Monday, January 27, 2014

The Weight Dilemma

Two posts in one week. Wow! What has gotten into me? Oh yeah, excitement. This post was carefully crafted with a clingy dog that has commandeered my lap and hand (she's laying on my hand while in my lap) for her comfort.

It's getting about that time....getting my pack the right weight. I started weighing the items that I already have. My pack empty alone is 2kg. That means I am only "allowed" 3.44kg of stuff in my pack. Well, now that I think about it....I will probably want it less than that because of water and food that I will be carrying from day to day. This is going to be an interesting task...



So far, I am at 2.18 kg. This may be a problem since I have several other items coming in the mail (still more that I have to get from the store) that I will need to put inside my pack. There will be some major case of prioritization. With the help of experienced Camino pilgrims I should be able to shave off a few grams here and there. However, it felt did good to mark more things off my packing list.


 I think that I got all the items that can from Amazon, the rest I can get from the store. Wow, I'm actually just about finished shopping! *super excited face* This just hit me....

Amongst the many conversations that I have been having with Candy about our trip, the topic of "why" came up recently. "What are you going to tell the people at the end of the pilgrimage why you did this?" asked Candy. This is something to think about. I know that this is something that God wants me to do, but I am not sure why. It just got me thinking about what is the purpose of this pilgrimage. This has caused me to start praying more about my trip. There's such a sense of expectation.

A friend of mine just asked me if it seemed real that I'm going or not. Well, now that I have my plane AND train tickets it does seem real. "Holy Toledo! I'm going to be gone for six weeks! It's really happening!" was the first thought that came to my mind. As the time gets closer, I am sure that the anticipation of it all will become greater and I will get where I can't sleep from the excitement. As for now, I just sit and dream about what it's going to be like. I know that it's not going to really be like "The Way" (the movie), but my imagination of the whole adventure still pretty romantic and unrealistic.



(I hope this post is long enough for you Mrs. Janet)

Friday, January 24, 2014

Got the Train....A Little Bit Closer Now

I just purchased my train ticket to take me to Bayonne from Paris! *squeak*

Once my friend decides when she wants to start walking, I will be able to make the reservation at Orrison. This is so exciting!!!!

It's getting so close I can almost taste it!

Saturday, January 4, 2014

Five More Months

This past week it just hit me...I only have 5 months until my trip! It seems like yesterday I was planning for a trip that was 2 years away. Now I only have 5 months! This means that I need to start making sure that I need to start gathering those "little" things that are on my packing list. After I get everything, I will need to start analyzing the items to make sure that I really them--no need to take unnecessary items that add extra weight to my pack. Then I will need to find the best way to pack it all. I can't believe it's getting close enough for me to even think about such things!

Training is going as well as could be expected.Trying to make sure that I train in the cold is really tough. I had to get some gear to make sure that I don't get too cold while on my runs. Next week might be a little tougher since the wind chill will be below zero for a few days (one of those days is supposed to be my running days) which means I will have make alternative plans. My focus is mainly on my Spartan race in March. I mean, if I can consistently run a 10k then surely I should be able to WALK many miles each day. The full pack isn't really an issue. During the past summer I was able to consistently hike over 10 miles with a 15 pound pack. When I'm gone, my pack should way only about 12 pounds at most.

My dad gave me an Ipod so I can take pictures and video while I am gone. Hopefully I will be able to keep everyone update here this way. The other option is to email all the pictures to myself and do my postings when I get back. We'll see how good the wifi is in rural parts of France and Spain.

I mine as well face it...my Spanish skills are going to stink! Every time I post, I keep on saying that I need to start my Spanish podcasts. But do I?? NOOOOO! Procrastination has been getting the better of me. Someone is going to have to keep me accountable and ask me about my Spanish or it might never get done. It would be awful to go and not know how to say anything but my name, where I'm from, what my job is, and if I like my job.

Several people have asked me what I'm going to do about food since I have to get gluten free. Well....I plan on eating a lot of yogurt, fruit, vegetables, and nuts for sure. There are a lot of little markets along the way which enable me to stock up on needed food items that I can eat during the day. Also I found these cards, in Spanish, that explain what I am not able to eat and why if Candy and I decide to go to a cafe or restaurant.
 

The journey in planning and preparing for this trip has been so exciting. I keep picturing in my mind what it's going to be like and the things that I'll get to see (mainly the old churches along the way), not to mention the different types of people that I'll meet. These 5 months can't go by fast enough! I get excited just to see the number of days decrease on my "count down"!!