Down to the wire

It is mind boggling the preparations for such a "simple" trip.  I thought it would be easy, not expensive and simple....oh how wrong I was!  Anyway, after finally packing my back pack, I cannot reduce the load to where I would like it to be with water and clothing, etc.  I guess if I wore smaller clothing I could reduce the weight, but I've done the best I can.  Someone said I should get a type of wheel device to pull along behind me.  Perhaps that would be smart, but I'm ready to pack it out.

It is hard to leave home, husband, dog, friends for a month.  I so appreciate the support from all that I've gotten, especially all of my family.  I know it is hard to let someone go off for a month on a journey, but it is also so supportive of those who are able to do so.  Thank you Norman, Sara, Friends, other family members!  I've had nothing but support from the beginning and that I so appreciate!  You have no idea (I know Norman, I've said this so many times). It truly means so much to me.  I only hope I can do what I've set out to do and enjoy the journey too,

Thank you all for encouragement, support, positive vibes, et al!

Love,
Carol soon to be Peregrino

Tuesday May 24, 2011

I leave a week from tomorrow for a trek of a lifetime.  I'm pumped up excited, yet a bit apprehensive about accomplishing what my cousin and I are setting out to do.  We will start our hike in St. Jean Pied de Port, France and end up in Santiago de Compostela, Spain over a period of a month.  I look forward to sharing this time with my cousin Barb and meeting others along the way.  My goal has always been to become a more healthy person since she asked me to walk with her and since I love photography, I will take some photos, but I hope to soak up more as I go rather than trying to save memories.  I want to be in the moment and enjoy each experience that is afforded us.  I will miss my family, Norman and Lila as well as talking to my daughter Sara on a regular basis and seeing friends, etc. I have had only felt encouragement from all and thank you very much.

Tonight I laid everything out on the dining room table that I would pack in my back pack weighing everything by the ounce.  I have a water container that holds 3 liters of water, each liter weighing 2.2 lbs.  So that takes up a lot of the weight.  I'm still deciding about a telephone and if I want a camera if I have a telephone that does photos.  I'm not doing a documentary, as that has been done, I just want to capture a few sights that mean something to me as well as a few photos of my cousin and myself as we walk the Way of St. James.

So much to do, so little time.  It is exciting and I shall be ready!