Monday 27 September 2010
Tuesday 21 September 2010
Hot Hot Hot
6 days in and this is the first internet,having to sit here in the dark 5-30am, que a mile long last night here in Fuente de Cantos-great auberge.
Arriving in Seville was hit by the heat as I got off the airport-40c and it seemed like no air-was sunburned by the time I hit the backpacking hostell-quick dash out to get the passport from hotel simon first stamp at the Cathedral-back to the hostel-evening spent on rooftop terrace with early 20s crowd none had heard of the Camino,one lad 23 spent the evening smoking joints and reading a book called breaking through by some dutch guy-said he was having to read it twice to make any sense to it all-put me in mind of all the books I had read at the same age. he later spent the whole night coughing in the bunk across from me-the cardboard rouch will get you every time.
hit the road early head still full of those books of yesterday "on the road" "dharma bums" amongst others-feeling more a part of the dead beat generation these days-crossed the bridge and down the palm tree lined route a truly hotel calafornia sunraise-you can book into the Camino but its seems you can never leave.
Castilblanco 20 odd km down the road was my first bed and was it earned the last 10k nearly did for me-I have never walked that far in heat that bad-spent the whole time sucking on the nipple of the Camelbac water pouch-I will get used to the taste of rubber i,m sure.
The heat was to get less over the next few days the highlights being the terrace of El Berrocal after a dinner of venison and great wine watching the thunder storms in the distance-the relief of getting the 16k main road walk part of a 30k day out off the way and through the park set out for tree growing when the lightning and storms hit us.
Almaden de la plate where one of our group of seven who had told me she was spanish and spoke no english turned out to be from Ireland-she said the Camino had taught her to be wary of men of a certain age and she had been keeping her distance but was now thawing towards me-we spent the evening talking shared camino experiancies-I went to bed feeling old.
El real de la Jara and my evening meal in a deserted bar outside the church only to be joined by what seemed the entire village as they streemed out of saturday mass.
Monesterio tired days walking questioning why I was there -these are not easy days and I have yet to get into the Zone-followed by a truly great walk into Fuente followed by Lunch with the irish girl Noula ( see stayed at yours reb last year)
who is now after 6 days thawing and now making me feel less old and threatning.
So here I am and as noula say,s why would you want to be anywhere else but on the Camino-today we walk to our first city Zafra-the small group off 7 of us that started out 6 days ago are now part of 27 that stayed in this great Auberge last night.
Arriving in Seville was hit by the heat as I got off the airport-40c and it seemed like no air-was sunburned by the time I hit the backpacking hostell-quick dash out to get the passport from hotel simon first stamp at the Cathedral-back to the hostel-evening spent on rooftop terrace with early 20s crowd none had heard of the Camino,one lad 23 spent the evening smoking joints and reading a book called breaking through by some dutch guy-said he was having to read it twice to make any sense to it all-put me in mind of all the books I had read at the same age. he later spent the whole night coughing in the bunk across from me-the cardboard rouch will get you every time.
hit the road early head still full of those books of yesterday "on the road" "dharma bums" amongst others-feeling more a part of the dead beat generation these days-crossed the bridge and down the palm tree lined route a truly hotel calafornia sunraise-you can book into the Camino but its seems you can never leave.
Castilblanco 20 odd km down the road was my first bed and was it earned the last 10k nearly did for me-I have never walked that far in heat that bad-spent the whole time sucking on the nipple of the Camelbac water pouch-I will get used to the taste of rubber i,m sure.
The heat was to get less over the next few days the highlights being the terrace of El Berrocal after a dinner of venison and great wine watching the thunder storms in the distance-the relief of getting the 16k main road walk part of a 30k day out off the way and through the park set out for tree growing when the lightning and storms hit us.
Almaden de la plate where one of our group of seven who had told me she was spanish and spoke no english turned out to be from Ireland-she said the Camino had taught her to be wary of men of a certain age and she had been keeping her distance but was now thawing towards me-we spent the evening talking shared camino experiancies-I went to bed feeling old.
El real de la Jara and my evening meal in a deserted bar outside the church only to be joined by what seemed the entire village as they streemed out of saturday mass.
Monesterio tired days walking questioning why I was there -these are not easy days and I have yet to get into the Zone-followed by a truly great walk into Fuente followed by Lunch with the irish girl Noula ( see stayed at yours reb last year)
who is now after 6 days thawing and now making me feel less old and threatning.
So here I am and as noula say,s why would you want to be anywhere else but on the Camino-today we walk to our first city Zafra-the small group off 7 of us that started out 6 days ago are now part of 27 that stayed in this great Auberge last night.
Monday 13 September 2010
My Name Is Ian and I am a Camino Addict
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| dovedale |
Having got back in July and in an aim to keep my post camino weight I went back to my old badminton club only to do my back in and to cap it all was asked for my years subscription and would I like to buy a ticket for the Christmas dinner!
walking through the local supermarket car park I tripped and fell in a foreward roll sort of way saved only by my backpack from a serious head injury even so my ribs hurt for a week.
Laying there dazed and confused hopeing no one had seen me or worse still have some spotty youngster stand over me asking if the old man was ok and could they give me a hand back on to my feet.
don't get me wrong I like this area of Norfolk and its big sky,the village is calm and peaceful and the only good thing about smoking the odd cigarette again is that I get to sit out in my garden of an evening and take it all in.
I've been back to Berlin to see old friends and friends have visited me here,seen all of my 5 children apart from son number 2 and got to see the fast growing 4 grandchildren.A camping trip is arranged this weekend with daughters one and two, I'm kind to them giving them such a good chance to boss me around for a whole weekend.
But the Camino calls and on the premis that if you do nothing-nothing happens I'm off again.
I have booked a flight to Seville for the 14th of September to walk the Camino Mozarabe or via de la plata.an old roman road ( 1000klm )used to transport silver up through Spain.
The route comes with a few problems not least of which is the heat and lack of water sourses, in summer temperatures can reach 40c and above hopefully September will be cooler though today in Seville it was 37c.
my first nights bed is booked the "Living Roof" backpacking hostel boasting the best rooftop terrace in Seville, as this boast is echoed by a number of other hostels we shall see,but it is very close to the Cathedral the starting point of the walk.
so once again this fool sets of, wish me luck.
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