2021 has been one tough year and we are glad to say that it is over. We now hope that 2022 will be a lot better and the world will find some sense of normal. We are making plans for some new and exciting adventures for this year. We hope to incorporate a lot more travel and to see more of our family and friends. Until then we want to simply wish everyone a very healthy, safe and Happy New Year.
We say good bye to 2021 with a few photos of our travels and adventures from the past year.
The view of the beach in Alicante in MRay and Shelley in a Winery in the Rioja Regions of SpainRay sitting on a chair of a statue of a shoe shine man in the town of Haro SpainShelley overlooking a valley in the Rioja region of SpainView of the town of Bastida in the region of Rioja.The river of Ebro in the Rioja region of SpainShelley and Ray with fields of grape wines in Rioja region of SpainPart of the fortified castle in the town of SajazarraShelley with fresh Pomegranates picked from a wild tree in the mountains near AlicanteView of the sunset from our terrace in AlicanteRay and Shelley at Christmas time 2021 in Alicante
“Feliz año nuevo y deseándote un próspero y seguro 2022”
I knew I had only a few days left to reach Santiago de Compostela and wanted to arrive early on the last day. Each morning I would get up very early and begin my camino at around 6AM. It was still dark and I would walk using a headlamp that helped me to see the trail. On the last day of the camino I started at 5:30 a.m. and noticed that there were some bats that were following me along the trail. They would sweep down in front of me. At first I was not sure why they were flying so close to me then I noticed that they were catching the moths and bugs that were drawn to the light of my headlamp. The bats were enjoying a meal while we walked together on the trail.
When I reached the final ten kilometres marker it seemed that it was extra long because I was excited to finish the camino. I wanted to see Shelley and rest up from the camino.
10 kms marker for the Camino de SantiagoRay in front of a statue along the camino
When I got the the city it was a little different as you walk through the city before reaching the cathedral. I stopped at the iconic wall marker which people put memorials, photos etc at the marker.
Marker on the camino at Santiago de Compostela
I stopped and left my rock at the marker, giving thanks for all that I have had in life. Afterwards I continued along the camino until I reached cathedral de Santiago. It was an amazing feeling of joy to finally arrive but also a little sad knowing that the camino was completed.
Ray at the Cathedral de Santiago
At the end of the camino Shelley was waiting for me at the cathedral. We met up and celebrated the end of my camino and we enjoyed a few days exploring the city of Santiago de Compostela.
We had rested up in Lugo and Shelley’s knee was feeling better. We headed out early and restarted our journey along the camino. It was a beautiful morning and one of the first sites we came to was the Roman bridge at the outskirts of Lugo. At the foot of the bridge was a statue of a Roman standing guard.
Statue of Roman guarding the Roman bridge
Roman bridge at the outskirts of Lugo
We took our time and enjoyed a slow pace and scenery as we progressed.
After a while Shelley’s knee began to hurt. We stopped along the way a few times but her knee continued to get worse. We walked along the camino for approximately 7 kms when Shelley’s knee was inflamed and very painful. We were afraid that it could cause some permanent damage to her knee. We decided that I should continue the camino alone and that she would take at taxi the remaining way to Santiago. There was a camino marker where we stopped so Shelley placed her stone on the marker. We contacted a taxi and she went ahead via taxi to Santiago de Compostela.
It was a sad time for us but we knew that it was the right choice. At this point I began the remainder of the camino solo. I continued along the camino until I reached a small shrine along the side of the trail. It was quite peaceful and a perfect spot for me to stop and enjoy a snack.
I continued along the camino which was ascending over time, I came to some beautiful views and trails in that area of the camino..
I even met some of the local animals along the camino.
I walked another 20 some kilometres before stopping for the night. It was a day of mixed emotions I was sad not having Shelley with me on this section of the camino. I knew it was only 70 kilometres or so to go and I was excited to finish the last few days to arrive in Santiago.
We started our camino de Santiago by taking a train from Alicante to the town of Oviedo in Asturias. We stayed the night in Oviedo before starting our camino the next morning.
The cathedral of St. Saviour in Oviedo which is the starting point of the Camino Primitivo
Oviedo is the starting point for the Camino Primitivo and was the starting point of Alfonso II the Chaste King of Asturias who took this route in the 9th century to see the recently discovered tomb of St James the Apostle.
We began the camino in the pouring rain from Oviedo. Our spirits were high with excitement and determination.
