Ben & Joon

Preparing for Camino – Part 4

During this morning’s training hike, the thought occurred to Ben that it might be useful to consider and draft a number of ‘principles’ for our Camino walk.

For this article, our definition of principles is a set of guidance for our attitudes and behaviors, leading to a desired state. That desired state is ‘our’ painted canvas.

To some, this approach seems intuitive, just like how the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People resonated with them. To others, this may appear to constrain life, to limit its serendipitous nature. For the latter group, we offer this thought – consider principles to be like sextants which sailors of olden days used to navigate by the celestial stars.

Sextant

Our principles for our Camino:

Slow down ….…. my pace, my actions, my thoughts

Our normal world is hurly burly, ruled by clocks. We multi-task, believing we are being very productive and accomplished. Our brains and minds race at the speed of light, to the point that rarely are we able to be present and smell the roses. As we step onto the Camino, let’s dial down our internal speed dial, way down. Smell the café con leche, swirl and taste the sips. Explore, linger, probe and touch, taste, smell, hear. There are cultures galore around us, the culture of the village, the culture of the marketplace, the culture of foods. ‘Once I stopped rushing through life, I was amazed at how much life I had time for’. Perhaps slowing the actions, the pace, will slow the mind.

Listen intently ……… with my heart

Let me practice daily with my walking partner. Firstly, let me hear every single word spoken. Then, let me hear more than the words. Let me hear the hurts, pains, the happiness, the expectations. And as my ears hear all these, let my heart join in, so I know that words spoken sometimes are wrongly chosen. Listening with the heart motivates me to encourage the hopes and dreams left hanging at the tip of the tongue. Perhaps a simple 5 minutes hearing drill (and test) over breakfast will set the ears on the right path for the day. And no judgements…

Be authentic ……… to and for myself

There’s no one to please, no one to compare, no one to compete against. There is only me. And the Camino. A Camino that slowly un-wraps the onion layers on oneself. Let’s get past the layers dealing with employment, residence, nationality, names, age, ethnicity, marital status. Let’s get to the heart of the onion. Based on actual perceptions, behaviors, decisions and actions in life situations, what do these collectively reveal my deepest values to be? Is there anything that I want to tweak or change? Who we are right now, isn’t who we can become. Perhaps allocating specific journey stages to shape and strengthen certain values, with feedback and encouragement from one’s Camino partner, will help in that maturing authenticity.

Be grateful ….…. and express it

Is my life situation perfect? No. Can I imagine some worse case scenarios for my current life situation? Yes, most definitely yes. So, I have a choice. Burden myself with worry and anxiety over the possibility of these worse case scenarios, or be grateful that I am where I am. It’s like a kindergarten question – there’s no way I can get this choice wrong.

Gratefulness is both an attitude and a heart. One can choose to either see a half glass full or focus on the half glass empty. The reality of the half glass is the same, but the perception cum-attitude is a choice. When that attitude moves to the heart, then, it becomes gratitude as it cannot but express itself outwards, in our words, actions and outlook. Perhaps a simple first step is to approach all these testing life scenarios with a song in our heart. And dance a bit, or sing out loud along the Camino while you are at it!

Practice RAK …….. (Random Acts of Kindness)

Have you ever been on the receiving end of a RAK? Didn’t that moment, change the day for you? If you haven’t, don’t worry, kindness is like a boomerang. Being kind just attracts kindness. It’s like the law of gravity, one cannot escape it.

It’s amazing how you can change your day by plotting, like supervillain Gru in Despicable Me, to perform a RAK. It’s like you are planting a smile-seed around you, as you visualize how the recipient’s day will unfold after that RAK moment. You have the power! Use it or lose it!

Pause here. Will these five principles change our Camino? Undoubtedly. Do some of these principles come naturally, and some need a bit of work? Undoubtedly. Will other principles strike us while we are on the Camino? Most certainly. It doesn’t matter that we didn’t get it perfect. Life isn’t.

Create your own principles list to guide you on your Camino. And we aren’t waiting till the Camino to apply these principles. 😊

B & J

Preparing for Camino – Part 3

In this post, I will address our preparations in learning Spanish, and a change in how we are approaching our accommodation plans on the Camino.

While we will be starting our Camino in Porto, Portugal, we decided to learn Spanish as we figured we can continue to use it in other countries that we may later visit. We will learn and memorize some Portuguese phrases to get by.

How are we learning Spanish? We looked into two modalities – books and software language programs. We did not consider classes at local colleges/language institutes. We initially tried the books, but it was too difficult as we did not have any audio. In addition, the organization of the books required them to go into the full details for any specific topic. Which is more than a beginner can typically handle.

