The Journey

I might not have the saying quite right but it goes something like: It’s all about the journey, not the destination.

I know deep down that you do have to do ‘the work’…that everything can’t just land on your plate; that there might just be a bit of pain along the way but the destination will be all that much sweeter when you arrive. I must confess that I chuckle darkly at this and mutter to myself that whilst these journey issues might build strength and character….who needs character anyway?

But seriously though, my little journey towards my departure date for Spain and my big walk, is becoming quite sweet in itself, with a few character building moments.

I take to the streets just about every evening and am walking greater distances and really enjoying that ‘fit and healthy’ feeling. In fact I am becoming an exercise geek….I decided to do a quick walk the other day on my return from the Cape but then commented to Lisa that “I cant just walk that little way, I will do this longer route (always good to tell someone where you are going). I have also shed a lot of weight….and still been able to eat the occasional chocolate and ice cream….and fish and chips – yum. My clothes are too big for me now and my jeans are held up with a grotty old canvas belt. My smart trousers don’t fit at all. Sweet.

My flight is booked and visa application is in. I had a stressful, gripping moment a week or so ago when the Visa people asked for a whole lot of additional information. I hate the fact that to get the visa you have to buy the air ticket….I mean what happens if they turn you down….so I fretted and stressed (still fretting and stressing) about this and was madly trying to think of alternative places to go….but here’s the thing – I want to do Camino – and that’s that. So, as I write I am still waiting to hear from the Embassy and I am trying to be very positive about it….hmmm - this is where the charcter bit comes in I think...

On the subject of Camino, I hear about lots of people who have done it…I have been told about friends of friends, family of friends, numerous film stars and other famous people who have done Camino. I get really excited, well maybe not about the film stars so much but certainly about the friends of friends only to hear that they did one or two weeks….a hundred or so kilometres and I am doing all 790 kilometres of it; how does this make me feel? Well sometimes I feel as if I might have a screw loose and I begin to question my sanity. But sane or insane I am going to Spain and am now so excited about this that I wish the destination, that is: arrival in Spain was not 2 months away….I wish I was leaving now and could start Camino.

And guess what: I picked up the BA inflight magazine on my way back from Cape Town this week – it was all about fabulous, famous walks all over the world - I am already planning my next one.