Thrsday 5th June 2014....Camino Day 2!!

Well a lot happened in 24 hours...after I posted and went back to the hostel our small 2 bunk room turned into three....a lady arrived late and they asked us to move our stuff over to our beds and put a matress on the floor for her...part of me wanted to be Doris's boy and offer my bunk but I did not did not matter anyway because I hardly slept...the very untalkative and miserable Italian on the lower bunk I later found out represents Italy in the Olympics.......snoring event!!!!!! I have ear plugs but have never used them and tried them but they made no difference so let's leave it at saying I did not get a very good sleep and everyone was up and about around 5.45am.....Heather thanks for the gift of the sleeping sheet came in handy as there was no top sheet or blanket. So I got up and made myself some tea and ate some yogurt I bought yesterday and was out of the hostel by 6.30am there was a young American kid, Matt 25years and we decided to walk together with both of us knowing we could pull away or slow down without any problems or upsetting each other and we left the city and in about 500 yards into the country these are the sunrise shots I usually am not up early enough for those!!! The trail is so well marked with yellow scollop shells or yellow arrows imposible to get lost.....it was flat for a while then we had a hard climb of about 1800 feet. I did have a problem and it was my fault with one of the ends of the strap that clicks into the other end on the strap that goes around my upper chest...I knew it was loose and I should have somehow tried to fix it yesterday instead of ignoring it anyway I lost it somewhere when I travelled by bus yesterday so I did improvise with a saftey pin not the best but workable the only other issue is that the part of the clasp that went missing was the part that also had my whistle oh well!!!! Matt is an interesting person and we enjoyed conversations and kept the same pace I have been very smart filling both my water bottles and having a supply of snack food, nuts and fruit and I do I think take care of my needs in that department also there are lots of public taps where the water is safe to drink even in the country. After about 2 hours we had our first coastal views and quite lovely!!! Then we climbed down into a small lovely village where we had to take a .70 Euro ferry across the estuary maybe one minute!!! The language here is Basque and looks nothing like the Spanish I know more Greek!!! Just for fun they throw these steps at you and an elevation gain of over 700 feet but spectacular views!!! We were now only a few km away from our destination of San Sebastian and my guide book told me the hostel for the Camino did not open till July but I had researched another private hostel and we got into the city and went into a bar so Matt could call the hostel but they were all full up. He used my Nexus and used a site called youthhostel.com and in 5 minutes had booked us into another hostel right down town. Arrived about 10 minutes later and checked in it was 18 Euro but the owner gave us a discount and we each got a bed for 15 Euro...it is great clean good facilities with a kitchen. The view from the balcony!! So today's walk was 28 km almost 18 miles(said I was not going to do that). First on the agenda for me after putting my crocs on was a nice cup of tea!!! I then did my laundry I only have 2 of all my walking gear so wash one at night and wear a clean pair the next morning and hung them on the balcony. I then went for an easy walk around this wonderful city enjoy the photos!!!! Found a fabric store that would you believe had the clasps that I needed to fix Wolf the lady was kind and gave me two for the price of one!!!! I must be suffering from not jet lag but walking lag because I have no idea where this photo came from!!!! I then went to a small pier and dangled my feet in the ocean for about 20 minutes ...felt sooooo good. There was a young woman next to me and we started talking and in 9 words she taught me something huge today. We were talking about the Camino and that she has not done it even though she lives in this city she looked at me and said when I had the time I did not want to do it and when I did no time then she said"Like life it will happen when it is time!!!!! Those words will stay with me!! I found a supermarket and bought some soup mix and bread for supper and yogurt and fruit for tomorrow and came back to the room. Took it easy in the lounge in the big comfy chair with a big glass of OJ and did some computer work...How about them KINGS!!!!!!(Hockey fans). Now after I post this going to eat and have a shower and then hopefully a good sleep...our dorm room only has four beds and there is only one other guy in so should be good. Matt and I have agreed to leave and walk together tomorrow and then after that I want to be on my own. So apart from what the lady said to me things I have learned today. Hostel life is still to be determined. I need to eat and drink as I walk. I have to get into the routine of taking care of my body before i leave the hostel..toes legs chest!! I am blessed with so many special people in my life. I have the best family. Thanks to Colin...he knows why!!! Thanks to Inga...she knows why!! Tomorrow is a hike of 22km see how I feel...blessings!! Yashi Kochi!!!!

