One of the things that I have enjoyed over the years is planning holidays and, believe me, nothing is left to chance. Since I have started planning this walk I have become less and less inclined to plan in detail, particularly when I see people on the Pilgrim Forum putting themselves under stress worrying about what time a bus will leave a particular point in the summer of 2014! So far I’ve done nothing much other than to book my flights. I really do need to sort out at least my first night’s accommodation so better crack on with that before too long.

 I do have my guide books though and I want to use three of them. The first is published by the Confraternity of Saint James in London is an up to date description of the route; the second is the French guide book for the GR653 and has maps and useful information but is in French and the final one is the wonderfully named Miam Miam Dodo guide to accommodation and facilities along the route. All are very useful and together weigh a ton! In a moment of genius I took them along to our local printer, Bath’s very own Ralph Allen Press, where the excellent Andy used their mighty guillotine and cut the binding off all of them so now I have them in loose leaf form and will just take the pages I need. Result!

 On a more frivolous note I put on my Facebook page that I was starting to acquire any necessities for the trip and had bought some “Bog Paper” (for those of you unfamiliar with this expression it’s toilet paper) which started off a conversation in the UK then South Africa and Europe initially about bog paper but somehow it migrated into Morris Dancing (don’t ask!) and shows just what a crazy world it is out there in digital land. Rob, I’m looking at you! (You know who you are).

So Maude the Border Terrier and I are walking a lot and I’m carrying a loaded rucksack to help me to get fit. I’ve decided which boots to wear and which socks to wear with them. I’ve bought a new pair of very “Fancy Dan” walking poles and I’m counting down the days, can’t wait to get started now. One very pleasing fact is that the first week is across the Camargue which is reclaimed marshland and exceedingly FLAT!

 This is Maude, my walking companion. Wish she could come too.

SIxwheeler

21 August 2013