flown by since Christmas and how the kids have grown, there won't be much left to say. For whatever reason - conversation simply never flows and you never invite each other for a quick coffee to catch up.</div>
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And then you meet someone who makes you laugh until the tears run down your face. You feel as if you've known each other for a lifetime yet you're not even sure of last names yet. The women in the photograph here with me all fall in this second category.</div>
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I feel like I have been blessed with another group of soul sisters - each one of them.</div>
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Last week we all met for tea and cake at the home of Sonja, the amazing blonde seated next to me here. Sonja's home and garden is filled with colour - just like the person she is. A hostess who makes you feel like you can kick off your shoes and relax in her home. While you enjoy the company gathered around her table you notice that your favourite music is playing in the background. She has taken note of your love of a specific genre and she's made sure that she has created an atmosphere that is a treat to all your senses!</div>
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As we laughed and chatted away on this beautiful day it was hard to believe that Sonja's life is being impacted by an illness that most people haven't even heard of. Sonja suffers from Multiple System Atrophy, also known as MSA.</div>
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Just as I knew absolutely nothing about the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage two years ago, my knowledge of MSA, prior to me meeting Sonja in October last year, was just about zero.</div>
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In a nutshell, MSA is degenerative neurological disease. I quote from a MSA Internet site: <em>'...symptoms reflect the loss of nerve cells in several different areas in the
brain and spinal cord that control the autonomic nervous system and coordinate
muscle movements. '</em></div>
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A nasty house guest then. And one that arrived without an invitation. We won't be playing background music to match his mood. Instead, I read quotations such as this one on the website that Sonja and her friend Karin have created to raise awareness of the disease:<br />
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<em><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma;">"<strong>Adventure isn’t hanging on a rope off the side of a mountain. Adventure is an
attitude that we must apply to the day to day obstacles of life – facing new
challenges, seizing new opportunities, testing our resources against the unknown
and in the process, discovering our </strong></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: "lucida grande", tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 12px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><strong>own unique potential.” <span style="font-size: x-small;">Johan Amatt</span></strong> </span></em></div>
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Needless to say, when Sonja asked me if I would dedicate my pilgrimage to Santiago to her cause, which is to raise awareness of MSA, I agreed immediately. </div>
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The purpose of our get-together last week was thus not only to visit, but also to decide exactly how we would use the journey in Spain to further the cause. Susan and Gerda, pictured above, are also undertaking their first camino and they will be walking from Burgos round about the 16th of June. We are hoping to meet up - what a special day that will be!</div>
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Karin and Sonja will be working on a laminated logo with a photograph of Sonja on for us to attach to our backpacks. We will each take a few cards with their website details on and of course we will be armed with knowledge in order to have educated conversations about MSA with people we engage with whilst walking in Spain.</div>
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Last but not least, the miles we walk will be logged with an awareness group - they are hoping to log enough miles to round the globe - all part of the awareness effort. My hiking buddie, Eddie, who will be walking with me, also immediately agreed to join in, so his miles will also be added to our total count.</div>
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Sonja may not be walking the Camino but I will be leaving my brand new DVD copy of 'The Way' with her when I leave so that she can 'follow' the route from the comfort of her home. Thank you Karin for that brilliant suggestion!</div>
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I cannot begin to tell you what it's like to be in Sonja's shoes right now but I would like to direct you to the blog that Karin has created and that the two of them keep going. Following Sonja's journey in this way has touched me so deeply - I cannot stay uninvolved. I urge you to spare a moment or two to read their blog - who knows, you or someone you know could make a difference in some way!<br />
