Using computers in Spain

Using a computer in a foreign language has several challenges. First of all, the actions that we take for granted are not always easy to decipher. The "start" menu is "inicio" and if you want to go to "all programs" then it is "todos los programas". So far so good, right? Trust me it gets harder.

Like when you want to put photos on the desktop and can´t find any word that looks like that might be it. Turns out it is "escritorio".

The kicker is that the keyboards are all different and the keys are in different places. I was typing away until I looked up and wondered what the heck was going on! I am not the only one either as I had to help a lady yesterday who was frustrated having spent five minutes trying to figure out which keystroke was required in combination with the letter "2" to provide the at symbol "@".

 So I am here at a computer in the next hostel, in the next town for the night (Zubiri), trying to type out some few sentences while others are waiting to use the free computer that is provided, so I have to be brief today. I was going to post some photos as well but the ones on my camera are too big to post via Blogger and I don´t know how to go about re-sizing them. I will try to take at least one photo per day with my phone as they are smaller in size and I will be able to post them here via my phone now that I have figured that out as well.

Tomorrow I will be heading to Pamplona, city made famous by Ernest Hemingway and the running of the bulls. I won´t be seeing either though as, of course, Mr. Hemingway did himself a mischief long ago and removed himself from this world, and they don´t allow bulls to roam freely every day but just on the feast of San Fermin in July. (Now where is that accent for the letter "i" in Fermin? Oh well!) Hasta el tiempo próximo chicos! (... figured out the accents now!!)

Crossing the Pyrenees

Like Charlemagne and Napoleon and hundred of thousands (millions?) before me, I have walked up and over the Pyrenees into Spain via the Roncesvalles Pass. Only I´m not here to conquer anything except myself. After two days of walking I can already say that this is happening for me, and that this is maybe the best thing I have ever done for myself. On Thursday, I took the train from Paris to Bayonne, then took another little train to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port in the south of France. Next day, up, up, up! It was only a 2.5 hour walk but it was quite steep in places and there were really no level areas for rest. An amazing meal ended the day at Refuge Orisson, part way up the mountain. I was very grateful I could stay there as they have only 18 beds and my previous reservation was null and void, thanks to flight delays and missed connections. But it all worked out as it should. Today, we went the rest of the distance, up over the top. On the way, there were lots of sheep, wild horses, bulls, cows and birds. The weather was awesome and it was a bright and clear day and not too hot. Perfect for walking. The views across the mountains were like a fairy tale.

Now I am on the other side of the hill, in Spain at a very small place called Roncesvalles (population, 30). Those of you who know Toronto will recognize the name from the street which was named after a famous battle in this village during the Naploleonic Wars. There is little here except a very large former monastery which is now a pilgrim hostal, and two places to eat and drink, vino tinto (red wine) of course! I did go to a special mass for pilgrims today and received the blessing. It was lovely and all very strange. Not only did I not know what they were saying, it was all a lot of smoke and mirrors for this non-Catholic. But I figured it couldn´t hurt and I could use all the help I can get and walking over the mountain today was like touching God´s basement. I have already met some wonderful people from all over the world. The community of people here on the camino are the friendliest, warmest strangers I have ever met. Today Patricia from Ireland said "Oh where´s the rest of our group?" which I thought was neat...we are already a group! We will probably pass each other and connect again for weeks to come. During the days many people walk on their own and then meet up wherever they are beddin gdown for the night. Meals are a riot of conversation in so many languages and the jokes are multi-lingual. In French I can follow a conversation and communicate back; in Spanish, not so much, but my first year university Spanish will come back to me I am sure as I travel down the road. This is my first day in Spain after all. I have not been to a town yet where I can top up my phone (which I thought I had lost but hadn´t after all) so I can blog using that. So now I am using a computer here which eats up the euros pretty fast. I will try to blog more and upload some more photos when I have the chance. Having the time of my life. I wish you all were here. This is something truly amazing and my only disappointment is that I can´t share with you all in real time, on the ground, on the camino. Ciao, amigos!

What to pack?

Most people take far too much. From my research I have read over and over how people try to take more than they need with usually disastrous results. You have to carry everything with you every day, all day, across the country, across fields and mountains. I really paid attention to this advice to keep my gear to a minimum.

