Balance paid

The balance of the trip is paid and Chris, Teresa and I talked about this walking adventure as we made our way along the Grand Union Canal yesterday. Little did we know as we walked, that the weather in the UK is currently better than that of the southern part of France and Spain where the Camino goes. I've told Ann from World Walks to please get things sorted for June 23rd.

It feels good to be this close as now we can get excited. Really looking forward to showing Chris around Conques, such a pretty place.

Only taxis to sort now.

If you having nothing to tie you to the UK or wherever you may be when you read this...and if you enjoy walking, you may want to set up a business getting walkers back and forth to their walks on the Camino. Again we face a taxi bill of about 120 euros to get from Cahors back to Rodez. At least this time it's split 3 ways!!

Should we change plans?

It's perfect weather for the Camino but I'm so glad we're not supposed to be out there now as we'd never have made it due to the fact that we are flying.

June 23rd seems a long way off but I can't help wondering whether we sit back trusting that everything will be OK or change plans and look to training it instead.

For those of you following this blog though, you'll know that we've already exhausted that option as very expensive and long and not ideal. I'll trust to the Universe and see myself walking those wonderful paths with two other great women....must remember the sun screen!

Bus, not sure, taxi???

At the moment all is organised except getting from Cahors at the end of the walk back to Rodez for the flight.

Now, I've been told that there's one bus at 3.00 so if we get that, the flight is long gone especially as it takes over 2 hours!! Teresa has been given so other information, although as I write, I'm not sure what. Fingers crossed.

I've been told that we need to go the night before but of course we can't and I suppose had we known this, we could have booked an extra day but too late now as RyanAir will charge us a fortune to change names and flight times - learning for the next time.

There's always a taxi, isn't there? Have the feeling that this one might prove even more expensive than the £120 we paid the last time but perhaps we can book in advance and at least it's between 3. Ever hopeful.

Will call Ann at World Walks and see if she can help.

It's booked

At last, it's booked. We're flying to and from Rodez.

It's the quickest way and means we arrive in plenty of time for Christine to explore the beautiful Conques before we have to head out the next morning. I tell you, this small town, more like a village is just like a wonderful film set. You expect to walk round the back and see that it's not real...but it is.

If I close my eyes, I'm back there, enjoying a beer in the sun just like Teresa below.

I need some direction

Took some time out this morning to go into central London so that I could visit the Rail Europe Offices and talk to a real person about my options regarding travel in France, yes, this is a follow on from yesterdays post...or was it a rant?

Anyhow, found it no problem and there were no queues, yes, this was going my way. Ten minutes later and it was all over and I had little more info than when I'd looked on the net. You can't book tickets until 90 days before you travel but that also means that you can't see the timetables or get an idea of costs of some routes.

I needed to know about local buses as from Cahors to Rodez there are no trains but of course Rail Europe can't tell you anything about that. So, they helpfully said 'you need to go to the French Tourist office, they'll be able to tell you'.


Off I went, onto the tube again, off the tube again, along High Holborn (thank goodness I'd had the forethought to get the address for them before leaving home) and then into some anonymous building with no sign at all indicating this is what I wanted until I got in. Even then, the person at reception was rather abrupt. Up in the lift and then there were two doors, both of which you had to ring bells to get through. I wasn't feeling very welcomed or wanted and the fact that the gentleman met me just as I stepped over the threshold and had no intention of letting me go further, did not help.

I just about managed to tell him what I needed and he rather smugly responded that all information regarding local buses could only be got in France from the local tourist office!

Waste of time? Yes and no. I know I've tried as hard as I could and in an hour or so I'll sit down and compare what I have and chances are, we'll fly.

Frustration.

World Walks -  http://www.worldwalks.com/france.aspx have confirmed dates etc and deposit is paid but both Teresa and I are finding organising the travel a nightmare and it's amazing how quickly you forget as Teresa has just reminded me that this is exactly what happened last time.

