After thoughts

So I am safe back home again and wanted to write a few after thoughts.

This was my 2nd Camino and a few things were different.

1)  Last year I walked with my son which was THE best treat a parent can wish for. This year I walked alone so it took a bit getting used to but turned out to be a special time again. Just in different ways.

2) Last year my legs and feet were HURTING the first week. This year it was to my surprise way better. Maybe the fact that I kept walking throughout the year paid off.

3) walking the trail for a second time enables you to enjoy the scenery better due to the fact I wasn't in such a rush then last year.
4) my "happy daily distance" is about 20 km, after that it becomes 'work'  :)
5) once again no blisters or knee problems.  My system of preventative taping my heals and toes with Leukotape P and wearing double Chopad knee straps seemed to work again.

6) YES I will walk a  Camino again in the future. It's good for your body and soul! So why not ?!?!

 

I MADE IT !

Once again it was an amazing journey ! Spain was a great host , I met so many nice people and ate too much food ( and wine ) .

 After completing almost 300 km this year I can say that my feet and legs did great . After my fall at day 4 and when I bruised my rib area pretty bad , I was dreading that I wouldn't be able to complete this years walk . Weird though that walking with my pack on felt better then laying down , so after having it checked by 6 !!!!  Lol  MD's from Australia (who were walking with me that day) .....I kept walking . (All feels a lot better now . ) and I'm so happy I did . It's not an easy walk but the scenery and people you meet make this trip so special . For all of you who are thinking about it ...... Just do it !!! For you who won't ..... Follow me on my next adventure 😀 ........ Next year maybe ?????? Thank you for reading my Camino 2016 blog 👣👣👣💕

Today's video : http://youtu.be/KpJ55ksHbtk

The Dutch Family :) 

I made it !!! 

So nice to reunite with Holly with whom I walked day 7 and 8 ( together with her friend Tami and Jenny ) 

?!?! The Pilgrim statue in front of the cathedral . 

Walking day 12

That went on and on .....up and down hills !!!!

It was to say the least , another interesting day . Since day one I never had a moment that I was afraid . Today that changed . After walking a very nice 20 k surrounded by nice people , I found my self all alone for the last 5 k . I walked the 3 k to the top of the last hill and saw absolutely nobody . Then the last 3 k were through a dense Forrest . I suddenly got a bad vibe about it and stood there thinking what to do for 15 min . I decided to walk back 3 k down the hill and took a taxi to the next stop . Safety still comes first and I ended up walking 26 k after all 😜 but the day ended GREAT ! Nice dinner with a very fun family from Holland !

Walking day 11

IIToday was interesting lol . First of all it was hot (85f/30c) but still ok for me there it's dry heat . Secondly : I got 'stuck' with someone who I found annoying ( that's putting  it mildly ha ha ) that started walking with me . Mmmhhh what to do ??? And the solution offered itself ! At the first stop some other people walked into the cafe and one of them was a young (30 year old)Dutch guy. We started talking and he asked if I wanted to walk with him for awhile . I said sure and quickly snuck out of the cafe while the weird annoying guy was getting his shoes back on 😜! Now I'm relaxing a bit at my stop for the day and plan to go to sleep early there it  be a long day tomorrow . 25 km in the heat with some serious hills .After that it should be a smooth walk into Burgos Friday ! Oh I'm at 250 km's now . 40 more to go . I also forgot to write yesterday that the 2 Dutch ladies got me all sorts of little gifts for my B day ! A Dutch book , one pair of new socks for the next Camino , a Camino shell key chain , a patch for my back pack and a very nice card . All was wrapped in paper with shoes on it ( the most important item for us long distance walkers ! SO sweet

!!!!Today's video : http://youtu.be/rdrr0EYh0VI

Walking day 10 birthday walk 😀

Welcome Birthday gift from hostel owners ! How sweet !!

Wonderful room !

Santo Domingo dela Calzade plaza .

Wild flowers everywhere .

One of my favorite stretches ....saved for birthday walk 😀

PERFECT day !!!! I'm feel 200% happy on my crazy walk . If not with family and dear friends , this is for me the perfect way to celebrate . Great weather, beautiful walk, amazing hotel with surprise mini cake with candle and flowering plant from owners (so sweet) and dinner with 2 Dutch women tonight ! Dinner was amazing . NOT our usual 10 euro pilgrim meal !!!

Today's video : http://youtu.be/WgAw_I04E_0

Walking day 9

Should I....... Take 1 rest day ??? I think I will . After traveling from the USA to France and walking 8 days straight I feel that I deserve and need a day off . Last year we did this after day 9.  It's strange , you feel guilty however it's not a race or like I have something to proof . It is a vacation after all too lol . So the weather is great and I'm going to enjoy it . I will have a late breakfast and then I'm on my way to Najera by bus . The 30 km trip will take 35 min by bus and would have taken 7 to 8 walking (lunch break included )  😗

I arrived in Najera and I napped,ate and had 2 baths today ...... I'm ready to walk again tomorrow ! 22 km to Santo Domingo dela Calzada . Last 100 km of this years trip . Today's video : http://youtu.be/rEcSY1GjDa4

Leaving Logrono . 

Logrono.

Mmmmhhh which one shall I pick ? I treated myself with a room with a bath tub , and 3 beds as it turned out 😄

Finally a classic lunch . Sangria and paella !

Najera !

Najera !