Boots or shoes is one of the main considerations. Boots provide more ankle support and are often waterproof. Shoes dry quicker and are lighter. I read a lot about shoes and boots...more than I wanted to know. In the end I opted for New Balance trail shoes which fit perfectly and give no discomfort at all. They are extremely light and will dry very quickly. But my choice means that some days I will get muddy feet.

The other big thing I learned about the gear is to take lightweight and quick-drying fabrics. That means no cotton. Once wet, cotton tends to stay wet, and draws heat away from the skin, leaving you with a cold damp feeling. Products made from Spandex, Lycra, polyester and similar fabrics are lightweight and offer beter insulation. The t-shirts I am taking have "wicking" properties which will hopefully make me feel dry. They will dry quickly which is important as most days I will be washing my clothes in a tub at the hostel and they need to dry by morning.

The formula for long-distance backpacking is the weight of the pack and all its contents should not exceed 10% of a person's body weight. My body is 212 lbs. and my pack and contents weight 15 lbs. so I did okay! Even FTSO (from the skin out) -- everything including pack, contents and all the clothes I will be wearing -- come to just less than my 10% of my body weight. So in theory anyway, I meet the guidelines.

Here's what I am bringing:

Let's see how many of these items I ditch along the way to save some weight! The only absolutely essential item is the last in this list.

• backpack (46L)
• sleeping bag ("tropical kind" with light sleeping bag on one half and sheet on the other half)
• silk sleeping bag liner (in case it is quite warm I will not use the other)
• pillowcase
• T-shirts (2), made of wicking material
• long-sleeved t-shirts (2), one wicking, one made from bamboo
• micro-fleece
• cargo pants (2) that zip off into shorts
• Underwear (3)
• Hiking socks (3) and sock liners (3)
• luxurious pair of kid mohair socks for resting in the evening (thanks Jose!)
• New Balance train shoes
• light-weight sandals for shower and/or evenings
• hat with wide brim
• bandana
• rain jacket and pants
• Altus rain poncho (picking this up in France)
• swim suit
• towel
• sunscreen, lipbalm
• toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, razor
• shower soap for body and clothes
• universal sink plug (for laundry, because often they are missing)
• bandages, alcohol swabs, blister pads, Vaselin, Voltaren, Ibuprofen
• bowl with lid
• folding spork
• Swiss army knife with corkscrew
• flashlight, whistle
• water bottles, including a collapsible one
• camera and charger
• mobile phone and charger
• Kobo booker reader and charger
• paper journal
• map book
• pen, sharpie, glue stick
• prescription meds for two months
• ear plugs (lots of them! thanks Pati) and sleep mask
• gum
• passport, pilgrim passport
• a little stone for the Cruz de Ferro (more on this later when I get there)
• a wee heart from my cousin Yvonne, for when I am discouraged
• open mind

Why the Camino de Santiago?

I asked my friend Jill back in November if she wanted to go to a movie with me because I had movie passes that were about to expire. She gave me a couple of choices of what movies she wanted to see and from that I picked a movie called The Way. It's the story of a father who is moved to walk the camino to spread along the way the ashes of his newly-deceased son.  It’s a story of life and what it's about, about humanity and it's wonderful simplicity behind the complexity. Little did I know it, but that movie started a change in my life.

The next morning, on the bus to work, I knew – absolutely knew– that someday, someday!, I too was going to walk the Camino. I didn’t know when, but I would.

For some months, even years, I have felt a profound sense of dissatisfaction with the way I was living my life. I am not unhappy with the people in my life – I have a loving and wonderful partner, and am blessed with family and some really great friends.  But I have been troubled with my way of doing life...I felt I've been drifting along, living without much consideration. I have always been a person who wants to grow and learn new things but somehow, I didn’t feel like I was doing that anymore. 

So then I saw this movie and that inspired me to actively change that reality. Slowly the plan to walk the Camino was formed and built, little but little each day. 

Within five weeks I had bought my plane tickets. 

Still, I mulled over the idea over the winter, trying it on and considering it from every angle. It felt like a good fit every way I looked at it but one. How was I going to get that much time off work? 

When I saw The Way, I was immediately attracted to the idea. But why? I didn't know why but I felt like I needed to create an opportunity to invite significant change into my life. So I have resigned from the job which was no longer gave me any satisfaction and I am taking to the road. Some may think it rash, but it was, in fact, a long and carefully deliberated thought process that got me to that point.

I leave next week for the Camino. I will be gone for seven weeks and I am in the driver’s seat of my life again.