EPILOGUE

Hi folks it has been a while since I have posted anything on my blog but I needed to process the Pilgrimage i partook in my head and also to heal my poor suffering feet after all the abuse I gave them pounding the many kilometres that I walked to Santiago, 1000ks in all!. I realised that nothing can prepare the body and mind to walk the Camino De Santiago in all its length, almost everyone that I met along the way seemed to be suffering from the effects of blisters callouses and sores on their feet, I also developed the painful condition of something i later found out was plantar fasciitis, or policeman’s flat feet!. Many people I chatted with also seemed to be suffering from painful Tendonitis in their knees and ankles and were trying to manage the pain each day whilst they were walking. On the many plus side of things I found that the peace I found myself in, walking on my own every day was priceless mind expanding and simply amazing. Some days I would be walking for many hours in such a state of harmony and peace with only with the sounds of nature surrounding me, and because I was walking slowly I noticed almost every very acute detail along the path, ranging from the odd wild strawberry growing in a little pocket of sunshine, to watching many numerous birds of prey soaring high above me in the sky. Another great thing about walking along the Camino is the comradeship felt with the many other Pilgrims all walking and heading towards the common goal of Santiago De Compostella, I feel that we are all connected in some way towards getting there and everyone I meet collectively helps each other out emotionally and spiritually even if they don’t realise that they are doing this, I can now understand how so many pilgrims come along, or are drawn to come this ancient pathway. Most of the Albergies I stayed at whilst walking to Santiago were modern, comfortable and very welcoming, most with good facilities and many of the hospitaleras running them went out of their way to make the many pilgrim’s feel comfy and at home when they arrived after a tiresome days walk. The only complaint I have about the albergies is that all of them are making huge profits from the pilgrims that pass through each day and then not reinvesting the profits into the albergies so one can simply not help the feeling of being a cash cow. The other thing that I noticed whilst walking along was that a lot of the pilgrims had huge rucksacks on their backs filled with who knows what!, this seemed to reflect the amount of baggage they carried in their minds too, as the ones i met that carried little seemed more at peace, one comes to realise as one walks that not too much is needed in material things to survive, all we really need in life is good suitable clothing for the climate were in, good food, and clean water, and a comfy place to sleep at night, that’s all, anything else is all material wants not needs!. I tried many ways of managing the many blisters and a corn I suffered with, at the end of each day I would thread cotton onto a sterilised needle and then pierce the blister with it leaving the cotton hanging out of each end allowing the blister to drain overnight I also rubbed alcohol onto the other parts of my feet that didn’t have the blisters, and I would then give my feet a good massage. I then found that the blisters reappeared by the end of the next days walk so the very same process was then repeated again. May i say i hope you have enjoyed reading this blog in its entirety. Since returning to the UK I have had many ideas running around in my head as to what adventures I should embark on in the near future, I am always open to suggestions from anyone that manages to enjoy reading my posts on here. I am currently focusing on manifesting monetary abundance so any donations are gratefully received, hit the donate button on the right of this page.

1st April 2012

Astorga to Rabanal del Camino 27,582 steps on my stepometer. I leave the city at about 8am just as the sun rises where the path drops down and over a bridge over the A6, there is quite a few pilgrims on the path today and when I can see for a distance I see then spread out for a few miles, I stop in a lovely bar/albergie in a village called Santa Catalina de Somoza and buy a bottle of cold water to drink, here many pilgrims have also stopped for a break too, after my refreshment I head along the path, it's hot today but I bought a new hat yesterday that has a piece of cloth around the back to protect my neck, I feel and probably look like a French foreign leigonare. This path today is stunningly beautiful about 13ks of nature walking in amongst the forest and hills to reach my destination for the day, I am staying in the hostel run by the London based confraternty of St James, I am the first pilgrim to stay here this year as it has only just opened today after being shut for the winter, I'm greeted by a very friendly Scottish hospitallera.

