Tuesday 30 September 2008

300 miles down, 200 left to walk!

Well it's an update from Mark on the Camino, I get so excited when one pops into my inbox. I cannot quite believe that it's passing so quickly although I'm sure not for Mark at times.

Read on and find out what's happening now......

Thank you for you wonderful posts and kind words. The walk is going very well and I am coming up on the final third of the experience. There is a growing excitement amongst the Pilgrims as we enter this final stage. Right now I am in a small village called Valverde de la Virgen, just West of Leon. Leon is a very large city and there was a wonderful fiesta going on yesterday as I arrived and it went on into the evening. 

Saturday morning was the first time on the Camino that I just wanted to pack it in and go home. At times it is very trying and you get awfully tired of wearing the same clothes everyday and lugging this backpack everywhere you go. As my Mom always told me, "Get a good night´s sleep and it will be better in the morning." 

Sunday was a beautiful day for walking and just what I needed. My feet are fine, although I have several new blisters. No matter how prepared you are, the Camino gets you. It is hot during the day and very chilly at night. One man missed the curfew last night in Leon and could not get in until 6 a.m. this morning. He walked the streets of Leon all night freezing. We felt pretty bad for him this morning. I am sure he had a miserable day today. 

Tonight I am in a small, private refugio and there are only three of us staying here. We are just about to have dinner with this lovely couple who own the refugio and speak no English. Buen Camino!

Wednesday 24 September 2008

More news from Mark on the Camino

The latest from Mark.......

On the 14th day....rest.

Posted: 22 Sep 2008 10:47 AM CDT

After walking 280 kilometers (170 miles) I decided to take a day off while staying in Burgos. It is one of the largest cities along the Camino. Last night I had dinner with a group of walkers and stayed in a refugio. This morning I checked into a hotel for some privacy and have spent the say resting. This afternoon I have been walking a bit and enjoying the city. I am in an older part of the city and the churches are amazing. It´s funny to think of leaving Minneapolis two weeks ago and now it seems like a long time ago. I have shed about 50% of what I took with me. Other walkers are now coming into the city and I will catch up with some of them for dinner this evening. I plan to leave early in the morning and have my longest day of walking tommorrow, about 40 kilometers. The next ten days are very flat and I will push it up a bit and average about 18 miles a day. I did not feel like taking a day off right now, but am so glad I did. It was needed both mentally and physically. I think I already learned the one thing I needed to learn and actually discovered it on day two. Will wait the trip out and see what else comes my way. There are no words to express my gratitude to my family, friends, colleagues and clients for their patience during my time away.

Mark LeBlanc http://www.SmallBusinessSuccess.com

Thursday 18 September 2008

More news of Mark's trip

10th full day of walking

Today is my 10th full day of walking and I am averaging about 13 miles a day. It is the most amazing experience of my life and I thank God everyday for the privilege of walking this walk. On the walk it is said that you do not choose the Camino, the Camino chooses you. It is also said that it takes about ten days for your body to acclimate, then the next ten days are rather spiritual, and the last ten days are for sorting out a path for the rest of your life. This morning I was up early and out of the refugio by 7ish and now stopped in a bar in Ciruena, on my way to Santo Domingo de la Calzada. The Spanish culture is inspired and I have been fortunate to see many beautiful and old churches and castles. The food is great and Coke is now the nectar of the Gods. It´s amazing how great a coke tastes on the Camino. The path is a variety of terrains and you get blisters in the oddest places. Whatever pain I have experienced has been hard but manageable. I have seen the running of the bulls in Viana. Well, I need to be on my way. Thank you for your posts. It means a lot. Love from the Camino, Mark

I just love Mark's updates and find myself searching the email every few days for more news. He sounds as if he's having a great time, should have senmt him my blister tips though - bet he's not using Vaseline!!

Monday 15 September 2008

Life on the Camino

How lovely to turn my computer this morning and find an email from my friend Mark who is walking the Camino in France and Spain:-

This is how he's getting on.

"Well, I have walked over 50 miles and have 450 to go. If the first four full days of walking are any indication, then this will shape up to be the most incredible experience of my life. The country is beautiful, the walk is serene and my body is screaming in pain. I now have an intimate relationship with every muscle in my body, mostly hips, legs, and feet. I did get a bad blister on my right foot on day three and this morning woke up and had the privilege of walking 12 miles on this bad boy. I have met some amazing people on the path from Korea, Germany, Canada and many other countries and finally met a guy named Brian from Seattle. There are walkers from all over the world, but only two from the United States. The refugios (refugee camps for walkers) have all been wonderful, clean and hospitable. The other night I was in a room with 116 cots. What a symphony of sounds! I over packed and have ditched a lot of stuff.
Already I have learned much and will turn in for the night. Tomorrow is a 13 mile walk."Love from the Camino, Mark

I am so excited about getting started myself. Got to sort the Eurostar situation out first as a result of the fire in the tunnel. With the present timetable, our ticket will not get us to Paris in time to pick up connections.

Tuesday 9 September 2008

'Go Mark' - have a great trip




This cool dude is my good friend Mark and I've mentioned him before, a few posts ago when talking about the Camino. I'm not 100% sure which day Mark actually starts the Camino but what I do know is that the adventure started on Sunday Sept 7th when he left Minneapolis en route to Paris. as he says in his blog - http://blog.smallbusinesssuccess.com/ 'The only two details for the trip are my flight from Minneapolis to Paris and from Madrid to Minneapolis on October 13th. Everything else gets figured out along the way.'

And perhaps that's no bad thing. One of the fun things about a trip like this is going with the flow and just seeing what happens.



To quote from one of Mark's earlier posts:- 'Not long ago, a friend asked me why I was walking the Camino. I really have no clue. My brother, John, has a friend who walked it after retiring from teaching and that's how I found about it. It sounded like something pretty cool to do. Upon further reflection, I am guessing there is something I need to learn and something I need to let go of. Pretty simple, really. My brother, Gottfried Ransmayr, from Vienna just walked it in July. My friends, Jim and Nancy Burke, walked part of it several years ago. A waitress I know if La Jolla walked it when she was 16. Something profound will happen.'


From my own experience, I know that people walk for many different reasons and get many different things from their walking. We may glean some of what Mark is getting along the way but be assured, I shall catch up with him at the end and will let you know how his experience has affected him.


Here's Mark the night before he left sporting his new look.

The shaved head will, to quote Mark, 'make the trip a little easier and will save on shampoo. I wonder what I will look like after five weeks of not shaving.'

Check in with Mark's blog yourself if you wish but I will be bringing you updates and following his progress carefully as Teresa and I set out on our section on October 2nd.

Tuesday 2 September 2008

The Camino

Last year in November, I met Mark at a dinner. He was the president of the National Speakers Association in the states and my husband was about to take over as president of the Professional Speakers Association in the UK. We chatted over dinner, lots of which was about walking as Mark had decided to walk the Camino in September 2008.

On September 7th he leaves the USA to start this exciting journey and on Oct 2nd I start on the French part of it with my fellow East End Girl, Teresa.

Today, Mark sent me some You tube links which have really got me in the mood. If you haven't a clue what the Camino is then have a look here:-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y45YVNxT1go

and if you want more inspiration, try this one:-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDOTJHbwRj4

There was a line in video 2 that I loved - 'we are all walkers on the Camino of life' and how true that is.