Five years ago in 2010, about one month after finishing my Sarria to Santiago hike, the Camino began calling me to go the entire route. At that time, I owned a restaurant and knew that there was no possible way that I could ever be gone for that length of time. So I put the idea on the back burner but I kept feeling the tug.
Fast forward to 2012, a new career plus the restaurant. I was now teaching 120 high school students culinary arts. I baked and scheduled the day at the restaurant from 4-6 am, taught school until 3:30 pm and then back to Savory Faire for the end of the day. After this transition, the Camino and 500 miles of walking seemed like a cake walk. But I still had my restaurant and no time….
2013 saw the closing of my 30 years as a restaurateur. It was sad, but necessary; our new building just wasn’t coming together in a timely fashion. Somewhere in my mourning the loss of who I was, I discovered that I now have time to be gone for the summer. So the planning began. At the conception it seemed so far away and now in 174 days, Debby and I will board the Iceland Air plane in Seattle and head for Paris, train to Saint Jean Pied de Port and start the Camino on June 27, 2015.
Christmas brought me lots of fun little things for my trip and time to continue planning, making our first reservations and meeting with Debby about our journey. I have received a few messages from past pilgrims on my blog and forums I belong to. Their words of encouragement remind me of how supportive pilgrims are on the Camino and that my summer will be filled with meeting people from all over the world that are experiencing a life journey together as one.
Peace and love to you all on this first day of 2015.