More prep 18 days until we leave....

We have been so busy preparing for the trip we haven't had a chance to write in our blog.

Let me explain a bit about what we are doing this year. The Camino de Santiago- during the Holy year. The Holy year is a year in which people who pass through the Cathedral at the end of the trek will have all of their sins absolved. We aren't religious people by far, but we are very spiritual and believe this is something we need to accomplish. It means a lot to us both to complete this journey. We believe that both mentally and physically this will be by far the most challenging thing either of us have accomplished. Kimberley travelled in India as a solo traveller in 2000 for 4 1/2 months and that in itself proved to be a different challenge. This Camino is a test of endurance, a test of will and a test of faith.

We are excited and can't wait for the Journey to begin. So far we have read two books on the Camino one done by Shirley Maclaine and another called I'm off Then by Hape Kerkeling a German comedian. The books are very different Shirley's isn't really about the Camino it is more about her own past lives and the experiences she had on the Camino related to her past lives. The other by Hape is more about the Camino, things you can expect and feel along the way.

We have already set up our cat and house sitter, given notice to work and made all arrangements required to prepare. We have even met another woman who is doing the trek the same time that we are and plan on meeting up in Paris. It is amazing how many people you meet that are getting ready to do this trek! Now all we have to do is wait for the day to arrive!

We hope to write in this Blog as we go along the trek So stay tuned for more!

Crocks really?????

We bought our first pair of crocks yesterday. Both of us swore up and down we would never do so but alas we are with crocks!

The Camino de Santiago

Here is a map of the trek we are taking. We leave from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port on the French side of the Pyrenees to Roncesvalles on the Spanish side and then another 780km on to Santiago de Compostela through the major cities of Pamplona, Logroño, Burgos and Léon. 2010 is a Holy Year (aka Jubilee year) on the Camino de Santiago. In 2010, the feast day for St. James (the patron saint of Spain and the name sake of the Camino de Santiago) falls on a Sunday. Along the way you get stamps to prove you have trekked the camino. You will also need the Pilgrims Credential if you want to get the Compostela in Santiago's cathedral. La Compostela is a diploma that the Catholic Church issues to honour the pilgrims who have walked the Camino.