Searching online, I found a list of the top 10 Spanish language software programs. I read the reviews, pros/cons and as usual, there was a wide variety of approaches and adherents. I then decided to ping friends who had moved to Barcelona in 2016, Meg & Shawn, who recommended Fluenz (this was typically in the top 3 of the various lists). When we made the Fluenz purchase, it was during the holiday season, and we were able to get some discounts.

Fluenz Spanish was promoted as designed for English speakers. Interestingly, because of our Bahasa Malaysia language heritage, some of the sentence structures were similar, and thus, parts of it was easier for us to understand and align. Example, in English, the adjective comes before the noun. But in Bahasa Malaysia and Spanish, the adjective is after the noun.

The big car (English)
El coche grande (Spanish)
Kereta besar (Bahasa Malaysia)
Car = coche = kereta
Big = grande = besar

I find the Fluenz lessons structured in a way to ease one’s learning and comprehension. Their lessons are structured around various scenarios, e.g. in a café. They have a video of two persons having a conversation, with captions in Spanish/English and English. And finally, the same conversation without captions. They also have various exercises to match the Spanish phrases to English phrases. They have an exercise where someone speaks in Spanish, and you then have to write out in Spanish (I found this difficult but effective as it really trains one’s ears). They have an instructor that decomposes and goes through the scenario dialog. They have an exercise where one can listen to the 2 speakers, and subsequently, one can record one’s voice, standing in for one of the 2 speakers. One could ‘turn off’ the Spanish phrases if one has truly memorized the dialog (which is still a stretch for me). Net, plenty of learning stimulation.

Fluenz has the ability to support multiple devices. So, I have this on my Windows laptop, Joon has it on her iPad, and we intend to also have it on our Android smartphones (space permitting).

Learning Spanish is a delightful experience. We make every effort to put in an hour each weekday, though we have missed some weekdays. It does take some effort and concentration, especially to memorize the spellings, the grammatical structure, the masculinity vs femininity. Joon has a better ear and intonation than me, so, this is something that I have to work a bit harder at. And put in more hours!

This might seem to be a digression, but bear with me. When Joon was expecting, and we were walking around, we seem to be aware and noticing other pregnant ladies walking around. Likewise, as we are learning Spanish, all of a sudden, we are spotting Spanish signs and trying to decipher the new words. Funny how the brain/mind works!

We know that the brain decreases in size as we age. And I guess we accept it as part of the aging process. Well, I found out that learning a new language actually increases the size of the brain! Imagine that! Here’s the ARTICLE.

One of my bucket list items is to live several months in another country. Per article, it looks like having an immersive learning experience in a Spanish-speaking country may just align with that bucket item! As Col. John “Hannibal” Smith of the A-Team says, ‘I love how the plan comes together’.

What I would like to share next is how my thoughts and plans about accommodation on the Camino has evolved. My initial instincts on accommodation were two-fold; these go against my natural travel planning but I initially wanted it as part and parcel of the Camino experience.

Other than the start/end of the Camino, I wanted to let each day on the trail un-fold as it will, and let God/fate decide where we will put up for the night. To surrender, to not be in total control.
I wanted to have the communal experience of lodging and dining with fellow pilgrims at (municipal) albergues de peregrinos (latter do not accept reservations but are on a first come, first serve basis). This lodging comprises many bunk beds in dormitories, and thus, ear plugs are highly recommended!

And then, we read Hape Kerkeling’s Camino book, ‘I’m off then’. Hape (aka Hans Peter) is a famous German comedian, who backpacked his way on the Camino Frances. He too initially lodged at an albergue, but he found that he wasn’t getting enough sleep/rest. He’s not an early bird, and the need to rush to the next town, was impacting his Camino experience. He aptly put it that if he could afford alternative accommodation, why didn’t he? That rationale, plus the fact that Joon is a light sleeper, swung the deal. I decided to book every night on the trail, alternating between Airbnb, hotel.com and booking.com. I found that in some smaller towns, the Airbnb properties were more centrally located than those on hotel/booking.com. Airbnb also provided the ability to interact with the local hosts! We will still have a night’s experience at a newer albergue which took reservations!! The act of booking our accommodation liberated our daily schedule – rising when we wish, the freedom to pace as the day unfolds, visit places/sights between stops, not being concerned when we reach our day’s stop. This will be the approach we undertake Our Camino.

