You can follow Nicky's progress here. This blog is organised showing the most recent entry first. Scroll down this section to read Nicky's journey from the beginning.
Day 19 Ribadesella to Brisbane via Barcelona & Oviedo
What a difference a day makes. After 465 Kms allowing for GR E9 routes I am now heading home due to staff changes at work. The beauty of life is you never can tell what it will bring next. So the 2nd half of the Camino will have to wait.
A friend once said to me if you want to make God laugh tell him your plans and it seems he was correct this time. I counter that with there are no unrealistic goals, just unrealistic timeframes. So I will be back to complete what I began.
To all of you who have supported me in this project to make a difference in the lives of Children in Palestine- my thanks, it has been invaluable. Your messages donations & texts have helped immensely. Muchas Gracias
Where to from here. Back to Bris & business as usual albeit with a new assistant….if anyone knows someone who wants work and is amazing, let me know. And of course i will work on the distribution of the documentary just after Christmas.
Once again thanks and God bless you.
Love to you all
19° Sunny
Oviedo, Asturias, Spain
Take care
Nic
Day 18 Arun to Santiago
So often on this journey from Arun to Santiago finding the yellow arrow is the most important thing, to make sure that you are on the right path. Finding that sign that we are doing the right thing in life can be very comforting. I know that every time i see another yellow arrow, I am slightly relieved that i haven't strayed off the "right path". The irony in life, however, is that the right path is usually the one we are on. It may not always be the most comfortable one. As i have strayed away from the yellow arrow here to explore other paths I have hit some very large hills and some very large obstacles, but that still doesn't mean that i am not on the right path.
Many people have told me that the things i am doing in Palestine are insane. It cant be fixed. It cant be changed. However when we are on the 'right path" there is a knowing at a deeper level, that i am sure you will all understand in one context or another. it is that knowing that i am following. The knowing that what i am doing is the right thing to be doing and the thing that needs to be done. So part of this journey has been just heading in the right direction, even in the absence of arrows, and continuing on no matter what the obstacle. Here is to you finding your "right path".
Take care
Nic
Day 17
Day 16 Rest day in Potes- travelled 26 kms (without a pack)
As I am walking up the hill, looking up towards the sky where the clouds are being swept across a waning moon that is still visible in the day sky. The beauty of the Picous mountain range in the background is stunning. I am going to visit a 10th century monastery on this rest day so it is a wander that I can enjoy without a pack. What a relief it is to walk without a pack!
What strikes me, even on the way up, is the beauty of the area. It’s a long, hard walk and the landscape along it is stunning! Throughout this journey I have come across beautiful people, beautiful scenery and amazing panoramas. I am constantly reminded that there is a whole lot of beauty in the world. Yet, last night while I was sitting having dinner the news was on. The news was in Spanish and despite the fact that I can’t speak the language, I could pick up that all that was being reported was the disasters that were happening in the world. I would like to call the media’s attention to this. There is such an amazing amount of beauty in the world and yet what we are constantly focused on is how terrible things are.
This is particularly true of the situation between the Israelis and the Palestinians. Do bad things happen? Yes, of course they do, but there are also so many peaceful beautiful people on both sides as well, that never get a mention, never get acknowledged. If we sit and watch just what is bad, then our energy that we have to give to the world is brought down as well. So, two things, firstly, I encourage everyone to filter what they take from the news, if they take anything at all, and secondly, look for the beauty in the world, because it is absolutely all around us.
23° Mostly Sunny
Plaza de la Serna, Potes, Cantabria, Spain
Take care
Nic
Day 14 Santa Cruz de Bezana to Santilla del Mar 27 kms
Passed the 300 km mark today. WOW!
