HI guys, here it comes, finally! I have not had enough time for writing to really do justice to my adventure before, but now I have and now I will take you on a small tour of my lovely, fantastic, hard, eventful, painful, exhausting, beautiful, empowering, cool, fun and enriching Camino de Santiago.
Just to warn you; there is no way I can convey this experience in words. I do trust my writing but some things in life just have to be experienced to be gotten. The Camino is one of them. You simply cannot imagine how is is to wake up every morning between 5 and 6.30 knowing that all you have to do that day is walk between 21 and 45 kilometers. Then you need to find a place to sleep, wash some clothes, eat and go to bed. That is all you have to do, nothing else, no other obligations and in many ways it is pure freedom.
This first day are over the Pyrenees, 27 kilometers from St. Juan Pied de Port to Ronchesvalles. It is 1300 incline and then 400 meters decending. It was pure happiness! Many people skip this first part because it is said to be so hard. All I have to say about that is that if you are planning to walk such a trip a gentle but steep climb the first day is not going to make the biggest difference, it will be so hard anyway, so just do it. The experience is amazing! You feel like you are on top of the world and you can even see lots of half wild horses and other animals on the way so just go for it!
After the first 9 kilometers... Trying to imagine how it will be to walk way over 600 more, but I cannot, it is unimaginable. (Btw. sorry that some of the pics are the wrong way, I cannot turn them in this blog program:/)
This is the first thing that you see the second day... 790 k... That is kind of insane.
These are my walking shoes/sandals! They stayed on, faithfully for between 611 and 650 kilometers (depending on which camino guide you look at) and I had NOT ONE BLISTER!!!!!! They deserve a whole golden shelf to themselves after this. You should have seen the other people! Some had many bloody blisters on each foot! You will see a nice picture later...
These two are even more heroic! They walked (to make it easy) 630 kilometers in 23 days and one rest day. Just imagine that! I am over myself of admiration over how far my feet could go. One of the things I got on the Camino is that my body is so much stronger than my brain, my thoughts, feeling and psyche. I will never talk crap about my body again, ever. It took me safely through an adventure I really could not imagine I would be able to do.
This is a classic Camino picture. A stick, a backpack, a straw hat and the shell. The legend is that When St. James' body drifted to shore in Finestere it was covered in shells, so when you walk "The Way of St. James" you carry a shell with you the whole way. This particular shell was actually a gift from a boy in my class when I was 7 years old. I have kept it for so long and I really like it! So thanks mate:)
They do keep horses in all sorts of ways... This one was one of the lucky ones. I guess it is safe to say that not all countries have come so far as to be able to deal with animal welfare yet. It was hard to just walk by some times, but what can I do?! It is this problem of trying to implement your own standards other places, takes a lot of smartness and time at least, I chose not to intervene. I spoke to some people and they said that imporvements were underway and that lots has been done already, so I am just cheering for Spain to continue the good work!
After 5-6 days I was walking like a mad woman to get to this place. 8 euros for the bed (in the 70 bed bedroom) and swimming pool included! That is luxury for a pilgrim! You also start noticing that your body is changing. Stomach starts becoming flater and thighs appear more slender... Good stuff, but no one can say you didn't work for it!
The most important ting on the whole Camino: all the lovely people. On such a trip you meet all kinds, but generally very interesting, outgoing, smart, experienced, lovely, kind, helpful and active people . You cannot help falling in love with them and their stories. I have met so many that walk the Camino to work out difficult situations, tragic happenings, "impossible" choises, people that are overcoming big issues or just needs a break from an overwhelming and hectic life. I won't share these stories in details, because I have not asked those that told them to me, so it would not work. I can assure you though, that if you think you have problems, there are so many out there with the same experience. It is so moving that they find the strenght to break from all that is known and normal to do such a trip and have a chance to figure out things while walking. All respect to you guys, I love you.
