Sunday, March 24, 2013

Walking The Camino

It's Sunday night in Sydney. This time next week, it will be late morning in Paris. If all has gone according to plan, we will be relaxing on the fast train from Paris to Bayonne, the second leg of our planes, trains and automobile journey, which will take us to where our Camino begins – St Jean Pied de Port.
 

At Bayonne train station, we will meet Caroline who runs the Bourricot Express – pronounced boo-re-co – rough translation, the donkey or mule express. You can book the Bourricot Express to ‘carry’ your pack along The Way between St Jean and Pamplona if you need to – so that’s one meaning.
 

But there’s another. Bourricot is also French slang for stubborn person (stubborn as a mule, as in English), which perhaps most peregrinos are. Surely, it helps to be at least a little stubborn to set out on such an adventure. We will take the Bourricot Express (the car, not the donkey) to travel the 50 kms from Bayonne to St Jean.
 

St Jean Pied de Port (Saint John at the foot of the mountain pass) is a picture perfect French village at the foot of the Pyrenees, just 8 kms from the Spanish border. It is the old capital of the traditional Basque province of Lower Navarra and the traditional starting point of the Camino Frances, an 800 km 'pilgrimage' across the north of Spain to Santiago de Compostela.
 

So from there we will set out, taking our Camino one step at a time. Until then … with a big thank you to our families and friends for your encouragement and best wishes … hasta la vista, amigos.
 

Jenny and Jill xx
'Everywhere is within walking distance if you have the time.'

5 comments:

  1. Just testing the comment gadget to make sure everything is working before we head off.

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  2. We are looking forward to following your Camino journey Jenny and Jill. Walk well.

    Cathy, Tony, Georgia and Adam
    xxxx

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  3. Martin "Coach" BoyleFriday, 29 March, 2013

    Well Jenny and Jill - JUST ONE MORE SLEEP until you fly out. Well done on a terrific preparation - now go and enjoy and make the most of every minute of your exciting adventure !!
    with love and best wishes
    Martin/Coach

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  4. Thank you Coach. You've been a fantastic supporter, first with Coastrek 2012 (remember that 60 km walk in the heat) and then with Camino prep. We'll look after each other, and look forward to our welcome party in Santiago de Compostela.

    Jenny

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  5. Looking forward to following your Camino footsteps-travel safely girls!!! xx

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