There is a famous quote that says, “You learn more from failure than from success. Don’t let it stop you. Failure builds character.” Boy does this ring true for us! In this day and age of polished Instagram photos and amazing stories on blogs and other platforms, we often only see the positive side to a story. But there are many benefits of failure. In fact, when chasing the numerous items on our bucket list we have found that failure is good. That is because in all the stupid mistakes we have made chasing various bucket list items something remarkable happened. We Learned! 

So grab your first aid kit & get ready to laugh as we share how failure leads to success by highlighting the many bloopers we have had chasing items on our bucket list. Hopefully, by admitting our faults, mistakes, and failures you too will learn so you can avoid these pitfalls as well.

Our Travel Failures that led to Success

When it comes to tackling travel bucket list items, preparation is always key! But everyone prepares differently. For example, we are more outliners. We like to have a good idea of where we are going and what we like to do but we don’t detail every aspect of our travel. Don’t get us wrong, we love the freedom of not being scheduled. But by being a bit loosey-goosey it has created a few problems while traveling. However, each time our failure led to success because we learned and improved. So what kind of travel fails have we had? Let’s dive into it.

Grab your first aid kit & get ready to laugh as we share how failure leads to success by highlighting the many bloopers we have had chasing the items on the Bucket List Project! #Failure #NeverGiveUp #AlwaysLearning
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1) We have chosen some lousy destinations

The Fail:

For those of you who know us, you know we love exploring great literary spots around the world. So we were very excited to see and hang out at The Petit Poucet in Casablanca. For those who don’t know this cafe was once where Saint-Exupéry, the French author of The Little Prince used to spend time between mail flights across the Sahara drinking with Albert Camus. But now no one there seems to care or honor that history.

We were also pretty disappointed when we visited Barranquilla! Don’t get us wrong, if you show up to this large city during Carnival you will witness one of Colombia’s most important folkloric celebrations, and one of the biggest carnivals in the world according to UNESCO. But when we arrived there was NOTHING happening in the massive city. Even our hotel hosts wondered why on earth we were visiting their city in April.

How this Failure Leads to Success:  

While these destinations were a complete disappointment they didn’t take away from our travel experiences. I mean to be fair, nothing could disappoint us about Casablanca since that is where we got engaged. But, when the main reason for visiting is a bust, you can either rue in disappointment or adapt. So for us, we learned to adapt and find something else to do which led to some fun experiences.

2) We have not packed well

The Fail: 

Nowadays we try to be minimalists when packing but it was not always this way. If you have read our review on the one bag travel system by Journey System then you saw us toting around a gigantic suitcase across all of the United Kingdom. See we thought that if we packed all of our gear together in 1 large suitcase it would not only be easier but save us tons of money on bag fees. But though it may have saved us a few dollars it was an absolute nightmare to drag around the old cobblestone roads of Scotland and England.

We have also failed to pack properly for the weather. For example, driving into Jaisalmer during the Rickshaw Run, we were freezing. This is because we had forgotten to pack warm clothes. So as we raced to the finish line, we were wearing everything we had packed, just to stay warm.

How this Failure Leads to Success: 

After nearly throwing out my back carrying around tons of clothes, we knew something had to change. We realized that though we want to be prepared for different weather issues and certain events, we need to learn to pack better so we can be prepared without extra items. So first we learned about ways to pack for the different environments we were possibly visiting. Then, we discovered the Journey System minimalist backpack and other bags which would allow us to carry all of our gear better and more efficiently.

3) ERIC often forgets to put on Sunscreen

The Fail: 

Perhaps one of the biggest travel fails that I have is getting sunburned while traveling. Likely, this is because growing up, I rarely got sunburned and never developed a good habit of lathering up. There is also something to be said about always backpacking outdoors, hiking in open areas with no real protection. But to be honest, there is no excuse for not taking better care of my skin. 

How this Failure Leads to Success: 

Now, I like my tan complexion. But to be honest, as I am getting older, this constant abuse of my skin and especially my face is worrisome. Plus, we all know that sunburns can lead to serious issues. In fact, according to the National Cancer Institute, 33,000 adults get sunburned every year so bad that they require emergency room visits. Plus, these burns can lead to future skin cancer or worse, melanoma, which is the deadliest form of skin cancer. So, to prevent future damage, I have become an avid user of Banana Boat Ultra Sport Sunscreen Travel Pack.

