Siren Song of the Camino: Magical Moments On El Camino De Santiago

By Christine Sherwood and Alayne Sinclair

Two old friends reunite after 35 years to walk El Camino de Santiago in Spain before their respective 60th birthdays. One friend lost 70 pounds prior to the walk in order to be able walk the distance. It is two separate accounts, providing a day by day dialogue of the journey with different perspectives and experiences.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Aug 19, 2016
• ISBN: 9781483577807

Book preview

Acknowledgements

Chapter 1

Only the Beginning

September 16, 2013

I have heard it said that your Camino begins when you start to plan it. For me this has certainly been true, I have become obsessed. It feels like a siren song has been calling me and I can’t stop thinking about walking the Camino de Santiago.

Like many others it all started for me in May of 2013 when I watched the film The Way and after that I wasn’t able to get it out of my mind. Walking the Camino has grasped my thoughts and when I find myself very down about things I dream of doing it.

I really wanted to go and my husband had no objections but could not accompany me as he had just started a new job. I e-mailed Alayne, a former travelling companion and roommate from college and asked whether she would be interested in walking it with me. It has been 35 years since we backpacked across Australia and New Zealand and a dozen years since we have even seen each other. She seemed quite interested with the stipulation that she could get fit by next September (which is when I have been thinking of going). She mentioned being jealous of someone that she knew who had done part of it so I knew she was interested.

My spare time is spent reading personal accounts either on blogs or books and it is rare that I read anything else but something on the Camino. Nothing else really appeals to me or captures my interest. Honestly, sometimes I think I am going crazy. I have no answers as to why it has gripped my thoughts. I requested five weeks off work next September and I am waiting to see if it will be approved.

I read as much as I can find and dream about the journey even though it sounds difficult. I wonder if I can carry a pack for 500 miles? Maybe the bigger question is, will I be able to walk all those miles in five weeks? How I wish I had endless time to do the things I want to do. I want things to be simpler again. Like the five months Alayne and I spent travelling across Australia and New Zealand 35 years ago. No schedule, just being able to go where the wind took us. I guess part of me just wants to get away from it all, to think and reassess my life. I feel that I am in a rut and I know I need a change. The person I once was seems to be long gone and I want to find her again.

October 13, 2013

Things are slowly progressing. I don’t want to count on anything quite yet however, but I am becoming more optimistic that things are taking shape. The good news is that I have been approved to take five weeks off next September. Of course I always worry that I won’t have a job to come back to but then I am a worrier. I feel that this is a good thing to do at this stage of my life. I just need to have faith, something that doesn’t come easily to me.

The second thing is that it looks like Alayne, is pretty positive about going on the adventure. Again, I am cautiously optimistic. I will take a wait and see attitude and see what happens.

December 30, 2013

Alayne has now confirmed that she is going to do the walk so it is on! She has lost 30 lbs. so far and has been working hard to get in shape. I’m both apprehensive and excited at the same time. Sleep has become a thing of the past for me. I’m lucky if I get three hours in before I wake up. There is so much to do, train for and think about!

Today I walked about 4 kms. I really love the Christmas break! Thirty minutes on the treadmill, then wearing my new hiking boots, down the hill to the golf course and back. They were surprisingly comfortable. Aside from that my left foot has become painful suddenly and I am having trouble stepping on it. A visit to the doctor is in order to get it straightened out. Hopefully drugs will help on the Camino. I gather from reading other accounts that Ibuprofen is your best friend, that and something called Compeed which I gather is a type of magic bandage for blisters.

For Christmas I received a very light Sony camera and a gift certificate to the local sporting goods store from my husband. I have discovered that hiking gear is quite expensive. I bought a pair of hiking poles and just hope that the airline doesn’t lose them before I get to use them. I now am the proud owner of three pairs of hiking socks, hiking boots, poles and a lightweight towel. I already have a shoulder sling for carrying the camera/passport/money plus a money belt, raincoat and plug adapter.

I worry if I can do it as I don’t have the world’s best stamina. It is going to take all I have to finish this adventure. I hope it is not just hard work but fun too!

Alayne is coming to visit in mid February and hopefully we can book our flights when she gets here. That way we can coordinate where we will meet up. The next two big purchases are a backpack and then a sleeping bag.

