Introduction and approaching departure

[John & Jackie Fry]

Hello, fellow pilgrims!

My husband, John, and I leave tomorrow, the 14th, for Paris.  From there
we will proceed by train to Bayonne and then on to
St.-Jean-Pied-de-Port, where we will begin our walk on the morning of
the 16th.  This will be our first Camino pilgrimage, which I have been
dreaming of doing for about fifteen years.  It's a thrill to be on our
way, finally.  We'll walk until May 30th, hoping to make it to Burgos
this year.  We plan to return to Spain in 2002 and make it all the way
to Santiago de Compostela then.

Our previous hiking experience includes day-walks along Hadrian's Wall
and in the Lake District of England and in the Mt. Snowdon area of Wales
and an eight-day trek in the Annapurna Range of the Himalayas in Nepal,
but this pilgrimage will be the first time that we have hiked with
substantial backpacks instead of light day-packs.  This adds a new
dimension to our training and preparations, as each of you is well
aware.  We look forward to the challenges and adventure and beauty of
the Camino and to meeting some of you, possibly, on the trail.  John
will be the one moving along smartly, and I'll be the short,
curly-haired one lagging behind, huffing and puffing.  I'll have a
little red cloth bear attached to one of the zippers on the back of my
blue pack.  Maybe some of you will spot us and we'll get to say hello in
person.

I will be unsubscribing later today, stalling as long as possible.
Don't want to miss a single tip or thought!

It has been interesting and very helpful to read the postings from this
group for the last few weeks.  Thanks to all for the valuable
information and advice so kindly shared.

A good Mothers' Day to all--mothers and children, alike.  That's all of
us!

¡Ultreia y suseia!  !Adelante!

Jackie Fry (and John, too) from Georgia



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