Last night I sat at the dinner table in amongst a group of people where there were 5 different languages being spoken - none of which I understood. Being the only English speaking person at the table, I sat and listened to the conversation and the attempts to talk with me. At that moment I realised that whilst we were very different, from different countries, different backgrounds, different languages and different genders there was still a lot that united us. We were all pilgrims on the Camino, all individuals sitting in that particular alberque (accommodation) and all humans. I thought of the situation in Palestine and Israel and realised that there is a lot more that binds both sides as similar than there are differences. Of course it is easy to sit at this table, because nobody has slighted me, nobody has taken anything from me and nobody is defending things. It is easy to see the similarities. But I realised in that minute that there is also a choice being made; a choice to see the similarities rather than the differences, and a choice to recognise the humanity in the other, rather than the separation. That is part of what we can encourage to have happen, one person at a time, in both Palestine and Israel.
21° Sunny
Calle del Río 8–18, Santillana del Mar, Cantabria, Spain
Take Care
Nic
Day 13 Guemes to Santa Cruz 24.2kms
In today's society we talk a lot about heroes. Football and sports stars are touted as those we should admire. Today I met a real live hero. A person you will probably never hear of. A priest named father Ernesto. He runs an alvergee (pilgrims hostel) near Guemes. I call him a hero because of his lifelong philosophy. He welcomes pilgrims into his home with open arms. Gives them food, shelter and kindness for donotivo (donation) - pay what you can. And he shares his amazing stories if his life. Most profound for many pilgrims was the story that this journey we are all on has NOTHING to do with the destination. Rather its all about how we support each other along the way. Then and only then will the 'true' arrows (true direction) be revealed. Father Ernesto A HERO!
Take Care
Nic
Day 12 Noja to Guemes 15.5 kms
Angels come in all forms!
I left Noja and was a little bit lost, so I said “Por favor, Camino de Santiago?” to a woman. She came out and introduced herself as Beatrice. Beatrice spoke a little bit of English and loved to practice so we had a talk for a while. She said to me, “You have got an angel on your shoulder. Cant you see him? Anytime you get lost, you just ask him and he will tell you the way!”. I thought even if someone is not religious, what she is really talking about is something that everyone has – it is the wisdom that is not of our learning, but is a wisdom that is much deeper than that, that is much more comprehensive and much more aware. It is the knowing that we have when we don’t know how to know. With that I left Beatrice and as I walked toward Guemes, I realised that that is where the solution for the conflicts of the world will come - from that place within us, which religious people call God or angels and non religious people don’t name, but still know exists. I realised that it doesn’t matter what we call it, rather it just matters that we access it in order to bring hope to others and peace to the world.
18° Mostly Cloudy
Paseo de Trengandín 6, Noja, Cantabria, Spain
Take Care
Nicky
Day 11 Islares to Noja 37 kms
Ok ok. I cracked. Nice hotel by the beach and a single room without 20 people snoring was vital today. Nice view!!
Nicky
Noja, Cantabria, Spain
Day 10 Bilbao to Pobena 22 kms and Pobena to Islares 24 kms
Spain
There are days when it would be so easy to give up- like today - with incredibly sore feet and each step hurting. But I keep thinking of how temporary this pain is compared to the pain of the children and their families - the next step then becomes much easier to take!
Take care
Nic
15° Rain
Pobeña, Basque Country, Spain
Day 9 Bilbao 140 kms
All is going brilliantly. 1st week down & arrived in Bilbao today about 140kms in. Hope to get a chance to have a quick look at the Guggenheim tomorrow. Body holding up well but feet are feeling it and swelling a lot. I'm managing to find creeks to put them in which helps. This is a VERY hilly part of the world so has made the walking more enjoyable. Very few speak English in Basque Country so I've had heaps of fun " chatting". Hope all is great with you.
Take care
Nic
Day 8 Lezama to Bilbao. Today I travelled 16 kms. 16 degrees C. RAIN
I spent a quiet afternoon of sightseeing in a delightful city. This sculpture by Jeff Koons called Puppy is situated on the Avenida de Abandoibarra, Bilbao, Basque Country, Spain. It is made entirely of plants. Take Care, Nic
The sense of history here is so much deeper and longer then in Australia. Just look at this amazing square and buildings.
