On my way - First Challenge

I'm on my first flight from
LA to Dallas and my iPad just blew up! Suddenly the font just changed to a size which is so
large that one single letter fills the screen. I don't have a clue as to what happened or how to fix it. I will just try to figure it out. Hopefully there is an Apple Store in Pamplona. If not I guess I will be sending my blog by way of my iPhone.

I knew that there would be challenges but this was not what I ever expected. Blisters, sore shoulders, fatigue and more but I did not think the blog would be a problem.

I land in Dallas in about an hour and will see if I can find a way to fix this. 

Robin and I had dinner with the kids last night near LAX and then stayed at the airport Marriott because my flight was early. I got about three hours of sleep so I'm already dragging. Hopefully I will sleep on the ten hour flight to Madrid. 

Just a few warnings about the blog. When you walk for hours on end you have a lot of time to think and therefore there will be lots of thoughts which will end up in the blog. These thoughts come out of my head so there's the warning. 

In addition I will typically end the days walk and first do the days laundry in the sink followed by a shower. Then it's off to get something to eat unless I'm just too tired. Most days I will be creating the blog after dinner. I will start and then fall asleep around eight o'clock and wake up around two in the morning. At least that's how it worked the first time. I will then complete the days blog which takes up to two hours and try to get back to sleep. The warning is ... I'm tired and will not always do a great job of editing so there will be errors in spelling and more so deal with it:-).

Before I left I was asked this question ... How much of the money you raise will go toward the wells? All of the money raised will go to the wells. None of the money raised goes to pay any of my Camino expenses. I just thought that I should say that so I know that everyone is aware of what is happening to the donations. When I left this morning we were above $95,000 so that means six wells and part of a seventh! 

Thanks to everyone who has been able to help. Hopefully I will get the iPad problem sorted out . That's it for now.     

Sent from my iPhone

Getting ready to go - I fly to Spain in two days.

The final practice packing of the backpack ...I fly to Spain on Monday.

I have a very early flight from Los Angeles to Dallas on Monday , a three hour layover and then to Madrid. A short layover in Madrid and then a puddle jumper to Pamplona. I will stay in Pamplona on arrival day and one additional night before hiring a car to drive me over the Pyrenees to St. Jean France.

First order of business once I arrive in Pamplona will be to fight the jet lag, have dinner at Hemingway's favorite bar and get some much needed rest. I will be staying at the Hotel LaPerla,  nice hotel in a great location. On Wednesdaty I will take a short walk to the Camino shop around the corner to buy my new walking poles. TSA does not allow hiking poles as an approved carry on item.

On Wednesday I will begin to reduce the weight in my backpack substantially in prepariation for the first day from France when I will walk about 16 miles back to Spain with an elevation change of 4100 feet up over the mountain. Most guide books and many of the pilgrims who have walked the French Way will tell you that the first day is among the three most difficult. Because of the elevation increase there will likely be weather changes often not for the better. Rain, fog and snow add to the difficulty. Reducing weight in the backpack will be a significant comfort improvement. 

The reason I will be able to greatly reduce the weight is because when I begin the Camino in France I will walk back through Pamplona again on the third day so I have arranged to stay at the Hotel La Perla again. This allows me to remove everything I will not need until the forth day like extra clothing and other items. I will pack only the minimum needed for the first three days. This will prove to be of great value. It was Robin's idea on my first Camino and it did make a difference.