Pangs of enthusiasm...

We're about a month and a half away from getting on the plane to France and starting our journey across the Camino. I am beside myself with glee! Just made a reservation at a little place in the Pyrenees called Refuge d'Orisson...only 18 beds, hostel-style. It's the midway point between St. Jean Pied de Port and Roncevalles, basically it's right in between France and Spain, high up in the mountains. The location, from what I can see on the web, is beautiful...the views are awesome, and they serve meals. Instead of trekking across the Pyrenees in one long day we're splitting it in two. No reason to rush. It's one day in our life and we'll be on top of the world (sort of literally), why not savor it and let it seep into our hearts and minds so that we can summon it up and take it with us wherever we go? This is the beauty of it all...and a lovely way to begin on our path! We're only making reservations for a few nights at the beginning, while we prepare ourselves and acclimate in France...and toward the end in Santiago de Compostela. The rest of the time we'll simply decide along the way...free to stop wherever we find ourselves in the journey.

finding the perfect hat...

Good hats and excellent hiking boots are high on our list of items. We'll carry approx. 15 lbs. in our backpacks, including 2 liters of water minimum per day. Everything has to wick and dry fast as we'll have just two changes of clothing. We plan to stay in Pilgrim's hostels along the way giving ourselves the option to spend the night at a hotel or other lodging as we find necessary or desired!

preparing ourselves for the journey....

It's incredibly exciting getting ready for our trek, which begins on June 10th, less than two months away. We'll be gone for seven and a half weeks, the longest I've personally ever traveled away from home; however, not true for nineteen year old Alexa! As a mother and daughter duo, we're looking forward to sharing this amazing experience together...though it's also a personal journey for us as individuals. So far the prep has been awesome. We started by reading books, doing on-line research, and joining forums enabling us to communicate with experienced pilgrims who have willingly shared their vast knowledge and given excellent advice!

We are women on a journey of (self) discovery...with open hearts and minds...seekers with a sense of curiosity and wonder... about ourselves, the culture, the people, the history, the art/architecture...and the stories that will unfold.

I was inspired to do this trek years ago after watching a documentary on public television...certain that one day it would happen. Alexa evolved into a true española at the tender age of sixteen, as a student living with a host family in Zaragoza, Spain during a school year abroad...Spain is in her bones now (not to mention her blood) and she has the "hunger" to be there again...

We are compelled towards this journey whatever it may hold...and are ready to be Peregrinas!