As we walk out on mid-summer's morning
And so the journey begins...
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Dear NE-One
I’m sitting on a plane somewhere over the Mediterranean Sea, about two hours away from touching down in Madrid. This is our third flight since leaving Bali on Tuesday afternoon. When we land, our five-hour bus ride to Pamplona, where we’ll stay with Mark’s daughter (and from and from where I’ll send this note), will complete our 36-hour journey back to Mark’s hiking boots. Then after buying some socks and a T-shirt in the morning we’ll do a quick (and therefore challenging, for me) re-sort and pack before leaving our computers and taking a five-hour train journey to Astorga. And then – exhale – Mark and I will walk out on mid-summer’s morning, and set off across Spain.
It really will be mid-summer’s morning when we leave Astorga: 21 June. It’s also the day that Mark’s book Vagabond goes to print. Pure co-incidences, both of them, and us two Laurie Lee fans have decided that it’s A Sign. A Good Omen. We need this walk – and the time away from our computers – and my body, which I have quietly neglected over the past 11 months, desperately needs this time of movement, too.
We’ll be walking only 300km. The last time I dropped you a line I’d said 400km – but we have fewer days than we’d anticipated before we’ll have to make our way back to Madrid via Pamplona, in order to meet our visa deadlines. I’m disappointed that the distance is so paltry, but I have to remind myself that this is not about ego, nor is it about pushing physical boundaries; this walk is about freedom.
And so, NE-One, I won’t be posting any pictures to social media during our walk. I won’t be dropping you a line here, either. I’ll be reunited with my computer and back in South Africa by 11 July, and will be back to regular NE Where scheduling once the dust has settled.
Thank you for sticking with me during these past manic months. Here’s to the journey!
Until next time
