Hola!

Might be my "incredibly superior" body, but the Pyrenees was not the hard journey I had expected. The scenery was absolutely wonderful.

Spain is so far proving to be a bit of a challenge. Luckily I have my friends that I met in France with me.

The joys of France

Finally the internet again. Not that I have been looking for it much...

The pilgrimage is turning out to be everything I had hoped for. Luckily I still got more kilometres to cover, but not many will be in France.

Over the last weeks I have really come to like France and its people. The friendlieness, politeness and willingness to help have impressed me.

I have lost my underwear, my towel and to top it all - my bankcard. Due to help from people around me, everything has been sorted out. One fellow even drove 2 hours in his car to give me things I had lost.

I hope it will be easier to keep the blog updated in Spain. The Internet seems to be a "chose nouvelle en France"...

Time for another beer, awaiting yet another good dinner in the house of a nice couple here in Béarn. You eat well in France.

Finally internet access

Writing this post from a bar in Estaing in the Lot Valley. So far it has been a rollercoaster of a journey. At times I feel very isolated here due to my poor French, but the people here has been incredibly helpful and friendly. Whomever put out the rumour that the French are arrogant obviously didnt visit this area.

The journey to Le Puy went without a hitch. Arriving at Le Puy I was met by a hotelmanager who roughly declared the hotel to be full, but who changed his tune once I found my reservation.

Le Puy itself is absolutely brilliant, and I wish I had taken more time there. Getting sleep before setting out was difficult. At 0600 the next morning I headed to the cathedral. Unable to sleep I sat at the steps of the cathedral, watching the dawn. The service in Le Puy is the perfect way to start the pilgrimage. The cathedral itself is very beautiful, and even as a noncatholic you are made to feel welcome.

So far the walking has been the easy part. The mental bit is the tough bit. At times I am wondering what I am doing here, and I envy the few pilgrims I have met who have a clear motive for doing their pilgrimage. It is also hard to not feeling like an outsider when one cannot speak French very well. Still I keep feeling I should have done this years ago.

Keeping this webpage updated is proving hard. I have not even kept a proper written account on paper. There is simply too much going on, both physically and mentally.

Tonight I am staying at a religious community looking after pilgrims. You are feeling a bit like heathen, but the kindness is very moving.

Every meeting with an English speaking person is a blessing. Somehow I keep running into Arsenal supporters all the time.

The holiday is still going strong for the French. Every gite tends to be "complet" and finding a place to sleep at night can be ery difficult indeed. So far I have slept in everything from a mongolian jurte to a top class hotel. Hoping things will improve once I reach Conques. Seems a lot of people is quiting there. The feeling of pilgrimage is still mixed with a strong feeling of being a tourist, but as I get nearer Spain I expect this to change.

Every day is really a treasure chest. I dont know what will happen; or who I will meet. I am loving every minute of it.

7 hours to go

Not going to get much sleep. Have to get up in three hours time. Not sure
I am ready for this at all, but too late to regret it now. I could have
spent the money on a cruise somewhere instead. Perhaps to Tahiti, watching
the Polynesian women. Sitting on the beach in my safarishorts, and having
some fancy drink with a paper parasol. Instead I am going to slog around
rural areas of France and Spain, fending off dogs, fighting possible
ambushes of robbers and the temptation of cheap wine. Luckily I don't have
to worry about my horse or donkey being poisoned by the locals.

Backpack is heavier than I would like, but I don't really care. Not like
it will make or break me. I could have bought more first aid supplies. I
definitly could have bought more fancy foot remedies. In the end it
probably don't matter much. Whatever I need I will pick up on the way, and
I am pretty sure I'll get good advice from sensible people along the way.

I should probably have exercised a lot more, practiced my French and
Spanish. Too late now though. Actually it is too late for anything but
getting some sleep.

With a little help from my friends

1st of august is approaching fast. Somehow it seems people are glad to see
me off. One wonders whether that is a good sign or not. My cousin borrowed
me an mp3 player. My grandparents boosted my bank account, and my brother
lent me some money. I should be ready to go now.

