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Camino de Santiago
  • Mme Jojo
Aug – Nov 2016

Camino de Santiago

A 81-day adventure by Mme Read more
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  • Trip start
    August 13, 2016
    Mme JojoCamino de SantiagoTraveler
    1

    Day 1: Reims - Rilly-la-Montange

    August 13, 2016 in France ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    Distance: 10km (a slow start)
    Weather: 28C, sunny
    Mood: Emotional to start, now quite calm and lazy
    No. of Pelgrims encountered: 0
    State of body: 🙂
    Highlight of the day: Receiving the lovely symbolic necklace from Marc at the Reims cathedral
    Lesson of the day: start earlier, afternoon is too hot    Read more

  • Mme JojoCamino de SantiagoTraveler
    1

    Day 2: Rilly-la-Montagne - Epernay

    August 14, 2016 in France ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    Distance: 21km (+ 4 extra off-route)
    Weather: 28C, sunny
    Mood: Cool and a little exited
    No. of Pelgrims encountered: 0
    State of body: No blisters... Yet! Starting to feel a tad tired though.
    Highlight of the day: Receiving a bottle of water (after I had desperately asked for one) Diving (OK, maybe more like falling off the slippery slope) into the cold water in the Lake at the campsite.
    Lesson of the day: Don't expect a boulangerie to be open during the summer holiday and don't expect all roads to be open either (needed to do some trespassing at a building site...)    Read more

  • Mme JojoCamino de SantiagoTraveler

    Day 3: Epernay - Montmort

    August 15, 2016 in France ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    Distance: 25km
    Weather: 26C, sunny
    Mood: Missing the spontaneous meetings with lovely people (sofar most are bit moody and oblivious to pilgrims)
    No. of Pilgrims encountered: 0....
    State of body: First tiny blister and collar bone sore from backpack (it's still feeling rather heavy)
    Highlight of the day: Long hot shower at my first hotel stop
    Lesson of the day: Don't try to outsmart the prescribed route (my little detour left my legs covered in scratches)    Read more

  • Mme JojoCamino de SantiagoTraveler

    Day 4: Montmort - Sezanne

    August 16, 2016 in France ⋅ 🌙 24 °C

    Distance: 31km
    Weather: 29C, felt like 34!
    Mood: Good, bit more social
    Blisters: 3 (2 new!)

    The "unwinding" road

    Time for something different today. My day started with 5 kilometers along a grassy straight path through farmlands with absolutely nothing else around. The Beatles song The long and winding Road came into my mind, though this road was anything but windy and I realised that the hiker-me is different from the everyday-me. Usually I love shortcuts, the quickest way to get somewhere in the most efficient manner, but the hiker-me likes the bends in the road, the corner that may bring something interesting to see and the turn the guidebook describes is coming up soon. It keeps the journey interesting and straight roads are just a bit... boring. But I manned up, counted steps and marched on and finally I saw the end of the road (see pictures below) and the funny thing was that the road on the other side was pretty much the same, long and un-winding. In fact, most of the long route today was like that! It's almost like this camino gives you what you don't desire, so you can meditate on it. Let's see how unwindy the roads are tomorrow.

    Oh and, I did meet some really lovely Scottish people who offered to heat my food and I sat with them for most of the evening, hence why this post is later than usual!    Read more

  • Mme JojoCamino de SantiagoTraveler
    2

    Day 5: Sezanne - Algure

    August 17, 2016 in France ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    Distance: 22.5KM (111.5/1888.5)
    Weather: 29C, too hot to hike
    Mood: A little tired...
    Blisters: 5 (2 new!) It is starting to become uncomfortable

    Finding the pilgrim in me

    First of all we would like to apologise for the outrageous spelling error in yesterday's entry. All has been corrected now.

    The roads remain long and straight and too be frank, rather boring. Farmland after farmland and a few wildflowers, a tiny bit of hill or there and that sums it up. I think this is finally starting yo awaken the pilgrim in me. The repetition and the long stretches of road create a rhythm that put my busy mind at ease. I'm starting to feel like the walking at times is almost automatic.
    And then at times it feels like the opposite of automatic, the blisters have come, despite all my amazing prevention efforts and they hurt. The backpack is too heavy, especially after yesterday's shopping spree (I wanted to eat everything in the super, asked yesterday after surviving 32 km on one baguette and a Snelle Jelle) and I slept too short. I think a bit of suffering is almost a natural part of being a pilgrim. And because of that, I need to find a rhythm, keep going, counting and remembering that I don't want to give up!    Read more

  • Mme JojoCamino de SantiagoTraveler
    1

    Day 6: Anglure - Mery-sur-Seine

    August 18, 2016 in France ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    Distance: 11.5KM (123/1877)
    Weather: 25C, wet!
    Mood: Good! Short and pretty walk
    Blisters: 5 (bought lots of things to treat them)

    Here comes the rain...

