Camino 2018 – The Ordeal of the Mountain
What is it about starting a pilgrimage with an ordeal by mountain? Is it a test of resolve? Or is it to give us a glimpse of the reward for our efforts in the majesty of the scene laid out before us?
Category: Travel
The Pilgrim’s Staff
Yesterday we bought our walking poles in St Jean Pied de Port – our final piece of equipment for the Camino de Santiago – the ancient pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostele in Spain. Today we should have been walking, but have decided to take a couple of rest days …
Paris: Ten scams and how to avoid them
First off, Paris is a wonderful and pretty safe city, but it has its share of shady operators, as most cities do. The following are mostly ones I’ve encountered or have been made aware of. One way to stay alert is to play the ‘Spot the Scam game. It’s a …
Monet’s Garden at Giverny
Although it is still early spring and most of the flowers aren’t out yet, it is easy to see the attraction of Monet’s garden. We had booked a half day mini-bus tour when we arrived and it was definitely well worthwhile. An hour or so’s drive through the French countryside …
Paris at Easter
Dawn, and we were up early to get to Notre Dame cathedral. Security was fairly tight, with bag searches before entering the cathedral square. Being early, we were able to get through quickly. With about an hour to go before the Gregorian mass, we perambulated slowly around the interior while …
Paris in the Spring
It has a great ring to it, doesn’t it? The huge A380 plane lurched alarmingly and with a loud crunch we had landed in some pretty challenging weather – several passengers applauded – this is definitely where pilots earn their salaries. ‘Mesdames et monsieurs, bienvenue a Paris’ and with that …
Singapore: Green cake and great coffee
Those who know me, know that I like coffee. So, often when travelling I end up drinking green tea as it can be really hard finding a decent coffee, and Singapore can be like that. But on this trip I think I’ve found one of the best coffees to be …
Singapore: Gardens by the Bay
Singapore – from a garden city to a city in a garden, the Gardens by the Bay symbolises Singapores 21st century transformation
Final preparation for the Camino
With our final training walk with backpacks before the Camino, it is time to reflect on not just the physical, but the mental preparation and final pack, both physical and mindful.