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This is the link to their blog:<br />
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<a href="http://msainsouthafricawithsonja.blogspot.com/2012/03/lion-king-and-shortage-of-spoons.html">http://msainsouthafricawithsonja.blogspot.com/2012/03/lion-king-and-shortage-of-spoons.html</a></div>
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I have posted a link to a specific post as this honest, sincere piece really tells the story in a way that only a true, loyal friend can. It is current and for me even more touching, as the brave woman that I spent a morning with this week continues to smile the most sincere smile - Sonja, I salute you!</div>
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My journey in Spain has been given a new purpose. Join me if you wish and lets somehow, each one of us in our own little place in this world, attempt to make a difference. The more people know about this illness, the easier it can be diagnosed and hopefully the more intense the research efforts to find a cure will become.</div>
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So if you are planning to walk the Camino Frances in June or July and you see someone walking in front of you with a small laminated version of this photograph of Sonja attached to their backpack - stop and say hallo - we'd love to meet you!<br />
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As it's twenty one days since I had something to say on my little blog, I asked myself today - why do I actually blog? </div>
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For the last couple of days I've been trying to decide what the topic of this (inevitable) post would be. For the life of me, I couldn't make a decision. So I decided to start at the beginning.</div>
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I always start a post with a picture. If possible, I like to use something that I took myself. Why? Because these are my ramblings and it seems right to colour it with my own stuff. (Let's be honest here, sometimes I quite like what I took and if I don't publish it, nobody else will...)</div>
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So that left me with the first choice that I had to make. Which pic to choose today? As I scrolled down the thousands if Picasa masterpieces I have saved, this one jumped (ok, not quite at 120km per hour, but you get it...) at me.</div>
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This is exactly how I feel at the moment. Like a snail. No real energy and all I can think of is what that backpack I'm going to carry on my back for 30-odd days is going to be filled with. And how much it's going to weigh. If I'm to believe what all the camino fundis have to say, it should weigh no more than 10% of my body weight. </div>
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Seeing that this has become somewhat of a tell-all place, I'll let you know that that means my backpack should weigh no more that 6,1kg. I feel that for the first time after my pregnancies many moons ago, I have a valid reason to eat as much chocolate as I want before June. The heavier I am, the more I can pack in my backpack - not so?</div>
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The little snail is also looking down at the ground - not too sure which way to go, it seems. Well, I've been looking down at my two feet - the two most precious parts of my body as far as the camino goes, as they have to carry me for almost 800km...It seems rather obvious then that whatever I wish to tie them up in every morning has to be really well chosen - the shoes have to be <em>perfect!</em></div>
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I can't afford to have blisters, my feet have to be able to breathe, they have to remain dry and most of all, they have to be supported properly. That's all easy to say but have you looked at the choices out there?? And even more daunting - have you ever had to listen to the advise of dozens of people - all totally convinced that they have the correct answers??</div>
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I have walked the streets, visited the shoe shops, tried on hundreds of makes and sizes - <em>with</em> my 1000 mile socks - and still I can't decide what to buy. And I'm running out of time. Those babies need to be walked in by the time these two feet hit the tarmac in France.</div>
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Let's focus on the question again. Why do I blog?</div>
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After writing all of the above I think I actually have an answer. When I write about the issues that I need to address, it starts making sense to me and I seem to become focused. It's when I stop writing and start stressing about it I become like the snail. The only difference between him and me is that he can curl up in his backpack and go to sleep - me, if I don't get going, the only place I'm going to curl up in, is the el Spanish feet first-aid clinics...</div>
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I went to look up the Internet definitions for 'blogging' and really loved this one:</div>
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<em>'Something to do when you're unemployed.'</em></div>