    After five days of relentless heat, I genuinely thought that I would love a fresh and rainy day, so when madame told me it was really raining quite a bit I smiled and said I would be fine and rain was "bon". Well, I was wrong. When you are walking for hours on a day, rain is never good, maybe a 5 min interval, but not a 2 hour intense one! First of all, my jacket isn't 100% waterproof, secondly you cannot sit anywhere and put your painful feet up to rest.... I hadn't quite thought about that yet. Luckily, I was saved, by my neighbour Martin's favourite place to have a break. I found an actual bus stop. A non-smelly, completely covered (it was more like a little house) space, where I could rest a bit and dry out my coat. I never saw a bus, and I won't tell you about the state of the toilet at the back, but I was grateful regardless.... And even now, I am at the campsite typing from inside my tent, which is kind of cozy, but really wish it will be dry when I have to pack up tomorrow and head to Troyes.

    P.s. Sorry, I can't help myself with the Beatles references 😀    Read more

  • Mme JojoCamino de SantiagoTraveler
    11

    Day 7: Mery-sur-Seine - Troyes

    August 19, 2016 in France ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    Distance: 30KM (153/1847)
    Weather: 25C, sun and clouds
    Mood: Feeling strong
    Blisters: 5 (the only thing stopping me from walking more)

    I can't believe it's already day 7!

    No deep thoughts today, just the exciting news that I met two fellow pilgrims yesterday night (Dutch even) and it was great to share pilgrim stories and receive some greasy cotton wool and Gewohl cream to treat my feet and prevent more blisters. The walking was much easier today than my last 30k and I'm now sleeping in the old seminarie of Troyes (pic three).
    I'm starting to feel stronger, so let hope those blisters will sure soon (so I can walk even more in a day...)    Read more

  • Mme JojoCamino de SantiagoTraveler
    11

    Day 8: Troyes - Sommeval

    August 20, 2016 in France ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    Distance: 23.3KM (176.3/1823. 7)
    Weather: 18-24C, cloudy with patchy rain and sunny spells
    Mood: Started out a bit down, ending on a high
    Blisters: 4 (recovery mode)

    When blue turns yellow

    It was one of those days where everything was bound to go wrong. Packing up took ages, despite me waking up spectacularly early and my feet felt painful and heavy from the very first step as if I hadn't given them any rest. Of course I took a few wrong turns, the hot chocolate I made was pretty much disgusting and after that it started to rain, so when I felt one of my blisters pop within less then 3k I thought I was going to give up early today. I thought, well clearly after each good day comes a bad one.
    And then it struck me that I was initiating this negative chain of events by negative thoughts and energy and what if I decided to make this my best day yet?
    When a woman offered me lunch after I sat down in the grass at about 15k, without really needing to, I started to believe a little in the magic of the camino. After lunch my feet felt light and I walked the next 9.5k within 2 hours. I arrived at a little pilgrim gite which the community of Sommeval keeps clean and ready for free. I decided to stay the night (even though I'd set my mind om reaching a campsite 8.5k further along) and within 30 minutes it started to bucket down with rain. Today was as it was meant to be and it felt a little bit magical...    Read more

  • Mme JojoCamino de SantiagoTraveler
    2112

    Day 9: Sommeval - Ervy-le-Chatel

    August 21, 2016 in France ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    Distance: 20KM (196.3/1803. 7)
    Weather: 18-24C, cloudy and windy (honestly!)
    Mood: Relaxed and confident
    Blisters: 3.5 (number 4 is pretty much gone)

    Easy day, the feet are definitely getting better which is really great. I'm planning on walking to Vezelay in the next three days, with around 30k each day, so need to rest up (and have foot baths in my cooler bag :-))Read more

  • Mme JojoCamino de SantiagoTraveler
    11

    Day 10: Ervy-le-Chatel - Chablis

    August 22, 2016 in France ⋅ 🌙 20 °C

    Distance: 35.4KM (231.7/1768.3) I found a shortcut, which saves me 2k though...
    Weather: 27C, mostly sunny
    Mood: Relaxed and a little tipsy...
    Blisters: 3 (!)

