So I will once again walk the French way from St Jean Pied de Port. We are calling this one a celebration tour it will be 10 years since my first Camino this year. It's been mad to think back over the difference in that time and the personal progression largely achieved due to the lessons pilgrimage bestowed on me.
When I first started this blog it was mainly just a quick summary and a few pics to look back on but I have slowly got better (I hope) at documenting more about the experience and what I can take away from it. I guess I was scared showing vulnerability in the early days when I was largely fighting my biggest demons or processing the past, finding myself and planning the future. My first Camino was such a transformative experience it kind of boggles the mind how much was achieved in such a short space of time.
Then the subsequent Camino's allowed me to hone in the details of further lessons. This is why I now proudly wear a tattoo on my calf to show I'm still on the way where ever I am in life. My pal did this tattoo for me since the last Camino and I love that it was such a personal experience working on the design and getting what I want even tho she was a new to tattooing, she is very talented.
So my first Camino in 2013 was very much a rushed experience (25 days), so I always hoped to be able to go back and take it slower. Covid whilst generally sucky was actually very good for me, I will elaborate in due course but it enabled me to carry 2 weeks holiday into this year so I have a full 6 weeks off work.
So I do not ideally want to micro manage the experience so I have not booked accommodation and ideally don't want to but we will see. So I am flying out on the 20th of May to Bilbao then getting a bus to Bayonne then getting a train to Saint Jean Pied De Port. I should arrive on the last train about 19:00ish but that's all if it goes well. I then have a flight booked from Santiago de Compostela on the 1st of July so that's the framework for the trip. I am hoping to walk out to Finisterre and Muxia this time too. So 478 Miles for the Camino and Finisterre/Muxia is another 71 miles. So all in all around 550 miles within 40 days. That's the plan at least but only time will tell.