4) We have not planned well for ground transportation

The Fail: 

Perhaps one of the biggest travel fails we have is forgetting to plan out our ground transportation. I know this sounds silly. But more often than not, we have arrived at our destination airport with no clue how to get to our hotel. If you can imagine, we are sitting by the luggage carousel when suddenly we realize we have no idea if this city has Uber, a Metro, or a bus system.

This lack of planning also rears its ugly head when we go adventuring. For example, there have been several times when we spent the day at the beaches near Santa Marta or ended up exploring The Great Buddha sitting atop Nakkerd Hill in Phuket and realized we had no clue how to get back to our home base. In most cases, it was a bit nerve-racking.

How this Failure Leads to Success: 

We have made this mistake so often now, you might think that I love to fail. But, with each situation, we have followed a few simple steps to find success. First, we relax. There is no reason to panic or stress out because that just makes the situation worse. Secondly, we have learned to ask for help. Inevitably, people are good and will help you find a way back home. Now of course you should always be cautious and safe. But, we have learned by asking for help that often there may be options like a metro, taxis, Uber, tuk-tuks, collectivos, or even the occasional farm truck that will be glad to give you a ride to your destination.

Hot Tip: We truly feel that most places in the world are safe. However, as in any place you travel please use common sense and stay to main areas while exploring. We also strongly recommend that you consider getting Travel Insurance from World Nomads. It is a simple and flexible insurance to keep you safe while participating in any wild adventure.

Adventure Experience Failures that led to Success

Perhaps the easiest bucket list category to experience failure is your Adventure Activities & Experiences list. This is because more often than not, many of these items rely on physical ability which we may just not have. Now that doesn’t give you a pass to not give it the old college try. But, you need to be prepared because your goal may require a lot of training, effort, practice, and ultimately a little luck.  So is failure good when you strike out attempting an adventure activity or experience? We think so.

1) Eric can’t seem to Kiteboard

The Fail:

I remember the first time I saw kiteboarders cruising around Fort Walton Beach, Florida. It was back in the late 1990s and an outfit known as XL Kites had a van parked on the bay with a group learning how to float their kites. I was immediately awestruck and knew I had to try it. So, my mom bought me lessons and I learned the basics of launching and body dragging. But when it came to putting the board on my feet and actually surfing, I FAILED. I pretty much dragged around the bay face first, drinking up all the saltwater Florida had to offer. 

How this Failure Leads to Success:  

Of course, the scenario above was my first time so that was okay. I mean sports like that are not easy to learn. But I had to make some hard decisions and clarify my commitment to Kiteboarding. So a few months later, I took my savings and bought a board, a Cabrinha Switchblade kite, and a full rig set up. With my new gear, I would practice in Lake Pontchartrain, & the beaches of Gulfport. Often I would return to the XL Kites gang in Fort Walton and ask for help. To further my skills (or at least try to) I even spent a week in Tobago with the Radical Sports Tobago Kiteboarding School.

Now, I have to be honest, I still can’t stand on the board and kite at the same time. Even the guys at Radical Sports Tobago were a bit confused by my lack of ability. Though they were impressed by how much of the Caribbean Sea I could drink without drowning. But through all of this failure, my dream didn’t fade. Maybe it is because I love watching the graceful soaring of other kiteboarders or maybe it is because I am stubborn. But I know that hopefully with continued practice, I will succeed.

2) We can’t catch the Northern Lights

The Fail:

Have you ever felt like Eeyore with a raincloud overhead? I am not going to lie, I feel like that every time I go hunting the Northern Lights! Not because seeing the Aurora Borealis is depressing in any way. No, the fail comes in that even if the forecast of the location & intensity of the aurora is supposed to be perfect, by the time I get out there, a sudden stream of clouds appears. REALLY. This has happened to me in my attempt to see the Northern Lights in Iceland, Alaska, Northern Wyoming, & other places.

How this Failure Leads to Success:  

In order for this failure to lead to success, I had to first accept that the weather is out of my control. It seems pretty obvious but that doesn’t mean I can’t hedge my bets to find success. So in order to increase my odds of seeing the Northern Lights, I learned to research better by visiting sites like NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center or the Aurora Hunter. So, with a little luck, planning, and a whole lot of patience, we will finally witness the magical display of lights, someday.