River focus

White River

Our Nutritional Journey

There are a couple of well known sayings, that have their own adherents. The first camp, ‘Lives to Eat’ while the second camp, ‘Eats to Live’. We may not consciously deliberate whether we belong to one specific camp or perhaps, both feet straddle the two camps. But this orientation/bias does rest beneath our consciousness (in our stomachs?) and can oftentimes be apparent through our dining and eating habits.

We have dined and enjoyed tasty fare over the decades, from the multi-cultural cuisines of Asia, Europe and cosmopolitan fare across Americas. However, as we age, another aphorism comes to mind and even, to the forefront, ‘We are what we eat’. The quality of our life is directly related to our health, and what we fork/spoon into our mouths. Thus, for us, it’s only natural that we begin to shift more weight (pun intended) into the second camp while we continue to balance and straddle both camps. Like many, we want to push back against the saying, ‘You can’t have your cake and eat it too!’. 😊

Evolving our nutrition was less triggered or motivated by any particular serious health challenge, but more by our increasing knowledge of how our nutritional choices directly impacts our overall health. Our son, Matt, had periodically gone through weeks of food cleanses but when he informed us that he had decided to go fully vegetarian, that got our attention. He pointed us to several documentaries, that were extremely persuasive – ‘Forks over Knives’ and ‘What the Health’ (available on Netflix and YouTube). We also came across ‘Life on us’. Viewing these documentaries was like falling through the rabbit hole in ‘Alice in Wonderland’. We couldn’t continue buying, cooking and eating the same basket of foods pre-documentaries. One cannot un-learn what has become known (unless one has amnesia!).

So, we began this journey. We started reducing/eliminating meats. And this decision was AFTER I had bought a ceramic komodo, planning to barbecue, grill and roast meats over charcoal last summer! Hosting a couple of BBQs last summer helped to de-stock the meat cuts in our freezer!

We went gluten free. And interestingly, I enjoyed the toasted udi’s gluten free bread more than the whole grain wheat breads. The stomach felt ‘fuller’! We stopped eating simple carbohydrates, processed foods. We had never taken sugar with our beverages for many years, but understanding that our body couldn’t naturally process lactose, we eliminated diary (milk, cream, cheeses, etc). Net, our nutrition is basically pescatarian. However, we do make dining meal exceptions, especially when we are out with friends, traveling or celebrating.

Desserts deserves its own mention. This is a very American/Western meal tradition, as most Asian meals at home will not include desserts. We had our dessert favorites, and fortunately, we had usually shared in the past as we found the American portions too large. But with this nutritional change, it was relatively easy to eliminate this too. What helps me to turn down the dessert is the realization that the calories gained from that 3-5 mins of dessert delight will require 30 mins of rowing, or 15 mins on the Stairsmaster to work off! But, this is a confession – when I am back in Malaysia, I treat myself to the local desserts. That’s my other leg in the first camp (‘Live to eat’) yanking at me. 😊

Finally, what are the benefits? We have both lost 10-15 pounds. We feel just as energetic and full of life. We are much more active during the week, and do not tire out. For Joon, some of her nagging health concerns have been greatly addressed.

We are looking forward to our golden years!

Feb 10, 2018

Taken on 10 February, 2018

Let the swinging 60s begin.

Which Historical Figure Would I Want to Spend a Day With?

The key proviso is that it must be in the historical figure’s context and time. Said figure is not transported to our modern day. Thus, if I were an anthropologist, I definitely would want to observe Lucy in her natural state (as conversation would be almost impossible)! 😊

This was a much easier task for me to contemplate, probably in large measure due to the history lessons in school. The significant milestones in humankind’s arc offers many candidates. It’s likely that one’s passion, one’s interests will help narrow a short list from many many possibilities. Thus, if one were interested in military warfare and strategy, given how the world wars have changed the face of nations, one could zero in on the pivotal figures that had an out-sized impact on the outcome.

My list includes the following:

Thomas Edison
Leonardo Da Vinci
Nostradamus
George Washington
Martin Luther King Jr
Jesus Christ

How would I approach the dialog and engagement with these figures? What would be the central points and topics that I would seek to engage in?

Edison is well known as an inventor extraordinaire, holding 1093 US Patents! It would be amazing to understand how he gets his creative ideas, the ability to imagine and create new technologies. And when/how does he realize an idea is (or is not) a dead end, given the reported 1000 attempts at an electric incandescent light bulb? His attitude is best illustrated by his response to a reporter’s question on ‘How did it feel to fail 1,000 times?’ Edison replied, I didn’t fail 1,000 times. The light bulb was an invention with 1,000 steps.’ At the end of this conversation, would we be nearer to answering this, ‘Is creative genius a genetic happenstance or can it be nurtured?’

