Done and Dusted

The idea of a long walk and solo started to emerge in the head about 15 months ago. Was I completely crazy, I had just completed the first big walk through Ireland. Never again I said but today I will finish a walk across England and France. Never again I say.

I firstly must apologise that I have not kept up with the blog while on this walk but I have been posting on Facebook and home emails most days. After a full day there leaves very little time for much else except sleep and organising the next day. This walk was a mixture of walking, being a tourist and using some public transport when I felt it was required. I walked again for Cancer Queensland for the boys and have raised most of the promised amount. I will keep the Everydayhero site open for a few weeks in case someone has a sudden urge to add to it.

The body has decided it has finished and will rest up for a few days but this does not mean I will not walk during these few days, just without a backpack giving my shoulder some time to heal. I have thoroughly enjoyed this walk, very different to my Irish walk. I never realised how much I would miss hearing my native tongue spoken. I have decided that I will never again complete a long distance walk carrying a heavy backpack, it was reasonably light compared to other walkers backpacks. The French countryside is lovely and so different to what I see in Australia, the history in the buildings, small villages and scattered cemeteties, some very sad but interesting. The people in England and France that I met along the walk will be forever in my thoughts and I thank you for your friendship, guidance and help as I gradually made my way along two very ancient Pilgrim trails.

In the weeks to follow as I once again settle into home and a daily routine my thoughts will start to wander to another walk. Never again I say but we will see what ventures 2018 and 2019 bring.

Getting Closer and some small problems....

Two weeks until I fly out of Brisbane and still so much to do but this always appears the way but everything falls into place in time. Not sure what the panic is about.

Some small health problems with a torn tendon in my shoulder, this shoulder has been a problem since I walked in Ireland last year. A few changes on how I will carry when I arrive but will play it all by ear. Amazing what a good, strong painkiller can do!

I have put the gear on the spare bed and thrown out a few small things but still deciding on whether I take walking poles. I took them in Ireland and never used them - they remained in the main bag the complete walk. What I take I will have to carry. Do I take them or buy a pair over there if I feel I need them? Any suggestions or advise from the readers? I think my backpack weight will be OK and a reasonable weight.

The Cancer site is up and running and I have promised $2000 for Cancer Queensland. To date I am close to $400 so pleased with the response.

The books, "Walking Ireland for the Craic", have arrived from the USA so will send these out to people who have ordered them, before I leave. I am pleased with the response as some of the royalties have been donated back to Cancer.

My current walks are local and small distance as the crows and magpies have started to swoop people and they can be quite vicious in their attacks. Last weekend I felt several dives of a local crow who did not like me walking.

I hope to continue this blog when I am away so keep the eyes peeled.

https://give.everydayhero.com/au/walking-the-via-francigena-for-the-boys

Walking for Cancer again.....

When I decided to walk this time I decided I was walking for ME, no fundraising this time. Fundraising is hard work. People kept asking me why I wasn't walking for Cancer like the Cancer walk through Ireland. Last week, only weeks out from the walk I decided I was being selfish so I rang Cancer Queensland and I was welcomed with open arms again.

I have set up a Cancer Everydayhero site and promised to raise $2000 for Cancer Queensland. I will be walking again for the boys, my brothers Lloyd and Kerry, two brother in laws and someone very special who is also battling the disease.

The next few weeks are shaping up to be very, very busy including an unexpected trip away from home and a health issue but everything will fall into place as usual before I fly out.

The new boots, the 5th pair since I started this walking idea some three years ago have now been accompanying me on my daily walks for a few weeks and so far no more black toenails and no blisters so fingers crossed my feet and toes and the boots will become best of mates over the next few weeks. Thanks Sue for your recommendation of this brand of boot.

The book from the Irish Walk - Walking Ireland for the Craic - has been published on Amazon and is available in Kindle and hardcover, the first money received from the royalties has been donated back to Cancer Queensland.

Please visit the Cancer link and help me raise the promised amount.


https://give.everydayhero.com/au/walking-the-via-francigena-for-the-boys

Getting closer....

I am now into single figures in the number of weeks before I leave - 5 to be exact.

The accommodation is all sorted, the ferry is booked and just a couple of train fares to sort. All I now require are fine sunny days for walking, well signposted tracks so I do not get lost and everyone to speak or understand English. It will be a breeze!!

The training is slow with just some daily short walks after Sue and I managed 140 klms over 6 days back to back, a lot easier than I had expected except one extremely long day. I have now walked the complete length of the BVRT - Brisbane Valley Rail Trail. I carried a backpack on this walk so a good chance to test the new backpack and the shoulder and both held up.

I am still deciding on what to carry and what can be left at home but will pack the backpack in a couple of weeks for the FIRST time and see what can be thrown out. The backpack on my back must weigh no more than 8kls. Am I dreaming??  I have spent several weeks reading the VF and Camino walkers blogs and if they can get their backpack weights down so can I.

