Second Camino

 

Since this blog was originally about my 1st Camino, it feels right to update about my subsequent ones. I originally went on my first Camino (the French one) on my own, where I met Kari, from Canada. We kept in touch and subsequently planned a further Camino together two years later in 2011, when she brought along her mum, Harriet. We did the French Camino again. That´s us above, myself, Harriet and Kari.

Harriet, in her mid 70`s, was great company and full of pluck. Since I had walked every step of the French Way first time round, I did not feel so focused on completing every step, and kept Harriet company a couple of times, leapfrogging over a couple of harder bits. 

This may have been helped by the fact I broke a toe about a third of the way. Believe it or not I managed to fall into a bar at 8am! What happened was I woke early and went looking for a coffee. When I found a bar that was open I went through the door, from bright sunlight to shadow, not noticing that there were three steps down into the premises. Needless to say I stepped into thin air and went sprawling, much to the astonishment of some local chaps, and my embarrassment. I was wearing sandals, so no real support, and over the next few days my toe turned black. Despite the pain I decided to carry on as there was not much I could do, and gradually it got better.

There is something different about doing the Camino with friends. I enjoyed my first solitary Camino as well as the second with Kari and her mum. They were both special in different ways. All in all it was a great time with many treasured memories.