thoughts on my journey

[Jack Beard]

This past July I walked from Leon to Santiago.  As many of you know the camino has a life of its own.  I had a wonderful journey.  I find it hard to come up with words to talk to my friends about the trip.  Part of the appeal was walking in the footsteps of so many past pilgrims.  Part of the appeal was the richness of the rituals (botafumaria in Santiago, queimada in Villafranca, pilgrim meals at the 5 star hotel, to name just 3).  I love music and I heard so much great music in Santiago.  I was amazed at how hard it is to be a pilgrim.  My body rebelled.  People told me after 2 weeks my feet would be fine but I only walked 2 weeks.  Many nice connections with others, some brief, some lifetime connections.

There was one very stressful incident.  In Rabanal a 25 year old woman died of meningitis.  That kind of event was a total shock.  I was stressed big time.  I ended up receiving a vacination in Ponferrada.  I guess people should consider a vacination before going on pilgrimage, or at least investigate the issue.  The likelyhood of catching the disease even with direct contact is extremely low, but if you do contract it you get a headache and a couple of hours later you are dead.  The refugios are very close quarters and crowded.  Many doctors recommend the vacine for college students and the military gives it because of crowded living conditions.  Anyway I'm healthy and alive thank goodness.

Does anyone know more details about the woman who died?  Being on the road the were many rumours but I feel I know very little about the incident.  I'm also interested in if anyone has numbers for how many compostelas were given out during the month of July, average age, stuff like that.

I tried looking in the archives but couldn't come up with anything.

Bien Camino, Jack Beard
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