I can't believe how quickly time has passed.  We are actually got home yesterday.  So this is a very retrospective entry.  We had planned to stay in Monte do Gozo for the night of Tuesday and walk the last 6kms into Santiago the next day.  However, as the weather had been pretty grim and very, very wet (Yes, we know the IoM was bathed in sunshine and temperatures in the 20's) when Tuesday dawned sunny, fresh and beautifully warmed we decided to walk the last 22kms to Santiago and enter the city in the bright sunshine.  We had been warned about the unsalubrious way into the city round the perimeter fence of the airport and past industrial units etc etc.  It turned out to be fine.  The airport was hidden by lots of bushes and we wandered alongside a small stream and other than the odd rumble of jet engines we didn't really notice it at all.  

It is hard to describe our feelings both at seeing the city sign for SANTIAGO, walking through the modern Pilgrims' Gate and then into the old part of town through narrow cobbled and flagged streets on towards the Cathedral and the large square in front of it.  Here many pilgrims sat down on the flagstones of the square and gazed up at the vast building, in some sort of reverie, or reverence, or perhaps relief to have finally got there.  The Portico Gloria (I think it was called) was inside the cathedral and has a statue of a benign Saint James waiting to greet pilgrims as they enter.  

We joined many other pilgrims waiting in line for their compostella - the Certifcate written in Latin that verifies your pilgrimage - your name is "latinised" as well.  All the statistics for that day are collated and all those who have achieved this are recognised in the Pilgrims' Mass held at 12 noon everyday.  Unfortunately for us "Isle of Man" sounds a lot like "Allemagne" when said quickly, and people often thought we were from Germany.  There was a lovely nun dressed very simply in her nun's garb who taught us the responses expected during the mass.  Her voice was seeringly beautiful and she was great at encouraging the congregation to get the best out of us.  

Two days previously I had walked with an older French Canadian Priest, Bernard, 73 and ordained 50 years, I was delighted to see him at the mass and that he had completed his short Camino as he was not in good health.  Imagine my surprise when he emerged with the five other priests officiating, in their bright scarlet robes, and said some of the mass in French.  I was really happy for him and for his achievement.  

We went to Finisterre by bus.  I know we just ran out of time and after all Santiago was the main aim.  The trip took us three hours and imagine our surprise when we got to the fishing village that is Finsterre (Fisterra in Galician) and found a place that looked like Port St Mary.  We walked part way round the point but didn't have time to walk to Cap of Finisterre as the bus was bound to take us back.  Still we got there and our Pilgrim Passports had their final stamp.  

Juan and Paul arrived on Thursday which was lovely, we surprised them by meeting them at the airport, we really had missed them tremendously.  We were also delighted to have NEW clothes, well not new exactly just not our clothes that had been worn and worn over the past 6 weeks; these were fresh and clean - oh so clean.

On Friday we went to a wedding. Monica and Marco were the talk of the Camino, they had set out to walk to Santiago and get married.  They were a delightful Italian couple whom we had spent a little time with on and off over the last week or so.  We decided to just go and see them as they came to the church and stay at the back.  However, once we were in the small church, they encouraged all the people down to the front, the small gathering of family flown from Italy and pilgrims was very informal.  Four German pilgrims who sang in their local church had been invited to sing a cantor whilst Communion was taken - all wearing their boots and anoraks.  There was something very moving about the couples' two rucksacks leaning against the altar.  What a privilege to be part of this and what a surprise to our husbands to be at a wedding in Santiago.  

So now we are home, the journey was uneventful and we have to manage re-entry into lives that we left six weeks ago. 

More on that next entry

Dear All we haven´t found an internet site for ages so here we are finally in a small Galician town called Playo del Rei (I think).  We passed the 100 Kilometre way marker yesterday which was a moving experience and of course we took photos of ourselves looking at it.  We have moved on now and have about 65 Kilometres to go to SantIago.  We should be there by Tuesday or Wednesday at the latest.  This means we may get to Finisterre, though I´m pretty certain that those 95 KMS will have to be by bus.  We are both excited and delighted to be so close and a little amazed that it´s all so close.  We can´t wait to see Paul and Juan.  