These lovely Soth African and German ladies I spent almost a week with while walking. I had such a good time! And in South Africa they also say "JA" as we do in Norway, but "NEI" you must not say at all, because it is a really bad word in Africaans:P
Next town, 10 kilometrs...
Unforgetable moment in the wine yard... It is amazing how much fun grapes can provide:P
Lovely Kathi!:)
Churches are a big part of the trip. You see very many of them. At first, being used to relatively modest protestant churches I have to admit that my predjudice was flowing when seeing all the gold and glitter. My very judgmental self was not exactly a good christian or human being for that matter. Lucily I did not settle with these thoughts and I searched to give them up and in the end it worked. In the end I just realised that we are all just people. We all have our flaws and weaknesses, but those who actually dare to stand for something and even try to inspire or make others see what salvation they have seen, I will respect. If everyone were so presistant in spreading what they see as good, this world would be even more beautiful. So next time someone try to give me their religion, I might not be interested, but I will just get their love.
On the Camino you walk from water fountain to water fountain. Yes, you are really down to dealing with your basic needs, it is great. But this one is a WINE FOUNTAIN! You can take as much wine as you want:D
Promised you you would get to see a nice little, bloody blister... Here it is ;) This heroic woman actually walked for 4 days at least, over 20 kilometer each day, in crocks! That is real commitment! Creds to you:)
This is an example of the signs you follow... Beautiful!
My knees were not too happy all the time, though nothing bad. They kept going, only needed some extra support from time to time. But with a background of both slatters and jumpers-knee, I am very happy and proud that they lasted the whole way without further damage:D
I am ironically kissing the parts of the road I hate... The PAVED parts! Seriously, it is hard enough walking the Camino if you would not have to walk on ASFALT the whole way. So NO MORE PAVING THE CAMINO Spanish authorities! I get that you mean it well, but it HURTS, put grass or small pebbles instead.
A colourful, great group of people I walked with for a few days! So great to meet you guys and thanks for making my Camino so special. Love you!
There are faces in the fields...
Ryan! A guy better than most that I actually walked 41 kilometers in the baking sun one day to catch up with. We walked together the few first days, then he strode off and I lagged behind, but we wanted to meet again so I decided that "yes, tomorrow is a good day for one of those killing over 40 kilometer walks"... So it was. I was so exhausted that I cried, collapsed, stopped seeing clearly (it was over 40 degrees that day), walked on, desperately searched for shadow under bushes that were under 1 meter tall and then finally got there a little before 8 in the evening. It is amazing how far your body can go. And it was worth it! Lovely company of Ryan and a group of others. I am very happy I did it! "What doesn't kill you maskes you stronger".
Here I try to smile but I am too tired, very peaceful though, so all in all brilliant.
Lovely landscapes, so differenciated.
I did not walk all the between 769 and 818 kilometers (depending on the book you have). I found myself with a choice to walk it all and play a risk with my studies or skip ca 170 kilometers from Burgos to Leon over the Great Plains and still be pressed with studies but not more than what I can handle. It was a hard choice because after over 300 kilometer it was clear to me that I could really do this whole trip if I only had enough time and did not get injured. However, my biggest commitment of all is my studies and risking half a year and by that the chance to go on exchange from January, was just not worth it. I am not a risk taker, belive it or not but I always play safe, only my limits of safe might be different from others. So I chose the studies and I was happy with my choice. Was it right? No, but it wasn't wrong either, it was just a choice. Only difference is that I cannot say "I have walked the whole Camino the Santiago". I need to say "I have walked Camino de Santiago" or "I have walked 630 kilometer of Camino de Santiago".
In Leon I gave myself a treat and my relationship to my body was completely transformed. I got how amazing my body is, how perfect it is and how badly I have been treating it compared to what it deserves. So I asked my body for forgivness and we started all over again. By this I am not only loving my stomach (as I have an old post about) but my whole body:D I recommend it!
Weightlos del Camino: Eat whatever you want and still loose weight!!! However, after starting to love my body so much I have become much more concious of what I eat... Only the best for a champion!:D
Super combination!!!
