Day 2 - that’s all she wrote

So after much discussion we set off this morning for Murgon.  I felt surprisingly fresh, despite the patchy sleep but still couldn’t stomach the thought of breakfast.  The bakery had a large selection, so I picked a savoury option of an Angus Beef pie and made myself eat it until it was finished.  Loaded 1l of water on board and hoisted the pack onto my back ready for the day’s walk.

Almost immediately my body protested at the intrusion but I persevered and started the walk.  Ticked off the first few kms at a slow but steady pace but by 6kms I had had enough and called it a day at Manyung.  Thank goodness for the Murgon cab service who came and picked me up and transported me the 12km to town.  Quick phone call to Brendon and my knight in shining armour is coming up tonight to stay, bringing my bike so I can do the next town or two on two wheels - but that will depend on me getting my gut under control.

So the two weeks I had planned is now in disarray as I come to the realisation that hiking/camping end to end is not in my capability at this time.  Instead I will go home, lick my wounds and plan to meet Rachel on the trail in a couple of places where I can do some day hikes/rides without the weight of a full pack on my back. Am I disappointed? Yes. Am I devastated? No.  All I could do was ask my body how much it could take, and it showed me. If we had perhaps started with an easier first day I may have made it a little longer and had a better base to start from. I’m also asking a body that already has too much excess weight on it to carry additional weight - so I can’t really blame it for arcing up at the load I put it under.

So for now I will kick back and relax while Rachel sets up her camp for the night, wait for Brendon to arrive and then head to the pub at Murgon for tonight’s dinner and ponder what might have been and what could still be.  This particular challenge may have beaten me, but I’m not broken!

Day 1 - over-ambitious hurts

 6am - we set our feet on the trail and start our rail trail adventure in Kilkivan. Day one is set for 27-29km dependant in which map you’re looking at, so we started early and planned our first stop at the 10km mark.  The track is well established although rough underfoot with lots of rocks - as you can imagine, it being a decommissioned railway line.  The first 22km is a gradual uphill through farmland - not a lot of cover and just the occasional cutting to provide shade.  We set our pace at 4km/hr and stayed on track until 10km when our plans of stopping were foiled by a particularly nasty magpie who swooped is from about 9k to 10.5k.  This guy was mean - he was a front on, swoop into your face type, but thankfully he didn’t like our hiking poles so it was just bombing without any strikes.

The cuppa on the side of the trail was hearty and just what was needed to revive us for the next 6km stretch, along with some rehydrated muesli and snack bars.  Following this break the pace started to drop off as we began to feel fatigue set in, and our next rest at 21km was really beginning to test our fortitude putting the packs back on.  So too was our second magpie of the day!

Another cup of tea at 25km, electrolytes for me to try to get my hydration under control - and we trudged the last 3km to Goomeri where we found some friendly locals who pointed us in the direction of the Showgrounds.

It’s fair to say on my behalf that everything hurt. Blistered  feet and toes, aching back and shoulders, sore shins and ankles - it was more painful than my first day in the Canyon and sadly the hydration issues I was having left me nauseated and in dire need of a bathroom. My left knee was swollen and the area below my melanoma surgery site was retaining fluid so keeping an eye on that was also a concern.

Tent set up was quick and I’ve never felt better than lying flat on my back resting my aching body inside my tent.   A hot shower helped ease the aches and pains and a short, limping walk to the local pub for a drink and dinner rounded out the night.

Rachel and I had some thoughtful discussion about continuing - with my back having small spasms and my feet screaming to be given a break I was ready to pull the pin there and then but we have decided to sleep on it to see how our rested bodies feel in the morning.

While I was exhausted and in bed by 8, sleep was a little elusive and was more that half awake half asleep state you reach when you are on alert.  I heard fellow campers go to the bathroom, the cattle truck unhitch and unload and rehitch across the road, the night boards singing and a fellow having a long conversation on the phone with a friend.  When I finally slept I was rudely awoken by both hammies going into simultaneous spasm and when I tried to get out of my tent, both calves went out in protest.

So now it’s time for some breakfast and a discussion of how we are going to progress.

Rail trail trekking - the night before the first day on the trail

Thursday 10 September finds us securely ensconced in our hotel-motel room in Kilkivan - right next to the pub and only a stone’s throw from tomorrow’s starting point on the Kilkivan-Kingaroy Rail Trail (parts of which are also known as the South Burnett Raul Trail).  Big thanks to my awesome hubby for dropping us here this afternoon - he’s getting used to driving me to my drop off points!

