Quoted from the article in The Local es:
Last Friday they reached their destination after completing an impressive 652 km of the route on foot – not including the countless extra miles they covered while lost in the foothills of the Pyrenees.
Absolutely bl**dy marvellous!!
Regardless of their adventurous beginning, they made it!! Wow!! What an achievement.
The discussion about their rescue and the right and wrongs and payment for that - or not - is a total other discussion but I would be interested to know about the outcome. Mainly because we don't usually get follow ups to sensational stories and there is so much to be learnt from each such incident.
What really touched me was the highlighted line below:
The pair were driven to Roncesvalles where they spent a few days recovering before deciding to continue on their way to Santiago.
"At the moment we were rescued I could only think that I would never attempt to walk again but after a few days rest and meeting all the other people doing the Camino we decided that we had to continue and try to get to Santiago."
Recovering in Roncesvalles, the pilgrims that Diana and Justin met inspired them to continue their Camino. If any of us had met them there in those same circumstances, knowing of their lost wanderings and rescue, wouldn't we have done exactly the same?
"We ditched the tent and a lightened our backpacks by a lot and split the walking with am overnight train across the meseta (the flat land between Burgos and Leon),"explained Justin. "Diane’s blisters got worse but she has been an amazing trooper throughout this pilgrimage and I'm still astonished how much we achieved."
...and they adapted and
learnt from their experience!
We've all done it... encouraged people to
Just Do It! Hubby and I did it with our Camino compañero and paid the price.
Don't we ever! Diane and Justin have given us an opportunity to review our instructions on following the path out of SJPdP. Everyone listens to and understands directions in their own unique way. Hubby and I have had many an interesting conversation over that!
Well said! If anything we now know that there is a path leading off the Valcarlos Route that we shouldn't take - does anyone have a photo of that turnoff? We could post it with a
Go Back! You are going the Wrong Way!! warning.
...and
@Kathar1na, some of us are going hmmm....
that looks like an interesting alternative route to Roncesvalles!
Don't panic! I would definitely do a LOT of research first!
But I'll leave the final words to Diane and Justin themselves:
So would they do it again?
"Absolutely yes,"said Justin, while beside him Diane gave an emphatic shake of the head and pointed at her bandaged feet.