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I guess if the shoe fits - I probably should wear it! </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2923983839926744788.post-80416816266532900092012-03-01T19:01:00.001+02:002012-03-01T19:01:55.221+02:00Day 604 - Let the sun guide you...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My absolute favourite line from this video - <br />
<em>'My soul is on a quest and I am drawn to walk this trail...'</em></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2923983839926744788.post-14995456279220731932012-02-28T18:23:00.000+02:002012-02-28T18:30:20.550+02:00Day 602 - Reflections, changes and challenges.<div align="center">
My 'pre-camino' walks are taking shape quite nicely. I'm out on the beach every morning and at the moment I am comfortably covering 8 kilometers per day. Some days I walk alone and some days I invite someone along.</div>
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What wonderful conversations develop alongside breaking waves as the kilometers just roll away under our feet!</div>
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The deep, the funny, the sad and the silly - therapy without a price tag!</div>
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I imagine this is pretty much what life on the road in Spain is going to be like but right now that very first step on the road in St Jean Pied de Pod seems light years away! I want to fast forward time - I can't remember when last I have been so drawn to something! </div>
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Reading what others who have walked already have to say about their experiences, months after returning to their 'normal' lives, just fuels the fire for me! The following piece was written by pilgrims John and Robin from the USA - a year after they walked the exact route that I will be following in June. They have kindly allowed me to share it here with you.</div>
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<strong>December 18, 2011</strong></div>
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<em><strong>From here to where?</strong></em></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>St Mary's Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Portland, Oregon</em></td></tr>
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<em>A year ago this past week Robin and I set out from St Mary's on our first pilgrimage down the Camino de Santiago from St Jean Pied de Port to Santiago de Compostela, and then on to Finisterre, and Muxia. Much has transpired since that pilgrimage. It is hard to categorize all the changes, but there are plenty. On the strictly physical side we are now almost always walking. Daily walks of 5 to 10 miles are now the norm. On the spiritual side the benefit of the time spent in reflection and contemplation while walking the Camino cannot be overstated. It was a true blessing, and a gift from God to have that quiet time. Thoughts of our community of fellow pilgrims, and the many welcoming hospitaleros we encountered, continue to warm our hearts as we reflect on their kindness and generosity (not to mention their wisdom). Now at home we find ourselves probing more deeply the issues of faith, purpose, and spiritual direction. It is as though that part of our lives caught fire, and we are now always discussing some facet of that inquiry. With Christmas just around the corner, Robin and I fondly recall the joy of sharing last Christmas Eve with our fellow pilgrims in the upper rooms of the albergue in Santo Domingo de Calzada. Daniel, a Canadian friend from the Camino, texted us the other day to simply say hello on this very special anniversary. A simple kindness that was much appreciated.<br /><br />Whether on the Camino or just living our lives at home, we continue to sense that we are all connected, and we are thankful for that. But, with this realization come new responsibilities. Understanding that what one does affects everyone else, shifts our thinking regarding all people and all things. We sell ourselves short, and diminish our lives, if we feel that we can get through life by simply doing no harm. Doing no harm is a start, but we are called to do something more, perhaps much more. In other words, we have to be active, even bold, in our faith or whatever you choose to call that inner yearning that causes us to seek the Oneness of our beginning. What that means for each of us is what I feel we are all trying to discover, and respond to. We do know that all human activity can be improved with love, charity and a joyful heart. These powerful virtues can, and should be, trusted to safely light the way for the inner journey that beckons all of us.<br /><br />Reaching Santiago was, in a sense, both an end, and a beginning. The pilgrimage physically came to a close, but at the same time we sensed that in some way it hadn't (the Holy Spirit is always at work). There was something yet to be done. Now far from the Camino our spiritual journey continues to lead us we know not where, but wherever that might be we are now anxious to follow. Perhaps, in the end, this will prove to be the greatest gift of our Camino.<br /><br />Gracias a Dios</em></div>