3) We have had run-ins with the law

The Fail:

When we sign up for different activities or adventures around the world, in no way do we ever attempt anything illegal. But that doesn’t mean we haven’t had issues with law enforcement or security forces. For example, while taking on the wild adventure of driving a tuk-tuk across India, Darcee actually got us stopped by the Indian Police! At first, we assumed they thought we stole the tuk-tuk or maybe Darcee was speeding (if that is even possible in that glorified lawnmower). But in reality, he just wanted to say hi and see if we had a $1.00 U.S. bill since had never seen one ever.

Now in Liechtenstein, things were a little different. Essentially the Swiss Guard came down on Eric after he accidentally tried to illegally re-enter the Schatzkammer which is the Princes of Liechtenstein’s Private Collection of treasures. 

How this Failure Leads to Success:  

When it comes to your failures, we truly hope that none of them require the assistance of law enforcement. But if they do, we have learned to always approach the situation respectfully and even with some positivity. For example, with all the things to do in Liechtenstein, being surrounded by armed guards shouldn’t be high on anyone’s list. But, accidents happen. So by being calm, respectful, and most importantly, apologetic, all was forgiven within moments.

4) We have bitten off more than we could chew

The Fail:

I vividly remember staring at the distance sign at the start of my pilgrimage along the Camino de Santiago from St. Jean Pied de Port in France to Santiago de Compostela, Spain. For those who don’t use the metric system, 790 kilometers is roughly 491 miles. Wait, what? That is like walking from New Orleans to Epcot Center in Orlando, Florida but with mountains in the middle! Plus, I was doing it alone and only had a guidebook and painted arrows on random walls and rocks to guide me. The start of the pilgrimage definitely filled me with a bit of doubt.

Another time I felt a bit overwhelmed is in preparation for our Climbing Devil’s Tower for ALS. I mean what kind of crazy person volunteers to climb 867 feet (265 m) from base to summit, with a summit 5,112 feet above sea level? I know it is for an amazing cause but I am not as young as I used to be.

How this Failure Leads to Success:  

Well with the Camino, I realized that my only way home was from Portugal, so no matter what, I had to head that direction. It was then that I realized that if I started to walk and either struggled, decided I didn’t like it, or flat out failed, that was okay. This is because I knew that I could always stop and catch a train or another way back. Now I know that this type of “safety net” thought seems a bit like a way out. But to be honest, sometimes people just need to know there are alternatives or a plan B to make them feel comfortable. 

Another thing I have learned that has lead to success is how to gather your support team. When you are taking on a bucket list item that seems a bit overwhelming, you have to stop and look for help. Inevitably, there are others walking that same trail or climbing that same mountain that share similar fears, challenges, or concerns. It is in those moments that you can find strength to accomplish your goals by doing it together! In many of our successes, we have made great friends who won with us!

Personal Growth Failures that lead to Success

Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, author of The Power of Positive Thinking, once shared, “Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.” I personally love this quote because sometimes it is often hard to relay the benefits of failure to those who only see one final goal. Don’t get me wrong, when it comes to pursuing your bucket list dreams, we want you to keep your eyes on the big prize. But there are so many great and positive side effects to failure especially with items on your personal growth bucket list. Let’s explore a few of our failures that lead to success.

1) I still can’t see my 6 pack abs

The Fail:

I can still remember the feeling of ripping my “fat boy” pants in the parking lot getting out of my car. See back in 2009, I was FAT! I was always husky but that summer as seen in the pic above on the left, I maxed out my 5’8″ frame to a weight of 245lbs. So, rather than buying new suit pants for my job, the year before I had gone to Walmart and bought a pair of those cheaply made black slacks with the elastic band. I mean I didn’t want to buy new expensive pants when I already had some and I could “easily” lose the weight. But I hadn’t. So one day, as I was getting out of my car to visit a client, my cheap Walmart pants tore at the elastic band because I pushed them to the max. It was too much and at the moment, #5) See my 6 Pack was added to my Personal Growth Bucket List.

How this Failure Leads to Success:

Now I will be honest, I thought I would have had a 6 pack by now. I mean that was 11 years ago. But I barely have some details of a 4 pack at times – usually near the summer months. However, that is okay because even though I have yet to get shredded, I still found great success.

You see, in this pursuit for the ideal physique, I still lost nearly 90lbs and have maintained that 157lb weight for over 10 years. Now, it wasn’t easy and I learned that there isn’t 1 way that works for everyone. In fact, I probably have tried about 5 different eating lifestyles and over 45 different workout plans. But I never lost commitment to my goal and my health.

