One week of this Euro-trip left, and I am getting excited to come home. BUT FIRST I am going to Lyon to visit my good friend Joel, who was my workcamp leader in Flamarens. I told him that I cannot come, I cannot afford the train ticket. He was very insistent that if I do not come I will miss exceptional moments, and I thought it wise to find a way to Lyon in order not to miss said moments. So, I found a ride to Lyon for 25 euro and I will get there later today. I will stay probably until Saturday morning, since I have a train ticket to go to London from Paris Saturday afternoon.
I am excited to see Joel again, and to see Lyon for the first time. It is supposed to be very beautiful. I said this to Danielle and she said "Isn't, like, EVERY place you've been to?" She is right; I have not been to many places that are not beautiful! It has been a very full trip; wonderful landscapes, culture, people, and food. I could not ask for more, and I am sure I could not handle more. It means that I will have to come back some time to have more experiences in Germany, Holland, Belgium and other places. I have a big problem now, since I have met so many people from so many countries. I want to visit them all, but I do not have enough money to do it all in one big trip, so I have to choose what order to do my travels in. Perhaps North Carolina, Cuba and Mexico in one trip; then Turkey, South Korea, Japan and Australia in another. And of course more Europe and eastern Europe. I hope the Villa has a lot of hours for me when I get home!
Wednesday, 15 October 2008
Thursday, 9 October 2008
St. Jean Pied de Port
I made it! I did it! And like a crazy person I have not had enough, so I will walk one more day past St. Jean Pied de Port (my goal end point) into Spain...this involves walking about 20 km uphill. I hate walking uphill and that is a lot of it. I think the altitude is 1500 metres...but I can and will do it!
This experience of walking from Le Puy en Velay to St. Jean Pied de Port has taught me a lot of lessons: I have learned to be by myself, to slow down, to keep going when I think I can't, to talk to people with means other than words, to sleep early and wake early...and many more. I think most of the lessons are unspoken, unrecognized. They will be realized through situations that occur in my normal life, upon returning home. I have never done anything like the chemin before, but now I want to return to finish the journey through Spain another time.
I have seen young people struggle with walking, and elderly people breeze through it. The walking is not a matter of being young, but being prepared, going at your own pace and taking one step and a time. I would recommend this walk for anyone, as long as they follow those three rules.
After I reach Spain I will return to this beautiful, historic and touristic town, and take a train to Toulouse. I hope to see some friends that I have made in France before I return home, but I am longing to see all the friends and family I have always had in 13 days.
Until then, bonne courage and bon chemin.
This experience of walking from Le Puy en Velay to St. Jean Pied de Port has taught me a lot of lessons: I have learned to be by myself, to slow down, to keep going when I think I can't, to talk to people with means other than words, to sleep early and wake early...and many more. I think most of the lessons are unspoken, unrecognized. They will be realized through situations that occur in my normal life, upon returning home. I have never done anything like the chemin before, but now I want to return to finish the journey through Spain another time.
I have seen young people struggle with walking, and elderly people breeze through it. The walking is not a matter of being young, but being prepared, going at your own pace and taking one step and a time. I would recommend this walk for anyone, as long as they follow those three rules.
After I reach Spain I will return to this beautiful, historic and touristic town, and take a train to Toulouse. I hope to see some friends that I have made in France before I return home, but I am longing to see all the friends and family I have always had in 13 days.
Until then, bonne courage and bon chemin.
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