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See why I want to fast forward time!</div>
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To read more about John and Robin's camino experience, click <a href="http://agoodwalkunspoiled.blogspot.com/2012/02/promise-to-ourselves.html">here</a>.</div>
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2923983839926744788.post-30265840850398465712012-02-20T16:49:00.000+02:002012-02-21T07:46:24.526+02:00Day 594 - Huppel, huppel, hop!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hoe vertaal 'n mens nou huppel, huppel, hop in Engels? Dit was my dilemma vanoggend en net daar besluit ek - vandag skryf ek hierdie bloggie van my in my moedertaal. Ek weet nie hoe spel-check 'n mens nou Afrikaans nie, maar hier gaat ek elk geval!</div>
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Gisteraand was vir my baie spesiaal. Ek het myself in 'n klein kerkie langs die Blouberg se strand bevind, 'n plekkie en sy mense wat besig is om baie diep onder my vel in te klim. En daar sing ons toe uit volle bors ons huppel, huppel, hop liedjie, in aanbidding. Hande in die lug, uit volle bors en ek voel hoe die Here met ons praat! Ek veronderstel dat vir 'n Engelsman om te verstaan kan jy maar se ons het gesing oor hoe jy kan 'hop, skip and jump' for the Lord!</div>
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In 'n gemeente wat ek nou maar so stadigaan leer ken, het ek gisteraand twee baie definitiewe gevoelens beleef. En nogal diep beleef. Daar's baie swaar, en baie pyn by van die mense wat so om ons bly. Geliefdes wat veels te gou weggeneem is, siektes wat mense laat platval, finansies wat bollemakiesie.</div>
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En daar staan ons. Soos een man, sing ons ons huppel, huppel, hop liedjie. </div>
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Ek kan rerig nie onhou wanner laas ek so uit volle bors gesing het nie. Die ding wat my gevang het was dat ten spyte van als wat in 'n mens se lewe kan verkeerd gaan - as jy kan bly glo en lofsing uit jou hart uit, moet jy bly staan. <em>Kan </em>jy nie platval nie.</div>
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Dis so 'n amazing ding om te besef, dat ek nie anders kan as om sommer in Afrikaans te begin skryf op 'n blog waar 99% van die wat so nou en dan hier kuier hoog Engels is nie! </div>
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My kop is deesdae gevul met Camino dinge. Watter skoene om te koop, gaan my rugsak groot genoeg wees, wat op aarde gaan ek maak as 'n grys haartjie of twee na die derde week op die pad sy verkyning maak, (glo my, as ek by 'n haarkapper moet stop sal geen siel ooit daarvan te hore kom nie!) ens., ens, die lys gaan aan!! Hulle se mos jy moet al jou bederfgoed en luukshede by die huis los, dis dan nou die hele idee - so ek werk maar aan my kop op die oomblik. Ek kan nie se dat die idee van met harde voetsole begin stap vir my aanloklik klink nie. Ek het nie 'n clue hoe op aarde ek dit gaan regkry nie - om jare se pedi's net so uit die venster te gooi en te begin kaalvoet loop om die sole bietjie meer dikvellig te maak gaan maar sukkel!</div>
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So gisteraand se huppel, huppel liedjie het my net weer herinner - al hierdie ander goed maak nie rerig so vreeslik saak nie. My fokus behoort eerstens te wees op die feit dat ek hierdie fantastiese geleentheid op hierdie spesifieke tyd in my lewe het. Om vir 'n hele maand elke liewe dag met als wat ek fisies nodig het, op my rug te loop. En net tyd met my Skepper te kan deurbring.</div>
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Wow. Praat van huppel, huppel, hop.</div>
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Partykeer wonder ek hoe dit is dat ek so geseend is.</div>
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Die Here praat deesdae 'n taal met my wat so 'spot-on' is. Jammer, ek kan dit nie beter in Afrikaans se nie!</div>
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Vanoggend stap ek op die strand hier by ons en hierdie klip le op my pad in die sand.</div>
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Wou ek nou huppel toe ek dit sien! Ek het so twee weke terug begin om elke keer as ek stap, 'n klippie op te tel. Die gaan dan in 'n glas pot, bewys aan myself dat ek my camino voorbereiding ernstig opneem. Elke klip verteenwoordig tyd op die pad in voorbereiding vir die 20 plus kilos wat ek vir meer as 'n maand elke dag gaan stap in Spanje.</div>
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Die glas is amper vol, en daar's nog 'n hele paar weke oor. Ek gaan maar 'n mandjie of 'n ding moet koop want my klippe raak al hoe groter en die boodskappe al hoe duideliker!</div>
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So ek noem nou maar vandag se klip my huppel-klip en as hy nie so groot was nie het ek hom saam gedra na daai kruis in Spanje waar jy jou klippie moet gaan neerle!</div>