The philosophical discussion for today is on the nature of the true pilgrim.  We have been struck by the number of different ways that people ´do´the Camino and what it means to them and to us.  Christoph,  from Eastern Europe, started off the Camino with his wife Boogie.  He has now decided to go on on his own with no money and see how far he can get in these modern times, with the help and kindness of strangers.  Is he mad or is he pushing the boundaries of the Camino?  There´s a large group of walkers who choose to have their bags sent on by the mule service which operates all along the Camino.  Are they true pilgrims, lazy, or just sensible?  There are many people across Europe who walk the Camino in chunks, year after year picking up where they left off, not having the luxury of 6 weeks from work.  Then there are the weekend walkers who do small chunks of it and I´m sorry to say get in our way and take bunks - making weekends a bit fraught at refugio time.  So where do we fit in all this.  We´ve been very British and queued when we needed to unlike many of our European counterparts; who can be pretty rude at times.  
Mostly we´ve met many wonderful people who walk for diverse reasons, personal, spiritual and meaningful to them.  There is a young Italian couple walking the Camino and getting married in Santiago.  

We walk for our own reasons, carrying our world on our back - not using the mule service.   Ñot really tempted to actually.  We´ve discovered the most wonderful thing; that we miss Paul and Juan and our children and families and friends and just how much they all mean to us.  Six weeks has been a long time away from home, but this last week or so has flown and we have to think about re-entry into real life and how we will have to accomodate being back in a our former roles and not on the road.  Walking, walking, walking.... On the plus side no more bedtimes at 8.30pm, clean clothes not washed in horse trough with cold water or travel wash in stone sink.  Then hung out to dry on our rucksacks with nappy pins - an older German man took a photo of my bra and knickers as they swung in the breeze next to my sleeping roll and Manx Flag and Santiago shell.  We need commission from the Isle of Man Tourist Board as we have told so many people about the IoM, its culture and life and, of course, about the Walking Festival and the TT.  

Since we have been in Galicia we have been surrounded by the most beautiful mountains and hills - it is probably our favourite part of the way.  The flowers are stunning and we have planned a Camino flower bed.  The weather has been fresh and today it rained and we walked through the sort of mist you´d find on the IoM.  We stayed in an Albergue the other day and heard Galician music with all its Celtic overtones and distinctiveness of its own.  We danced with the host Pedro and an Italian cyclist Mario and did a jig of sorts.  Though we love Galicia in actual fact all the walk is different - landscapes, buildings, town and people.  We have loved it all for different reasons and more than just the wine.  

We might manage to get one more diary entry in once we get to Santaigo and perhaps one after we get home for completion.  We feel massages, pedicures, facials and retail therapy coming on.  Joy of Joys! we can actually pull our trousers down without undoing the buttons or zips!  The Camino diet works!

Statistics - 294 kilometres left to go we have walked 484 kms so far...

Since our last bulletin , we have had a few ups and downs. After 300 km Sue developed her own set of matching twin blisters. Much to her disgust as she has never had a blister for a long long time. As she was recovering from this we both got a gastrointestinal problem. Kate puked and Sue was running from the other end! Kate managed to walk 4.5 km on empty. She was very ill and carried on until she could not go any further. We crashed outside a closed refugio on a sunday in a one horse town and felt very lost and alone. After about 1 pm the whole town seemed to appear in their sunday best and congregated at the local bar where a kind man phoned us a taxi. This took us to Mansilla De Los Mullas. We spent the night here after spending most of the day napping. Next day we woke to discover that Kate had an infected bite on her leg , which had doubled in size. Sue was visualizing hospitals and iv antibiotics and Kate said " it should be ok " !!!!!!! ever the optomist!!!! We took a bus to Leon , which had been our plan anyway due to dodgy outercity areas, and saw beautiful cathedral, chilled, then found somewhere to stay. 

The hotel we found was fab. we always try to find a hotel in the cities just to have a little treat. i.e bath and laundrette .Whilst discovering the city we came across an Isle of Man bar would you  believe it! Later on discovered it was closed. Never mind we had a photo opportunity anyway.

The next day despite creams and potions for leg , Kate had to experience the spanish health service! She took herself off to the hospital in a taxi and was prodded and poked for a few hours. She left clutching oral antibiotics and a good feeling about the spanish people. 

As with the man who ordered the taxi for us and other people we have met on the way , we have been touched by the kindness of strangers. Amongst these people was Wolfgang, Austrian actor extrordinaire and allround good guy. He has always seemed to turn up with very sensible advice for us when needed. 

Things are getting better and we are still upbeat and excited about our adventure! 

The weather has been brilliant . Have had a couple of fantastic thunderstorms at night which have cleared the air for the next day so that it is not too muggy when walking. Meant to rain tomorrow but we will see.

