Oh my goodness, the countdown in the sidebar has turned from days to hours.
I’ve had the surprise farewell party, complete with ‘Buen camino’ cake (thanks Kim). I’ve been given the T-shirt (thank you Hens for this very thoughtful gift). I have walked my last practice walk with my great friend Renate. I have pored over my packing list, adding and subtracting along the way. I have downloaded all the GPS tracks I will walk along onto the ‘wikiloc’ app on my iPhone (I just hope the people who posted them didn’t get lost!). I have done all the gardening and pulled as many weeds as I could cope with (and that leaves many more that will continue to grow until I return). I have given David watering instructions. I am about to repack my backpack for the final time and have all my toys on charge.
Next stop, the church of Santiago in Calle Granada, Málaga, at 7:30 in the morning where I will meet my walking partner for the first time, have a quick coffee before the church opens its doors at 8:00 am and we can receive the first stamp in our pilgrims’ passports (actually, for me it will be the second stamp – my first was from the townhall in Canillas de Albaida this morning). And then we are on our way. First stop Almogía, an easy 22 km for the first day.
We were lucky enough to be outside the church of Santiago last week when the Semana Santa parade emerged from its doors – a huge snd spectacular treat.
The Camino Mozárabe has four starting points. Almería, Granada, Jaen, and Málaga. As I live so close to Málaga, I wanted to walk from home, and have made the delightful walk from my front door to Málaga in three stages over the last few weeks. The route from Málaga meets up with the other routes just before Córdoba, and then continues north-westward to Mérida, where it joins with the Via de la Plata (which starts in Seville) and continues to Santiago de Compostela.
There are a few imponderables about this journey…
- Will I make it in one go? It is an awfully long way – 1,200 km, which will take six to seven weeks to walk. Last year I was ready for home after four weeks. So I am keeping an open mind – I would most definitely like to keep going to Santiago, but if I feel I have had enough half way through, I won’t beat myself up about it, I will come home and start again from where I left off in the autumn.
- Will I get on with my walking partner? I was very glad to find someone to walk with as the camino Mozárabe from Málaga, or from any of the starting points, is not well trodden, and I would not expect to meet many, if any, fellow pilgrims before joining the VdlP at Mérida. We have not yet met, although we have corresponded a fair bit through one of the pilgrim forums. But it was the same situation last year with Eli, and we stayed together for three weeks. It will be great if we get on and stick together, but if not, then we will have some company for the first day or so, which will be a boost for both of us.
- Although I am not sure that I will be able to walk all 1,200 km in one go, I would ideally like to carry on after Santiago to Finisterre – another 100 km, so that I have walked ‘from sea to shining sea’.
And there are lots of things I know for sure…
– It will be hard
– I will hurt – all over
– I will be too hot, or too cold, or too wet
– The beds will be uncomfortable and creaky and I will worry about bed bugs
– When I reach the busier stretch of the camino the mixed dormitories of the albergues will be full of champion snorers
But on the other hand…
– I will be amazed at all the beautiful spring sights that I will only see by walking
– I will meet amazing people from all corners of the world (a bit like Cómpeta!)
– I will rejoice in the sunrise that I never see at home
– The hurting will cease in a couple of weeks and I will just feel exhausted at the end of the day
– I will feel a sense of achievement almost every day
– I will enjoy reading all the lovely encouraging comments on my blog, although I might not have time to reply to them all
– I will hopefully have lost all the weight I have put on over the last few months (and maybe a bit more too)
– I will be an emotional wreck when I reach the cathedral at Santiago – a mixture of euphoria at having reached my goal and sadness that another camino is over
I am leaving my garden at its most beautiful and fragrant – the two wisterias are dripping with blooms, the jasmine is full of flower and the irises and osteospermums that have spread all around the garden are full of vibrant colour that even a dull day can’t disguise. But the wild spring flowers I will pass by on my walk will go a long way towards recompense.
So it just remains to clear the decks of the remnants of my packing – although I’m not sure I will recognise the bedroom chest without all its camino clutter.
I know you will all wish me luck and I thank you in anticipation of your support over the next couple of months.
Trepidatious traveller - camino blog 
I look forward to hearing more tales of your walk, Buen Camino.
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Hello there.
Greetings from Denmark
I just want to thank you for providing such an informative account last spring of the route fra Malaga to Santiago. I am walking exactly the same route starting in May 2016. It has been reassuring.
Many thanks
Bendt
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Hello Bendt. Thanks for your comment and I am glad you have found the blog useful. What a shame you are not walking from Málaga a bit sooner – I have a friend who is setting off from Málaga alone on 14 April, but she would love a walking partner.
