31 May 2013. The End .........But Really The Beginning

My last blog...  at least for this adventure!  

 After 500 miles and 33 days my first Camino was completed after attending noon Mass at The Santiago Cathederal with some 1000 new friends.  The oxygen really does go out of your lungs and you have so many memories of what you have accomplished.  I find myself just wanting to walk. 

My first thought comes comes from Rumi-

" It's your road, and yours alone.

Others may walk it with you,

But no-one can walk it for you."

If you remember my first blog and my challege to the 5th grade class in regards 

for my reason for walking the Camino was Health ...mental, physical and spiritual, I believe 

I have followed Rumi's advise and achieved each of these challenges. I look forward to my visit with them on 7 June back in Annapolis to hear how they have done with their health.

Walking the Camino is much like the journey of life.  You start in the unknown and continue to grow each day realizing at the end that this is just the beginning  of future adventures.  My current plan is to walk the Portugal Camino starting in Lisbon and ending in Santiago next year.  Life continues to grow in all ways.  

I would like to thank all of those fellow Pilgrims who not only inspired me but kept me out of trouble.  The lady and niece from Germany who found all my credentials at the ATM and carried them up the trail until they found a very worried man looking for his passport and credit cards as I ran back towards town. She smiled and said I think these belong to you. (See 3rd photo) Special thanks to Mick, Nick and Des for stopping me from going down the wrong trail on top of the Pyrenees, I might have ended up back in France .  Bill for providing guidance and key thoughts at the right time. We would have never met our fellow Pilgrims if Bill had not suggested that we stay at Orrison. Thanks to all the Pilgrims who were there with me with a common cause. The friendships will last forever.  The giving spirit can only be discribed if you walked. The emails from Mrs Cheese. The emails from my blog followers.  The country of Spain is magnificent, it's people, the animals and of course the pristine beauty of the country side.   Thanks to Martha for understanding the importance and joining me for the final five days.  

Time we can not stop, but taking the time to walk the Camino is special.  You think about everything at least three times and have the fellow Pilgrim to help organize your thoughts.  We all helped each other when needed.  We all need a walk or two in life.

I will arrive home on the 6th of June and start planning for my next adventure.  We are traveling through Portugal doing some recon work for next year.

Best to all

Nick

Sara I will be home soon....