February 24, 2014

My visit with Alayne went well and I think we will make good travelling companions again. While she was here I booked all my flights, purchased a new light pack and some great zip off pants that convert to capris. They were a bargain at MEC for $10. Over the past two weeks I have been booking our accommodation for the start of the trip in Saint Jean Pied de Port, the next night at Orrison and then the final night in Santiago. My travel agent has arranged the hotel near the airport for the two of us on the day I arrive in Paris and she will be arranging one night in Amsterdam for me on my final night before I fly home. It has been fun doing some of the accommodation bookings myself.

Some good news is that after not getting any firm diagnosis from my doctor about my foot, I had the idea to see a physiotherapist. Apparently two bones in my foot were out of alignment and he worked them over for me and taped my foot up. The relief was almost immediate and after a few weeks of exercising to get stronger, I’m good to go again.

April 1, 2014

The Canadian Company of Pilgrims meeting was last Sunday and it is interesting to note that most of the people who were there were around my age. There were a few young ones but mostly older people. It looks like we will be in good company. There was a lot of enthusiasm in the room and a great deal of excitement. Some had walked more than once! There was a lot of information being passed around and questions being asked and answered.

I got home and weighed my pack without my sleeping bag and toiletries and it weighed 9 lbs. I put in all the clothes that I am taking including the ones that I’m wearing to offset the lack of sleeping bag. I am allowed another 6 lbs and I hope I can keep within that. The total weight of your pack should be no more than 10% of your body weight. Soon I will need to purchase the remainder of my items. I’m going to renew my 10-year passport this week

It does make me think, why am I doing this walk? Is it that my life is so bad that I need to walk 500 miles just to get away from it all? My beginner Spanish class begins in eight days and I’m a little apprehensive about it. Even if I pick up a bit I’m hoping it will help.

May 4, 2014

My father passed away April 9. I somehow knew that he wouldn’t be here when I started my journey. I just kind of felt it. He has been struggling for the last few years with declining health after a series of small strokes and my once strong and determined father is gone. He fought right to the end. He did not go quietly or easily from this life. There will always be a void for me and again when my mother goes but until then, life goes on. My father had a little pair of Dutch wooden shoes hanging from his walker. I am going to take them with me on the trip and put them on my pack. He had never heard about the Camino and when I told him about it he said to me I’d like to do that someday. I knew this wouldn’t be possible but in a small way, he will be with me. Buen Camino Dad.

It has been hard to stay focused on the task at hand and to keep walking but I know that if I don’t try I will really pay for it when I start. I have gone to four Spanish classes and I am listening to tapes when I can in the car. I find languages very difficult but at least if I make an attempt at it hopefully something will stick. I already know more than I did a month ago and I would like to keep it up.

June 19, 2014

I got a text from Alayne the other day and she has lost 70 lbs so far. I’m so impressed. That is what you call determination.

It is almost down to the two-month mark and I’m still plugging away at my Spanish. The formal lessons are now over and now it is just practice. I know it isn’t necessary to speak the language but I do feel that it will enhance my experience to be able to communicate with the locals. Some words are very close to English but it is the verbs and the different endings that I find so confusing. I almost have the numbers from 0 to 20 memorized and for me that is a feat in itself.

I am walking more and more each day and on the weekends trying to walk with my backpack. Actually when I’m on the treadmill I slap it on as well. It is already feeling better that it did.

Two weeks ago I decided to go outside for the first time wearing my pack. I was going to walk down the hill for about an hour on a trial run. I walked by a street with the name Grizzly Place on it and thought to myself that I hoped I wouldn’t see any (there are no Grizzlies here), I kept on walking and a block later I looked up and coming out from behind a house was a fairly large black bear. We both saw each other at the same time and stopped. I turned around automatically then quickly realized that I did not want to walk with a bear behind me. I crossed the street and continued down the hill while he watched me as I kept walking. It was only afterwards that I realized I had a banana in my pack and he probably could smell it.

June 24, 2014

I feel like I’m seeing signs everywhere. Frank Sinatra was my father’s favourite singer and I always associated the song that he sang, My Way with him. He lived his life that way and always did things the way he wanted. He had standards of right and wrong and lived his life accordingly. He didn’t put up with any crap and loved to argue his point with anyone who would listen and even better, those who didn’t.