Walking day 8

BGuitar player on the middle of nowhere .                   

                                                       Another good day . We walked 22 km . I'm now at 165 km total . About 125 more to go !  A bit sad that this was the last day with Jenny, Tami and Holly . Wonderful people !!!! I definitely had one of those Amazing Camino moments today . We were walking in the middle of nowhere and looking for a good picnic spot for lunch . Coming down the mountain we hear guitar music . There was a guy in the middle of nowhere but on the Camino trail playing great music . We sat near him and had a lovely lunch while listening to Music :) . We're in Logrono now . The Rioja capital and famous for its wonderful Tapas . So Tapas crawl tonight with the girls to wrap up our 3 day journey !!! After dinner they had a street musician playing Happy Birthday for me. 2 days early but SO nice :)  today's video : http://youtu.be/XNbZavWwvaE

Picnic:) 

Tapas crawl . Yummy !!!!

Walking day 7

THE best day so far . My health is finally almost back to normal . Weather was great and so fun to walk with Holly, Jenny and Tami !!!! We may walk together part of tomorrow but it seems that after that we may split up . Jenny is having a rest day and Holly and Tami are meeting their husbands who will join them for the remainder of their walk. I'm sure I'll make new friends again . That's also a fun part of the Camino . Every day we start walking around 8 and finish around 3. Then it's shower and laundry time and  catching up with home etc . Dinner and drinks between 5:30 and 9 and then off to bed around 10 . Today's video :http://youtu.be/Ts1vt594Jr4

In cities shells in the pavement guide you . 

Enjoying nice trails together 

I love the grain fields .

Tonight's dinner group .

Walking day 6

I had a great day . It started with me still not feeling great and almost thought about taking a rest day . Then I ran into Ruth and she asked if I wanted to walk with her but she was going to walk slow . That sounded perfect to me ( I normally keep a decent pace ) so I joined her and ,as most of the time , the day turned for the better . We walked 23 km . In the evening I ran into Holly,Jenny and Tami who I've met a few times briefly . We ended up having a lovely dinner together with lots of wine . We all slept in a big apartment instead of hostels/ b&b . Tomorrow we will walk the entire day together . Today's video :  http://youtu.be/z-0IeDEL8ew

Ruth and me in the am .

The World :)

Supposing you an old Roman path .

Holly, Jenny and Tami ! SUCH GREAT LADIES !

Walking day 5

Today was great . This was our first walking day last year . Pamplona to Puente la reina . 25 km with a mountain to cross in the middle . The weather held up. Dry all day and 65 degrees . Perfect ! Due to the fact that I knew what was coming , it seemed easier . People around me didn't agree ha ha . Yesterday I fell (which is not unusual for me 😊) and bruised a rib , but thankfully it doesn't seem too bad or holding me back . Legs and feet are great . My Plantar F is bothering me now and then but it's very doable . I've discovered that I started my favorite part of the Camino . I just love the grain fields and vineyards to come tomorrow . The Pyrenees were certainly epic but still . Today was also the first day  I felt safe to walk alone ( still other people in sight ). The last 4 days I had to, and enjoyed it, join other walkers simply for safety . It was too deserted . Now it's nice again . However less busy then last year . I'm sitting in a typical Spanish bar now and may have an early dinner and then put my feet up early 😀.  Here today's video http://youtu.be/ZVz260TD4yc

The start of the climb to Alte de Perdon in the back ground .

Path leading to the top .

I made it :) 

Going down is tricky . Big rocks on a steep path down . This hurts after 1 hour lol 

And down again ! 

Walking day 4

Wonderful day :).              http://youtu.be/FCbuyam3cdE        My favorite plant on the Camino.                     

It seems that I'm feeling slightly better Yay ! I hope that by tomorrow I feel normal again there I have a long walking day ahead of me . Tomorrow will be the first day of retracing the stages that Tommy and I did last year . Today I'm walking from Akerreta back to Pamplona from where I took the train to France 4 days ago . After Pamplona it's on towards Burgos . 

Typical break on the Camino . Everybody will get a drink and most often Tortilla and move on again .                                        Today I walked with Claudia and her son from Sweden and later in the day ran into the Wyoming family again . Together  we walked the last 2 km into Pamplona . Pamplona almost feels like coming home now lol . After lunch I'll check into my pension .

Not bad for $30 !!!! 

and will shop a bit in Pamplona . Tomorrow a long day ahead of me . 

Claudia on our way into Pamplona . 

Walking day 3

Today's walking buddy's :) a nice family from Wyoming . 

Lots of paths like this today 

A waterfall . A rare sight on the Camino . 

I woke feeling worse then yesterday and decided I would skip walking all together . I took the bus to a town 7 km further down the way because that's where the closest pharmacy was . The only sold throat lozenges but no otc antibiotics as several people told me . Oh well ! So while I sat down for breakfast the sun came out and a very nice family from Wyoming joined me . After chatting for 1 hr and the ibuprofen kicking in , I decided to walk after all . It became a beautiful day with great scenery . I'm so glad I didn't take a taxi to my next stop !!! I'm now relaxing at the very nice hotel Akerreta that was in the movie The Way ! Oh the hotel just got invaded by a group of fun Australian women . Dinner tonight with them . 

Hotel Akerreta  

View from hotel.   

Hotel garden 

Tonight's room :) 

 

Dinner with the Aussie's