My Pilgrimages in Europe (and Australia)

Just started another blog under tab Italy to register my next pilgrimage: The Via Francigena in Italy. If you’d like to follow me you can do so at the bottom of the page.

Welcome Back

I have just finished updating this blog to create space to record my next pilgrimage in Europe. This time I plan to walk about 750 km across the beautiful south of France: from Le Puy-en-Velay to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port. I fly from Perth to Paris on Saturday, August 15th. I should arrive in Paris on Sunday, August 16th, where I intend to spend the night before catching a train to Le Puy the next day. I was told this train trip is the easiest way to reach Le Puy and that the journey itself  is through some beautiful, scenic landscape. My plan is to spend the night in Le-Puy and, if I’m ready, start walking the next day…

I hope to walk every day for about 5 weeks or so. I’ll take it as it comes, but I hope to arrive in SJPP at the latest by September 23rd, maybe a little earlier. From there I catch a train back to Paris, and maybe spend a couple of days having a look around before flying back to Perth on Saturday, September 26th. So if all goes to plan, I should arrive back home on September 27th, on my mother’s birthday!

For those who are following my blog for the first time, this is my third pilgrimage. I first walked about 850 km from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port to Santiago de Compostela in 2010. I then walked about 650 km from Lisbon to Santiago de Compostela in 2013. Again, I’m a little nervous about starting this new adventure (as usual on my own) but very excited too. I’ve been going for practice walks, taking some French lessons, doing some reading, it feels I’ll never be ready. But I know I’m already am.

I’d love you to come with me in this new adventure! If you’re not a follower yet, you can become one by clicking the appropriate link at the bottom of the page. This way, you can receive an email notification every time I post something new. And you can also post comments and let me know what you’ve been up to while I’m away.

Au revoir!

 

WELCOME

Hi everyone, I created this blog as part of my preparation for my second walk or pilgrimage: the Camino Portugues. This will be my main way of keeping in touch with family and friends. So please subscribe by following the prompts at the bottom left and you’ll get notifications via email each time I post any news. Don’t worry, I’m as busy as you are, so I’m only posting occasionally, and once I start walking I’ll probably only have time for a post each day, or every couple of days.

To give you a little bit of the background, my first pilgrimage was the Camino Frances in 2010 from St Jean Pied du Port (France) to Santiago de Compostela (Spain). I walked about 850km then in 5 weeks with no rest days! This time I’ll walk from Lisbon (Portugal) to Santiago de Compostela (Spain) – only 650km. Having said that, this walk will be more challenging in some ways. This route is currently not as popular as the French route so there’ll be less infrastructure (fewer waymarkings and accommodation options between daily destinations for instance) and fewer pilgrims. I might walk literally alone most of the time, or at least the first part of the Camino until I reach Porto. Well, I’ll walk alone, but never really be alone, as you’ll be there with me. 🙂

I’m a little scared but very excited about walking the Portuguese Camino. I look forward to sharing my journey with you through this blog.