In three weeks we’ll be in Spain. Luis and I will arrive by train at our launching point, Sarria. The scary part is that this is only 21 days away, after years of yearning to walk the Camino, months of planning, and training. I first heard of the 1000-year-old route back in the 1970s. So with a tired body, a full-time job, a supportive husband, and crazy hair, it looks like I’m venturing out. Did I say I have some fear?
Can I walk 100kms? Can I do it without whining? Without my body failing? What about injuries, mine or Luis’s? What about Covid rules and proof of negative results?
Today I took a cortisone shot to my old adversary, Morton’s neuroma. I talk to this bad foot and tell it I’m sticking it with acupuncture punishments, slathering it CBD and Voltaren, putting it inside decidedly frumpy shoes. It has an army of combatants against it.
After the injection, I can’t go for a training hike for a couple of days. I invite you to see some recent hike videos on the app Relive. I don’t know if this app is allowable in Spain. If so, I’ll post links there when I can. Each video is less than a minute long so you won’t be bored. Yesterday and the day before‘s hikes. There are many more, but those are the most recent ones. I think you have to download the Relive App or see it on your desktop. I’m not sure.
Meanwhile, here are a few books I read about the Camino. My favorites are written by Kevin Codd. His writing is lyrical and I linger on many phrases, especially in his failed attempt chronicled in the book Beyond the Field of Stars.
A practical book about preparation and passage is Camino Ready; Backpack, Boots and (no) Blisters. Luis turned me on to the visual feast of wonderful photographs by a woman walking alone who published A Peek at the Remarkable Camino de Santiago. I read a book called From Sore Soles to Soaring Souls with the indulgence of my women’s book club. (Thanks Anne, Holly, Summer, Carol, Valerie, and Lisa!) Though it pissed me off that the author claimed a stake on a great title, I have to say it was HIS Camino and there is value in that somewhere. I’m almost embarrassed to say that this isn’t all the books I delved into. There are more. Many more. But none of those are MY Camino. Each is thoroughly individual. These are a few titles that gave me insights. Don’t worry, I have no intention of writing a book. This blog is more than I can handle.
In a similar vein of my physical preparation, I’ve dragged myself home from work to watch YouTube. I’ll post a few of those if you’re interested. You still are interested, aren’t you? That will be another post.
Ordinary Gente 