Sunday afternoon in Casa Perin, Villafranca de los Barros

What a week we've had! We have walked 176.5 km in some of the hottest weather ever, slept in seven albergues/hostals, met loads of people of several nationalities, and managed to somehow make ourselves be understood in Spanish and French. Don't remember how often I've had to say 'losciento' (Spanish for I'm sorry), but needed to learn that quickly in case we offended anyone :-)

Up to now, walking the Via de la Plata has been humbling, amusing, enriching and sometimes very tiring. Humbling, because almost everyone has been exceptionally helpful despite our distinctly glaring lack of command of the most basic Spanish. Everywhere we go we hear the by now familiar "Hola! Buen Camino!"

Amusing on many levels, particularly the misunderstandings at every opportunity, amongst them being handed a beer when I was convinced that I had asked for a glass of red wine. Thankfully one of the Canadian ladies we met speaks Spanish quite well, so we are grateful when she is around to help.

Enriching because of the chance to meet truly amazing people who let me have a glimpse into their interesting, but at times trying lives. And because I have a chance to see and experience another culture at a level that is not possible as an ordinary tourist.

For anyone wanting to walk the Via de la Plata, the only advice I have is "do it", but come without expectations and let the Camino take you where you need to go.

Forgive me Father, for I have sinned

Our 1st stage on the Via de la Plata started today with 10 o'clock mass in the beautiful Cathedral in Sevilla. Sitting there with the opulence of the Catholic church in such evidence I could not help but think that the simple carpenter from Jerusalem would be astounded at the riches amassed in His name, and the pomp and ceremony created to honour Him. At the same time, it was touching to sit quietly, listening to the soul lifting organ music filling the vastness of the building.

The result of this, was that we started off late (ok, 11h30 is very late) and trudged along in searing heat for 22 km., stopping off in Santiponce in Italica, naively thinking that 2 peregrinas would be allowed to go and have a picnic in the shade. Sadly, that was not to happen, as Italica (an archaeological dig of an ancient Roman city) closes at 15h00 on Sundays and what is more, .nl picnics allowed! So, as we were about to bite into our delicious sandwiches, the security guard rocked up and chased us away, hence the title of this post, because I think the security guard is overdue for a confession:-) We relocated to the only shady spot around - the bus stop - and had our sandwiches in the shade of the trees next to the shelter.

Left Santiponce at around16h00 and arrived in Guillena 2 and a half hours later after a grueling 11 km walk with no shade or shelter of any description. Now safely ensconced in the refugio, showered, clothes washed and well fed it somehow does not seem quite as bad, but there was a stage when I felt ready to curl up in the olive grove and stay there till morning.

Feet ok, wish I had brought my other shoes instead of the Salomons because I feel all the time as if my feet are about to develop a hotspot. Tomorrow I am going to send half my clothes and the blankey onward post restante and will pick them up in 2 weeks time:-)

Looking forward to the short day tomorrow.

Day Zero!

So the day has dawned! I am flying to Madrid this evening out of O.R. Tambo airport, Johannesburg. My bag is packed and feels light as a feather - even took a little walk last night carrying the pack and it feels great. I don't know what it weighs, but it is lighter than when I practised. Confraternity of St James badge sewn on (badly I'm afraid, as sewing is not my strongest point). Hope I'm not leaving anything crucial behind! My first-aid box will make a doctor proud - I figured that if I take something for every condition known to mankind, I'll be healthy;-)

Did opt to leave the sleeping bag. It is heavy, and there is an opportunity for me to get it when my friend joins me October. Instead taking a liner and a light blanket from when South Africa hosted the 2010 Soccer World Cup, so I'll be reminded every day of a time when the South African nation pulled together in unity for once.

Still in two minds as to whether I should take my other pair of shoes. And whether I should take my good camera as well as the little one I bought especially for this trip. I miss the solidity of my trusted Canon, but it is heavy and bulky and I can only take one lens anyway. All the choices!

Most importantly, I feel like a traitor leaving behind husband Louis, my animal children and sister and mother. And all the doubts - will I make it? Will Louis eat enough? Will I find my "way"? Ad infinitum and nauseam.



Louis and dog "children"



Zack waiting for us to decide which way to go

Unsettled.........

I don't know whether it is the case with everyone before they set off on some daunting "adventure", but I've been feeling completely unsettled for the last month and feel as if nothing but the preparations for the Camino matters. I do my daily chores mechanically and almost resent any request that does not have anything to do with the Camino. And guess what, that is most of the time as there are only two of us going - friend Janine and I. My poor long-suffering husband. I bet he can't wait for me to be on my way so he doesn't have to listen to camino-camino all the time.

Today, exactly a week before we fly to Madrid, is particularly bad. And it is raining cats and dogs so the road to our farm is muddy and the roof has sprung a leak so we've had to mop up intermittently throughout the day. When I'm not mopping up, I'm reading other Camino blogs and forum entries but am too lethargic to even respond. And it is raining way too hard for me to even go on a good walk. In any case I haven't bought my rain gear yet. The waiting simply feels way too long now for an impatient person;-)

I did do at least one thing today (of all rainy wet days) - washed my "camino clothes" so that I can pack them. Of course they're still wet and I will probably have to wait another day before hanging them out again. It was liberating though to imagine that in a short few days I will carry so few belongings on my back for nearly seven weeks. So little hassle and everything you need right there.



My "Camino" wardrobe



Fitness creeps up on me and I go shopping

Early morning I took my backpack, gave the dogs the slip and went on a 10km walk by myself. Once in my stride, I realised that even though I could have trained harder and more consistently, fitness found me. The shoes are a dream and I'm hardly aware of wearing them.
After the walk, an urge to go shopping beset me. This is the kind of urge that I seldom experience as I really do not enjoy shopping. Today's shopping was great though as I found most of the things on my Camino list, leaving me with almost no last minute shopping - and most items were discounted as I found them at a closing sale of a friends shop. Two big items to still get are a rain poncho and a small camera.
My excitement is building - only nine more sleeps!

Oh my Sole......!

Yesterday Janine and I did a reality check in preparation for the Camino and set off walking on a mountain bike route that our Conservancy hosts every year. We thought that we might try to walk the entire 39 km route with fully laden backpacks and new shoes!

We managed between 25 and 30 km despite getting lost, bundu-bashing and dithering for a long time at the start of the route as we couldn't find the single track path that marks the starting point for the mountain bikers. Technology also failed us as my fancy little tablet couldnt pick up the route from Google maps, so we had to make do with a faint A4 paper map. My biggest reality check was that I should've joined Girl Guides as a girl, because had I done that it might have been easier to find the route;-) Luckily Janine "found" us on the map and after a while we managed to move in roughly the right direction.

Had lunch of peanut butter sandwiches, dried fruit and nuts sitting on the burnt grass - too exhausted to care about new shoes, clean clothes or anything else - and we weren't even halfway yet.

After lunch we were joined by a neighbour who knows the obscure tracks and we managed well. Had tea at another neighbour and finally arrived back at the starting point 10 hours after starting out - exhausted but quite happy that we managed so well over rough terrain on a hot day.