For the history buffs, Kilkivan was the site of the first discovery of gold in Qld in 1852 and what was probably once a bustling regional town is now a small town in decline with a lovely main street lined with shops, cafes and a pub that is owned by Fred Brophy - he of the travelling boxing troupe fame.  If you are ever passing by this way, the antique shop here is an absolute wonder and so well-stocked with beautiful pieces that you could easily spend an afternoon marvelling at the collection and finding hidden treasures.

We sussed out the rail trail starting point this afternoon, which has suddenly made this all the more real, tested our Jetboil set ups (portable cooking and tea stations) and packed/repacked our kits to ensure we have the optimal loads.

Dinner at the pub - rissoles with mash and steamed veges - the first of what I hope will be many delicious counter meals. Of particular note - 5-star gravy a specialty of Mrs Brophy and two friendly Jack Russell terriers who were happy to have cuddles and jump into laps for head scratches.

My pack is just over 18kg but sits well on the hips, distributing the weight to the strongest parts of the body.  Really important to ensure the set up is right as we will spend 29km tomorrow hiking from Kilkivan to Goomeri.  We are planning a nice leisurely walk, with an easy pace, frequent rest stops each hour and the better part of our day spent travelling.  

So for now it’s time for some rest in preparation for the adventure to begin.

My Camino Journey - where to from here?

This week we got the notification that our Camino trip this year is now officially cancelled for 2020.  No real surprises there really, and probably a bit of a relief that the decision has been taken out of our hands by a higher authority (our tour operator).  I’ve been conflicted thinking about our options should they have proceeded in September - long haul flights, hiking in a COVID-19 environment, costs if we cancel etc.

Ever since that email I’ve been in a bit of a funk and it wasn’t until I decided to take some time off work this week to refocus my energies on me for a bit that I realised that that is the reason I am feeling so out of sorts.  I felt the same way when the pandemic was confirmed and things changed at work virtually overnight.  I have a light box at work with a countdown date to my next holiday, and on that day, I took the countdown down, in recognition of the realisation that it probably was not going to happen anytime in the near future.

At that time, I experienced that same funk that I find myself in now, but hadn’t equated this recent one with the finality of the cancellation until about ten minutes ago when I started to write.  I already feel better about my current mindset as a result and have a little bit of insight into my feelings that I can now work through.

This is the first time in over 6 years that I have not had a major vacation to countdown to.  In fact I normally have 2 or 3 on the boil, so to have no forward sight of a holiday destination is something of a foreign feeling!

So I’ve set myself a couple of goals today to reboot and reset my brain.  First, a walk down on the Esplanade - not a fast one, but a long, slow rambling walk just drinking in the sights and sounds of this beautiful, winter’s day.  Second, recognising that I’ve got some great positives out of this trip already, and that by the time we leave next year, those positives will be well embedded and and absolute blessing on the trail.  I have completed 18 x 1.5 hour Spanish lessons with my wonderful profesora de español, Patricia, who is now encouraging me to attend intermediate lessons in conversational Spanish. She assures me that the third level is so much more enjoyable as it is more like a fiesta - food, drink and socialising, all wrapped up to look like a learning experience!  Yo hablo español!   A second language has been an interesting and challenging goal and while the written and spoken still has a long way to go, I know that right now, on the trail, I could follow directions, order a meal, ask some questions and have a basic understanding of the language (as long as they speak slowly!). An added bonus is the friendship with Patricia and enjoying her stories and her cooking traditional  for my Friday night dinners.

So with just those few paragraphs I can already feel the jumble of wiring that was my brain starting to loosen up and ease off.  Time to start looking forward to the next adventure - let the planning begin.

My Camino Journey - so how do you prepare for a trip like this one?

30 October 2019 - written after my Grand Canyon hike

If you had asked me this question a fortnight ago, my answer would have gone along the lines of:

• Get out and walk a lot
• Try to emulate the kind of terrain you might encounter
• Use your equipment you intend to take

However after my 3 day trek into and out of the Grand Canyon only 10 short days ago, I can honestly admit that I really don’t know how to prepare!

Physically, certainly ensuring that the feet are prepped to maintain 6-8 hours of walking each day for up to 8 days in a row, so for me, foot health is key.