16° Rain
Puente del Ayuntamiento, Bilbao, Basque Country, Spain
Day 7 Gernucka to Lezama - 22 Kms
Today I am reminded that Spain has seen its share of conflict. This tree is enshrined to remind us of the value of agreement and co-operation. Spain
Day 6
It's hard to describe the beauty of this place. And despite great pain at times, stopping (except briefly as here) just is not an option. You wonder if that's how it is for the Palestinians, even though they are in great pain, leaving is not an option?
-2.43523°, 43.2568°
Day 5 Rest Day
Ever feel like you just have to stop despite your timetable?
That was me today. Following yesterday's grueling walk my feet said no to walking anywhere today. So I have wandered around the town and contemplated the journey. I have met many amazing people: Liz 71, English: Margurite 70 , German: Angel Spanish just to name a few. When I've spoken to them of the situation in Palestine I have had varying responses-
It's so far away, it doesn't effect me.
It's Arafats fault!
It's Americas fault!
I don't do politics!
The Israelis should just leave!
The Palestinians are a bunch of terrorists and deserve what they get!
Solutions are harder to find in the rhetoric. And that's what I'm looking for on this trip….. Awareness and solutions. I will keep you posted on how I go. But know this… I appreciate your support and interest.
With love. Nicky
-2.49737°, 43.2695°
Take care
Day 3 Orio to Deba 36 Kms
Have you ever committed to something and then regretted it? That was today!
It should have been a pleasant 30 km walk but the harder coast route sounded amazing…which it was but I had not planned for the constant steep and dangerous tracks. When carrying a 10kg pack it was …… Interesting
I wonder if some of the decisions in the Israeli conflict are like that. A decision is made that sounds like a good idea at the time but takes things down a track you don't want but have no way of going back.
The pic is of the bottom of a VERY steep and difficult climb to come.
-2.4974°, 43.2695° Take care, Nic
Day 2 Pasages to Orio 23 Kms
With the day beginning in rain I decided to push on, getting drenched on the way. Amongst the rainforest was a delightful man and his baker shop. He is Israeli and his philosophy is to lead a good and useful life in a peaceful manner. He was amazingly helpful to everyone of all nationalities. A beautiful example to all. Nicky
-2.4974°, 43.2695°
Day 1 - 9 September Irun to Pajesa. 17kms.
1st day of walking, perfect weather and juggling my way out of town by markers. Decided to take the more challenging route (aka vertical mountain goat track) but was rewarded with the most magnificent views. Well worth it!
Interesting that sometimes the greatest challenges offer the greatest rewards.
-2.4974°, 43.2695° Take care, Nicky
The journey
And so it begins. The journey of 1000 "Kms". It is with a mix of childlike excitement and adult trepidation that I set of from the comfort of Barcelona to the unknown of Irun. No longer can I declare with ignorant bliss that it will be fine and "mafish moshkilla" no problems for I'm about to test that theory.
Before I Begin
With all the negative things that are going on in the world I decided not to sit idly by rather I decided to take a step to make things better. To make things better in the area of life that I 'am passionate about and that is giving hope to kids in Palestine. With that in mind I decided to take a journey of 1000km's and do the Santiago De Compostela walk. A pilgrimage that will take me through unknown territories with an unknown language in an unknown land.
It may seem a bit ambiguous that I do this walk with Palestine in mind but for some reason the two seem intrinsically linked to me. Perhaps it was because Saint James, the apostle who started this whole thing, beckoned from Jerusalem. Or perhaps it is just because it is just because I like to do challenging things. Either way I have taken it upon myself to raise awareness for these kids in Palestine and to put a different slant on the information that comes out about the situation over there and encourage people to do the bit that they can to make life better. Sometimes that is praying, sometimes it's just querying what we are hearing on the news as not necessarily being all of the information. Sometimes it is just saying a kind word.
In the weeks that follow, I will get insights into what this journey is like and hope to gain a better understanding of what life is like for these kids in a very challenging situation.
I hope you will join me and I encourage you to be the difference in whatever capacity you can be.
Many Thanks
Nicky.
At present donations can be made to the projects of Be The Difference by placing a direct bank deposit to St John's Cathedral who will assign it to our projects.