    Apologies for not publishing this yesterday I'm case anyone worried about me. I arrived in Chablis around 5.30, caught a lift to town with the local policeman (no, he didn't think I was a criminal, I just asked 🙂) and then... Well, I basically tried to make friends with next doors dog (not the one the pic) and ended up staying for dinner and a lot of rose. Of course they were English (Yorkshire) and I didn't get to bed till 22.30, which is very late for pilgrim-me. So, another good day and night, making the big miles and new friends and most importantly... the feet really seem to be getting better!Read more

  • Mme JojoCamino de SantiagoTraveler

    Day 11: Chablis - Accolay

    August 23, 2016 in France ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    Distance: 26KM (257.7/1742.3)
    Weather: 33C hothothot
    Mood: Hot but happy and a little fatigued.
    Blisters: 3

    Things that make me happy
    - spotting wildlife (red squirrels, baby deer, otters)
    - dragonflies, following me as if they are playing tag
    - a cyclist who stops to offer me water
    - free wine and dinner from fellow campers
    - footpaths in Little icy cold streams
    - free local pastry from the boulangerie
    - Reading before bedtime all snug in my tiny tent
    - Meeting fellow pilgrims

    Things that make me not so happy
    - Blisters
    - Rain
    - Uneven gravel roads (see pic)
    - Closed boulangeries (but you knew that already)
    - Barley being able to walk when I swop my shoes for flip-flops
    - inaccurate directions

    Life of a pilgrim is simple...    Read more

  • Mme JojoCamino de SantiagoTraveler

    Day 12: Accolay - Asquins

    August 24, 2016 in France ⋅ ☀️ 34 °C

    Distance: 27.5KM (285. 2/1714.8)
    Weather: 32C hot and humid
    Mood: Pretty relaxed. I can actually still walk once I put off my shoes. This is a new thing 🙂
    Blisters: 1 (though I have a few sore areas, probably due to callouses)

    The point of a hill

    I really don't mind a little climbing, I actually welcome it as its a change to the routine of walking, you use different muscles, and it actually brings me into a but of a hard working flow and most importantly, you get a great view as your reward.
    However, today I had quite a number of hills to climb that seemed completely pointless to me. I would be walking in the middle of a dense forest and I'd be climbing fiercely with my heavy pack on my back and once I reached the top there was... even more dense forest. No clearing, no view, just a waste of some good energy.
    I suggest they just dug out these paths and create cool valleys, sorry, but without a view... What's the point?!

    I intended to reach vezelay today, but it was just too bloody hot to climb that hill (in one of the pics you can see the hill that is Vezelay in the background). I think I may have even a been a but overheated and low on salt, so I found myself a nice bath house (I kid you not) and cooled down my feet and ate nuts. Tomorrow I will see vezelay in the morning light and this is where I should start encountering more pilgrims... We shall see!    Read more

  • Mme JojoCamino de SantiagoTraveler

    Day 13: Asquins - Chemin

    August 26, 2016 in France ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C

    Distance: 27.5KM (312.7/1698.9)
    Weather: 33C hot and humid
    Mood: Pretty good and strong
    Blisters: 1 (new one, feet are a little sore)

    Company

    Today I had company on the way for the first time. First a dog started following me and ended up walking with me for 10 km! I got in touch with his owner and found out later that he does this more often, he just really likes walking.
    Later I met Lisel (70,DE) with whom I walked the last few K to the great pilgrim auberge in Chemin, which is run by a lovely Dutch couple.
    I enjoyed the company for a change and I heard Spain is really busy, so I'll have to get myself prepared me thinks. We chatted till bedtime, so had no time to write my update.    Read more

  • Mme JojoCamino de SantiagoTraveler

    Day 14 & 15: Chemin - Chaumot + Rest!