The other day as I was driving I happened to be driving behind a car whose vanity plate read My Way. I thought it was quite serendipitous as my father had passed away quite recently. In his memorial pamphlet I had included the lyrics to that song.

It got me to thinking about him, how he lived his life and the term My Way. How similar to The Way and the Way of St. James. Maybe that is partially why I feel this very strong draw to walk the Camino. It has been pulling me for over a year now and I never really knew why. It has all started to make some kind of sense and I have a feeling that he is still here and will be walking the path with me in spirit.

June 28, 2014

I’m trying to ramp up my workouts. Today was the second time I did the local workout that is named The Crunch. It is 244 meters up a trail, starting with 440 steps at the beginning. I was so proud of myself because the weather was kind of rainy (not too heavy) and I went anyway. Actually it felt quite refreshing. With a hat on it was really quite nice. The first part was challenging, but not for some it seems, they sprint up those stairs. The true test will be when I can wear my pack while doing it. I will be leaving in two months today! I’m going to try and do the crunch it at least once or twice a week and then start wearing my pack. The sooner I do this the better. It is a total of 3.5 miles so it makes for a pretty good workout. Tomorrow I hope to do a longer walk. Last weekend I walked 14 kms and I did really well, I was tired but my feet felt good. Good hiking socks really help. I walked with a friend who developed blisters from just wearing regular socks so they really do make a difference! I wonder if I will continue walking after I get back from Spain? I hope so.

July 26, 2014

I have been worried about the sleeping bag that I bought. It seems way too heavy (3 lbs) for what I need and when I tried to stuff it back into it’s sack I just couldn’t get it back in easily. Atmosphere was very good and took it back, even though I bought it in January. I bought a lighter bag instead, which is about half the size and also some very lightweight expensive hiking shorts. They promise to wash well and dry quickly. I think it might be an item that I wear a lot!

It is nearly a month to go and I’m nervous, scared, you name it. I haven’t travelled by myself for years. I know I don’t have to be by myself for long but even getting to Paris and then to my hotel will be a challenge. If only I could speak French, oh, and Spanish too!

August 8, 2014

Planning for this trip has become a big part of my life now and I don’t want it to end. I guess I’m scared for it to start and then again for it to end. I especially don’t want it to end and wish I could slow things down. I want to live the Camino the rest of my life. I’m not sure what has happened to me but I feel changed and that is even before I have begun the actual journey.

On Sunday while I was hiking up the Crunch I met a woman and I think in a way it was a pre-Camino moment for me. She smiled and said hi and we instantly connected. Her name was Brenda and she said oh I have seen you walking before and we started chatting. She told me about some of her health issues over the last few years and I told her about my upcoming adventure. She was so excited, I could really sense that she was interested in the walk and I thoroughly enjoyed talking to her. As it turned out I had met her five years ago when she worked at a local cooking store. I remembered her and how helpful she was. When we reached the bottom of the trail I realized how much quicker the journey seemed than when I just walked by myself. We shook our sweaty hands together and hoped that someday our paths would cross again. You never know, I might never see her again. Probably just like the Camino.

August 25, 2014

I am beginning to be very apprehensive to say the least. Alayne is leaving tomorrow and I am so nervous. I am still adjusting my pack and taking things out. Right now it is 14 lbs and I would like to lighten it a bit as I need to adjust for water and food. I have taken out a few things but honestly I don’t have too much extra stuff. I got a goodbye call from my brother who keeps telling me that if it gets hard just quit and just go sightseeing. I guess he thinks I am crazy for doing this.

August 26/27:

Air Canada to Montreal and then to Paris

Alayne: I woke up this morning (August 26) refreshed and ready to go. Thanks to a great massage therapist the pains in my shoulders were much less and I had a good sleep. All is organized. Excited. Scared. Ready.

I have been asked and I am sure I will be asked many more times, why am I walking the Camino de Santiago? My answer now may be quite different from my answer at the end, or not. But this is my current answer: First, I am walking because my friend, Chris asked me to go with her. Second, as she suggested, it is a good way to celebrate that I am still here after almost 60 years. Third, it is a challenge. I find it hard not to act when the gloves are thrown. A year ago, it was not something I could do. I had to work hard to get here today. Not only did I need to lose weight, I had to get into the right condition. I have been doing yoga, golf, trainers, massage therapy and walking. All have taught me a great deal about