I hope you have all had a wonderful Christmas with good food and drink, spending time with loved ones and enjoying your presents and time off. I have had Norwegian jul on the 24th, then English Christmas dinner on the 25th, and am now lounging around as you do, under my lovely, light and warm … More Seasons greetings!
Apologies for sloppy blogging. Since my last post I have visited Rome and Alicante and am currently packing for Oslo, where I will attend a book launch, have a huge traditional Norwegian Christmas dinner with friends and show new peregrina S around town in less than a day. No pressure there, then. As for walking, … More PCB Prevention Attempts
If anyone asks me if they need to find someone to walk the Camino with them, my default answer will always be: No. You don’t need it. You might want to bring a friend, but make sure you’re not doing it because you are afraid of going on your own. If you take someone for … More Walking with a friend
No, not bragging … bagging. As you may know, the Pope has declared an extraordinary jubilee this year, the Year of Mercy. This means different things to different people, but it also means that the Holy doors of the cathedrals and major churches around the world will be opened. They will in effect become doors … More Holy Door Bagging!
Due to Life and related things, my 2014 St. Olav’s Way walk had to be postponed while we both tried to figure out whether to walk it all in one go, whether to camp to save money – which would take longer due to heavier packs – or to pack ultralightly and move faster, further and … More St. Olav’s Way – we have a date!
Approximately 112 kms from Santiago on the Camino Francés is the town of Sarria, which is a popular place to start a short Camino. Maybe because it takes about a week including travel and you still get to see Santiago … and maybe because the minimum distance you need to walk to claim your Compostela, is … More The Sarria Thing
A year ago today American peregrina Denise Thiem was in Astorga, having a coffee with a fellow pilgrim. She was in no hurry, she wanted to see a church before she moved on to El Ganso where she planned to stop for the night. That was the last time she was seen by anyone who … More In memory of Denise
The Boil Coil, or electric coil, cup boiler, immersion heater, travel kettle element … whatever you call it, it deserves a big round of applause. You know the thing I mean, right? No? Here’s one. Ignore the plug, these come in US, UK, EU and even USB versions, and probably others too. And what can … More Top pilgrim tip: The Boil Coil
It’s not as dramatic as it sounds. And yet … it kind of is. Ever since I left Norway for Portugal with too many bags, a laptop and my first two translation contracts, I have known that my life would be completely changed from that day. And is was. Though I left Portugal again before … More The death of a dream
Leaving Triacastela you have to make a choice – turn to the left and follow the 25 km path to Samos, once one of the most powerful monestaries in Spain and still an interesting place to see and visit or even stay; or turn to the right and take the shorter 18 km path via … More Camino Sola 2015: Day Six – Triacastela to Sarria (and The Sarria Thing)
Somewhere Slowly 