Camino Personal Reflections by Pilgrim 1 Joanie

"Camino Fall 2011 Inspiration, Challenges and Adventure" was my dream.  For many years I had been thinking about doing the Camino and planned to do it in the spring of 2012.  Suddenly I could wait no longer.  I had been advised to go by myself but it felt better if I could find a friend to go with.  Sandy asked to come along, then Muriel and Jan.  The pilgrims four set a departure date and we were off three months later!  Thank you husbands for not talking us out of it!

The Camino from St. Jean Pied de Port is a 790 Km walk.  Why go to Spain for a long walk?  Could there be special spiritual inspiration when for over 1000 years millions of people have walked in the same direction east to west to one destination?  Reported miracles have happened along the way; trails, roads, towns, churches and hospitals have been built. I anticipated that the long days spent walking were only going to be a minor challenge because I'm fit and love walking.  I choose the Camino for more, I wanted to "feel the breath of god" or at least find out if I have room for God in my life.  On the Camino I was open for the Holy Spirit to find me and IF it did I would be receptive.  I felt ready to find the mysteries and learn the lessons of the Camino and I was very grateful to have the opportunity, time and money.  I planned and dedicated each walking day to a special person in my life the only exception being for our late dog Hauser.

Walking 6-7 hours a day was a lot harder than I thought, one can't really train enough for it.  I don't know which difficulty is the worse; blisters, sun and heat, lack of sleep, lack of good food, rocky terrain, carrying ones possessions on the back etc. Perhaps it's just over use of the feet and the body with little recovery time.  The best part of the Camino is the pilgrims; I will never forget the pleasure of meeting such terrific friendly people.  To be a pilgrim is to be in an exclusive club or family and although right now I can't imagine doing any pilgrimage again I can understand why many return.  On the trail pilgrims are all the same; exhausted, in pain and raw with emotion.  Pilgrims don't talk about normal things; basically we are mindlessly following the yellow arrows and all going in the same direction!  On the trail "the pilgrims four" were known as the four Canadian Pilgrims and also as the sisters  from Canada.  Many Europeans didn't understand the term sorority sisters or sisters by choice and just remembered us as the sisters. We intrigued many pilgrims because we travelled four together; most pilgrims travel alone even if they had started with others.  I know we surprised many by finishing together and by not ever splitting up as many had warned.

We arrived in Santiago on Thanksgiving Day October 10th.  It was a long uninteresting walk into the city.  I didn't like fighting my way past bus and day pilgrims to go into the cathedral; I prefer small quiet churches.  This church was very grand but I wasn't awe struck by the church or our achievement, until I realized the four of us were standing together on one side of the church.  Hugs and tears came then.  We had made it together.  The pain of limping on the trail for the last twelve days with an ankle that really needed rest was over.  The sweet simple life of walking the Camino was over too.  I treasured the moments of quiet prayer in cool Spanish churches also the grande beers at the end of the day.  Mornings hiking in the dark and the beautiful sun rises.  The feeling that one is not alone as there is a pilgrim ahead and behind you, the "buen Camino" or "hola" greetings to other pilgrims.  Sharing emails from home, laughter, prayers, poems, quotes, spiritual inspirations, food, water and lodging with my thres amigas.  It was an easy comfortable friendship and I will always remember it as one of the best times of my life.  I know that walking the Camino alone can be good for some but not for me, walking and sharing it with Sandy, Muriel and Jan made the journey a success.  My Camino lesson was to have more patience and trust.  To give and share with your friends because that is one strength that really matters.  Sandy thank you for the nursing of "de feet" and for forgiving us for the use of the 3 letter word "bus".  Jan thank you for your special intuition, amazing home fan club and Spanish language skills.  Muriel thank you for your dedication to detail photographing the trip also creating and keeping up with the blog (even in the times you were too tired and it was hard to find internet), so many people at home followed us along the way and enjoyed it.  Thank you home fan club for all the encouraging emails and Graeme for your wise guidance and internet hotel booking services, you helped make us feel special, loved and that made the long days easier.
Love Joanie.