Surprise us with your love at daybreak; then we’ll skip and dance all the day long. Psalm 90:14

So surprising, walking the Camino. Many things we did not expect or imagine-

Freezing rain one day, hot sun the next.  I think it’s a test.

Significantly more women than men.  Many women walking in small groups or pairs.  Many pilgrims walking alone.

Loud pilgrims.  Thoughtful, contemplative pilgrims. Slow pilgrims. Fast pilgrims. Injured pilgrims.

NOWHERE to go to the bathroom.  That is not only a surprise but a problem.

I’d say more than half the pilgrims are not carrying packs.  These people are obviously using the courier service to send their packs or bags ahead each day.  Arne says that’s cheating… (I might try cheating
😉).

We were astonished to learn there were no rooms available in several of the towns we just went through.  I don’t know what becomes of people who did not plan ahead and book.  Luckily we reserve something one or two days out.  Albergue with other pilgrims, bed and breakfasts or hotels – we are doing them all.

September is usually a quieter time on the Camino – but not this year.  Apparently the numbers were down over the summer as pilgrims have heard the horror stories of overcrowding.  So now, like us, everyone has waited until September. Surprise!

After only less than a week we are surprised at the variety of terrain, flora, and geography we have stomped through.

Our bodies hurt.  I don’t know why this is a surprise. Despite the training, the old bod is feeling it.  I imagine it will take at least a week before my body settles in to a pattern and accepts the daily toll.  I’m hopeful…then we’ll skip and dance all the day long. 

45 miles done. 444 to go. 😯

It was a relief to finally start walking. I just needed to GO. And so we did.

Day One. Leaving Saint Jean Pied de Port

We arrived in Saint Jean Pied de Port France on the evening of August 31st. Went straight to the Albergue we had reserved in advance, located right in the Camino. But at checkin

On the steep climb on day one

the very rude owner
told us we would need to pay again, even though we had a paid in full confirmation from

Bunk room in Orisson

Booking.com. Apparently Booking. Com hadn’t paid her, even though we booked months ago. Arne says to her this is between her and Booking.com. She says no, I won’t allow you in the room until you pay.

Ugh. What are we supposed to do?  We need a place to sleep. So we pay. She is not kind. We are pissed and now need to try and get a refund from Booking.com.

The Albergue in Orisson

So I try to put it behind me. I want my mind clear and focused on the task we have worked hard for. We sleep restlessly and are up and ready to go by 7:30am. Step out the door and we are on the path. Here we go.

The beginning poses a problem. You need to choose. Either only go five miles day one because it is very

We frequently have an audience.

steep. Or do the steep five miles and then continue another 12 to the next town.

Since it was day one we chose the short day. And it was very steep, and also very beautiful. But it wasn’t all that difficult to do just five miles and we were at our stopping point by 10am. Sheesh. What were we going to do all day?

Water is available all along the route

We ate lunch at 10:30 because I was starving. We then showered and sat out in the sun to get my hair to dry. But the weather then took a turn so we went and laid in our bunk beds and read for hours.

We were in a bunk room with a total of ten beds. Arne was the only male. Women seem to outnumber men about four to one.  Curious that.

Dinner in Orisson

Dinner for forty people was served at 6:30 and it was really delicious – chicken and vegetables with wine.  We enjoyed talking to other guests and then everyone introduced themselves and said where they were from.  Pilgrims from South Korea, New Zealand, Germany, Italy, South Africa, Brazil, Ireland, Holland, England, Spain, France and the USA.  We briefly told our story about how the Camino was the

Bread and coffee for breakfast

catalyst for our Grand Adventure and we got a big round of applause.

I slept like a log with my ear plugs in and woke at 6:15.  Breakfast so far has only been bread and jam and coffee.  I’m a bit disappointed by that.  I really need some protein when I’m tackling a mountain.  But no protein for this mountain.

It was beautiful but chilly when we started walking at 7:45.  We had 12 miles today, and most of it up.  But after less than an hour we saw the storm coming.  We stopped and put our rain covers on our packs and put on our ponchos.

The start of day two

The rain came.  It was a sideways rain.  Very cold.  Windy and the damp seeped into my bones.  Slogging along the fog so thick we couldn’t see more than 40 feet in front of us.  After an hour I needed to put on another layer.  I was shivering and so cold so we stopped and got out another coat.  Then we continued the climb.  We ate our sandwiches as we walked because it was just too wet to stop.  Slogging on.

Miserable conditions

Finally the wind stopped and the rain lessened.  Grateful.  At the peak elevation 4680 feet there was actually someone selling hot coffee.  I think he was an angel in disguise.  That coffee made the

At the summit 1420 metres

remaining three miles down much easier.

We arrived in Roncesvalles 6 hours after leaving Orison. Here we have a real hotel.  No bunk beds.  Happy Hiker! Hot shower, a little yoga, a beer.  Oh the pleasures of life!

Tomorrow is a long one – 17 miles.  But it is relatively flat and hopefully dry.  Surely better weather than today!

Our route yesterday, today and tomorrow

Total so far 17 miles!  Only 472 more to go!! 😳

Buen Camino!

Let me tell you a story –

Five years ago I had never heard of the Camino de Santiago until one evening my husband mentioned it as something he would like to do. I have a very clear memory of that moment – because in hindsight I know how pivotal it was.

After doing a little research we talked about tackling it the following year. But even though I was retiring that year my husband was not. He thought we should wait until we were both retired and could take our time and do the entire 500 miles.

Then we thought, well, maybe we will take five or six weeks to walk the Camino and spend another couple of months in Europe.

Then that conversation expanded to maybe we should go abroad for a year… or maybe indefinitely. And the next thing we were talking to our realtor and purging our belongings and beginning our new life.

Whoa. It really happened like that. All from that one comment about wanting to walk the Camino.

It’s been nine months now since we left the United States and through all our travels we have been focused and preparing for our personal pilgrimage. Significant in so many ways but for me most significant because we had a goal and we went for it. We didn’t just talk about doing something –  we changed our entire life and we feel great about it.

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So now the Camino. I hope we haven’t waited too long. The Camino, like every other destination, has grown in popularity substantially in the last few years. I hope it’s not too crowded. I hope it’s not too hard. I hope I can do it.

But even if I can’t – if injury or sickness stops me – I’ve still accomplished so much. I am at my physical and mental peak and I’m excited and ready to go.

Our three weeks in Lagos Portugal has been the

A month in Portugal with our youngest.

perfect final preparation – lots of hikes and training combined with lots of relaxation and healthy food. I’ve loved Lagos and I’m so glad we had the time here. It was especially great to spend this time with our son Erik.  He now heads back to the USA after being away for 32 months.

We fly to Madrid on Monday. We have three days there to do final preparations and last-minute items before taking the train to Pamplona and a bus into France where we begin walking from Saint Jean Pied de Port on September first. We expect to finish somewhere around Oct 8-10th in Santiago Spain. 500 miles.

PLEASE NOTE – I plan to do short and frequent blogs all along the way and daily I will post photos to My Fab Fifties Life Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter pages (except possibly the first two days while in France since my phone may not work in France). I hope you will comment and follow on any or all of these resources and share in our pilgrimage, as you have shared in all of our preparation.

The time has come!  Finally – the Camino begins September 1st!