Hi guys, its the weekend again and those few days flew. It has been a busy few days.. It is important to keep yourself busy, especially where we are today. In Ireland, we have a Public Holiday on Monday so I am going to think about where I will walk this time around. Oh, I am sure you are dying to know.

As some of you know, especially those of you in Ireland, the restrictions will be loosened from May 18th which could see me back in the office in August. It is still a long time away. From now until May 18th, we are able to walk up to 5km from our home. A great website to find out where you can or can’t walk is https://2kmfromhome.com/5km. I can take a trip to the beach!

Another piece of news is that folks over the age of 70, who have up to now been cocooning, can go on daily walks up to 5 km. This is great news as I know some people who have been hidden away and are losing a little bit of sanity.

So from May 18th, the restrictions will be gradually eased. I for one hope to see my folks and family over the next few weeks. It’s been a long time and I do miss them.

And finally, news from Spain. Their own restrictions are being lifted. Over the course of the year, the many pilgrims hostels will adapt to the new Camino and the new normal. Many albergues will have to change due to social distance requirements. One thing is for sure, we won’t see hundreds of bunkbeds in an albergue again until a vaccine has been found. This article talks about the work that needs to be made to albergues to co-exist with Covid. Many pilgrims may wait until there is a vaccine, some will prefer to travel. All I know is the vaccine could be with us sooner than we think.

• My Future Camino Plans – 2022 And Beyond
• Camino Francés 2021 – Days 8 & 9 – Madrid
• Camino Francés 2021 – Day 7 – Sahagún to El Burgo Ranero
• Camino Francés 2021 – Day 6 – Ledigos to Sahagún
• Camino Francés 2021 – Day 5 – Carrion de los Condés to Ledigos

First of all I need to apologise for the delay in posting. With my time dedicated to work from Monday to Friday, I don’t have a lot of time for writing however I do try to write during the weekends or during the evenings. Last week, I had a nice easy walk, nothing too strenuous, but it was enjoyable. I would love to venture out again in the near future, this time with a pack. I have a 3 day pilgrimage coming up in May (2 months away). However, with the news of Covid-19 and with the lack of any positive outcome, it’s difficult to predict if I will walk this or not. At the time of writing, 18 people have contracted the virus in Ireland and a number of schools are closed. A few weeks ago, I didn’t think that it would cause us much disruption but I am willing to take that back now. Each and every morning, I go to work and hear people coughing. You can only imagine how unsettling that feels. But to be honest, I can see this getting worse. I feel for the vulnerable, I feel for the elderly, I feel for the people with existing conditions.

Ok, so the question remains what you do if you are planning to walk a Camino in Portugal or Spain in the near future? Do you go ahead or cancel? I see many pilgrims on social media already on the Camino in photos. So why not, is the answer to that. But I answer with a caveat!

You must firstly follow your own Government’s advice. If you are advised not to travel to an area where there is a spread, please do not travel. Otherwise, it is safe to travel.

On the Camino or anywhere for that matter, how can you stay safe from corunavirus:

There is as yet no vaccine for coronavirus so Spanish health officials are advising people to practice good basic hygiene to keep themselves protected.

• Wash hands your thoroughly and often with soap and water, especially after coughing and sneezing or before eating or it you have been touching surfaces that many other people will have touched such as on the Metro
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth, especially with unwashed hands.
• Cover your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing. Cover your mouth with your elbow when coughing
• Use disposable tissues and throw them away after use
• Clean off surfaces with alcohol- or chlorine-based disinfectants.
• They insist that protective face masks are not necessary unless you have symptoms or are treating someone who has symptoms.

At this moment in time, I am travelling to Porto in September. I will wait and see how this develops before making a decision on whether to travel.

Some handy links:

• Worldwide cases
• Symptoms, treatment, how it is spread: hse.ie

So a few weeks ago you might remember that I told you that I am moving my blog to another host. I just need to find some time to do this but you will be glad to hear that I have chosen a site and it is all positive.

And with that piece of news, I set aside a few hours and created a new logo for the new site, below. Nothing too fancy or dramatic but I am happy with the result. I have also ordered a number of this design as a circular patch so one will go on my pack in May. If anyone is interested in availing of one for their own backpack, let me know.

I have much work to do but baby steps.

• My Future Camino Plans – 2022 And Beyond
• Camino Francés 2021 – Days 8 & 9 – Madrid
• Camino Francés 2021 – Day 7 – Sahagún to El Burgo Ranero
• Camino Francés 2021 – Day 6 – Ledigos to Sahagún
• Camino Francés 2021 – Day 5 – Carrion de los Condés to Ledigos

So I posted before before Christmas that I had planned to walk from Leon to Santiago. I couldn’t wait to heal up after my broken wrist, so I booked my flights and bought any other gear that I needed. There was much anticipation which is usually the case when I think about returning to Spain. I had decided on April as a good time as it’s not too warm and it’s not that busy at that time of the year.

Unfortunately, due to a number of reasons, I felt it would be better to postpone and cut short my Camino. I have a number of things that I need to give my attention to over the next 3-4 months and unfortunately, a trip to Spain isn’t high on that list. So I am putting it aside until September 4th when I fly to Madrid and catch a bus to Astorga. I have made a booking in Hotel Gaudi which I am looking forward to. The next morning I hope to march on to who knows where! I had to grin and bear the charge for changing flights but that’s a small sacrifice! I look forward to the Leon hills, the Cruz de Ferro, the Bierzo valley and of course, the climb to O Cebreiro!

I’ll let you into a little secret..

In another lifetime..well, not too long ago, I used to enjoy putting one word after the other to create sentences. From the age of 12 right up to my mid-20’s, I got great enjoyment out of writing and playing guitar on a regular basis. It was a pretty fun thing to do and I was even in a band at one stage. Sure, every 20-something was! It was a rite of passage in life.

However, in time, life got in the way and writing reports and reaching deadlines replaced this little obsession of mine. I have still listened to music all along, but my two guitars are now gathering dust in the corner of my room and my collection of songs are in a box alongside them. I haven’t looked at them in years.

But tonight something happened that hasn’t happened in quite a while. I put pen to paper and wrote eight lines. It’s not much, but it could be the spark. My inspiration? The Camino, walking and its memories.

I’ll probably forget about it tomorrow and leave these few lines lying where they are but this whole thing surprised me. Will I kick on from here? I’d love to. If I can write a part of a song without music I’d be pretty happy. It’s all about being creative I suppose and this is a great way. I had also thought about buying a ukelele before Christmas as it is so easy to learn (plus they only have 4 strings).