Wednesday 4th June 2014....Camino day 1!!!!

Before i tell you about my day I want to just inform you that for the Camino I shall be referring to my walks in km and you will have to work it out for yourself in miles but one km is about.6 of a mile. The same goes for costs i will be telling what things cost in Euros and here is the break down for that.. 1 Euro = 17 pesos 1 Euro = 1.48 Canadian dollar 1 Euro = .8 pound Had a great sleep and my small down travel pillow is very comfy I woke up around 7am to rain...something about the rain in Spain comes to mind!!!!! Estitxu showed me where things were in the kitchen and i fixed myself breakfast and left around 9m for the tram station.....Estitxu who teaches Portuguese was still sleeping so I left her a kind note thanking her and looking forward to being back here in a few days the Camino trail goes almost by her apartment. The tram station was maybe a 4 minute walk and a 5 minute wait and it cost me 1.5 Euro About 10 minutes on the tram and it dropped me off right outside the bus station and I got in line and paid for a ticket 8 Euros and had to wait about 40 minutes before we boarded and a pleasant and uneventful journey to Irun. 5minute walk from the bus station to the hostel and I got there around 1.30pm my travel book told me that it did not open till 4pm and that was correct so I went walking and found the bridge on the border of Spain and France where my Camino began so this is the first step of thousands to come!!!!! A couple of shots of the town did not do too much exploring but found a nice bakery cafe and had a bite to eat and relaxed before I went back to the hostel at 3.45pm. My book tells me it is best to arrive early as sometimes the beds can be taken quickly and I was fourth in line and I signed in and received my Camino Passport this gets stamped at every stop and is needed to be shown finally in Santiago....the cost of the hostel is by donation so i put in the can 5 Euros...the place is clean but busy about 7 rooms with six beds in each room bunk style and I did manage to find a room with just two beds and as I was there second I have the top bunk the guy down below is what I would kindly call very unfriendly and I was surprised!!!! The first thing on my agenda was a cup of tea then i also learned really quickly that you take the shower room when you can so i had a great long hot shower and then went out for a walk to find Internet and I am in a Tapas bar, not eating Tapas, writing this blog. So I have walked my first 5 km of the Camino and what I know so far.......not sure if I will adapt to hostel life will see this is the start and it is very busy and again a surprise mainly men. Many Spanish women are stunningly beautiful but they love to smoke!!!!!!! My pack is full and I have re sorted yet again but even though it weighs about 18 pounds my pack feels great. I feel relaxed and am not stressed about the route or finding it or where it may lead.... I need to eat and drink lots and regularly..... I am blessed.... There is a small supermarket across the street from the hostel so I am going to buy something easy to cook and then the lights have to be off by 10pm. Did you enjoy the first day??? Yashi Kochi!!!!

Tuesday 3rd June 2014...Day 57!!!!