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2923983839926744788.post-28821899437246045062012-02-01T21:22:00.002+02:002012-02-01T21:26:22.568+02:00Day 578 - All in a day's work...<div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DF-LdvduEGQ/TymMLTga_BI/AAAAAAAAHvc/mkZYk_q-tBA/s1600/IMG_4815.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" sda="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DF-LdvduEGQ/TymMLTga_BI/AAAAAAAAHvc/mkZYk_q-tBA/s320/IMG_4815.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Now that the year is in full swing and things are pretty much back to 'normal', I feel myself wishing I was back in Europe. I miss walking on cobbled roads, I miss the musty smell of the old cathedrals where little old ladies in black sit running worn rosaries through their fingers, I miss negotiating the price of roasted almonds or chestnuts with old men whilst trying to steal some heat from their mobile barbecues... <br />
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I miss being privy to the busy lives of the pigeons and storks nesting in secret places, right above the people living in the towns and cities below - my camera lens allowing me unlimited access to their daily routine. Things you don't always notice in your own city. <br />
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I miss the irresistible smell of roasting coffee beans that attack the senses when you walk by quaint little coffee shops. I miss being able to throw all talk of dieting to the wind and being able to unashamedly place my order of pasteis de nata or whatever chocolate-bliss-delight is on the menu.<br />
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I miss being surrounded by so much history. I miss the sound of so many different languages that are strange to my ear. There is something magical about observing people interacting but not being able to understand what they are saying. I often find myself translating the script in my head - the stories become my own and endings are often open ended...<br />
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People say so much when they don't say anything. Somehow being in an unfamiliar setting with a language that you don't understand makes one more aware of the expressions on people's faces. I suspect there is a great lesson in there somewhere!<br />
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The thing that I really became aware of today as I scrolled through the pictures I took on our recent trip, is how many people actually make their living on the streets of the cities in Europe. I took these pictures without having a specific theme or interest in mind and I was actually quite amazed when I realized how many examples there were. From painters to dancers to buskers to people preparing food. They were all just getting on with the business of surviving.<br />
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I looked at these pictures with different eyes today and have new respect for the people that I snapped as a happy tourist, not REALLY giving too much thought to their reality. Even though it doesn't always look that way on the photos, it was freezing on some of those days.<br />
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I guess seeing all of these people on the streets in Europe adds to the magic of the place but I certainly have a renewed respect now that I see with different eyes.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Funny how I started feeling slightly nervous about my Camino plans a few days ago. I can't put my finger on it, but for some reason I had that funny feeling in the pit of my stomach that we all hate having - not a good feeling at all but not something that can be fixed by swallowing a pill.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">You know what I mean...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And then, this morning, with a click of the keyboard, the feeling disappeared. My flight tickets have been booked. Paid for, can't change it, done. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I had a lovely message with loads of advice from a regular pilgrim on the Camino recenly and in it he said: 'The Camino doesn't pose problems, only solutions.' How true that turned out to be.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">At one stage none of the dates worked as they should to fit in with our plans after the Camino - in fact, the boat that we really wanted to hire for the barging wasn't available on the route we first chose - the list goes on. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Just like that, it all started falling in place. No need for frantic questions about some of the bigger issues anymore - it just all worked out. As I should have known. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The Camino offers only solutions - not problems.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I love that!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">In my elated state I have found a new desire to get out there and put some miles under my feet in preparation - the picture above and the ones below are some of the sights that greeted me on my walk from home yesterday.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Filled with a new sense of purpose, I'll be hunting for shoes tomorrow. I guess the dream is no longer a dream now!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">For more advice from someone who knows the Camino pretty well, click <a href="http://sagalouts-theroadtonowhere.blogspot.com/">here</a>. As you can see by the advice he gave me - he seems to be on to something!