Da Vinci is often regarded as the Renaissance Man. He’s adept at the arts, having painted the Mona Lisa, The Last Supper, The Vitruvian Man and many others. At the same time, he had documented many scientific concepts, such as the Parachute and Helical Air Screw (http://www.da-vinci-inventions.com/). It’s amazing that Da Vinci was equally adept at both the creative/artistic and scientific domains. In researching his background, Da Vinci was un-schooled, learning from observation and apprenticeship. An interesting conversation is to pose the question that if he knew his time was limited, how would he spend it? Where would he channel his last energies?

Nostradamus appears on my list because I have a fascination with the future. Does Nostradamus’ quatrains really pertain to the future, or was it simply the extrapolations of others? If the former, were they divinely inspired? What other quatrains about the future have yet to un-fold?

Unlike my other complementary post on modern contemporary figures that excluded any political leaders, Washington makes my historical list for the simple fact that he’s a Statesman and exemplified the true qualities of consistently putting the interests and well being of the nation, the people above his own. As I contemplate the modern political leaders, some may have had noble intentions and objectives when they pursued and assumed office. But ultimately, power has a corroding effect. Holding public office is truly like wearing the One Ring in the Lord of the Rings. In the story, only Frodo was able to wear/use the One Ring without fully succumbing to it. How apt is this as an analogy of the risks of holding public office, and the rare individual that can successfully do so, for the benefit of the nation.

Washington, was the first President of the US, from 1789 to 1797, and is known as the ‘father of the country’. How did he demonstrate that he did not succumb to the corroding effects of power? After his final victory over the British in 1783, Washington was encouraged by others to seize power. In effect, he was offered the role of emperor of US, the counterpart of King George II of England! Washington resigned as commander-in-chief rather than seize power. As historian Gordon S Wood concludes, ‘The greatest act of his life, the one that gave him his greatest fame, was his resignation as commander in chief of the American forces.’

While I would love to converse with Washington over the current modern day interpretations of the various Amendments to the Constitution, it would be un-fair as he lacks the context of how societal values has evolved. Perhaps what might be most invaluable in our day together would be learning his approach to uniting a very modern and diverse nation. Guiding and reprimanding a partisan Congress. Striking the right balance between many opposing viewpoints and needs. I am sure he faced a similar set of issues, perhaps of a different scale and nature. His integrity and prioritizing the needs of the nation allowed him to lead and influence. Every nation today needs leaders like Washington.

As someone who grew up outside USA, I was not intimately aware of the civil rights struggles in a society that was bifurcated and racially segmented. But that same distance, lends an objectivity that allows me to unequivocally believe that MLK Jr enabled America to regain its’ own soul back. Much has been achieved for Black Americans, but much remains. Perhaps we are expecting to achieve too much within a generation, but when there’s still so much injustice, can we afford the luxury of time when lives are being destroyed, when generations will suffer? How will the conversation unfold? I would want MLK Jr to quickly understand what has been achieved, what remains un-fulfilled and the current state of racial relationships. To understand the current issues and insidious challenges faced by Black Americans (and other minorities). We will then discuss and identify actions and programs that will address the root causes. We have too many superficial attempts at addressing symptoms, while the disease stubbornly worms deeper inside. This would be a priceless day.

My final candidate is Jesus, and as a practicing Catholic, that’s the person that I would want to spend a day with. If you have a different faith and religion, I am sure that your candidate will be your religion’s founder. As a Catholic, I truly believe Jesus is the Son of God. I would really want to ‘know’ Jesus. Our conversation will be like a spiral. On the outer spiral rings, I would start with life after, what is the soul/spirit and what does it mean to be in heaven with God? The inner spiral rings will then focus on Jesus’ teachings and really juxtaposing these against my life to date. Where have I fallen short? Seeking forgiveness and peace. The spiral ends at the core, what is the purpose of my life?

Though, if Jesus responds the purpose of my life is for me to un-cover, that would NOT be un-expected! After all, God gave us the freedom to choose. And this conversation would be my truest ‘journey within’.

Peace be with you.

The Bucket List

Joon shared Wednesday this week that she’s currently reading ‘The Immortalist’ (copy bought the day before). The synopsis is ‘If you were told the date of your death, how would it shape your present?’ How co-incidental as I had been drafting this piece for several days. We usually tease each other that we have ESP, and can influence the other person. I think married partners like to think that through ‘nightly osmosis on the bed’, a partner gets that sub-conscious power over the other. Sounds like a possible Black Mirror episode! 😊

From dictionary.com, a bucket list is defined as “a list of things a person wants to achieve or experience, as before reaching a certain age or dying”. It reached broad awareness when Hollywood released the 2007 movie, ‘The Bucket List’, starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman, a story about two terminally ill men on a road trip with their list of to-dos before their time is up.

