Well, have been in Brit nearly two weeks. Gosh have done so much in this time. No wonder I have been a bit disoriented and all at sea. Was warmly welcomed by Carol and Sue in Harrow, London and spent a whole day in my PJs browsing on the internet. Felt quite good and not so jet lagged as I expected and better still my ankles hardly swelled up at all - how amazing is that! Booked my flight to Bilbao with Easy Jet for the 6th May and booked into a hotel at Burgos for the first night - my first and last treat for 12 days. Then booked into Hotel Paris at Leon on 18th May. The name really appeals to me and is in the centre of the town centre and near all restaurants, cafes etc I am told.
On Saturday morning I caught a train into London city to Blackfriars on the Embankment to attend a Practical Pilgrims Day held by the Confraternity of St James. The timing was amazing really being in between my arrival in UK and starting work the next week so was fortunate to be able to attend. a very interesting and informative day meeting many different people, some curious about the Camino, others like myself well into the preparation of going and others who had already experienced the challenge of the long journey. It was encouraging to see so many others there my own vintage. At least I'm not the only one whose crackers! Lots of questions were asked from the weather to accommodation concerns and what to pack. The key concerns being feet and weight of back pack. Less is best!On the Sunday after I arrived I travelled to Saxmunden on East Anglia coast in preparation for a days mandatory refresher training ready to start work assignment on Wednesady. Such a long ridiculous journey...never travel by train in Britain if you can help it on a Sunday....track maintenance abounds...three trains and a bus to get there. Three and half hours for a two hour journey!
Stayed with my son Scott, and Emma for one night on my return to London. Great excitement as we all anticipate the screening of The Dinner Party at the Australian Film Festival in Sydney in early March. His first big screen movie. Such a great achievement and has taken many years of persistence and patience to get there. A good lesson for me with the Camino ahead....nine weeks to go.
Feeling so much better today....feelings of sadness and flow of tears have all but subsided...just odd pangs of longing for the familiar, the sound of the surf and home.
Have started walking again round the familiar routes I discovered last year. The track I take is akin to some parts of the Camino through the fields. Regrettably the mindless machine of progress has created another scar through the Cambridge countryside - hopefully it will get rid of the heavy snarl of traffic around the city otherwise cant see the point of it all. Anyway walked solidly for one hour two days in a row and half hour tonight- three miles trip - about 5 kms. Not bad but with a full back pack on will probably slow down to four kms an hour. A far cry from 15-20 kms a day with a full back pack but training practice in Australia was encouraging especially the climb up to Eagles Nest from Thredbo in Snowy Mountains with John my Camino companion. What an ordeal that turned out to be but so exhilarating and rewarding. Will always treasure the special moments of that day.
Spring is in the air....three days in a row of blue skies and a burst of colour in the garden with a patch of irises suddenly standing to attention by the front door.
Spring, the season of new birth and hope.
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