550 to 160 to 3 - slowing down

 

Today was originally intended to be the last leg of my travels to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, France, and the start of my walk along the Camino de Santiago or The Way.  However, today ended up marking my first change to my plans.

 

Yesterday, my flight to Europe had a small tail wind and we cruised at 550MPH over the North Pole en route to London. Playing with my phone's GPS, I found my train cruising along at 160MPH this afternoon.

While on the train, I started my first audio book – God Walk by Mark Buchanan.  This book is about walking with God.  The author suggests that maybe Christianity started with walking with God in the garden and maybe we have forgotten this simple act of fellowship with God.

As I ponder my planned walk, I like this idea that I will be walking with God.  The author suggests that 3MPH is the optimal speed to walk with God - God’s speed of love.  So I have decided to slow my pace by one day to enjoy the start of my journey.


Tonight, I am staying in Pamplona, Spain.  I will go to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port tomorrow and I am now planning to stay there in my first Pilgrim hotel Wednesday night.  My plan is to then return to Pamplona in a few days via my walk over the French Pyrenees.


There are lots of hints about the Camino here, if you are looking for them. Seems there are many ways to “do the Camino” too, if walking with your gear is not your thing. 




Finally, this is Mai who gave me my first Camino Pilgrim stamp at my hotel tonight.  I don’t have an official Camino Passport yet, so I had her stamp my USA Passport.  I also qualified for the pilgrim’s breakfast, another first.



Now I am officially a Camino Pilgrim!!

18,422 steps today
Lat./Long:  42.818189, -1.649766



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