Today as I trudged up my steep driveway for my daily walk, my thoughts went to the Camino and I smiled wide.  In a few months I’ll be walking, not just five miles, but three to four times that each day. And a hundred times that within about forty days. Though I’ve logged almost 8500 miles the past eight years since I began walking daily, I haven’t walked fifteen to eighteen miles a day. And certainly not every single day for a month with fifteen pounds on my back. I vacillate between exhilaration and apprehension.

The apprehension: will my legs and feet stay strong and be able to carry me all the way to Santiago? Will my shoulders remain sturdy and pain free enough to carry my belongings? Will I get enough sleep amidst all the snoring?! Can I learn enough Spanish to feel comfortable having a basic conversation with the locals or even just to reserve a bed in the next pueblo?

The exhilaration: only having to think about two things every day – how far I will walk and where I will sleep. Well, maybe three… I have to eat. 😉 Seeing new vistas for miles. Exploring centuries old castles, churches and monasteries. Meeting people from all over the world. Experiencing a new culture. Companionship and also solitude. And the idea that I will walk 500 miles in a little over a month!

There’s that smile again. I think exhilaration will win out in the end…