This notion of a bucket list seems to be an American cultural phenomenon. People in other parts of the world, don’t think or write down a definite list of things to do, experience or achieve before they are ready to depart planet Earth. That doesn’t mean these people do not have wish lists, just not a definite bucket list that once scratched off, they are ready to kick the bucket. Rather, their lists continue to be made periodically, updated, revised. Perhaps it’s also in their heads, not on paper or on smartphones to be whipped out to be shared.

I do see the benefits in making a bucket list. It channels and gives voice to one’s hopes, dreams, aspirations, ‘holes to-be-filled’. Boiling it all down to, how do I want to live and experience life in the (unknown) time span I have left. The most blunt and direct phrase that I came across about mortality is this – ‘Every day, we are walking nearer and nearer towards our own grave/tombstone’. A hopeful and positive take for Christians, is this – At the end of each day, you can tell yourself, ‘I am one step closer to heaven.’

So, how does one start a bucket list?

A pencil + eraser + blank paper (or a PC/tablet + word/note pad software).
A quiet setting, infused with whatever helps an individual (sunshine, background music, scents, birds singing, etc.)
Brainstorming a list of Categories. Mine are Relationships, Legacies, Travel, Experiences, Celebrations, Charity, Spiritual.
Finalizing list of Categories and fleshing out specifics under each Category.
Dialog with one’s life partner.
After some time, loop back to steps 2 – 6, and update/revise.

I feel good about the above approach.

But just as different people have different favorite meals, here are some other approaches that may work in place of steps #3 and #4.

Ask yourself, if you had truly un-corked a Genie who will grant you 3 wishes, what would that be? Push hard as if it’s only 3 wishes. Before the Genie smiles, and say, you have another 3 more final wishes.
Imagine the end of a perfect day, when you felt the happiest you ever have felt. Your happiness overflows from deep within. You can’t help yourself, you sing, you skip, you dance. Feel the emotions. How did that perfect day unfold? Rinse and repeat.
Imagine you have a giant blank scrapbook in front of you. You will be creating and describing your happiest moments, that you want to leave behind and share with future generations. You have all the tools and creative dexterity needed. How would these pages be filled?
Let your own creative genius guide you. You know yourself.

I will read The Immortalists in due course and aim to change/fine tune my list. My Bucket List is too personal to share in this blog. Not unless you offer to make some come true! 😊

And finally – Perhaps, perhaps this exercise of drawing up one’s Bucket List, may result in the following practice. After waking up each morning, we start the day with a deep thankfulness for another day of vibrant life. We spend a minute or two, visualizing the key moments and emotions that we desire to color the day’s blank canvas with. Perhaps a kiss, a hug, a laugh, a reach out, a heart-felt connection, letting the inner child out. Carpe Diem.

Preparing for Camino – Part 2

A travel experience can be undertaken in good or not-so-good health. The choice is ours. However, when the travel adventure requires a level of physical exertion and effort, I will need to ‘up’ my usual exercise regime. Our Camino Portugues will be approximately 274 km/164 miles of back packing. Our longest walk will be 34km/20.4miles on Day 1 (when we are fresh, ‘naïve’ and bursting with energy). This Camino will take us 11 days/10 nights on the trail. Our target back packing weight is about 10% of our body weight. So, the target for the physical conditioning has been established. As of late Jan 2018, we will have about 3.5 months before our Camino walk.

Unbeknown to us at that time (of the impact of this on our Camino), we had switched to a mainly pescatarian diet about 3 months prior to deciding to walk the Camino. That nutritional change came about for health reasons, Joon wanting to manage her blood pressure, while I was seeking to manage my cholesterol levels. A couple of documentaries recommended by our son, Matt, was the trigger. This may be a future post. By also eliminating dairy and going gluten free, we both found that we were able to lose about 12 pounds each! Our BMI has always been in the normal range. This dietary change is going to give us a leg up over our old selves.