Buen camino for your Mozárabe
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Hi Maggie I hope your friend will be allright on her own. You seemed to meet nice people along the camino, and she probably will too! I could have started in the middel of April, if I was in good walking form, but I suffered an running injury back in september. And I am not ordering my ticket to Malaga before I can walk with 13kg on my back, 30 km per day, every day for at least a week, which is a goal I am gradually getting nearer and nearer. Thanks again ! Bendt
2016-02-27 16:17 GMT+01:00 Trepidatious traveller – camino blog :
> magwood commented: “Hello Bendt. Thanks for your comment and I am glad you > have found the blog useful. What a shame you are not walking from Málaga a > bit sooner – I have a friend who is setting off from Málaga alone on 14 > April, but she would love a walking partner. Buen” >
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Wow, Bendt, 13 kilos – that’s a heavy load. Are you just training with this weight, or planning to carry it on camino? I struggle to keep weight down (both from my pack and from my body!) but I carry 4 or 5 kilos less than that.
Good luck with your recovery from injury.
My friend Marilyn is very brave to set off alone, especially knowing that I met so few pilgrims last year. I am going to walk with her for the first day and am really looking forward to meeting her.
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Good luck Maggie! Sorry that we missed your set off party 😦 We shall be with you in spirit and shall be following your progress all the way. Love and best wishes Keith & Sue xx
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I’ll be following your trek like your fan that I am. Buen Camino!
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Ah Maggie, another adventure begins. What is living without a few challenges. I know you have it in you to complete this latest one. As in running long distances, walking is also about pacing yourself. You had a great pacer in Eli last year, take that knowledge with you and give yourself some easy days when necessary. All will be well. Buen Camino!
p.s. the champion snorers are a little worrisome to me too, altho I’m told I also snore, ugh!
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Psalm 1 21st Century King James Version (KJ21)
1 Blessed is the woman that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful;
2 but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on His law doth he meditate day and night.
3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither, and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
4 The ungodly are not so, but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.
5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
6 For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous,
7. follow the right way! (and if you have to turn left-don’t hesitate!)
8.Admiring you!
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So looking forward to walking along side you via blog. As you will finish yours, I will begin mine on July 1. I love your garden, mine is just awakening from it’s long winter’s sleep.
Buen Camino Maggie, from Canada… Light and Love Ingrid
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Good luck Maggie…we are so full of admiration and will enjoy your daily blogs as we have on your previous caminos.
Fondest love and very best wishes,take care
Pat & John xxxx
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I felt so excited that the blog is up and running again and I send you every best wishes for a truly inspiring camino. Us armchair walkers will be with you every step of the way and we’ll look out for David too xxx
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Happy Trails & Buen Camino Maggie!
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Good luck Maggie..that’s a long but exciting walk ahead of you!
I can’t wait to hear of how you get on
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Wish you well, Maggie. More power to you for walking again. Look forward to following your journey. ❤
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Maggie – enjoy your challenge. I will be following you (in an emotional sense) and am with you in spirit. Much love, Heather xxx
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Maggie – my friend, We are so sorry we could not make it to your farewell bash – work as usual We both wish you a wonderful and exciting camino and will be thinking of you and will of course be with you every step of the way via your blog, take care and love to you, Christine & Malcolm xxxxx
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Buen Camino! I have to say, I think yours may be my favourite Camino blog I’ve ever stumbled across. And always remember, there is never any hurry on the Camino.
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Have fun, enjoy and come back in one piece…
Renate van Galen Harrie Perebooms http://www.la-madrugada.com
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I’ll be following your journey Maggie. Buen Camino Nx
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Good Luck on your Camino! I’ll be reading your entries and cheering you on! Yve in Australia
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Buen Camino Maggie! I look forward to following your walk each day.
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Buen Camino from America!!
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Buen Camino Maggie xxx
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Wishing you a journey, free of bed bugs, Maggie! Buen Camino xx
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Bom caminho Maggie.
Beware of the existence of water sources in Extremadura.
Rita e Aurélio
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Good walking Maggie. We will be following you and thinking of you when we walk the dogs for the small hour every day!
Love Frances & John x
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Very exciting to be following you once again Maggie. Full of admiration for your fortitude too. Best wishes for an amazing journey.
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Hi Magwood,
Good luck and best wishes for a great Camino.
Sean
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Hi Maggie, Wishing you all the best on newest Camino! So looking forward to your postings!
Bonnie
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