2) I still can’t fluently speak Spanish

The Fail:

So I don’t have many regrets about the choices I have made. But one of the biggest regrets I do have is not studying Spanish more as a kid. My mom tried to get me to learn and initially spoke to me in Spanish. But as I became a stubborn teen, I gave up on it and even rebelled by taking French in high school. However, in my pursuit to learn more about my Cuban heritage and travel more, I have attempted many of the best ways to learn Spanish. The only problem is that I am still nowhere near being fluent enough to have a conversation with my Grandmother.

How this Failure Leads to Success:

So, yes I am still a very long way from fluent conversational Spanish with my Cuban family. But, in this failure, I have had some success. For example, I have learned enough to easily tackle basic travel situations. I have long term traveled to Spain, Colombia, Peru and even parts of Morocco and successfully navigated situations speaking Spanish. Plus, in attempting various ways to learn Spanish, I also discovered better ways of learning subjects overall. That way when I take on future personal growth items, I can find the right resources to help me learn.

Failures in Louisiana that led to Success

In Louisiana, we like to say “laissez les bon temps rouler” which means “let the good times roll.” But we have missed the pirogue a few times by not paying attention. Now don’t get me wrong, we don’t take things too seriously or often live by a schedule down here in the Bayou State. But our lack of organization has led to a few failures. So grab your Mom ‘n ‘em and check out some of our major faux pas while chasing our Louisiana Bucket List!

1) We missed the fais-do-do

The Fail:

For those of you who don’t know a fais-do-do (pronounced fay DOUGH DOUGH) is basically a fun Cajun dance party. In general the best ones are based around food, music, and dancing and are found in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana. So when looking for the best fais-do-do, the infamous Cafe Des Amis topped the list. We kept saying that we were going to take the drive over for a fun weekend. I mean it was barely 3 hours away. But sadly due to our hemming and hawing, we missed our chance and it closed in early 2018.

How this Failure Leads to Success:

Cafe Des Amis WAS world-famous for their Saturday Morning Zydeco Breakfast. Visitors were greeted with spicy bloody mary’s and rich Cajun cuisine like eggs with crawfish étouffée. However, the real highlight was when the  Zydeco band started to play encouraging everyone to dance! So, when we realized that we missed our chance it was a big disappointment. But that didn’t deter us. Instead, we asked around, did a little research, and discovered there is a new kid in town, Buck and Johnny’s, that is offering zydeco music, dancing, and a world famous Zydeco Breakfast.

2) We’ve been a wee bit too close to some gators

The Fail:

It a very popular bucket list item to take a swamp tour, visit an alligator farm, or see them in the wild at Rip’s Rookery in New Iberia. So of course, there have been several times where I wanted to show my Wyoming girlfriend, now wife, some true Louisiana gators. But one of the first times I did this we kind of got a bit too close. While walking the lap around Rip’s Rookery on Jefferson Island we came upon several gators sunbathing. By that time, we had already walked all the way around the island and we weren’t sure we should go back. Needless to say, we RAN by them as fast as humanly possible!

How this Failure Leads to Success:

Outside of improving my time in the 40-yard dash, getting too close to alligators made me learn better safety protocols. So we turned to the Louisiana Wildlife & Fisheries website. According to LDWF, most alligators, if left alone, will move on and are generally not a threat to people. However, they do recommend that if you have a close encounter with an alligator, like we did, back away slowly. 

My Failure to Make Amends that led to Success

Asking for forgiveness is HARD! I have often said that my Making Amends Bucket List is easily the hardest list I have created. Perhaps because means I have to not only reach out to those I have hurt but then admit my faults to them. So how can someone fail when trying to say they are sorry? 

1) I haven’t even tried yet

The Fail:

When it comes to making amends, I am a Failure! Why? Because, even though I think about the various people on the list that I have wronged, I have yet to take action. At one point, I tried to find one of the people on my list. But it was a struggle to connect with them and thus I just stopped trying.

How this Failure Leads to Success:

To be honest, it is hard to find success here. Now let me clarify that success will not be measured by obtaining forgiveness from those whom I hurt. Rather, success comes in admitting my faults to the person whom I hurt. Also, when I share here, it not only humbles me but reminds me that I need to try harder. So hopefully my failure leads to success by recommitting myself to try again. 

My Failure to Help Others that led to Success

They say the road to hell is paved with good intentions. But can you actually be a failure when you help others? Maybe. Now don’t get me wrong there is no better way to leave your mark on the world than by finding ways to help others. Plus, there are even studies that helping others can even help you live longer. However, sometimes you might do a bit more harm than good if you don’t plan properly or try to cut corners. 

