Rose Louise
Member
Just home having completed the Camino Portugues in the second half of May. My motivators were Ivar, our forum host, gdb, the many wonderful people, most of whom I have never met, who make up the contributors of this site and lastly my husband.
Our Camino was different in that we joined a group. Six walkers whose ages ranged from about 30 to mid 70’s and a leader. Our luggage was shipped daily and accommodation was pre-arranged.
Our six months of preparation, walking the boots in, walking with our packs and training on flat dry dusty and sealed roads in Australia left us ill prepared for the Camino. On reflection we probably would not walk with wet weather gear again – our bodies overheated under it and our clothes were soaked through. We would never have made it to Santiago without our walking poles. The undulating countryside peppered with rocky surfaces and heavy rain resulted in blisters for my husband while I suffered a stomach upset during the latter part of the journey.
I had seen the Camino as a place for reflection and contemplation. It turned out rather differently – a more apt description would have been a test of endurance in uncharted territory. gdb warned us to “expect the unexpected” and that “the Camino would provide” and it did.
Amazingly at times when you felt that you did not have the energy to go forward somewhere from within an inner strength emerged and you completed the day’s walk.
We marveled at the unimaginably green rolling hills, the granite posts that supported the grapevines in the fields, the ornate churches and cathedrals, the people and the tastes of Spain that made the Way so memorable.
We found encouragement came from the locals along the way, group members and Karen’s group who we tagged on our first day of walking.
There was an overwhelming sense of achievement as we waited patiently on the steps of the Pilgrims Office to receive your Compostela. At the Pilgrim’s Mass the following day we had the good fortune to see the botafumeiro swung – what an amazing spectacle (paid for by a group of tourists who looked like they had been bussed in for the day).
To Karen, “are we there yet” takes on a whole new meaning and “yes” my hubby was happy it was over. Like Raymond the Reluctant he came along to support my dream.
As a postscript, saw Brother David’s van parked in a carpark in Cornwall last week.
Thank you all for being a part of my dream that became a reality in May. Go for it on the Camino Portugues – no crowds there. May the memories linger on.
Our Camino was different in that we joined a group. Six walkers whose ages ranged from about 30 to mid 70’s and a leader. Our luggage was shipped daily and accommodation was pre-arranged.
Our six months of preparation, walking the boots in, walking with our packs and training on flat dry dusty and sealed roads in Australia left us ill prepared for the Camino. On reflection we probably would not walk with wet weather gear again – our bodies overheated under it and our clothes were soaked through. We would never have made it to Santiago without our walking poles. The undulating countryside peppered with rocky surfaces and heavy rain resulted in blisters for my husband while I suffered a stomach upset during the latter part of the journey.
I had seen the Camino as a place for reflection and contemplation. It turned out rather differently – a more apt description would have been a test of endurance in uncharted territory. gdb warned us to “expect the unexpected” and that “the Camino would provide” and it did.
Amazingly at times when you felt that you did not have the energy to go forward somewhere from within an inner strength emerged and you completed the day’s walk.
We marveled at the unimaginably green rolling hills, the granite posts that supported the grapevines in the fields, the ornate churches and cathedrals, the people and the tastes of Spain that made the Way so memorable.
We found encouragement came from the locals along the way, group members and Karen’s group who we tagged on our first day of walking.
There was an overwhelming sense of achievement as we waited patiently on the steps of the Pilgrims Office to receive your Compostela. At the Pilgrim’s Mass the following day we had the good fortune to see the botafumeiro swung – what an amazing spectacle (paid for by a group of tourists who looked like they had been bussed in for the day).
To Karen, “are we there yet” takes on a whole new meaning and “yes” my hubby was happy it was over. Like Raymond the Reluctant he came along to support my dream.
As a postscript, saw Brother David’s van parked in a carpark in Cornwall last week.
Thank you all for being a part of my dream that became a reality in May. Go for it on the Camino Portugues – no crowds there. May the memories linger on.