Statistics first.  Today we have completed exactly half of the walk.  389 kilometres done and 389 left to do; at least to Santiago. This is Day 21.  We'd like to say, though this is unconfirmed, that we've probably lost about a stone between us.  Along with my best traveller's towel, 2 ventolin inhalers, a sock and Sue's sunglasses.

About the Refugios - to give you a general idea of the municipal refugios first.  They are sparce, spartan, crowded but clean.  The showers and loos can be anything from fast and furious to just spit at you with whatever temperature of water they fancy.  Some offer breakfast, some don't.  Some offer internet, some don't.  Sheets and pillowcases must get changed about once a week.  They tend to be run by volunteers.  The worst one was in Estelle our room had nine bunk beds, 2 showers and 2 loos, mixed sex.  This was our first experience of refugio life.  There were a number of very loud snorers.  It was not helped by the fact that my top bunk bed was right by the loo door, and I mean right by it, about 1 foot away.  So all night people went in turned the light on, blinded me, and then flushed what must have been the loudest loo in the world.  It did have a good kitchen and we cooked a great pasta meal with lentils and tomato sauce and had slices of cheese to melt on it.  The best municipal refugio was probably in Recedillo de Camino. where each room had two beds and loads of space to put your rucksacks a large kitchen and dining room and the lovely Spanish volunteer Felice did our washing for us in a washing machine.  It was probably helped by the fact that they sold cheap Rioja and everyone shared their wine.  Other refugios are private and mostly called Albergues.  They are on the whole very good.  What is really nice is that we can have left people behind or they leave us behind and we meet them later on.

This happened earlier on this week.  We had booked in at a private but very cheap refugio and a guy who knew us from previously, and Natalie the French woman we had walked with for a number of days, decided that this was the reason to have a fiesta, he took everyone who had booked into the albergue out for dinner and there was a party to follow.  We are compelled to treat ourselves occasionally to a hotel - and we fantasize about having a bath!

About road surfaces - We are becoming connosieurs of road surfaces.  There are some we love, slightly packed but dried mud, grass is good.  We both loath rubbly rocky stoney large gravel surfaces.  They play havoc with our feet, especially when very blistered, and ankles. 

We have to finish any minute now because our 30 minutes is up and there is a queue as there was for showers and wahing machine.  We'll be back in touch when we can

 

 

 I am having some trouble with this today hence blank entry.  I tried to write this entry two night´s ago. I spent twenty minutes of lively and humorous writing - only to have it wiped out by a power cut!

Statistics - we have walked for 10 days and are now in Burgos and are 297 Kilometres into the Camino.  We are managing 20-25 Kms per day, which is 12-15 miles.  Today we´re having a day off to rest our feet and do some heavy clothes washing.  We have a ritual on arrival to each new refugio or casa rurale.  We place our feet against a cold wall in the air, shower, then wash out our light clothes - knickers, socks, tee-shirts, bras - as these will usually be dry by the morning.  If not we hang them from our packs with nappy pins.  Our fleeces, trousers and sweatshirts can do as we´re clean underneath.   

About sore feet - mine are atrocious - heaven knows we did enough mileage beforehand but my blisters are developing blisters of their own and Sue wants to trade me in for a less fragile model.  The biggest one runs around the whole of my left heel.  Pain killers and Sue´s careful administration make them just about bearable. I do have the occasional I-Pod moment when I retreat into music and cut out the world until analgesia kicks in.

About sunburn - for all of you enjoying spring weather mixed with rain and mist and wind we have three beautiful days of sun and shorts.  The first day took us by surprise as it didn´t seem to be that warm, but Sue got sunburned calves.  She was not the only one, a number of peole passed us with matching calves.  We have learned our lesson, which is not to be too trusting and apply loads of sunscreen.

We have sadly left the Rioja land and wine behind.  However, the wine, and the countryside, is as good here as well.  All the Pilgrim´s menus include wine.  They are about 9-12 Euros for three courses, wine, water, bread and coffee.  We have developed enough Spanish to translate the menus which is helpful to avoid bull´s testicles and other bits of anlmals we might not like to eat.  The best butty - bocadillo (query spelling) is stuffed with a tortlla solo (plain omelette).  The best food was in a place called Navrette and the bar owner was Itlalian and we had chick pease and pasta and chicken (cider and garlic marinade) very hot and very tasty.

