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.

walking in France on the Camino

As you, who are regular readers will know, last year, Teresa and I started off walking the Camino. We opted to star in Le Puy in France and walk to the French/Spanish border and then across Northern Spain to our destination in Santiago de Compostella.

So far we've done two sections, 10 days overall and are loving it. The walk is taking us through wonderful France scenery and do places we would otherwise probably not visit or even find.

I've decided to set up a separate blog to post on and will get that organised in the next few weeks - commitments allowing. Until then, if you want to see some photos, please go to:

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/album.php?aid=132234&id=699486931for Stage 1 and http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/album.php?aid=129728&id=699486931 for Stage 2.

Enjoy and I look forward to hearing your comments.

Day 1

The first part was all up hill, well the town is in a valley so no choice really. It was good to stop and look back from where we'd come and then to get onto the path.

This is one of the official signs of the St James' Way although every time we saw one the distance seemed to have changed very little. We thought the figure was how far we had to go but I wonder .... anyone shed any light on this? We've probably missed something very simple.

You will see examples of numerous signs as I tell the story but one thing is that the signage was fantastic and meant that you didn't have to spend your time with your nose stuck in the book or map so we could really enjoy the scenery.

At this sign we met a young German who had started the walk in Stuttgard, walked through Switzerland and planned to get to Santiago in December. I hope all is going well for you Gregor.

Just look at at the scenery and the light. The first part of the walk on this first morning was just so beautiful. The sun shone in a sky which was so blue and peppered in places with wonderful white clouds. In places there was still a great deal of green in the trees but in others the autumn colours were coming through and in this light the colours were sharp and stunning.

At this point above, we had just come off a tarred track onto terrain much stonier and with a deep brown/red hue to it. Today was through volcanic landscape which makes up this Massive Central area and as we climbed we could see the many 'puys' around.

Here are some of the signs I mentioned................

My Camino experience - part 1

My friend Mark is back in the States and although I'm sure he's delighted to be home, I guess he'll be missing being out in the air and having all that space to think. Sometimes it's not until you have it that you miss it when it's gone. I know I did and that was only after 4 days.

I haven't seen mark's photos yet but I do hope he sends some and then I'll share them with you.

Until then, I felt it was time to share a little of our story and sites on the Camino...Not sure how far I'll get as there is so much to tell.

We chose to start our walk in Le Puy, a wonderful Medieval town in Central France just south of Clermont Ferrand and the Massive Central. I have driven through this area before but never walked it and after the stunning scenery viewed from the train on the way here I was so looking forward to it.

If you return to the post of October 8th, you'll see a photo of Teresa and I full of anticipation and excitement at 8.30 a.m on the morning on October 3rd 2008.

If you start in Le Puy, you should start at the cathedral, so having sussed it out the night before that's exactly what we did and standing at the doorway looking down into the town gave us a very dramatic starting point and really summed up the vastness and greatness of what we were about to embark on. See what I mean.....



Yes, I know we weren't about to do it all in one go, that must be amazing, but we were staring something we'd both thought about doing for a long time.


Here's Teresa, full of energy and vigor heading up the narrow medieval streets to start the walk at the front of the cathedral so she can glimpse the view again.

The cathedral is stunning and well worth a visit anyhow even if you're not going to do the walk but when there.....

.....and here's Teresa again on the off.

Below is the route we were to take from Le Puy in the top right corner to Aumont-Aubrac at the lower left. We had 4 days.

The greatest party of my life - and Mark prepares to head off home to the USA

What a lovely surprise to get another blog posting from Mark and a great summary of what can only be an undescribable experience.


Posted: 12 Oct 2008 03:01 PM CDT
Sunday Night

Well, I am back in the real world. Was it ever strange to get in a taxi and head to the airport in Santiago. I felt like I was flying and hadn´t left the ground yet. I flew to Madrid and checked into a hotel. I have a 3:30 a.m. wakeup call and then shuttle to the airport. 

It´s hard to describe Saturday night, but will do the best I can. I have been fortunate to attend some wonderful events and parties over the course of my life and nothing compares to the experience last night. Imagine 17 people around a dinner table...from Germany, Spain, Ireland, England, Japan, Korea, France, Australia, Italy, Canada, Brazil and of course, me from the United States. Now, add the fact that each one has just completed a 500 mile walk and most-likely the greatest, if not one of the top 2 or 3 accomplishments in their life. The laughing, the singing, the hugging, the cheering, the toasting, and the roasting never seemed to stop. The youngest was Miyu from Japan at 22 and the oldest was Lucas, 72 from Italy who had just walked the Camino for the fifth time. He did not have an ounce of fat on him, could not speak a word of English and his singing almost stopped the world for a moment it was so beautiful. When they pointed at me to sing, all I could think of was..."For he´s a jolly good fellow...", and I dedicated the moment to him. The table went wild. Later that night he gave me a big bear hug and I could not understand a word he said. But, I understood how he felt. Then after three hours, around midnight we headed down a cobblestone street and met up with about 15 more Pilgrims and the celebration went until about 3:00 a.m. this morning. 

I slept until 10 and then headed for the Cathedral. There were two men I hadn´t seen yet for sometime and time was running out. I had dinner with an older man from Berlin on day two and then saw him in Leon on/about day 22. His name was Willie, about 62, and he had given me some interesting perspectives on the Wall and leaders Carter, Reagan and Gorbachev. I desperately hoped to see him and get his picture. I was walking down the street and there he was coming towards me. I couldn´t believe it. I got his picture and we went for coffee. Then after the Mass and people seemed to be disappearing I sat on the steps in the square and hoped to see Inki from Korea. I hadn´t seen him for about 8 or 9 days. We started on day one together and he had stopped me in the street in St. Jean´s Pied de Port and asked me for directions. Like I knew? We were both scared out of our minds. A couple of weeks later he shared with me how depressed he was at the beginning and how hard it was. I didn´t have a picture of him or his contact information. Not two minutes after I had about given up on seeing him, there he was. It was a wonderful reunion and he pulled out a special Korean bookmark he had saved for me thinking we would see each other again. His picture is the probably the one I will value most. He has a good heart, a gentle spirit and I learned a lot from him, even though we never spoke that much. 

I packed up what little belongings I had, enjoyed a meal with another angel, Pilar from Madrid. We shared a Galician feast of caldo galega, pulpo and paella. Pilar and I took a taxi to the airport and I bid her good-bye from the airport in Madrid. This Pilgrim´s on his way home, Compostela in hand, and ready for the next adventure, most-likely in South America...Brazil, Chile, or Argentina.

I will continue to share thoughts, ideas and photos over the next thirty days, including the only thing that really matters, when the time is right. Ultreia!
Mark LeBlanc http://www.SmallBusinessSuccess.com


I envy Mark the fact that he has been able to tackle this in one go. Teresa and I do not have the time to do this, this time so we shall do it bit by bit and will love the experience but Mark's way is indeed the most challenging.

When we were walking last week, we met Gregor, a young German who was on the trail. He had started in his home town of Stuttgard and walked through Switzerland and now France. He was hoping to finish in Santiago in December. I think of him often and wonder where he now is. When we talked to him, he was stiull camping and there were some cold nights when we were away. God speed Gregor.