Every Moment is a Fresh Beginning

Another year means more opportunities to walk at home and abroad. Dublin has stunning walks and I will be starting to walk over the next few weeks. I walked with Camino Society Ireland at the start of October around South Dublin. It was a short enough walk but it was a great chance to meet pilgrims from the locality. I walked on my birthday also in December, approx 17km. I really enjoyed that day walking from the south of Dublin to the north of Dublin and not a drop of rain – doing some fundraising at the same time. I take in this walk each year but on this particular day I didn’t have the energy to walk the full distance so I caught the train home.

Secondly, this year means I may have the chance of meeting some Camino friends from 2018 and 2021, but I will go into this in more detail in future posts. If I do actually meet them, I would be over the moon. I do think about my pilgrim friends from previous years in Spain quite a lot, especially those who I met this year walking from Burgos.

Next, 2022 also gives me the chance to walk with my brother again along the Portuguese Coastal Camino from Porto. A Camino I have walked but only from the Portuguese border. I have been forced to change my Lowe Alpine backpack as it was hurting my shoulders, so I have replaced it with an Osprey Talon 33l. I have started getting patches for it – just like I did for my first pack. The passion doesn’t go away. I haven’t used an Osprey before but I took it out on a walk after Christmas and so far so good. I am really excited about May, so fingers crossed we are able to travel. Do you have any plans to walk this year?

2022 gives me the chance to look after my health, to take things slow and not worry about the unimportant things. You often hear the phrase, “you are the best version of yourself on the Camino” and this is so true for me. I am relaxed, at ease and everything seems to be simple.

Finally, a recommendation…I spent the evening yesterday watching a film on the Camino and I just want to pass it on to you. “Perpetual Journey” tells the story of a group of college students and 2 leaders who walk to Santiago along the Camino Frances in 2017. I watched it with Linda from www.somewhereslowly.com and I so wanted to be back in Spain. You can watch the trailer below. Their arrival into Santiago is something else.