Hey everyone? How are you this morning? It’s Thursday as I write and it is so close to the end of my annual leave. Has it been a productive few days? I would say yes! I have had the chance the rest and recharge while getting the chance to do something I wanted to do for sometime, but I will come back to that in a bit.

Unfortunately, those infected by Covid increase gradually and I do worry if I will be able to travel next April. If I do travel, I will more than likely be required to self-isolate when I return home. This means working from home for 10 days, which is perfectly fine by me. The call of the Camino has been strong since I returned from Porto last September. I look forward to returning and meeting other pilgrims and getting back into the rhythm of pilgrim life. I have been thinking of 2022 and other routes but I realise that I shouldn’t get ahead of myself. I have an urge to walk the Camino Francés again although when I think back at the large number of pilgrims from 2017 and 2018, I wonder why that route. Maybe it is how easy it is to meet people and it is a very social Camino. But when all the thinking has been done, I realise that I have full time job and I will never have time to walk a longer Camino – until I retire, that is.

So as most of you know at this stage, the blog has made it’s transition to podcast form and we have began interviewing pilgrims who have walked the Camino de Santiago. I will still be posting also. Last week I spoke to Pablo about his walk on the Camino del Norte and it is available to listen now.

Pablo’s blog (setmeravelles.com) is full of information on the Camino del Norte, Camino Primitivo, and Camino San Salvador and is recommended reading. I interviewed a German pilgrim, Miriam on Tuesday. She created a super YouTube video which has over 12,000 views at present and I love it. And finally, I had a chat with María Seco today. Maria lives on the Camino Portugués and this podcast will be available in the future.

As always, I have an open invitation to all pilgrims. Please let me know if you want to share your story and we can arrange a time etc.

In the meantime, Buen Camino!

After writing my last post, there has been progress, my good friends. I have managed to get this podcast off the ground and it is online ready for all for listen. I have recorded with Skype and ran with Anchor.fm. Anchor not only publish the podcast but send it to all the main listening platforms, which is very nice of them.

The first episode was a solitary affair where I talked about my first jaunt to Santiago way back in 2011. I am considering a few more episodes where I talk about albergues, and websites to review when preparing for your Camino. The second episode is with Querien, who writes whenawayfarer.com. She is such a positive person and I enjoyed the conversation.

With all highs, there are downsides and the first came on Friday evening when I was talking to Elizabeth, my Mexican peregrina friend. Halfway through a fascinating chat, my laptop crashed. I had been experiencing problems with the hard drive all week so I had managed to back up what I could before hand.

Fast forward to today, I have a new laptop and I can continue with my podcast and with writing. I am now on annual leave from work so I have a little time on my hands.

The offer is open to all pilgrims if you wish to share your experience, please message me.

Podcast link: www.anchor.fm/clearskiescamino

Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2vOIpQrJvkYuPScThcKyyP

I think it is no secret that I wish to create a podcast to help others (and in turn myself) get ready for a trip to Spain / Portugal. I have all the necessary equipment and I hope to have the first episode uploaded shortly.

Over the coming weeks, I am looking to talk to other pilgrims who wish to share their pilgrim experience. And that’s where you come in.

• How did you hear about the Camino de Santiago?
• How did you prepare?
• Is there any equipment you would recommend?
• What about pilgrim routes in your own country?

An episode will last approx 30-40 minutes and all episodes will be found online.

Contact email: clearskiescamino@gmail.com

I hope to hear from you soon

Instagram: @clearskiescamino

For those on Social media, it’s usual to receive the daily update reminding you what you were doing on this date X number of years ago. Whether it be on Facebook, Instagram or on Google Photos, each day without fail a notification is sent. In that notification is a distraction from what is going on around us and it is a good chance to look back at happier times. Since 2014, September has been my month of choice to walk along the Camino. I know many pilgrims are missing out this year, not just I. I had plans to walk again from Porto toward the end of September but these plans have been pushed back to April 2021. As long as the Camino is there, I will keep aiming to walk it.

Let me take you down memory lane, or should I say, down September lane. I have left a link to each page where you can read about each specific Camino. And sure, if you have any questions, please feel free to ask me.

• 3rd – 12th September 2014: I walked from St Jean Pied de Port to Belorado on the Camino Francés. My first and only year to walk up and over the Pyrenees. Shout out to Andrea, Dave, Leslie and Bob, my pilgrims buddies. What a way to be introduced to the Napolean route but I enjoyed every second.. I can’t wait to go back. Read about this Camino here.

• 4th -16th September 2017: I returned to the meseta for the third time and walked from Burgos to Astorga. Some pilgrims seem to dislike this part of the French Way but not me, I find it the most sociable. I did in 2017, meeting pilgrims from all parts of the world. Shout out to June, Billy, Aga, Adam, and many others I have left out. Read about this Camino here.

• 11th – 21st September 2018: A short trip across Navarra, but a decision made on the spur of the moment. I walked from Puente la Reina to Burgos and met Carsten, Bruno, Doug, Jim, Kathy and Janet. I haven’t walked the Camino Francés since then. You can read about this Camino here.

• 9th – 19th September 2019: After walking the Camino Inglés in May, I rejoined Carsten and walked from Lisbon on the Camino Portugués. I walked to Agueda due to time constraints however I will be back sometime. I have yet to write a proper blog about this Camino. I found this walk one of the more challenging for a number of reasons.