well here I go..had a good last sleep and spent the morning packing an re packing and then just for good measure packing again......my total weight crept up a bit to 18 pounds but I do feel this is ok and it will get a bit lighter as my cremes and lotions get used, some paperwork discarded and also i am carrying some food item's so I feel confident as my back pack now referred to as Wolf is great and I really do not feel I have it on. I decided to place my things in individual colored bags inside Wolf and I also think this will work for me......my crocs are attached on the outside of Wolf and they do not swing as I walk...I know where my camera, money and passport are located and I do really think I am set although I know there will be minor adjustments as I go along. I want to thank Janet and Malc for being so kind and wonderful to me since I arrived at their door I know I disturb their daily lives but I have tried to help and not be a nuisance(hard I know) but i think we have had some special times together and with the rest of the family. Also want to thank all my family and friends for their words of encouragement.....last week I was doubting myself and what I had let myself in for but I feel now ready for whatever the next six weeks may bring my way. Malc and I left for the airport just after 1.30pm and two hours later he was dropping me off at the departure gate in Manchester I just jumped out of the car saying my goodbyes to save him parking. I had lots of time so went through security without any problems I had all my bottles in a clear plastic bag, thanks Janet, and found the gate and then walked around and people watched. When the flight was called and I went to the gate and the first problem arose. I had checked and double checked the restrictions of carry on bags and I knew i was in the allotted size but when I got to the gate they had a stand with the sizes printed and Wolf would not fit in the smaller of the stands and the young lady told me I had to check the bag.....I checked my boarding card and saw that the dimensions were more on my ticket than was on the stand and I pointed this out to her and she said sorry all the room for those have gone you have to either get it to fit in the smaller size stand or check it. I told her that I had checked my ticket twice and it stated because I had paid and extra 7 pounds for my seat with extra leg room the dimensions were higher and they guaranteed to take the bag as carry on. She said sorry all that space is gone you will have to check the bag. There was no way I was going to check the bag and I was a bit smart and had brought an empty grocery bag and I took my crocs from the attachments to the bag, took out my Nexus, sandwiches and one of my interior bags and put all of the stuff in the grocery bag and then went back to the same girl and managed to fit my bag into the slot and she gave me the OK and let me through......once I was passed her I stopped and put everything back in my pack!!!!! On the aircraft my pack easily fit in the overhead bin without any problems......score one for the kid!!!! The two hour flight was made more enjoyable by Janet's packed lunch for me and I did some reading. Arrived on time and with no checked bag waltzed out of the terminal and found the local bus maybe 50 feet outside the terminal that took me into the city center for 1.40 Euro where i took a taxi for 6 Euro about 2km to my couch surfing hostess's home arriving there about 10.10pm not forgetting that I have now gained an extra hour.....Estitxu and I spent a good hour getting to know each other she is lovely and very kind andher apartment right in the centre of the city is lovely here is my room and a couple of shots taken from my balcony we are on the 4th floor. Had a long shower and now ready for bed. So the start of the journey was easy....tomorrow I am taking a two hour bus ride to Irun where I hope to stay in the hostel and then have a look around and ready to commence the Camino Thursday morning......walk along with me please!!!!!! Yashi Kochi!!!!!

Monday 2nd June 2014....Day 56 !!!!!!!!