The primary focus was on building our cardio vascular endurance. We have different approaches, so, I will share mine. I picked the rowing machine, as I know a CEO who took that up. Rowing is reputed to be a complete exercise, similar to swimming. Rowing exercises the arms, legs and the core. Being a Virgoan-analytical, I found a YouTube video that showed the proper and improper ways to row. That visualization became a challenge to me, to see if I can emulate and execute the perfect set of movements in a fluid fashion. During rowing, I can close my eyes, focus on various body parts and movements, and get my breathing into a rhythm. I can adjust the intensity and speed of my rows. Sometimes, I push for longer rowing sessions, but after losing all the pounds, the ‘natural cushion’ on my buttocks starts to wear thin after an hour’s rowing. 😊

There’s also a need to switch one’s routine to avoid boredom, and keep the interest commitment in going to the Y three times a week. The elliptical machine is one of my favorites as it mimics the walking motions without the impact on the knees. I love how I can vary the incline as well as the resistance. The last machine that I use occasionally, is the stair master. This is probably the hardest as it works the glutes and calves. On rare occasions, I carry my back pack as I use the stair master. If we ever walk the Camino Frances, which requires crossing the Pyrenes mountains, this will be a must-do machine.

Most adults achieve their peak muscle mass during their late 30s to early 40s. After middle age, adults lose 3% of their muscle strength every year, on average. So, we consulted a trainer to help show/demo the machines to build/maintain our muscles, and we now fit that routine in during our visits to the Y. Interestingly, I heard from a friend, who swears that one has to pick increasing weighted dumb bells so that one can only do 6 reps. If one can do more than 6 reps, the bar bells are not heavy enough. The belief is that the 6^th attempt will result in some micro-tears in muscle tissue, thereby encouraging more tissue build up. I couldn’t find anything to substantiate this on the Net.

Some other routines that our trainer got us doing were planks, lunges, squats. The movements and routines are easy, but doing three sets of 10 reps, is not a walk in the park.

We have started taking hour-long walks in the hiking shoes that we intend to use on the Camino. And that’s when the hip discomfort struck me during one of these walks. It had happened many months ago, during a trail walk and on a golf course. Clearly, there was some mis-alignment and stiffening joints. This prompted us to sign up for a Yoga class at the Y. It was my first Yoga class and it was like, my first ice cream! Or so I imagined. How my joints really relished the treat of being stretched. Straightening the ‘bends’ that had slowly crept into my knees over time. Feeling the ligaments, the muscles getting pulled, like stretching one’s back after hunching over a laptop. A release of accumulated knots hiding in the joints. During Yoga, the breathing, the relaxing and freeing of the mind is the icing on the cake. Flexibility, balance and mental calmness are just as important as the hard regimen of cardio vascular and muscular maintenance.

2/3/18 update. Our Yoga teacher, Alisa, recommended David Procyshyn’s videos on Youtube. Seems he has one for runners/walkers. Here’s a link.

Preparing for Camino – Part 1

As with any significant undertaking, planning and preparation helps increase the odds of a desirable outcome. Planning and preparing for a Camino has basic commonalities with other travel adventures, but it does involve its own unique dimensions (if so chosen).

Our Camino planning and preparation can be considered in several categories.

Awareness and understanding of the Camino journey and experience.
Equipping oneself with the right gear for such a hike.
Physical preparation of one’s own bodily endurance, stamina and strength.
Mental preparation, including picking up Spanish.
Planning the travel, transportation, accommodation options.

There’s so much resources and content on the Net, that spending a few hours and several days/weeks, will richly arm one with information of the Camino. Here I would share the two Net resources that proved most invaluable to me. First is a UK blog-forum that has literally hundreds and thousands of postings from hikers and pilgrims over the years, organized by trails and other subject areas. http://www.caminodesantiago.org.uk/#information-for-all-camino-routes.12 I learned so much from the selfless sharing, about items to pack, about the optimal weight to carry (10% of body weight), about the trade offs between hiking boots, hiking shoes, trail shoes, etc. The various ways to prevent and address blisters. The alberques to avoid. Learnings, mistakes, tips from seasoned Camino peregrines who have walked several times on various trails. There’s no better resource for someone who wants to understand how to plan and prepare for the Camino.

The second online resource is the various blogs written by the various hikers/pilgrims. Each blogger has their own distinctive style and perspective. All have pictures along the trail, and thus, one does get a good picture of the Camino journey. I was struck by one blogger who took pictures of rain drops on flowers/plants. What beauty that can only be seen when one slows down, and seeks such around us. Several of the previously mentioned UK blog-forum posters have indicated their own personal blogs in their signature line, and the blog-forum administrator, Leslie had compiled a short list of blogs in 2015 – https://www.caminoadventures.com/best-camino-de-santiago-blogs/

We intend to blog about our Camino, but will likely have a different take/slant to most. Thus, this blog itself is the first step to familiarize ourselves with this media, and more importantly, to help us build our own individual ‘voice’.