30th March 2012

20,400 steps omn my stepometer today Villar de Mazariffe to Hospitol de Orbigo. Had a great sleep last night and woke up feeling refreshed from it at 7am, i pack up my things into my backpack and go downstairs and have a coffee at the bar before i head off on the trail.my feet are sore today from the corn i have on my little toe and also from the blisters i had on both heels from yesterdays walk, this was caused by my insoles that i have put in my boots to help my foot condition of plantar fasciitis.I walk a lot slower today but this dosent seem to help too much and this then gives me another huge blister on the other little toe.The road is very flat out of the village and the fields strech out for many miles around and it looks like maize is being grown here,the sun comes up very soon after i set off,a couple of hours into my walk i reach a sleepy village called Villavante and have another coffee at the bar and this is where i meet three fellow pilgrims on the path to Santiago,a couple one who is English the other that is South African that both live live in Barcelona, and also an English lady that lives in Brighton.We all walk together to the next town when i decide that i am done for the day its only 11:30am when i arrive.The albergie here called Karl Leisner in the center of town is very beautiful and also very peaceful it is 17th century with a central courtyard and also a grassed garden out of the back.Theirs not a cloud in the sky and its probably 22 degrees again today.I find the pharmacy and buy some blister plasters and also a couple of mini silicon tubes to put over my little toes to stop the rubbing and hopefully this will sort the problems i have out,i will let you all know!!!

Leon

Leon City. I've decided to take a rest in this beautiful city, recharge my batteries rest my tired feet and explore this amazing place,I've taken many photos of the center of the old city and its like a rabbit warren also so photogenic and I've uploaded the pics onto my Flickr account which is www.Flickr.com/photos/moldaviteman Yesterday I found a spa and had a well earn't sauna,steam,Jacuzzi, and then a good massage. The albergie is quiet at the mo. Apart from mammoth snoring at night so good earplugs really recommended if like me a light sleeper, the weather is lovely and sunny out but crisp like 3' degrees.3 euros deposit gives me use of one of the bicycles that the albergie owns and after my weeks of plodding toward Santiago if feel like speedy Gonzales :'0) the hostel is closed for cleaning from 10 till 12:30 so I'm sitting in a great cafe 500yards from the door enjoying a Grande cafe con leche and a tortilla Francesca contemplating life the universe and feeling very content with life. One thing I've realized along this pilgrimage is that we normally have so many luxuries at our disposal in this abundant point in space and time, and these luxuries we have somehow taken for granted, and eventually we kid ourself's in thinking these luxuries are necessities in our life.ha ha, Walking this walk I've realized we really don't need much to enjoy and live life,only good food,clean water, practical clothes,and universal unconditional love for all and everything,and if we truly trust. In this philosophy the universe will always provide exactly what we need along the way.Buen Camino :'0)

Calzadilla de la fuega to Sahugun

Camino de la Calzadilla to Sahugun 42,000 stepometer I must mention that the albergie at Calzadilla de la fuega is being run temporarily by a German lady that wears glasses and one lense is seriously cracked.Upon arrival as it was Sunday (and their is no bars or shops in the village) I decided to pay 7 euros for the bed and another 10 euros for the Pellegrino menu to be served at 7pm the past few days I've opted for the menu at other albergies and been fed good food three courses and hot food and lots of it and been very satisfied,I should have known it was a con as she was selling rotten fruit and other things like hats and clothes and stuff that people had left behind or discarded for unrealistic prices!! It smelt a bit funky too in the office when I sat in there to register!!. When 7pm came I was served sticky stodgy spaghetti with some kind of tomato sauce and lots of oil with an egg cut up into it and was cold and was far from satisfactory and tasted foul but I was hungry so I ate it. The next course was simply a cold small sardine type fish complete with its head and skin tail the lot,it was dry and well fishy!!!.and that was all I was offered.no dessert or anything else,even though she joined me at the other side of the broken plastic table with a huge cup of noodle type soup and a plate full of what looked like deep fried battered chicken and veg for herself.I really felt unhappy with what I was given for 10 euros and she's really out to make money out of the pilgrims so she can stay traveling the Camino and i had seriously bad indigestion burping up fish taste till I went to bed a bit later.the bed was uncomfortable but the only thing that was in my favour was that early eve the woman turned the heating off and left me alone but the switch wasn't working properly so it stayed on all night so when I woke up at 7 the next morning with an inch of snow outside at least it was still warm in the albergie.I obviously quickly left and started my walk towards Sahagun in the snow,the temp.outside was just above freezing and when I got a little way out of the village it started to rain,my feet seem to be aching loads today and I'm finding the track hard going I've got about 22k to go today and have my waterproofs on.I find it easier to walk along the road as it seems flatter and theirs no traffic on this road as they all use the motorway that runs parallel to it, at lunchtime I find a good bar the only one so far in the dew villages I've passed through and have a welcome couple of coffees and a big slice of tortilla I got about 6ks to get to Sahugun so go a bit slower after lunch and reach there at about 2 o'clock in the afternoon I walk all around the town only to find all of the albergies shut and the towns having a siesta so no shops open.theres a train station in Sahugun so I decide to jump on the train half an hours journey to Leon instead of the three days walk and rest here for a few days as my feet are suffering so bad.when I arrived in Leon I walked from the station and visit the amazing cathedral before heading to the albergie for a well earnt rest.I'm totally exhausted but feel so good in my head and in my heart.lets hope the rest will revitalize my poor feet :)