So my last full day in England and it was a morning spent in the bedroom getting ready.....this is just about all the stuff I need which is now condensed into separate colored bags with a list until I get used to the bag and color!!!! My two best friends for the next 6 weeks!!!! Then at lunch time I treated myself to a really fancy hairdressing salon where I had a really short and great hair cut!!! Then came home and spent over two hours cleaning and washing Stella the before and after!!! Tonight I went with Janet and Malc to their Rotary dinner and meeting it was a very nice time. This is the map of where I shall fly tomorrow at 6.30pm from Manchester to Bilbao....I have heard from my couch surfing hostess and she has given me details to get to her home it will be a bit late but she said that is not a problem!! This is the map of where I take the bus on Wednesday from Bilbao to Irun which is on the French border and where i start the Camino Thursday morning I am hoping to stay in the hostel in Irun Wednesday night. Finally the map of my hike from Irun 817 km to Santiago on the very left of the map. Not sure what my Internet connections will be but will try to blog each day where I can. Many thanks for all the words of encouragement especially when doubt crept into my mind last week.....I am sure I am prepared and ready to embrace this challenge and as always the saying goes..."The Camino(way) will provide" ....blessings and best wishes les How about them KINGS!!!!! Alec Martinez scored 5:47 into overtime of Game Seven, giving the Los Angeles Kings a 5-4 win over the Chicago Blackhawks, capturing the Western Conference crown. Martinez doesn't play a lot, playing more than 18 minutes once in the past 11 games, but he's been remarkably effective. In the series against the Blackhawks, during 5-on-5 play, Martinez was on the ice for 115 shot attempts for and 74 against (60.8%). He now has four goals and nine points in 21 games during this year's playoffs. Mr. Game Seven, Justin Williams, contributed a goal, as well as setting up Martinez for the winner. Williams now has 18 points in the postseason, ranking fifth, behind Anze Kopitar, Jeff Carter, Patrick Kane and Marian Gaborik. Over the past three years, Williams ranks fourth in playoff scoring, with 42 points in 59 games. Kings rookie RW Tyler Toffoli continued to produce, picking up a goal and an assist in Game Seven, giving him six points (4 G, 2 A) in the series. He was also strong in terms of puck possession, on the ice for 59.9% (112 for, 75 against) of 5-on-5 shot attempts. Kings captain Dustin Brown had a productive game, with two assists giving him six points (2 G, 4 A) in the past four games after he had one point in the previous eight. Something about playing with Anze Kopitar works for Brown. Brown also registered a game-high eight hits and 13 shot attempts in Game Seven. Kings LW Dwight King had a couple of assists in Game Seven, giving him five points (1 G, 4 A) in the series. He had three points in 14 games through the first two rounds of the series. Chicago jumped out to an early 2-0 lead and it looked like their big guns were firing. Kane had a couple of assists, giving him 10 points in the past four games and a team-leading 20 points in 19 playoff games. In the last six seasons, there have been two players to score at least 14 points in four different playoff years; one is Kane, the other is teammate Marian Hossa. Kane's linemate, LW Brandon Saad, had a goal and an assist in Game Seven, giving him nine points (4 G, 5 A) in the series. In the last six games, Saad was on for 62.1% of the 5-on-5 shot attempts. Blackhawks LW Patrick Sharp was dangerous in Game Seven, more than most if not all of this year's playoff games, scoring a pair of goals. It was a rough postseason for Sharp, who finished with 10 points (5 G, 5 A) in 19 games and was on the wrong end of the possession game, 39.4% of the 5-on-5 shot attempts in the series. This was quite a series, played at a very high level, yet undermined at times by subpar goaltending. Blackhawks G Corey Crawford had an .878 save percentage, stopping 187 of 213 shots, in the series. Three of the goals against in the series-deciding game were the result of ineffective blocked shots by Chicago defenders, so blame can't be pinned solely on Crawford, but it's tough to win stopping under 88% of the shots faced. It's not as though Jonathan Quick was dramatically better in the Kings' net. Quick had an .889 save percentage (184 saves on 207 shots against), leaving him with a .906 save percentage in this year's playoffs. The series was also a survival of the fittest and it was clear, in Game Seven, that there were individual players that couldn't be entrusted with ice time. For the Blackhawks, that included LW Brandon Bollig and RW Kris Versteeg, both on for zero shot attempts for and six against in limited ice time, under four minutes each, while C Michal Handzus was only on for two for and nine against in a little under seven minutes. The Kings had their own liabilities. LW Kyle Clifford was on the ice for zero shot attempts for and 10 against, in less than three minutes of ice time, and RW Trevor Lewis was only slightly better (three attempts for, 12 against) in under six minutes of ice time. They were the only Kings forwards to go scoreless in the series. It has been anything but easy for the Kings, who have won three straight seven-game series, but they will be favoured against the New York Rangers in the Stanley Cup Final. As the league's top puck possession team, it's fair for the Kings to hold favoured status, but they will need Quick to play better than he has in the playoffs -- and most definitely better than he did against Chicago -- in order to win the Cup. There's more to break down before that series starts, so let's give credit to the Kings for their hard-fought win over Chicago. It was a memorable series played between two outstandin teams and the victors ought to be applauded. Yashi Kochi!!!!

Sunday 1st June 2014....Day 55!!!

Rabbits,rabbits, rabbit!!!!!!! Hard to believe that June has arrived and my big adventure three days away. This morning i went with J & M to the church for their morning service I always like to go it brings back many memories of my youth. We then enjoyed the wonderful sunny day by sitting outside in the garden reading and catching some rays...I wanted to post some more photos of me in my skimpy shorts but Janet forbade me!!!!! At 3pm we all went around to Andy's for a visit and then I went to the chiropodist and had some work done on my toe!!! She was a bit shocked when I asked to take the photo a first for her she said. Tonight I treated the whole family to dinner it was great that before i leave we could all be together.....it was a lovely buffet dinner which we all thoroughly enjoyed. So another good day comes to an end I am just doing some last minute preparation for the Camino!!! Yashi Kochi!!