The Start of The Way

Taken at summit in BC 2016.

The Start of An Idea.

So the start of my journey and consequently this blog is something of a weird act of coincidences that led me to making this. I've always loved casual travel when the opportunity arises.

This was such an opportunity. Over the Christmas holidays in 2016, while visiting my best friend in Maple Ridge, we bandied about the idea of going on an international trip. It was something that had been discussed frequently, snowballing from one small kernel of an idea to the next without the practical limitations of budget or reality. Journeying across South East Asia was a popular idea, in which I'd chuckle at the vague idea of being able to take the whole of the Indian sub-continent in over a week, and paying off lady boys to harass my friend.

Finally we'd settled upon the idea of the doing the Camino Portugales, in which we'd assemble at the starting point, then go for it. The reality of the research brought down the idea to a discussion about whether or not we'd be able to spend the time and the money, additionally one unforeseen enemy would stop that idea in its tracks. Higher education.

With Brando going to college, the idea as many ideas go ran the risk of falling by the way side, being buried under the day to day minutia of life, completely forgotten or cast away. That was until I had the epiphany of instead of waiting why not go and do a different route instead?

The Journey I've Chosen To Take.

So it was decided that I would do the Camino Primitivo, the classical route taken by the first pilgrims to Santiago on the Compostella. A trek from the city of Oviedo over the mountains to Melide and then on to Santiago De Compostella to visit the reliquary of St. James. A trek of over 300 kilometres, with just 15 days to do it.

The date was set, and throughout the month of August I started training myself in the lost arts of long distance walking. As someone who had never done this before in any regular capacity it has been both difficult and rewarding as well as a learning curve. The acclimation tests, gathering and purchasing of kit, the difficulty of learning to push myself further and not worry about the time have been an interesting boon and a worthwhile challenge.

This Blog

So on Monday I will be flying to Santiago airport and from their making the train journey to my starting point in Oviedo.

I will be posting different photos and updates along the route as I make my journey through Galicia, capturing footage that will be added onto the youtube channel provided in the links, and edited down when I return.

Keep a weather eye out for updates.

Signing off,

Mr. Maple Leaf.

Special thanks to the following people. Renee Rushbrook, Brendan Mills, Carlos Ara.