The trip on Eurostar to Paris is fine but getting South to our destination takes both a long time and is very expensive and at the moment the timetables we want aren't up. The other option is flying to Rodez which is what we did last time and it's looking likely again, just need to see if we can get a train from Cahors to Rodez!!

Teresa and I have both spent hours online so now it's time for the human touch and I'm off To Rail Europe in town tomorrow to see if I can sort this - fingers crossed, please.

We're off

Just had confirmation from the wonderful Ann at World Walks that she has our dates booked and the accommodation for the first night booked. Looks as if that lovely little hotel in Conques will have the pleasure of our company again.

Deposit to pay and then we'll get the confirmation of the rest as it happens.

Feel really excited.

This view is taken of the Abbey of St Foy from just outside our hotel and from our room last time we had a view of the Abbey Towers.

The addition to the small, but perfectly formed team.

No I haven't gone anywhere, life's just been busy.

Since I last posted we've been targetting a couple of the established East End Girls who have expressed interest in this walk and it's been an interesting move. Teresa and I have both noted how slightly scared we are about bringing other people along. Now that might sound crazy but we've started this walk together, promised each other that we'll do all of it together and we've loved it so it's really important that anyone who comes too, really fits in. I think we've all experienced times when we've been on holidays with a great friend, who's turned out to be a nightmare when you're in close proximity to them for a week or so. For this reason we've been very careful and also decided to increase the group size very gradually and probably only to a max of 6.

Anyone, I'm delighted to say that Christine, who we've been to the Lakes and Peru with very successfully and stayed away on the Pink Ribbon too, is joining us. For many reasons, she's the only one at present so wonder what she'll make of it all?

Christine on the right with Teresa next to her, then me and on the left Gemma as we celebrate arriving at Machu Picchu

Very busy on the Spanish side

Been talking to Anne at World Walks to see how soon we need to book and she tells me that we're lucky we're not trying to do the Spanish sections at present as they are really busy especially in the last two weeks in May.

This is good to know for the future so if you're thinking of walking this amazing path, do take this on board. As it's a Holy Year this year, it may be busier than normal.

She also mentioned that the sections closer to the Pyrenees also need to be booked early as there isn't that much accommodation. This will come all to soon Teresa - exciting isn't it.

Was good to talk to Anne again and she remembered me - is that good or bad? Good I think as I was able to give feedback on hotels and help her correct some wrong mileage info. Feedback is so important.

If you are thinking of doing this walk from the UK, I very much recommend Pilgrim Routes - http://www.pilgrimroutes.com/ also known as http://www.worldwalks.com

Who's joining us this time.

Teresa and I have done the first two sections of the Camino on our own and it's been such a lovely experience. Teresa would be more religious than me but I feel it's true to say that we are both spiritual and there's something wonderful about the peace and quiet of walking this historical path.


Often we are the only two people for miles and that solitude allows great time for contemplation and thinking. We can happily walk along for short periods not saying a thing but most of the time we're pointing out sights, marvelling at the spectacular and taking photos - usually me who gets rather 'trigger happy' especially in that fabulous morning and evening light.

We've decided that we don't want to walk with a huge group but that 4 or 6 may be OK, I have to say that honestly it feels a little scary but the people interested are other wonderful women who we know so well and to date have shared so much with so not sure why I feel like this. Anyhow, as a first step, we've asked Chris and Lindsey so will await their response.....

A couple of others are also interested, will we take it stage by stage or go for more this time? Perhaps we'll need that bigger group to help us make it up to the little chapel on the hillside outside Conques!

Back on the Camino - June 2010?

Getting very excited as I start to plan the 3rd part of the Camino. Heading off in June this time so that in itself will be an experience and hope that there will be 4 of us going too.

This time we revisit Conques and start from there with the knowledge that it's a little down hill into the valley and then a slog up to the chapel where we can ring the bell - looking forward to that.

Looking forward too to some wonderful warm and sunny weather to get those legs tanned.

Teresa and I had such a great experience with World Walks that we plan to use them again.

Keep posted to see how we're progressing with the plans.