As for terrain, I thought I had that in hand, but once I got out on the trails I realised there was really nowhere in Australia that would have prepared me for the Canyon.

So for now I’ll concentrate on distance, orthotics and good feet!

My Camino Journey - so where to from here?

Flying out of Brisbane on 8 September, I’ll be spending a few days in London catching up on my theatre offerings and getting over any jet lag, before a quick train trip to Paris. Another few days in Paris (can you say Euro Disney) before a train to St Jean Pied de Pont where we start our trek.

We have 42 days from start to finish, with rest days every 5 or so days, 8 days of riding in the middle and once we’ve reached Santiago we will continue onto Fisterre (an additional 3 days of walking that will take us to the literal end of the earth!

Back to Santiago by bus, then off to Madrid and Segovia before flying home.

For those interested - here’s the stops on the Camino:

Day 1 - arrive in St Jean Pied de Pont
Day 2 - explore SJPP
Day 3 - Walk to Roncevalles 25km
Day 4 - Walk to Akeretta 28km
Day 5 - Walk to Pamplona 17km
Day 6 - Explore Pamplona
Day 7 - Walk to Puerte de la Reina 24km
Day 8 - Walk to Estella 22km
Day 9 - Walk to Los Arcos 22km
Day 10 - Walk to Logrono 28km
Day 11 - Explore Logrono
Day 12 - Ride to Domingo de la Calzada 50km
Day 13 - Ride to Villafranca Montes de Oca 35km
Day 14 - Ride to Burgos 38km
Day 15 - Explore Burgos
Day 16 - Ride to Castrojeriz 41km
Day 17 - Ride to Carrion de Los Condes 44km
Day 18 - Ride to Hermanillos de la Calzada
Day 19 - Ride to Leon
Day 20 - Explore Leon
Day 21 - Ride to Astorga 50km
Day 22 - Walk to Rabanel del Camino 21km
Day 23 - Walk to Molinaseca 26km
Day 24 - Walk to Villafranca del Bierzo 31km
Day 25 - Walk to Herrerias 11km
Day 26 - Walk to O Cerebreiro 20km
Day 27 - Walk to Triacastela 21km
Day 28 - Walk to Sarria 19km
Day 29 - Explore Sarria
Day 30 - Walk to Portomarin 22km
Day 31 - Walk to Palas de Rei 25km
Day 32 - Walk to Arzua 29km
Day 33 - Walk to O Pedrouza 19km
Day 34 - Walk to Santiago 20km
Days 35 & 36 - Explore Santiago
Day 37 - Walk to Negreira 22km
Day 38 - Walk to Abeleiroas 25km
Day 39 - Walk to Cee 25km
Day 40 - Walk to Finisterre 17km
Day 41 - Bus to Santiago
Day 42 - Explore Santiago

Phew - I’m tired just thinking about it!

My Camino Journey - it begins with a random conversation

19 May 2019

How does a random tea room conversation turn into an epic 1000km adventure on the other side of the world?

Well it starts with a question at the sink. A work colleague, Rachel, had recently returned from a trekking holiday in Italy.  I had been reading about the European Peace Walk, but had found a lot of negative reviews. Said reviews did however mention an alternative walking option - the Camino.  A quick google search revealed that the Camino de Santiago was the pilgrim’s trail followed throughout the Middle Ages and beyond with trails racing across Europe to the Cathedral de Santiago which is said to house the bones of St James, hence the alternate name - St James’ Way.

After asking about her holiday, I asked if she had walked on any of the Camino trails and she had trekked some of the Italian way.  I told her I was interested in walking the Camino and here we are 18 months later preparing to walk from St Jean Pied de Pont to Santiago.

Our journey starts in September 2020 and will involve 42 days of walking, cycling and resting as we cross the French Alps and travel across northern Spain on our pilgrim’s journey.

Neither of us is particularly religious, in fact I am very firmly atheist and Rachel is critical of organised religion, so while many describe the pilgrimage as a spiritual journey, ours is really a chance to explore a beautiful part of the world.

I’m also going to use this opportunity to (try to) learn Spanish.  So along with doing some reading on our daily destinations to discover the must-sees and dos each day, I have hopes of a second language learning as well.

I’ll post again soon with our itinerary to give you an idea of our daily travels and build on it with new info as I find it and discover more.  Until next time, adiós.