Coming down to earth!

It seems strangely ironic to be writing this post just before boarding a plane bound for the antipodes, home! It is hard to believe that just over three weeks ago we walked into Saint Jean Pied-de-Port after finishing the via Podiensis part of the Camino Frances, 750.8 kilometres, and ten days later we walked into Santiago de Compostela having completed 120 kilometres, the Sanabres way, Ourense to Santiago. Hard to believe because now that we’ve been resting and touring, it seems a lifetime ago. A lifetime ago because the rest of the world is catching up with us or is it the other way round?

The last three weeks has given me the opportunity to integrate the recent experiences and try to make sense of some of the conflicting emotions evoked by the Camino coming to an end. In many ways one tends to expect fireworks… a huge relief, a release of emotions and celebrations of sorts after days and days of walking in heat, rain and mud… Whether we were exhausted or sick we were underwhelmed to say the least! Saint Jean Pied-de-Port had changed. We walked through the old gates almost mobbed by day trippers, took a selfie, then asked a teenager to take a photo for us and in the spirit of wanting to share our achievement, we headed to the pilgrims office. It was bigger and busier than we remembered and mainly an exchange of information… pilgrims just starting off, eager to know what was ahead… very much in need of assuaging their fears and insecurities. There was no sign or recognition afforded, proffered to the pilgrims who had completed the via Podiensis. Still searching to share our news with someone else, our next port of call was our accommodation… too early so we settled on a drink and a snack in a near by bar. Both bar and accomodation turned out to be very commercial ventures! They were interested in offering us the required services but no more. For me it was a rude awakening! I reflected on this for a while and realized the toll Covid has had all over the world… claiming all sorts of ventures as victims and changing profoundly both ventures and people that have survived. Our quaint hotel of six years earlier run by mother and daughter seemed to have become a rooming house, our accommodation was a set of rooms with noone in attendance bar a phone number, the restaurants sub-par, offering fairly ordinary food. This greeted us after weeks of individual attention by owners of gites who virtually shared their homes and lives with us!

While on Camino our focus was and needed to be getting through the day, meeting and overcoming any challenges we encountered… personal, physical, mental and the outside challenges beyond our control like weather, terrain and other people. The majority of people, despite the language barrier were all of the same mind, facing similar challenges and more often than not ready to give help and receive it. The hosts too were great believers in the worth of the walk, the pilgrimage. Each day yielded rewards and challenges. At the end of each day you recounted the day’s experiences, reflected on them and shared with other pilgrims.