My preparations are not exactly in high gear. Just taking it easy for now.
I'm sure I am going to regret not preparing more expeditiously. Still at
least I am pretty calm about it all. We'll see how long it lasts.

Saw pictures from Le Puy on the telly yesterday. Tour de France was
passing through. Looked nice. Sun was shining too. Hope I don't get
scorched.

Glad I got all the traveling arrangements done. Only thing I haven't
sorted is the transport from Charles de Gaulle to Gare de Lyon. I got five
hours between my plane and my train. Should be ample time. I hope.

Just waiting now

Not much happening at the moment on the pilgrim front. Mainly just
sunbathing and waiting for the 1. august. Figured it might be wise to get
a tan before I leave. Blonde scandinavian with winterpale skin meets the
sun in Spain. A horror story in the making I tell you.

I probably should be hard at it with long hikes, but it is not really
happening. I might regret this later. Planning to head up to the cabin
next weekend. It has some nice stretches for longer hikes. For now it is
all about enjoying the weather, and avoid watching the news...

Books and shoes

You know it is important to be political correct these days. Not to ruffle
the feathers. If it wasn't I'd make some sort of analogy about women,
packing and clothes. It would lead nicely up to talking about me, packing
and books.

I can't for my life pack right when it comes to books. This Easter I went
to Prague for a fortnight. For that trip I brought 24 books, and bought 4
while I was there. Now the real reason for bringing books is not
necessarily to read them. It is to know that they are "there". I would
imagine the same goes for Aunt Olga bringing the woolen mittens to
Mallorca.

Obviously this is not going to work on the camino. According to Raju I am
likely to be "surprised at how little time there is for reading". However,
I am stubborn. Aunt Olga will probably be told that the chances for snow
are small in Mallorca. I can't see why there would be little time to read.

So what do we bring? Preferably something that can occupy the mind while
not being too heavy. The collected works of Barbara Cartland is pretty
much out then. Considering the blisters, tendonitis, snoring, heat,
emotional strains, rain and the like, bringing Epictetus or a book by
another stoic seems to be a good idea.

I did some hiking this weekend. Three days with 4 hours walking each day
without the backpack. The shoes seem alright so far. I swapped to just one
layer of socks. It works better than the double layer I use for my hunting
boots. The tight fit of the shoes do not permit using double layer.
Smartwool socks are as good as ever.

Medieval pilgrims - they had it easy

Apart from the wolves, the bandits, people tricking their horses to drink
poisoned water, people stealing their money, etc etc, they had it easy.
Granted they did not have goretex clothing, anathomic backpacks, digital
cameras to record their pilgrimage, or travel insurance. I still think
they had it easier than us.

Why? Well at least they knew why they were going. I can't help think that
the medieval world must have been easier on the spiritual and mental side
than the modern world. Unless you are a devout religious of some
persuassion, everything about the modern world is covered in uncertanties.
Surely this is reflected in the modern pilgrimage. It seems a lot of the
people embarking on it don't know why they are going.

At least I don't expect the Spanish Inquisition, then again nobody does...

Equipment and worries

Have to be stupid to buy hiking shoes by postal order right? Well I am
that stupid. My old hunting boots are too heavy, and the shops around
where I live only have el cheapo hiking boots. So I bought some by postal
order. Turns out they just about fit. Which is a bad thing. Would have
liked them to be bigger. My toes are going to love the downhill trails...
Still there is a month to walk them in. Might help. Better help.

My old backpack is good. For trips that last several weeks where you carry
your own food that is. At 130 litres it is a bit big for dayhiking.
Luckily I can get rid of some of the space by removing the sidepockets.
Still a bit on the heavy side, but I'll use it anyhow. It fits my back,
and I can't afford splashing out on another expensive backpack.

As for raingear, mine is absolutely rubbish. One hour of a massive
downpour and I am soaked. It used to belong to my former girlfriend's
father. It will have to do, which it won't. If it turns out to be too bad
I'll have to buy a poncho somewhere.