The boots have been the problem and I am now trialing another new pair after returning a new pair that I wore for a few weeks and which left my feet in such a wrecked state covered in band aides, minus several toenails and sporting a few new black ones. Not a pretty sight. The new pair are Scarpa and so far they are walking OK.

The big news is that the walking diary from the 2016 Ireland Walk - Walking Ireland for the Craic - is now available on Amazon Kindle and hopefully in a few days the paperback version will also be available.

I may have retired but my dreams haven't.........

The Modern World

As my son would say - "she was brought into the 21st century kicking and screaming".

This is how I feel I have spent the last week and all because I could not get my head around some technology which I thought I may take with me on the walk.

I planned to take a papermap and no GPS or laptop but after several people strongly suggesting otherwise I started to change my ideas. Perhaps I needed to be safe. I purchased a mini Samsung tablet - I do not by like Apple so have resisted all the way. This meant I could record all my paperwork - accomodation information, copies of tickets, copies of birth certificate etc just in case I lost my passport, and the dreaded Kindle on the small and light tablet. A few things not to carry. All is good. I then discovered how different a tablet is to a laptop, it has things called apps and no mouse to use. I know I can handle it. As the boys would say - you are a big girl now.

I have used a Telstra phone for some years, I only use for the basic things like messaging and making a phone call. Isn't this what a phone is for, oh no.... Telstra tells me my phone is locked and they will charge me to unlock it even though I own it outright, they advise not to use it overseas. Can someone tell me what is the use of a phone if not to use it. Son suggests a new up to date phone so off we go shopping with my credit card. Samsung seems the best idea so everything will talk to each other. I am getting better at this "modern technology thing". It has apps also and Telstra starts charging me as I start downloading certain apps required. Someone suggests that I change my provider but this idea goes into the "too hard, I do not want to do" basket and I stay with the same provider and same plan for the time being. Can't make too many changes too quickly.

Several weeks back I bought a Garmin watch to track my daily walks and all the other things it decided to track. Big brother is watching me even as I sleep.  I surprised myself and set it up online and got it working on the old phone and the tablet. Very proud of myself. I then changed phones and nothing talked to each other again. I played with it for several days until I knew I had to ask for help from the son. He just rolled his eyes - he is so lucky that I love him. One feels so inadequate when someone half your age can succeed with the push of a few buttons. Everything was talking again  - until the next day. I am beaten so back to the shop, jump up and down and they decide the problem is the new phone. Even I knew that. Why not change the Garmin watch for a similar Samsung watch the shop assistant suggests. This sounds like a smart idea, surely everything will now talk to each other. Out comes the credit card again.

The new flash watch is charged but the correct app will not download to the tablet, no problem to the phone. After some googling the problem is solved with an answer. "This watch is not compatible with the Samsung tablet." I do not throw a grandson tantrum, I pack the watch back in its lovely new box and return it to the shop the next day. The shop assistant does not ask too many questions and possibly a wise decision,  money refunded.

I am now back wearing my trusty $15 Kmart watch that I started with some 6 weeks ago. My little modern technology trip has been interesting and at times extremely frustrating. I am back tracking my walk on my Runkeeper app on my phone and entering it manually in my paper diary.

What would we do without sons and technology.

As time gets closer……

Retirement has arrived and all I want to do is sleep but I know this cannot continue. The mornings are more enjoyable for walking and I am not as early out of bed.

I have managed a couple of long back to back days. Walked Coominya to Esk and returned the next day, ended up with blisters where I have never had them before so must look at some new boots. I must also start to walk again in the boots and not the sneakers as I have been doing the last few months - just laziness on my part. I will wait until the Winter sales to buy new boots.

I am still trying to decide what to pack and what must be left at home. I know what I would like to take but it is now down to two sets of clothes – what I wear and a clean set. I guess no one will know me.

I have decided to do something I swore I would never do. I have downloaded Kindle on my phone so I can take a book with me and this means less weight. As I decide to take something new something else has to remain behind. I will still take my diary and a paper book on the plane and it will then remain at the London airport, I will then purchase another book at the Paris airport for the home flight. Just for those people reading this and having a little giggle, I do not plan to continue to use Kindle when I have returned home.

I have purchased an Osprey backpack and started to sell all the extra backpacks that I have acquired over the years, also have a set of balance packs on order. These two small packs attach to the front of the main backpack and they balance the overall weight. You then carry in the front packs what is required each day so the backpack does not need to be continually taken off my back.  I hope they are as good and useful as the company say they are.

Most of my accommodation has been booked and the last few places I have decided to “wing it”, guess I can always sleep in the back of the village church if necessary - I may need to learn a few French phrases and words. The accommodation is mainly hotels with some hostels, B & Bs and a convent or two, they will be interesting.

