One week and two days....

My serious pre-Camino preparation has been interrupted by a luxury city break piggybacking on my lovely colleague and friend's work conference. An opportunity to say "good-bye", enjoy some rest time and reflect on some of the luxuries that will be absent on Camino. The luxurious 5 star surroundings amplify the probable contrasts....EL Baño, champú, lociones, sábanas, la tocará....a toilet, shampoo, lotions, sheets, soft towels... Mostly "la intimidad"....my personal privacy....🤤🤤👉. Funny thing is...I'm looking forward to the simplicity....and so pleased it is not me attending this professional conference.....oh, oh, oh....so, so pleased. Give me the exquisite pain and challenge of my mountains.....

AND backtracking...early in the week I had an unexpected change of plans....noted elsewhere but certainly part of my preparation and there's photos too: " Lovely Hemi Matenga Mountain on a Tuesday....the luxury of a trail nearly all mine. I parked on the street and approached the Parata track after a km trek through the bush. The Parata track is a steady 2 km climb, quite steep but doable with stops to catch my breath....no real strain on my muscles though. I loved it. Bush, mud, green lushness....Doglette and me 💃🐕 her patiently waiting where necessary....no pressure🐶💕🙆. Actually saw two guys who recognised us and remembered we were in training. "Hola. Buenos Días, mis amigos"

It was so thoroughly enjoyable. Once we had reached the lookout and had lunch it seemed appropriate to the occasion to continue on to the more challenging Te Au Track rather than returning down to the car. Again I found it really pleasant and it seemed easy than the early hike up to the lookout although there were both scents and descents though mud. It became more challenging when we reached the REAL descent which was very steep and slippery.

Picture this: me, NOT an elegant sight....more of a downhill climb than walk...walking poles less helpful than swinging off tree branches and slidiing on my bottom. No trouble to Dogette...no decisions for her about over or under fallen trees....as I said...not a pretty sight but such fun.💃💃💃

After four hours or so we reached the end of the loop....my car was parked two kms beyond the start of this loop! We spent another hour climbing hills in the suburbs, hunting for our 🚗 📌".

I'm thinking this may be the last biggish walk before the Pyrennes and it's It's getting closeI In the last two days I had numerous emails Camino-related including people wanting to follow my travels ...so exciting.Read more