Departure Day Tomorrow

This last week has been a bit of a whirlwind.  You think you are ready to head off on what is meant to be a great adventure, there has been planning, training, lots of reading and lots of thinking but as the day approaches there is a large emotional roller coaster to ride.  From the reading I have done this seems to be common, there is excitement, trepidation, sadness at saying hasta luego to loved ones, and a little bit of self doubt.  When you tell people what you are planning most ask, why?  For some it seems a great adventure, for others it seems crazy, for me, I am hoping for the former.

 When you read the books written about the Camino there are so many good reasons that people do the walk, they sometimes involve religious goals, sickness of some sort, job loss or career changes and a variety of other reasons, to try and explain to people why you would do it is complicated.  For me, it is something that caught my eye many years ago. I ask myself why as well, I think it is in part due to a sense of adventure imparted by my late father, one that until the last few years I have not really been able to indulge, and in part to experience being responsible only for me for a short time.  From age 17 I have felt responsible for various others in my life, there are no complaints or regrets, that responsibility has generated many rewards along the way, particularly in terms of my family.  My business is one that by its nature is one of responsibility for others in one way or another, it too has generated rewards for that responsibility, I am fortunate to have a great team who will continue to look after that responsibility while I am away. While I am away I don't expect to not feel the responsibility that I feel for others however it will be a little more muted and my primary issues will certainly revolve more around where am I going today and where will I sleep, there will not be a lot of planning and scheduling, just a lot of walking and time for thinking. 

I enjoyed a nice evening with the family at Parksville yesterday and a swim and play in the pool there today with all of the grandkids, certainly good reminders of what is truly important in life.  The pack is ready to go, everything is in place, and hopefully organized,  departure tomorrow afternoon, next stop Biarritz in France with a goal of starting the actual walk on September 5th.