logrono to najera.

Logrono to Najera 40,231 stepometer
Had a weird night's sleep last night even though I was the only pilgrim staying the night, I woke up three times from vivid dreams so much for the new bed I was in and the beautiful peace around me.
It was the three kings festival yesterday and I seemed to be the only one out and walking the streets apart from the street cleaners who obviously had their work well cut out today with loads of revelers rubbish just strewn everywhere.the temperature was cold and it was raining and the wind was coming at me from the front which made walking interesting to say the least,on the outskirts of the town I met three pilgrims mesong,kim,and Richard, two from Korea and one Richard from Holland.we all walk together to Navarrete 13ks away where the sun came out briefly and we sat out of the wind in the town and ate lunch.we all declined going into the albergie there and walked onto ventosa another 4ks where our list said that the albergie was open,but when we arrived it was shut!!
We had a coffee in the local bar got a pilgrim stamp then as it was now 3pm and we still had another 12ks till the next town called Najera we quickly walked onwards,so a lesson learnt that it's worth ringing ahead this time of year as many that say there open clearly are not,I should have stopped in Navarette when I had the chance,along the way I see many birds of prey and a few rainbows in the sky,and fields and fields of grape vines and I could see for many miles around me,in Najera I had to walk into the centre of town and cross the river with many trout swimming in it's crystal waters and turn left and walk along the bank for another 1/2k before reaching the albergie.I have decided to ditch my tin of dubbing my bivvi bag and a bag of wipes that i had to lighten my load,the poncho has been disregardedand my pack now feels soooo much lighter.I decided this as my rucksack has a cover and my gore tex jacket and trousers suffice and the fact Richard has travelled from Rotterdam with a very small pack with just his sleeping bag in, a book toothbrush, deodorant,and his journal book,he gets water along the way and when he needs to wash his clothes he does it as he's going along,fair play.Kim seems to have the world on his shoulders and in his pack,so just shows we all carry different amounts toward's Santiago.mesong has the biggest blisters I have ever seen on the soles of her feet bless her she's very brave,we both must have looked like a couple of pigeons waddling into Najera.
I know I'm gonna sleep well tonight!!.
Good night :)

st jean-pied-le-port to valcarlos, 18500 stepometer

no amount of bag packing or pre walk advice prepared me for the anticipation felt on this first day of walking,its a day filled with many ups and downs, eventually the path I was on gets really high into the pyrannes and much achievement was felt when valcarlos was reached later that day.
I stopped at a place on what felt like border area called Vento there is a supermarket there for supplies it was a little more half way from sjpp to valcarlos.
the albergie in valcarlos is number operating and they all seem to know the combination to let me in and the bed and shower was very welcoming.

st jean-pied-le-port

H

eres where I started the walk from on the 10th December 2011 I chose to drive down through France to this point,many start from their homes simply putting a rucksack on their backs and saying goodbye for whenever!!!
on the first night in sjpp there was 5 pilgrims staying at the one albergie open I got chatting with one man Michael from chzec republic who had set off from Prague 4 months previously,and one French man john Lou who had set off from Paris three nonth back.
the town itself is an ancient bastilion and very picturesque with an amazing citadel at the top well worth exploring.
the day I arrived it was cool and scattered clouds and I could see huge rainbow trout swimming lasily in the river under the towns bridge.
there's plenty of places to park a car and leave it in the town,theirs a lidls shop and good bakeries plus a good tourist information.
the fraternity if st James office is very easy to find and they are very helpful.
they have upto date list of open albergies all along the French route from there onwards.
plus a map showing you the contours of the days ahead.they have free internet there too but it's very antiquated and slow but free so cant complain.
beautiful cobbled streets and ancient houses all set around a panorama of hills.