I haven't bought any first aid gear yet. Think I'll postpone that till I
get to Le Puy. Not going to go mad at le apotheque or whatever anyhow.
Need something for blisters, and probably some dressings for any gaping
wound. Think that will do. Some people seem to bring enough for a field
hospital.

Decided to drop the sleepingbag as well. Just bringing a sheetsleeping
bag. Think I might regret that in early october in the Cebreiro mountains.
Seems daft to carry a sleepingbag in august though. 35+ centigrades, I
doubt it'll be cold. The jury is still out on the sleepingmat. Got a good
thermarest one. Question is if there is any point carrying it. If I only
need it a couple of times on a 1600km journey, there is probably no point.

Only a month left now or so. Surprised by how calm I am at the moment. I
don't think it has started to sink in that I am actually going to do this.
Not having the big nervous breakdown of inifinite worries, not yet.
Probably get jelly legs in Le Puy when I set out from the cathedral.

No turning back now

Well now I am definitly going. All tickets bought, and hotel in Le Puy
reserved. Taking a day off there before I start. Figured that might be a
good idea. First of August then I am off. Feeling good about the date.
Numero uno.

Guess I should be frantically reading up on french and spanish. Been
thinking that for a month now. It hasn't really happened. Downloaded some
courses, but they are dusting away on the harddrive. Bought an
english-spanish phrasebook though. "I am sorry but I have lost my wife"
"Do you have any tranquilizers?"- full of similar useful phrases...No
doubt I'll need those.

Think I should exercise a lot as well. It hasn't really happened either.
Apart from a couple of evenings angling, but that doesn't really count.
Sitting in a boat having a beer while fishing is perhaps not enough.

Motivation

Trying to find out why I am actually going to do this pilgrimage. So far I
have not come up with a good answer. Nor a good reason. Not sure doing a
pilgrimage "just because" is the best thing. I can't proclaim any deep
religious reasons for going either. Plenty of cultural reasons though,
particularly the food and wine. Seems a common thing to not have a
clue anyhow.

Popped down to the library the other day. They had a copy of "A practical
guide for pilgrims" by Lozano. Loved the maps and the background
information. Bit on the heavy side though. My books by Raju seems to
describe the route better. Wish the maps were better in Raju.

My french is as poor as ever. Found my old schoolbooks from the early 90s.
Didn't understand much. Not sure I ever did. Lots of scribbles in them.
Seems my teacher told me that I would regret being "lazy about the french
classes for the rest of your life". Hope he isn't reading this blog.
Already regretting my laziness. Probably be worse in France in some weeks
time.

Still waiting for my new visacard, so no tickets yet. Tour de France
speeds through Le Puy on the 22nd I'm told. Could be fun to watch. Hotels
are probably at a premium. Might arrive a few days later instead. Planning
to take a day off before I start. If I figure out the Paris metro that is.
Concerned about that. The metro in Prague was easy. Shame really to just
skip through Paris without even climbing the Tour d'Eiffel. Guess it will
be there for another time.

Preparations not going all that smoothly

So my long awaited super Safari Zipoff etc etc pants was too short.. and the button kept opening. On the good side at least it was suitable around the waist. Hoping my grandmother can sort it out somehow. Maybe sew on some really neat pink gharish material to make it longer. Anything goes I believe.

The camera on the other hand was nice. Shame about the memory card being different to the old I had around. One thing I should have checked, which I didn't. Come to think it of it, there are probably a ton of things I should have checked. Still I can't seem to go into overdrive in my preparations. Haven't even bought the tickets to Paris and Le Puy yet. Still waiting for my new Visa debit card. Somehow it isn't "for real" yet, not until the tickets are paid for. At the moment it is some sort of game. Pilgrim wanna-be as of yet.

Keeping tabs on the weather in France. Seems hot. Not sure how well I'll cope with that. Probably wont be less hot in a month. Not going to worry about it. Not until the tickets are paid for anyhow.

Apparantly I'll have to prepare for some sort of mad hustle for beds in Spain. Does not sound too good. Then again it is hard to know whom to believe. Some say the bedrace is a myth, while others seem to indicate it is alive and well. Guess I'll find out. Not going to worry about it. Not yet.