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2923983839926744788.post-82116836033268053612012-01-29T09:13:00.001+02:002012-01-29T09:18:38.930+02:00Day 575 - Experiencing the heart of the Camino...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--Fy3RDru-u4/TyTnH4-TG-I/AAAAAAAAHqo/ITme-y8pDRw/s1600/IMG_3376.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gda="true" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--Fy3RDru-u4/TyTnH4-TG-I/AAAAAAAAHqo/ITme-y8pDRw/s320/IMG_3376.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Sunday is normally a day of reflection for me. This morning I decided to re-read sections of my friend Ermanno Aiello's book, 'Forever a Pilgrim'. Ermanno walked the Camino in 2007 and still lights up whenever he talks to you about his experiences during those few weeks in Spain. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Today I lingered on page 132 of his book where he talks about a very special personal experience.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">As an introduction to the piece that really spoke to me, I quote:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><em>'To know something but not to feel it are two totally different things. To know what hunger is is not the same as to feel what hunger is, or to know what poverty is but to never have known poverty is not the same.</em></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><em>I knew that I had to love God with my whole heart, my whole soul, my whole mind, my whole body <strong>but had I really known how and with what to feel it?</strong></em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><em>Had I ever felt the deep, deep burning sensation in my very core which Christ referred to as 'your whole heart' , which is, I realized, much more than that organ but the very centre of my being, where all emotions reside?</em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><em>This is the very place where, I believe, one's love for God has it's origins. From there this love expands to embrace and fill the entire soul, that wonderful, eternal breath of God within each one of us, which cries out with love for God in its own voice which is unlike any human voice.'</em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">He continues a bit further down the page with the following piece - the part that really fills me with anticipation for the experiences awaiting me on my own journey!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><em>'It was here, in this beautiful place where I had stopped on my camino, that I felt the searing warmth of my love for God for the first time in my life - deep, deep within me.</em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><em>I could feel my soul, my mind and my body responding to this feeling and I stood there in silence, unable to move. It was here too, that I realized that, no matter how beautiful nature's scenery is, one is only seeing a very small reflection of God. To really see God one has to look for Him in the eyes of one's neighbour who is dying of Aids, or in the eyes of a starving child, or in the eyes of anyone who is suffering but who we, more often than not, purposely avoid seeing.</em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><em>When I finally did move on it was with an inner peace like I had never felt before. The peace that only Christ can give when we begin to love as we should.'</em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Wow!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2923983839926744788.post-31437425423842638822012-01-27T21:18:00.007+02:002012-01-27T22:03:27.186+02:00Day 573 - Holiday pics<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"> I love Africa but I have to say, being in Europe at the end of a year and seeing in the new year in Funchal, Madeira, is a <em>pretty</em> special treat! </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">Here are just a few of the trillion pictures I took...</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RV5cbzyupus/TyLy1_nn_YI/AAAAAAAAHn4/tyfK5q_5rNM/s1600/IMG_4806.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gda="true" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RV5cbzyupus/TyLy1_nn_YI/AAAAAAAAHn4/tyfK5q_5rNM/s320/IMG_4806.JPG" width="250" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2923983839926744788.post-62183703062015249882012-01-25T18:36:00.004+02:002012-01-25T18:50:38.892+02:00Day 571 - Less than 5 months to go!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-m0CZcv4Dx7U/TyAG8f3WWXI/AAAAAAAAHno/tWzUhIbbOzE/s1600/IMG_5737.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gda="true" height="218" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-m0CZcv4Dx7U/TyAG8f3WWXI/AAAAAAAAHno/tWzUhIbbOzE/s320/IMG_5737.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Headless in Spain...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Even though I took this picture, I could very well have been the one posing for it instead. I'm feeling a little headless myself at this stage of the game! Somehow the months have managed to fly away from me and now I have less than five months to go before I start walking. