Boomers bouncing off walls

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Howdy pilgrim (... or should that read bonjour pelerin?)

I have decided to challenge my technophobic self and try my hand with this travel blog. I have always had a love/hate relationship with computers (they really are a "passing fad") and their "apps" and yearn for the simple life when milk was delivered to our home in bottles, chicken was a Sunday treat, "organic food" and "wellness" were terms unknown and I would stay in touch with the world on my crystal radio set ... so please forgive any glaring hiccups and the right side of the brain is no longer in sync with the left side!

I was first introduced to the term "ultreya" (also spelt (u-l-t-r-e-i-i-a) when I undertook my first long distance walk in 2010 across Spain with my son Peter. Back then we walked some 750 kms, not counting the excess kms when my son managed to miss (many) turns and we were temporarily "bushed" ... at these times I kept thinking "... how fortunate are we to be walking in areas never before walked before by tourists, pilgrims or locals!"

Ultreya is in fact, a term which resonates with me on many levels and the best translation I have come across for this term is "onwards with courage". It is also the title of a Spanish (and French) Pilgrim song which I encourage you to google ... but I daresay, it is one of those tunes which has more meaning to Pilgrims who have undertaken to walk the Camino.

This 750 km walk across Spain is known as the Camino Frances and along with the pilgrimmages to the Holy Lands and Rome, is one of the most famous Pilgrimmages in Christendom ... I heartily recommend this ramble to all and sundry as it is a marvellous journey -- made more-so by the people and humanity along the way. Likewise the 1,000 km ramble from the South of Spain to Santiago, known as the Via de la Plata which I undertook (and completed) in 2011. People undertake these pilgrimmages (or walks or rambles) for a multitude of reasons, be they spiritual, religious, cultural, health, gastronomic, or simply to get away from life in the 21st century and as trite as it may sound, the hardest step is indeed, the first ... and the accompanying intrinsic rewards are priceless! Simply put, one does not need a reason to undertake these walks as the experiences of such walks are their own rewards!

Long distance walking is not for everybody ... one must first (comrehensively) fail the first test of sanity. Satisfying this criteria, one must then consider one's physical and mental state to undertake the routine of walking anywhere from 20 - 30 kms per day, everyday! in a foreign land with foreign language and customs. But as always, it is not about the destination ... it is all about the journey ...

In two weeks, two boomers will set out on their own personal camino and walk 750 kms (rather slowly) on the Via Podiensis (also referred to as the Grand Randolee 65 or GR65), ending at St Jean Pied de Port in the Pyrenees. This ramble will begin in Le Puys en Velay by way of Paris. The itinerary has been studied, the back packs have been packed and re-packed, the boots have been well and truly broken in and the last minute details have been checked and re-checked, we have both scored in the 99th percentile for lack of sanity and the fitness levels have reached a level heretofore only envied ... I love spontaneity, but there are times when planned spontaneity could save a lot of angst and pain ...

Why are we subjecting ourselves to such a challenge? No one reason, it's just that we love the challenge of the Via Podiensis, the freedom of the open road (the French wines and soft cheeses along the way are an added bonus) and the spiritual connection with this route cannot be understated!

We are humbled that you might wish to share our experiences along this life endorsing ramble ...

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