What is amazing is that we might not see people for a couple of days but bump into them later on down the road.  So we have met Ghaseem, an Iranian who now lives in Australia, and carries his traditional drum with him.  Anagrita and her friend (75 years) who are walking buddies from Sweden and are doing the Camino for the second time.  Jenny and Steve from Melbourne over to meet new grandchild in Guilford and decided to fit in the Camino while they were over.   Marcos, from Cataln, and his Austrian wife Barbara, who are walking to see the real Spain, we met them first in St Jean and continue to meet them along the road.  There is a woman we called the DFP, diminutive french person, actually we later discovered her name is Manon and she´s from Quebec.  

We parted from our friend Natalie 110 kms ago and now we are meeting her in Burgos by the statue of El Cid.  Sue has a theory that the person who invented Spanish had a lisp, hence the many letters in the alphabet that have to be lisped.  Anyway, El Thid and cafe con leche calls.  Adios

We have had a gruelling first couple of days, the first in particular was like doing Millennium Way twice!  There are lots of hills and the way we have started to rate them is on an IoM scale ie the Sloc, or Crellins Hill or Well Road Hill times 10, or 4, or 1.  We have had all sorts of weather ranging from snow, hail stones, rain, thunder, lightening, wind, and sunshine - which we like the best.  We had an ideal day today, cool but sunny.  At the moment we are in Navarre and it’s a bit like being in a huge saucer surrounded by mountains, some snow capped.  The terrain is undulating and actually either we’re getting fitter or the hills are smaller.  We have met many people from all over the world, shared unusual accommodation with strangers.  For example last night we bunked up with 2 German chaps - Walter and Peter; they were very interesting, in that they oiled and linimented (for horses) their legs and then when we were looking for breakfast we discovered them waiting for the bus.  There was less flatulence and snoring, not from us of cuorse, last night.  Previous experiences of a refugio opened our eyes to the "joys" of communal living with 16 smelly pilgrims of both sexes in one room on 8 bunk beds.  Sue was ready to kill six of our companions by the early hours.  Kate was a foot away from the loo door, which people thoughtfully left wide open as they switched on the light.  In actual fact, our own offerings to the destruction of the ozone layer i.e. methane gas, is due to the huge amount of white processed baguette and also the lentils and fruit and vegetables.  It might be that the hills are getting better because we have some degree of rocket propulsion.  

Seriously though the flora and fauna is beautiful.  The gorse is smaller and has a completely different smell than on the island.  We both wish that we knew more about the flowers which look both familiar and different. Plenty of bird life and we’ve heard cuckoos and seen some sort of birds of prey circling high in the sky above us.  

We have walked 154 Kilometres so far and are in Viana at the moment.  We had thought that Spain was ´dead´ or at least devoid of life but on arriving in Viana on Sunday the world was out in their Sunday best and promenading but not very friendly towards two smelly scruffy pilgrims.

I can't believe where the time has gone.  We have trained and trained and been interviewed by Manx Radio (again), 3FM and the local newspaper.  We had our last longish training walk (8 miles) in the midst of several hail storms interspersed with bright sunshine and a bitter wind.  The rucksacks were fit to burst and we still didn't have everything in them as yet.  So after this and some major rethinking, some wine and a lovely meal we realised we would need to go from 35 litre to 50 litre rucksacks.  Actually we have both celebrated birthdays on 6th (Kate) and 7th (Sue) and so are a year older than when we started the planning.  Happy Birthday Sue.  Today I got a 45 litre rucksack I have everything in it and there's still a little room for manoeuvre to add some small items.  Not sure what, as I think we've everything, including nappy pins, sewing kit, plasters, nail clippers etc etc.  

Some friends of mine were imagining Sue's journal after I'd told them about me singing as we walked, mostly to myself but whenever the mood takes me.  When I checked this out with Sue she'd said she didn't mind she knew I was happy.  Mark and Stephen’s version of Sue's diary goes as follows: Day 1 - Kate is singing she must be happy.  Day 3 - Kate is singing I think I've heard this song a couple of times, she must be happy.  Day 5 - Kate is singing that song again, we are walking through the mountains... Day 7 What a great day, the silence...

I haven't managed to crack the photo problems, am still working on it.  It should be simple but it isn't and the FAQ seemed dense to me, but I'm trying to sort out an alternative site for people to view the photos.  Watch this space.

Four sleeps to go!!

We have sent out stacks of emails letting everyone know where they can find us (in this live journal) and importantly where they can donate online (through the Hospice Website http://www.hospice.org.im/ ).  I still haven't managed to "upload" any photos to "Scrapbook" and then add them to the journal; as you can see I know the words and the principle I just haven't quite worked out the practice.