    August 27, 2016 in France ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    Distance: 14.6KM (327.3/1684.3)
    Weather: 34C hot and humid
    Mood: ultra relaxed
    Blisters: 1

    After a short walk yesterday with my friend Lisel, I had a lovely relaxing evening and rest day with Marc who came to visit me. So nice to feel like a normal human being again, even for a short time 🙂Read more

  • Mme JojoCamino de SantiagoTraveler

    Day 16: Chaumot - st-Amand-Montrond

    August 28, 2016 in France ⋅ 🌙 23 °C

    Distance: 16.6KM + 140.3 by car (343.9/1526.4)
    Weather: 28C warm and humid
    Mood: rested and emotional
    Blisters: 1

    The big decision

    It was a hard one to make, but I think an important one to keep my mind at ease during the next phases of my camino. Today, I realised that I would need to walk an average of 26.3km a day for the next 64 days and that would be without any rest days. To be frank, even though my body is able my feet are just not op to that number and need the rest now and then.
    That's why I made the hard decision to cut out a piece of 140k, tot being the average down to 25.4k with the luxury of 4 rest days, which seems a lot more achievable. I found it a little hard as it feels like cheating and I don't like saying I walled from Reims but not really all the way.... But then, who cares, it's my way and I can always walk the missing miles later, like many people do. There are no hard rules and I should just do what feels right. Well, no longer feeling the pressure of having to do many 30+ days that's are just too hard on my feet feels like a relief. And.. As we drove through the landscape we decided that it was a pretty boring part anyway 🙂
    Marc has left now, which makes me feel a little sad and alone, but it's all part of my way and even that feels good in a twisted "way".    Read more

  • Mme JojoCamino de SantiagoTraveler
    3

    Day 17: St-Amand-Montrond - Le Chatelet

    August 29, 2016 in France ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    Distance: 27.9 (371.8/1498.5)
    Weather: 23C, cloudy and a tiny bit of rain
    Mood: neutral pilgrim mode
    Blisters: 1

    All is good. Uneventful day with good mileage. Now it's time for dinner in my Chambre d'hote for the night 🙂Read more

  • Mme JojoCamino de SantiagoTraveler

    Day 18: Le Chatelet - La Chatre

    August 30, 2016 in France ⋅ 🌙 19 °C

    Distance: 31.2 (403/1467.3)
    Weather: 25C, intermittent clouds and sun
    Mood: Social, relaxed with tired feet
    Blisters: 1
    Staying at: Le Presbyterie

    Intending to post a little story tomorrow. My nights are either too social or too tired...Read more

  • Mme JojoCamino de SantiagoTraveler

    Day 19: Le Chatre - Neuvy-St-Sepulchre

    August 31, 2016 in France ⋅ 🌙 20 °C

    Distance: 18.6 (421.6/1448.7)
    Weather: 27C, sunny and at times cloudy
    Mood: ultra social
    Blisters: 0 (I DIYed some insoles that seem to work)
    Staying at: Camping Municipal Les Frênes

    A walk with company again! Yesterday I met a Dutch (Richard, 24) and a Belgian (Jonas, 22) guy and we walked together all day. A lovely change to the solitaire walks and with a lot more breaks than I'm used to. Walking together, I have decided, in the right company, is much easier than alone.
    In the evening I met my parents at a campsite and after a beer and a dive in the pool, we all ate together. It was another great, social night, which will become part of my treasured memories of the camino.    Read more

  • Mme JojoCamino de SantiagoTraveler
    311

    Day 21: La Chaumerette - Crozant

    September 2, 2016 in France ⋅ 🌙 23 °C

    Distance: 18.8 (464.8/1405.5)
    Weather: 30C, sunny and a bit hot
    Mood: Relaxed
    Blisters: 1 (but feet no longer feel tired)
    Staying at: Camping Municipal La Fontbonne

    Letting go...

    A number of people have told me that the camino is very much about letting go and today I realised I am starting to experience this.
    A few days of walking with the "jeunes" I met I learned a different way of walking. Naturally, despite my good intentions I had started planning my days and had felt rather pressured by the heat. If I would get up really early, I could get to the next place early and before the real heat, which to be fair never materialised. This led to a constant monitoring of my speed and at some point even controlling my break lengths. I know... It sounds a bit obsessive now, but the heat had scared me a little when I started to feel nauseous one afternoon.
    I felt I was battling the heat.
    However, these two young guys taught me to just go with the flow of the day, take longer breaks and enjoy the little interactions with the locals (yesterday we met a Belgian sculpturer who showed us his work).
    Today I realise I am learning to let go (a little) of control through planning and timing and it feels great!    Read more

  • Mme JojoCamino de SantiagoTraveler

    Day 22: Crozant - La Souterraine

    September 3, 2016 in France ⋅ 🌙 19 °C

    Distance: 24.5 (489.3/1381)
    Weather: 28C, sunny and a bit hot
    Mood: Relaxed
    Blisters: 1
    Staying at: Claudine Montcuit gîte