For me, the FUN & ENJOYABLE part of reading all this Camino content, is the beginning visualization of what the Camino is about. Building the anticipation. How I will enjoy the scenery, the slow pace of walking and being in the moment. Being un-plugged from all the distractions and electronic devices that’s part of modern life. Being dis-engaged from the need to know the latest real time news. Just being alone with my thoughts, having deep conversations with my partner Joon, and engaging with other fellow hikers/pilgrims that cross our paths. Of course, I am sure there will be moments (hours?) of discomfort and pain as we trudged on. But mentally, attitude-wise, I view it as just being in touch with my body. Understanding what my body is capable of, and having the certainty of a good rest/sleep at the end of the day.

Stephen Covey’s second habit of highly effective people is ‘Begin with the End in Mind’. That every physical creation, every manifestation starts first in the mind before it comes into being. In that way, part of our preparation will happen on the trail itself, not at home. When we dialog about our intent for that day, prior to starting off. Perhaps a relationship aspect that needs to be deepened/strengthened. Perhaps creating a new shared dream or goal. Perhaps reflecting and being thankful for our shared journey to date. What a wonderful thought, that the day’s walk can lead to a burst of re-creation, of positivism charging through and energizing our full selves – bodies, soul and spirit. Truly a ‘journey within’ to live life as fully as possible.

Buen Camino.

3/22/18 update. For American pilgrims, there’s an association web site with lots of materials and resources – http://www.americanpilgrims.org/ This same association hosts a very active Facebook group among American Camino walkers/pilgrims at https://www.facebook.com/groups/AmericanPilgrims/

Making the Camino Decision

There are as many decision triggers for walking the Camino, as there are hikers, cyclists and pilgrims that have undertaken this journey. One trigger that’s common, is the 2010 movie, The Way, starring Martin Sheen and directed by his son, Emillio Estevez.

We knew our good friend, Sim had walked it in 2016. As Catholics, we had come across this before but I had never seriously looked into it. Then, in the summer of 2017, our friends Meg and Shawn, who lived in Barcelona but were back for the summer, asked whether we would be interested in joining their parish group visiting Fatima for the 100th anniversary of the apparitions. We declined due to our travel schedules to Asia.

Like all good ideas, it percolated and bubbled. Then one day, I decided to start reading about it on the Net. And the more I read, especially the posts and sharing on a Camino UK blog, the more it drew me in. Eventually, we discussed doing this Camino and Fatima as a pilgrimage in 2018, and we both enthusiastically embraced it. We subsequently borrowed the DVD, The Way. In addition, we read several books, and everything solidified the decision.

Our reading list includes:

In movement, there is peace – Elaine & Joseph Foster
Field of Stars – Kevin A Codd (author is a Catholic priest in Spokane WA)
I’m off then – Hape Kerkeling (just started on this book)

To sum it up, we decided to walk the Camino:

To nourish and enrich our spiritual life.
To seek God in the people and events that will unfold.
To strengthen the bonds between us.
To experience a pilgrimage with our feet.

IMHO, any reason or motivation is a good one, as many have testified that the Camino experience has changed their outlook, their approach to life. The pilgrims/peregrine say, the “Camino provides”.

Buen Camino.

For me, going to walk the Camino seems to be like going on a grand adventure! When the idea first percolated, I obviously had no idea what I was signing up for… sure, traveling to Portugal and Spain fits me perfectly. I do love to see different countries, experience different ways of life and all that, but walking hundreds of kilometers with my own backpack no less, kinda brought me back to reality a little. But, what is life if one doesn’t challenge oneself and do things one might never have a chance to do again? Still, I must admit I do have reservations…

Firstly, I don’t really enjoy hiking all that much. Uphill treks are the worst, I do NOT like climbing hills and with a backpack, I will be complaining all the way. Seriously, our ‘pristine’ 33 year marriage might be ending on the Camino. Sigh. Anyway, I am willing to give it a try with as much grace as I can. I suppose I could limit myself to whining only once a day.

Secondly, I am such a worrier and I will imagine all sorts of scenarios that can happen (and probably will) … getting lost, getting sick, getting injured. Surrendering to the will of God is probably the wisest thing to do in these circumstances and that’s what I’ll have to learn to do.

