Last post from Brazil

Today I took my five kilo bag of rice for its last walk - 8km - I wish I´d kept track of how many kms it´s done just for the fun of it. Never mind, I´m just really glad it´s over. I wonder how much difference this training will have made for my Camino? I feel a bit fitter, but not all that much to say I have completed a sixteen week course. I´m hoping that at least my stamina will have improved.

On the home front... the larder is full, the bills are paid and there are enough lists, documents and instructions to cover any eventuality except the outbreak of World War III. My father´s three carers are fully briefed, the only one who doesn´t know what is going on is young Toby. How I wish I could explain to him that I haven´t gone forever. I know I´m going to really miss him.

Now that I have got rid of the rice, I can start trial runs packing my ruck sack to see how everything fits in. I´ve decided to check it in at the airport instead of taking it as hand baggage. This is partly because I think it may be a bit large to be classed as hand baggage, but also because with the new regulations I wouldn´t be able to take scissors, nail clippers, penknife. corkscrew etc on board with me, I´d have to buy them all in Spain, and I´d also have to separate out the shampoo and other liquids. The down side of this is if The Beast goes astray with all my stuff in it I shall be up the creek without a paddle for sure. I can have it wrapped in heavy-duty polythene at the airport, so there shouldn´t be a problem with straps catching on anything and this should help to protect it too. After that I shall just have to cross my fingers and hope it appears at the other end!

So, all being well this should be my last post from Brazil until I get home again beginning of July. The next one will be from "somewhere in Spain". I am excited, nervous, happy, apprehensive and lots more, it is hard to believe the time has finally come.

Buen Camino to all of us about to set off.