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">There seems to be a million things to organise and plan and for the very first time I'm starting to feel a little nervous. I'm hoping it's sheer excitement rather than nerves, but I will admit, that lady in red on the pic feels a lot like me looking in the mirror right now! Dressed up for Spain but without a plan to match and definitely wearing the wrong shoes! The missing head is probably up in the clouds somewhere - well, I can't say that's far from the truth either!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Two evenings ago we had a planning get together at our house and in keeping with the event, I opened a bottle of 'Barefoot' Merlot from California. How on earth that arrives on a shelf in Cape Town, South Africa for under R30, I don't know! I bought it for three reasons - it had won a medal in the States, I loved the label for the occasion and I found the price hard to resist. (Plan B was to cook with it if it really tasted like bare feet...) I can however report that it wasn't half bad! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">So that's how Eddie, Oscar and I came to share our first glass of red whilst planning our camino! (Up to now it's only ever been discussed over cups of coffee or Energade in the mountains!) </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RlUVWnnpVf8/TyAHAa-1PDI/AAAAAAAAHnw/dPRrnwCxVqI/s1600/IMG_5937.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gda="true" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RlUVWnnpVf8/TyAHAa-1PDI/AAAAAAAAHnw/dPRrnwCxVqI/s320/IMG_5937.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">How apt is that!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Initially we thought we would be flying Cape Town - London - Biarritz. After looking at all the options available to us regarding airlines, frequent flyer miles in the bank etc., we have decided to fly Cape Town - Paris - Bordeaux. From Bordeaux we'll take the train to St Jean Pied de Port. We'll start walking from here on.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Our barging trip in Burgundy post Camino was confirmed today as well. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Hang on.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Writing all of this down makes me realise that perhaps I'm not AS headless at this stage as it feels - it actually sounds like the plan <em>is</em> somehow coming together. So it must be nerves - drat. Maybe it's time to sign up for that Yoga class I've been meaning to do. Someone needs to teach me how to breathe...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">So these are the questions I have to deal with right now:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">1) I know <em>where</em> to store my luggage that I will need for the barging trip after the Camino, the question is <em>HOW</em> do I get it to Santiago from Bordeaux without paying a fortune? I know that posting it is an option and that it would be best to post it from within Spain but that would mean that I would have to schlep it with me over the Pyrenees and that aint happening... </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">As we will be barging in Burgundy and we fly back home from Paris, it might be worth finding out if the boating company has some system in place whereby I can forward the bag from Paris to the town where we collect the boat.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">2) As I'm working on the budget (well just roughly anyway) I need to figure out what the approximate daily cost is for an albergue and three meals. As we have decided on the dates, I now know more or less how many days we've given ourselves, so that will help with that calculation.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">3) We plan to arrive in Santiago on the 12th of July - the day of my birthday. So I'm thinking that we'll pay a visit to the church that day and then attend mass the next morning before going to the pilgrims' office to collect our 'Compostella's' - proof that we completed the Camino. SO - I need to find out what time mass is and what the hours of the pilgrims' office are. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">From here on we could hire a car and drive to Burgundy to board our boat at 16h00 the next afternoon. Google map tells me this is a journey of about 16-17 hours by car, so now I have to look at the cost of this and the time it is going to take as opposed to perhaps flying to Paris and then going to Migennes by train.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Those are a few of the most important questions I have right now, as the sooner some of these things are booked, the better the prices are going to be. (And I don't think finalizing this will harm my breathing either...)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">So if you are a Camino graduate and you have been through any of this or have answers or suggestions regarding any of these arrangements - I would love to hear from you!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">In the meantime - 'Barefoot in California' it is for me! Oh, and I'll post some of our holiday pics in the next post - funny how Spain keeps featuring in my life...</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5