I see signs!
310 kilometer left... Okay, lets go!
Sometimes the road is just really boring. It definetly does not help when your MP3 player is empty of battery after one song and you are all alone on the way... Then you get to test yourself and it is not the physical strenght, it is the mental. Your brain goes directly to thinking about every little small pain you have and every reason there is to stop. You cannot change your thoughts, you can only get that YOU ARE NOT THEM and just keep walking.
Then you meet some lovely people again!!! This is on my craziest day of the whole trip. We, the 5 of us, chose the hardes road of them all. Instead of doing the commercialised road in the valley, we took the original road 45 kilometers over 3 monutains. We had 1800 meters incline and 1600 meters decline in one day. We walked on paths covered with torne branches that caught your feet and left bleeding scratches. This road was not much used and we were even without signs for long periods AND we saw no other pilgrims which is quite unique when you come close to Galicia. We got lost once and we walked for 15 hours, 12 hours effective walk in the bight, hot sun. It was dark before we got down from the mountains and when we got there I was so "high" on the experience that I didn't know what to do! It was SUCH and experience! The only thing I noticed afterward was that my body was not as easily rested again and the last 3 days got really hard. I could not walk properly just because my mussles were so exhausted and had had no rest.
Some times you need to share the road with other "vehicles"...
"I walk a lo(v)ely road on the boulevard of (alive) dreams"...
"My shadow is among those who walk beside me"...
So, I am never alone.
Land of the green:)
SOOOOOO CLOSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Because I am worth it!:D
Another lovely English gentleman! Here I am eating octopus... Sceptic, but worth it!!! That is really what I experience a lot. If I am sceptic about something, it very often brings me the best experiences when I choose to do it!
I am here! The reason why I am leaning on my stivks so much is because my knees are threatening to collapse! The last two days were SO hard. My body sort of went on strike and I was SO exhausted. At around 50 kilometers before Santiago I seriously wanted to take the bus. But I didn't! I walked it and I am proud of it:)
The Camino ends infront of the cathedral in Santiago de Compostella. We walked the last 21 kilometers in 5 hours in the morning in order to get to the pilgrims mass at noon. I was totally pumped, I could not stand up in the church when I was supposed to even. I didn't feel bad about it though, because I don't believe in a God that after I have walked 630 kilometers and I come to his/her house he/she would ask me to stand. NO WAY! I sat down, enjoyed the athmosphere and got a beautiful conclusion to my Camino, having many other exhausted, moved and unbelievable Caminantes around me.
In the evening we tried to celebrate, but we were simply too exhausted to have a real party. We enjoyed the company this (for me) last evening. Exchanged contact details. Had our last lovely conversations and said "see you later" and "you will always have a place to stay if you want to visit my part of the world". It was beautiful.
After having done this trip it is very clear to me that this is something everyone can do. In their own way and time and walking as much as they choose but everyone can have their own Camino. Yes, it takes something, most of all action and being willing to let go of the "normal" for a while. It can also be extremely hard physically, if you do like me and walk up to your limit nearly every day. But you do not have to do it this way. You can spend 6 months and walk 7 kilometers a day. I highly recommend it this adventure, but only if you do it your way, because it is with the Camino as with your life; only you can live it and only you can choose how you will go through with it to make it best for you. Personally I didn't even have a guidebook. I had no need for it either and it was lovely to live in the unknown, just taking things as they came for once. No planning, only a goal and a way to walk, never knowing what would be around the next corner.
Thank you for travelling with me! Go and live your own dreams, no one else will do it for you! Empower and inspire as many as you can on your way though, I recommend it, because that only makes your experience even more rich. When your life is not about you, you are most fulfilled. So thank you guys, thank you for reading and living this adventure with me, you have made it so much more fulfilling for me.
Dreaming. Living. Givnig.
Love you guys!
Hugs and kisses from Ragnhild:)
