Camino Blog

D-Day minus 2 

I got up early today (by my standards), because I woke early, and couldn’t get back to sleep. 

After a light breakfast I headed downtown for a haircut in Larry Hogan’s.

On the way home I picked up some odd and ends, and blaas for lunch.  I won’t see another blaa until I get back.

After lunch I went for a nice walk, with my better half, and our two dogs, along the river walk down by Maypark Lane.

When I got back home, I went to print off the questions, answers, answer sheets and picture rounds for a quiz I would have been doing, but I’ll miss while I’m away. My partner in crime, John Lennon will be doing it in my absence.

I had terrible problems with the new HP printer that I bought only a few months ago, and spent nearly 3 hours getting it sorted.  For the last hour I was sitting at the PC with the two dogs lying around my feet, almost as if the knew I’m going away.

The condemned man ate a hearty meal, supplied by the Happy Garden takeaway.  Unfortunately, I forgot to take a picture. 

I got calls from family & friends during the day wishing me well.  It almost feels that I might not be coming back. 

I’ve put an app on my wife’s phone so she can see where I am. I’ve also put Whatsapp on both our phones.  The car is full of petrol for the trip to Dublin airport tomorrow for my 8:20 flight to Sansted.

I always underestimate the time I need, my wife always overestimates it.  So, the compromise is to leave at 5:00 to be at the airport for 6:45, which gives me a clear 1 1/2 hours to my flight.

I’ve unpacked my bag again and gone through the full checklist again.

Socks, underwear, tops, pants, raincoat, rain trousers, fleece, gloves, hat, sandals, glasses, sunglasses, towel, soap, comb, toothbrush, toothpaste, washing powder, sunblock, moisturiser, tissues, Vaseline, tablets, phone, charger, a/c adaptor, headlamp, wallet, money, cards, sleeping bag, plastic bags, biro, and a haversack to transport all that in.

We’re travelling solo, so everything we need we must carry, or buy it along the way.
Nothing more I can do now, so I’m going to have a nice, relaxing glass of Pinot Grigio and then to bed.

And that’s probably the last coal fire I’ll see till Autumn.
Tomorrow is another day, my dear.

Camino Blog

Camino Blog
D-Day minus 2

Saturday April 30th

Tomorrow, I set off for St Jean Pied de Port, in the foothills of the French Pyrenees, to begin the Camino de Santiago de Compostella, the Frances Route.

I’ll meet up with my brother at Sansted, on my way. The trip is his idea. He wants to do it because he’s turning 50 this year. I’m going along to keep him company. It will take us 5 weeks to complete the 500 odd miles.

We are nearly a generation apart, 15 years between us. I’m the oldest of the family, and he’s the youngest, now. Our youngest sister died a couple of years ago. Our family imploded while my little brother was still a child.

As the eldest, I got the best out of it, while my brother suffered the worst of it, along with losing both parents in quick succession before he was 15. He more or less reared himself and did it abroad.  And, in fairness to him, I must say that he did a great job.

Even though I had my own family to rear at the time, I still feel somewhat guilty for not looking after him.  He was quiet, in contrast to our youngeest sister, who drew all the attention.  For me, the trip is a great opportunity for us to get to know one another properly.

Neither of us are religious (I’m a born again atheist) so I don’t really get why my brother wants to do it. I haven’t pressed him on it, because he seems so keen. I presume it’s the challenge.

I see it as a challenge, too, and I’m looking forward to it as a challenge. Throughout my thirties I ran marathons, 13 in all, and trained quite hard for them. My best time was a quite respectable 2:52.

However, all the heavy training wore out the cartilage in my knees, so I can’t run without searing pain now. It feels like bone grating on bone, and boy, does it hurt.

So, all my training has been walking. I trained all through last year at low mileage, but since Christmas I’ve been walking over 30 miles a week consistently, and up to two weeks ago, I was walking more than 40 miles a week, with 611 miles done since January 1st.

I have done a longer walk every weekend, including 7 X 20 milers and 3 X 16 milers. I’m hoping that will be enough to carry me through in the weeks ahead.