The big news is that last Tuesday Sue and I were interviewed on the local radio, Manx Radio.  We were both pretty giddy as we had just been to see a guy called Charlie Turner  (from Intersport) who had fixed up with a sports clothing manufacturers (Asics) for them to give us some clothes (Trainers, tee-shirts, socks, light-weight jackets, trousers and a special water bottle).  Once we claimed the goodies and marvelled at them over coffee we scooted up to the radio station on Douglas Head overlooking the bay and the town.  We met a lovely woman called Beth Espey who interviewed us - well we didn't really let her get a word in edgeways.  The feedback from lots of people was that we sounded really passionate about what we were doing and were informative.  If it raises the profile of the pilgrimage and as a consequence Rebecca House then that's great.  People have been very generous now that we've circulated sponsor forms.  

We are just waiting for our pilgrim badges - Shells (like empty Coquille St Jacques shells) - which we will attach to our rucksacks.  Apparently car drivers etc toot their horns at you to encourage you on your way.  I've been reading a bit more about the Pilgrim Records; as passports they are stamped at each of the Refugio you stay and verify that you are a legitimate pilgrim.  The Confraternity of St James who administers all this recommends that not too many stamps come from bars as it doesn't look good.  I don't think we've let any readers know that there is a red wine fountain in one village purely for pilgrims.  We have of course got a couple of hip flasks for medicinal purposes. 

24th February 2008 We are getting very giddy with the excitement of all this.  Sue identified it as "Santa's tummy" - the one you got when you were a child and Father Christmas was going to arrive that night, that sort of tummy.  We did two 7 - 8 miles training walks this weekend with our 35 litre rucksacks repacked and jiggled around with to achieve the optimum level of comfort and the right balance.  The centre of gravity is an important key to comfort.  So much so that I have only just managed to have a wee without taking rucksack and bum bag off for the first time on Sunday, without teetering over the puddle and keeling over.  This is a skill indeed and needs further development.  A good friend of mine had given me a "Showee" for Christmas; it is a discrete plastic funnel device that enables women to wee standing up and without removing knickers etc, all moved discreetly to one side.  I have not plucked up the courage to master this as yet, wondering whether to first practice in the backyard or in the bath.  Or maybe not...

Our excitement was added to this week because our pilgrim records (passports) have arrived.  To get these you have register as members with the Confraternity of St James, they have a fascinating website full of very useful tips.  We wouldn't have thought about taking nappy pins, nor a universal plug just to mention a few.  Something else that arrived this week were some special clothing bags that you pack, zip up and then squeeze all the air out so they are reduced to small space or roll. 

It is interesting to keep justifying, or explaining our rationale, for doing this walk.  The challenge for both of us is that we will  live in a minimalist way, both with goods and chattels and with our roles stripped down to being women walking rather than mother, wife, worker, etc etc.  We debate about what we can live without Skin Toner but not Moisturiser, what book we will take, note singular rather than plural, and note we can't not take a book.  

Our bum bags are great they're like small filing systems that can hold oodles of things that we might need to access easily, nuts, chocolate, phone, camera, passport, money, etc etc.

9th February 2008 We did our first full training walk with our 35 litre rucksacks full, packed as though we were on our way.  We have actually done masses of training without rucksacks, well except for picnics.  Our training walks have taken us all over the Isle of Man, hills, glens, sea shore.  The longest was 26.5 miles in one day! This walk is called the Millennium Way it starts up in the North in Ramsey and heads south to end in Castletown.  It is tough as 50% is off road, boggy and marshy, the rest are green lanes, which are rubble strewn tracks churned up by off road vehicles, hell on the ankles.  The first half is up and down hills with a sharp, and what seems like vertical, ascent behind the back of our only mountain, Snaefell.  Actually we are probably a bit masochistic because we love it.

Anyway, back to today.  This was about 14 miles heading straight up from almost sea level along Glen Auldyn up to the mountain road and it was very misty towards the top and blowing a gale.  We turned right to follow the road and picked up a green lane to make a full circle via Sky Hill (the site of a battle in 1076).  What we learned about walking with our full rucksacks was allow for extra width (with sleeping rolls), don't forget to bring a stick, pack the thing carefully, well thoughtfully so you can access the things you need first from the top, rather than the bottom.  We also realised after this walk that we are actually pretty fit and that it wasn't half as bad as we thought - even though it was very rough going marshy and almost river walking at times.  We also got back to the beginning of the walk with lists of 'must haves', 'must take' and 'got to gets'.