We set out at 7:30 in the morning from the Cathedral. We walked for a short while and before long we were in the countryside.
Park on the edge of OviedoAt the outskirts of Oviedo,
There was lush greenery everywhere and the camino soon began to narrow into a trail.
We walked through the rain into some steep declines and inclines along the rail. Some of the trail was very rough and required that we walk slowly and carefully to avoid slipping or falling.
Part of the trail along camino Primitivo between Oviedo and Grado.
Although it was raining the entire day, along our journey we came across some beautiful small communities, sites and views.
Our first day was a challenge, we walked the entire day in the rain.
Rain water flowing down the road like a small river.
Although it was difficult at times, our enthusiasm and spirits remained high.
Shelley and Ray on the Camino Primitivo between Oviedo and Grado
We walked around 28 kilometers and finished our day in a town called Grado. We were tired but content for completing day one of our camino.
We settled into our room and although we had ponchos and rain jackets we were partly soaked. Our waterproof hiking boots had been exposed to rain, mud and water the entire time. It turned out that the hiking boots were not quite waterproof.
Feet wrinkled by walking in wet shoes
We cleaned up, changed into dry clothes and enjoyed a well deserved refreshment.
We enjoyed a well deserved refreshment and celebrated our achievement of day one.
Packing for the Camino de Santiago is a critical aspect of the enjoyment and experience of the Camino. The journey is long and you will want to carry as little extra weight as possible but still have all the items you need. We have packed with that in mind. We are not staying anywhere that requires a sleeping bag or sleeping liner.
Below is our packing list which we believe is the essentials for us. That is not to say that someone else would pack differently.
Ray´s pack is an Osprey Farpoint 55 litre. This pack is a little bigger than needed but he has had this pack for many years. It has been very reliable and functional over the years. The pack comes with a smaller day pack that can be removed from the main pack.
The packing was separated into three packing cubes, which makes it easy to unload and load your pack. You also know where an item is quickly without going through all your stuff.
The largest packing cube contains the following items
1 -pair hiking pants with zip off legs
2 -quick dry T-Shirts
1-Long sleeve quick dry shirt
Smaller packing cube contains
1 -quick dry towel
2 -pair underwear
2 -pair of hiking socks (Smartwool heavy duty socks)
small garbage bag (for dirty clothes)
The other packing cube contains 3 ziplock bags with the following:
1-ziplock bag – Toiletries, toothpaste toothbrush deoderant, some toilet paper and tissues, phone charger and 4 clothes pins.
2- ziplock bag – bug spray, suntan lotion and soap packet for cleaning laundry in the sink.
3-ziplockbag – pain pills, small first aid kit with bandaids and anti blister pack, nail clippers
Additional items include two pair of footwear. One pair of hiking shoes and a pair of sandals for the evening. This will give my feet a break from wearing the same shoes all the time.
Columbia hiking shoesComfortable sandals for the evenings
In addition, there are 2 walking sticks, a lightweight brimmed hat, sunglasses and personal Identification ,money, credit card etc.
The complete packing for the Camino de Santiago
The total weight of the pack is 14.2 lbs or 6.44 kilos.
We also have our Camino credentials (Camino passport) and the shell which almost everyone on the camino carries. It is a symbol and identifies you as a pilgrim on the camino.
It is a small paper book with your name and the route you plan on taking etc. In the camino passport you will collect your stamps from the different locations you go to over your camino. Once you reach Santiago de Compostela you can present your camino passport and get your Compostela.
Shelley´s pack is a Deuter 34 Ltr Futura Pro woman´s backpack.
Her packing list is fundamentally the same as Ray´s except for a few minor differences. She also used packing cubes to help keep items separated and easy to pack or find.
Packing list includes:
1- Yoga pants
1- long pants
2- pair of hiking shorts
2- Qucik dry T-Shirts
2- pair underwear
2- pair of hiking socks
1- long sleeve shirt
1- windbreaker jacket
1- Quick dry towel and quick dry face cloth
1- pair of sandals
1- Rain poncho
2- walking sticks
1- Small nylon day pack
light weight brimmed hat
Sunglasses,
Assorted toiletries items
ID, Money and camino credentials
Her pack total weight is 14 lbs or 6.35 kilos.
In regards to water, we do not use a water bladder or a metal water container. Water is safe in Spain and we simply buy a bottle of water at our starting point and use that throughout the camino refilling it as needed.
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