Talking the Talk

I have been ‘talking the talk’ about doing the Camino for such a long time. Many a day I have asked myself why I am so driven to go and do this walk. To be honest, I have no idea. All I can say is that every single time I have seen or read anything about the Camino I have felt moved to tears and recognise this unrecognisable pull to do it.  People ask me, ‘why are you doing this'? Is it for religious reasons as it is a pilgrimage? I don’t believe I’m doing this for any religious reason. Spiritual, in fact I’m sure it will be.  Those friends of mine who know Bill W, know that faith without works is dead. So this walk is a walk in faith. My feet and hips and mind will have to do the works for me. Along the way there are a number of opportunities to undertake some symbolic acts that have the potential to bring about change in my life. One of them is leaving something at Cruz de Ferro. I already have a little rock from my local beach upon which I have written some of my many character defects. Julie made a joke about that, stating that the rock cannot possibly be big enough to have all my defects listed on it! She is probably right. So the faith I have is in leaving that little rock with my defects listed on it behind me. Very tall order me thinks!. The hard part is walking the walk and leaving those defects behind. I have a little faith that it may be possible at this point in time. I need to find the willingness to act as though they have been removed. Many of those defects have continued to cause me pain throughout my life. It is time they went.

I have researched, read, joined every Camino Facebook page I could, watched endless YouTube videos, watched movies and read books trying to get myself fully educated and ready to do this walk. Its not like I do this kind if walk everyday you know! I have driven Julie nuts. I have driven my friends and family nuts too, I’m sure.

I have researched every possible first aid remedy and treatment for potential blisters and sore feet. I bought expensive Salamon boots, tried to break them in for a month and ended up having to ditch them for another new pair. Keens....ahhhh! It has cost me. It will cost me a whole lot more if I am in the wrong boots.

My training has been interrupted by having to go up north and work.  There was no way I was going to test torrential rains, packs of dogs and crocodiles by trying to get in some training while working remote.  Training has also been interrupted by sore groins, knees and hips which have taken me off to the doctor, x-rays, treatments and physio.  Just the other day I got myself into a momentary state of panic. Wondering how the hell my hips and knees are going to handle nearly 900 km of walking. Just when I was beginning to despair I saw a Facebook post by a gorgeous young man, John Pardo, who has completed the Camino Frances in a wheelchair! OMG! I got over myself in a hurry and got a new determination to do this. Thanks John! I have been determined from the very beginning however as the weeks in front of me began to disappear I began to falter a little. But it’s a new day, some physio and pain relief helping and I’m just back from a training session. I just keep reminding myself of the lovely man in the wheel chair.  If he could do it, then surely I can too.

Originally I was going to do this walk on my own. Once Julie got over the idea of sleeping in albergues and sharing dorms with snorers and farters and smelly socks she was sure that she would come too. Then our friend Kate asked if she could join us,  followed quickly by another friend Mary. So suddenly we were a team of four! Three of us will start out at the same time and Mary will join us a bit down the track. My gorgeous son Ryan has also planned on coming over and meeting us along the way and doing the last hundred kms or so with us. How awesome is that!

That is the plan... yet to be seen when we have finished 'walking the walk'.