    The walks are starting to become routine (in a nice way) and also my morning and evening rituals. I'm surprised how easily I adapt to this simple, but physically intense life. Today Richard and I were reunited with Jonas and it was so nice to see a familiar face. He's going back home tomorrow, while we continue our camino. A nice evening at one of my favourite places to stay sofar, camping in the garden of the "tres gentil" mme Montcuit.Read more

  • Mme JojoCamino de SantiagoTraveler

    Day 23: La Souterraine - Marsac

    September 4, 2016 in France ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    Distance: 26.1 (515.4/1354.9)
    Weather: 25C, overcast
    Mood: Relaxed
    Blisters: 0
    Staying at: Chez Bernie gîte

    Changes

    Today was my last day walking with Richard and that means I'm back on my own again tomorrow. I wonder if I will walk differently compared with before my encounter with the boys. Will I be less hastened and more in the moment?
    Tomorrow I have my first big climb of the camino, with 300 metres incline over 5km. Will it be hard or will I be just as relaxed as I've been the past few days?
    Also the civilization of the past week or so will end, no bakeries and supermarkets on the entire stretch and so I'll have to use my rations.
    I think these will be good changes, back to stillness, new psychical challenges and a bit more into the wild... Bonne nuit!

    Oh and yes... It's quite a milestone 500k! I'm rather proud x    Read more

  • Mme JojoCamino de SantiagoTraveler
    221

    Day 24: Marsac - Le Chatenet-en-D.

    September 5, 2016 in France ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    Distance: 38k (incl. 4.5k shortcut) (553.4/1316.9)
    Weather: 25C, overcast
    Mood: Tired but satisfied
    Blisters: 0
    Staying at: a field

    Why make it hard?

    I'd been going over my planning for the next few days a number of times when Richard asked me: "Why do you make it so hard for yourself?" The constant pressure to hit a certain daily mileage seemed a bad thing to him.
    I read the same thing on a santiago website, to not pressure yourself too much on time so you can enjoy the camino to its fullest.
    But of course I have my own view, I like the physical challenge and I'm not even sure why. Probably because I want it to be hard and I want to feel like I've really achieved something at the end of the day. I mentioned this earlier, it seems like a certain level of suffering is imperative to the camino.
    Somehow this challenge keeps me going and prevents my camino from becoming routine and even a bit boring. And so today, I hit a new high on my daily mileage (33.5km) and it feels good.
    I just hope it still feels good tomorrow...

    In case you're wondering what that misty picture is of... Well that was the summit of my first climb, bit unlucky with the weather. It wasn't that hard though and I enjoyed walking alone again. Enough thoughts to keep this busy mind company!    Read more

  • Mme JojoCamino de SantiagoTraveler

    Day 25: Chatenet-en-D. - Limoges

    September 6, 2016 in France ⋅ 🌙 23 °C

    Distance: 28.6k (582/1288.3)
    Weather: 27C, periods of sun and clouds
    Mood: Tired but satisfied
    Blisters: 0
    Staying at: Soeurs Franciscaines

    The landscape today was beautiful and the Cathedral of Limoges is just stunning (Which makes the Limousin my favourite part of this journey yet). As my mum said, Limoges is another milestone, which I am proud to reach. I was going to post a little story, but I met a couple from Bornerbroek (very near to where my dad was born).Read more

  • Mme JojoCamino de SantiagoTraveler

    Day 26: Limoges - Flavignac

    September 7, 2016 in France ⋅ 🌙 25 °C

    Distance: 28. 4k (610.4/1259.9)
    Weather: 32C, Very sunny and hot
    Mood: I so got that 28k!
    Blisters: 0
    Staying at: Camping Saint-Fortunat (I have not paid yet...)

    I am sitting at the lake of Saint Fortune as the night falls. A few last day trippers are making their way home, but I am still here with no plans, but a bottle of wine and the expectation of a starry night. It's so peaceful now that most people are gone and the screams of children playing have made way for crickets, birds and the quiet sounds of the lake. I am content, I am peaceful, I am grateful and yes, maybe I am a little under the influence...
    Maybe it's a little more comfortable if I put my right leg down... Ouch maybe it's not, there are loads of nettles here!
    It's so nice when you have no other worries on your mind but where you'll sleep and what you'll eat. This is when I feel I can really enjoyed the small things (that really are big) in life. And... Isn't there a Dutch things about the small things that make you happy in the end?    Read more

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