I’ve been thinking about the Camino today. I’m sure that’s no surprise to you. It’s another 9+ months until I leave the country and start the longest walk of my life. The magnitude of this step has got me pondering a lot of things about my life, you know? I wonder about the choices I’ve made….
Category: Preparation
First Adventure In My New Boots
In November, I got to take my new boots out for a spin. One of my friends in Chicago has a yearly hike around his birthday, and a bunch of my group of friends get together to spend a day in nature. Of course, our version of a nature hike includes wine, snacks, enough chattering to…
Boots On The Ground
Today’s pretty monumental. I received my hiking boots. This is happening. It might not seem like a huge leap towards the Camino from the outside, but right now, wearing my new boots, I feel like I’m really pushing the envelope. That’s all for now – I’ll let you guys know how they’re working out as…
Chelle & The Shell
Today’s Daily Post prompt is pretty interesting. It also happens to intersect perfectly with the Camino-related topic that has been weighing heavily on my thoughts for the last few days. The prompt asks us to discuss the person in our inner circle of friends/relatives who is most unlike us, and what we think makes it…
A Traveling Companion
Today’s Daily Post prompt was just too good to pass up, especially since it touches on something I was thinking about just yesterday. In the prompt, we’re asked to describe what we’d do if we walked into a new friend’s house, only to find that it was decorated exactly the same as our own, down…
One Foot In Front Of The Other
“It is no use walking anywhere to preach, unless our walking is our preaching.” – St. Francis of Assisi When I first started seriously considering going on pilgrimage, I made this silent agreement with myself that I would only approach the concept of the journey from a place of positivity. I guess that might sound strange –…
Wants, Needs, Money, Travel
Hi there, lovelies. I’m back for good. So sorry to keep you waiting (those of you who care). I’ve been dealing with some serious doubts – in general worthiness, in the nature of my life’s path, in my ability to correctly assemble the puzzle pieces of this pilgrimage. I’m just starting to get a few…
Return To The Road
Hello there, readers. It’s been awhile – sorry to keep you waiting so long for an update. In late March, I decided to take a little break from blogging here while I sorted out my life and considered whether walking The Camino was still in my cards. It actually didn’t take me too long to…
Imagining The Road To Roncesvalles
When I first found out about the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela, I remember being most excited about hearing that you had to cross the Pyrenees to get there. Of course, this technically isn’t true – you don’t HAVE to cross the Pyrenees on your Camino. However, the most popular route, the Camino Frances, kicks…
Footloose, Fancy-Free…Fashionable?
Here’s a confession: I have no clue what to wear on The Camino. Sure, I know the basics, like sturdy boots, a warm, waterproof jacket, breathable shirts, convertible pants/shorts, and thick wool socks, but I’ve never purchased any serious outdoorsy gear. Hiking and camping aren’t really huge pastimes here in New Orleans, and the last…
Compass & Quill 