I read all the blogs and FB entries from the current walkers walking along the Via Francigena, their highs and lows, the rain and mud they are currently experiencing and  I wonder if I am completely crazy attempting this long distance pilgrimage. Only time will tell.

Walking can be an addiction, but at least it’s a healthy one.

 Love the toenails 

                                          Coominya to Esk 24.5klms and return the next day

The colours of Autumn are here....

Technically Summer has gone but it is still rather warm so the only good time to walk is early in the morning. I am managing to walk about 140 - 145 klms a month so will need to up this up a little - perhaps after Easter.

I am walking in trainers as most of my walks are local but need to start back in my walking boots, badly need a new pair, This pair has managed over 2000klms so feel the upcoming walk deserves a new pair but will leave them until the June sales. I know what brand I want.

I have booked my flights both ways so it is now starting to become real, all the England nights are booked and a couple of weeks into France. Now I have another big problem with my shoulder. Have been having physio and a cortesone injection and NO CARRYING of a BACKPACK for the next 5 months. Hopefully this will give the shoulder a good rest and OK to carry when I reach England. Haven't decided what I will do if I cannot carry but guess I will cross this bridge when the time comes.

I have also made another big decision which has been nagging at me for several  months. Yes, I have retired. I now have no reason not to walk or stay in bed in the morning. Some big changes ahead.

I have started to make some bed bookings for the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail walk in June with Sue. Five days walking along the Brisbane Rail Trail from Yarraman to Fernvale but I have a friend moving our main backpacks as I cannot carry anything too heavy so the walking should be reasonably easy and cool or perhaps cold and frosty.

What should I take for electronics? A small camera which means a charger, a phone which means a charger or perhaps I may be able to use the same charger for both?? Do I also need to take an extra small charger in case it is needed along the track. Must trial this charger and soon. No Tablet or Notebook as I will use an internet cafe when I come across one. I may sound old fashioned but I want to stay with paper maps and signs - does this sound familiar Sue?? He is not a yellow man this time. I am trying to cut down on the backpack weight so no more than 8 kls - this means very minimal clothing and cosmetics. I am sure I can survive. I still read from a paper novel and write a daily diary so these are two very important items to carry. I am not walking in the outback or where there is not a shop each day so guess I can always pick up anything that I decided I cannot live with out. In this day and age we rely too much on material things. Any suggestions....

 Sue and I in Girraween National Park

 The changing colours of the trees

Boulders in Giraween National Park

Australia Day

 

 

 Shadows across the Bremer River

Australia Day in sunny Australia

This is a special day for ALL Australians and anyone who does not believe this should not be living in this vast island. We are a very lucky people to be here.  Enough of this politics.

I am now back at work and it is still very hot and walking must start at 5am to avoid the main heat of the day. Today I went over my 100klms a month challenge so pleased with myself. I can't even have a celebratory wine as I am alcohol free until September. So far I have been good, except for one glass of wine with Sue very early in the month after a 2 day very hot drive. My weight has dropped a very little amount so will stick with my pledge. Have also started some light weightlifting each night to try and strengthen my shoulders and back as I have a long walk ahead of me and will be carrying my backpack. This weekend I plan to have a look at what I hope to take and throw out what I will not be taking so I can judge the weight a little, still looking at NO MORE than 8 - 10kls. The 6 day walk in June/July will be the tester. I know it is still some 7 months away but I need to get myself organised. The time will go very quickly.

I have started to organise the beds in France and if possible am also paying for them now. So far have booked hotels, not top class ones as long as they have a bed and if I am lucky a private bathroom. Have also managed a Convent so looking at these more seriously as I get further into France to keep the costs down. I am also staying with a lady in England from  the "1000mile Challenge" FB site  England so looking forward to this night as she will also keep me company for one day. Nothing nicer than to meet new Badgers". Currently I am looking at finishing at Besancon and picking up the walk again into Switzerland and Italy in a few years time but one never knows what may change before then. This distance is a little further than I had planned but this walk is for me so will play each day as it arrives. September and October should be nice weather for walking - perhaps some rain.

Hope everyone has a lovely Australia Day and keep looking for my next update..................

Continuing to Walk

2017 has arrived and I am currently in North Queensland, plenty of rain and humidity. So far this year I have managed to walk 60klms and all since I left Brisbane. Have managed some really nice shorter walks and today walked the circuit trail around Lake Barrine through the rainforest with the company of some little critters and birdlife as well as a couple of leaches. No snakes thank God. I start the long drive back to Brisbane tomorrow so will increase the walking some more. Another New Year resolution - I am going alcohol free until the 1st September. So far OK.

I have started to book accommodation in France and hope to have a bed organised and paid for every night that I will be away so have 8 months to organise this. Also need a new pair of boots as the original pair have walked 2000klms and starting to look a little tired.

Until the next instalment ................................