Thirdly, the accommodations along the way will be ‘rustic’ I gather, and what is worrisome (ah, that word again!) is that we probably need to have good rest and sleep nightly in order to successfully complete the daily journey. And I already know I don’t really sleep well in unfamiliar surroundings, unlike my dear other half who can drop off to sleep in a wink of an eye (yes, even sitting upright!). Me, I have to toss and turn, mind racing all the time, willing myself to sleep while being totally envious on hearing the sonorous deep breaths of my beloved. I look forward to being so very tired after a day of walking that I won’t care if my bed is just a thin mattress. See, I am already becoming a more positive person!

So yes, I have my reservations but ultimately, I am positive that what we achieve out of this experience will be a deeper, fuller understanding of self, our relationship with each other and most importantly, with God. I have always pondered the question, ‘Why am I on this Earth?’ I may never find my answer, but I would sure like to try to find out. Doing the Camino is my one step in that direction.

Buen Camino.

Camino de Santiago

This was popularized among Americans by the 2010 movie, ‘The Way’, directed, produced and written by Emilio Estevez and starring his father Martin Sheen. We heard of it years ago, but it first came onto our radar when my best friend, Sim, mentioned he walked it in 2016. But the trigger for us to consider it, was when our friends, Meg and Shawn, invited us to visit Fatima in October 2017 with their church group, for Fatima’s 100th anniversary. So the seed for a pilgrimage was planted and germinated.

As we started considering Fatima in our travel plans, the brain worked mysteriously and associated the Camino de Santiago. I came across a wonderful Camino UK blog, and the many postings by hikers and pilgrims shaped and solidified our thoughts and plans in this area. We decided to make the Camino de Santiago the focal point of our pilgrimage, with a pre-Camino visit to Fatima.

There are as many reasons to walk the Camino as there are hikers/pilgrims (277.7K in 2016). For us, it’s part of our ‘journey within’, seeking to elevate our spiritual self, and strengthening our bonds. I personally expect that I will learn to listen more, learn to see beyond the surface, and to fine tune some of my deepest convictions and values as they are challenged on the trail.

For those wishing to prepare spiritually, Sandy Brown had three inspiring posts at this blog page.

Our Camino walk will be in May 2018. But the preparation has started and will continue before we board our flights.

Which Contemporary Figure Would I Want to Spend A Day With?

This simple and innocuous question took some deep pondering (and soul searching) from me. A name or a list of candidates didn’t jump out at me. I had to think hard, scanning across multiple categories, dimensions and geographies.

I ruled out national leaders, as I had become disillusioned with how politics and governance has de-generated significantly from the golden years of statesmanship for the better good of fellow citizens and humanity/the world at large.

A list slowly formed in my mind, as I considered the discussions I would want to have, to explore, to gain insights/perspectives:

Edward Snowden
Julian Assange
Pope Francis
Ayaan Hirsi Ali
Chelsea Manning
Jeff Bezos
Bill Gates

I had to think deeply of females/ladies before I came up with Ayaan and Manning (do I subconsciously have a masculine-bias?). So, this is my list at this point in time, Jan 2018. It tells me that I need to enlarge my world view further, to push and seek notables whose work, ideas or achievements I would want to know and engage on.

Snowden and Assange are individuals who have risked much, to expose deep states that threaten true liberty and freedom. The Pope has substantially moved the Church into its own mini-reformation. Much remains to be done, especially with a clergy rooted in traditions and struggling with past transgressions. Ayaan’s insights into the changes needed within Islam would provide a great dialog on how Islam and Western civilization come to terms and harmony. Manning’s own personal persecution and her future congressional plans point to a deeper convition about the changes needed. Bezos’ success at futuristic business models point to an evolution in commerce and business. It would be interesting to understand how he perceives the evolution of human labor.

Which leaves Gates. He would be the one that I would select, not because of his success at Microsoft. Rather, it’s his work at the Foundation that interests me, how they are addressing global-scale challenges that impact the poor, the sick and the hungry. How he considers the intractable problems and threads a way to jump start, mobilize alliances and seeks a lasting solution. That would nourish my inner belief that we can solve such scaled challenges.

The value of this exercise wasn’t so much the list and the selection itself. Rather it caused me to internalize that I have been coasting along, in regard to observing the world beyond my immediate bubble. I look forward to re-visiting this topic at some point in the future.

Next morning….as I was lying down in bed for the night, it struck me that Gates is not particularly known as a social conversationalist. The idea of how enjoyable or smooth flowing the conversation could be, led me to the category of comedians. That it could be enjoyable as well as insightful. Which ended with two comedians on my list, Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel. While I realize they have writers for their material, they obviously must have some originality as well as passion over the materials they have delivered. Ah…..this matter of the contemporary figure that I would love to spend a day with, is far from settled!