1) Our Little Library made us ashamed of our-SHELVES

The Fail:

I am not a good carpenter! Not that it is beyond my skill set but I neither have the tools nor the patience to build something with my hands. But that didn’t stop me from wanting to build a Little Library to put out in front of my house. Of course in typical fashion, I had dreams of grandeur of the coolest looking little library packed with books where people would stop by to pick up or share. But rather than buying an official kit from the Little Free Library association, I came up with a “genius” idea to use an old wine crate! Of course, I had great intentions and it all started out great. But having it in New Orleans where it rains all the time or is humid most other days, it all became a big problem. Instead of helping my community with a fun book exchange, my cutting corners lead to a moldy science experiment!  

How this Failure Leads to Success:

Unless the goal was to spread black mold or test the relative breakdown rates of paperback novels, then it is pretty obvious that my little library was a bust. But throughout the whole process, I learned a lot about how to do it better the next time. I realized that if I wanted to create a unique little library for my Irish Channel neighborhood, then I need to figure out how to deal with environmental factors. It also reminded me that there are no short cuts when trying to do something right! Now, this doesn’t mean you can’t do it differently or better, but you have to do it right. Otherwise, you might be sending someone home with a book that even Dr. Who can’t fix.

2) I took my best friend on a Death March

The Fail:

One of my favorite Helping Others Bucket List items is by far #103) Fulfill 1 Bucket List Item for Anyone who helps me with 1 of mine! It is such an amazing feeling when someone gets to tick off a dream item because of your efforts. So, when my best friend Brian shared that he always dreamed of summitting Mt. Whitney and then backpacking the Pacific Crest Trail, I jumped at the chance to make his dream come true. But there was one problem, Brian was a beginner backpacker and not 100% ready for the physical demands of the trail. Don’t get me wrong, he trained. But with all my personal hiking experience I should have directed him better when we planned out our trek. Instead of starting at a pace of 8-10 miles each day, and then slowly working upwards, we planned most days at 15 or more. This wouldn’t have been too bad except that we had to cross over a million peaks of the Sierra Nevada from the Whitney Portal. 

How this Failure Leads to Success:

Luckily we took care of summitting Mount Whitney by day 2. So at least we were able to succeed at standing at the highest point above sea level in the lower 48 states. But by day 5, Brian was done and I was pretty beat up as well. It was a pretty humbling as we sat at the Twin Lakes about 23 miles from Lone Pine. But in that moment of humility, we learned that when life throws us obstacles we can easily change course. Even though we hadn’t made it to Mammoth Lakes we could still enjoy the moment. Instead, we relaxed, met some friends who let us fly fish with them, and recovered in some of the most beautiful parts of California. 

My Failure to keep this post short leads to Success

If you made it this far, congrats! You survived another session with little Eric-Talks-A-Lot! But hopefully, you had a great laugh as we shared our different types of failure. I am sure by reading all the bloopers we have had chasing the many items on the Bucket List Project, you realize that we obviously Love to Fail! But, also, I hope you learned that there are many benefits to failure and that it isn’t always a bad thing.

So now it is your turn! Do you think failure leads to success? Have you ever botched something so bad but still found success? What are some of the best bucket list fails you have ever seen or experienced? Share with us in the comments below and maybe help someone who may be dealing with a similar failure.

Don’t forget to Pin this to your favorite Personal Growth Bucket List Board!

Disclosure: This post, the “How My Failure Leads to Success” contains a few affiliate links. Using the links doesn’t cost you any extra, and it helps keep the site free, fun, and community supported! Eric & Darcee will never recommend a product that we don’t genuinely believe in, actually use ourselves, have researched, and trust. Please see the disclosure policy for more information.

The post How my Failure Leads to Success appeared first on The Bucket List Project.

For those who don’t know, on July 17, 2021, I (Eric) along with Chris Nolan will be Climbing Devil’s Tower for ALS. It is a daunting bucket list item that to be honest, kind of makes me nervous. But despite my apprehension, this climb will hopefully be a way we can educate others about those with ALS. Plus, we are doing it to honor Chris’s brother Sean. Back in 2016, Sean was diagnosed with ALS. But in talking with Chris, we also wanted to find a way to do this for others. So, we came up with an idea to Climb and to Pray Devil’s Tower.

A History of Praying while Tackling a Bucket List item

A few years back, I undertook perhaps one of my greatest bucket list adventures, the Camino de Santiago. To tackle this pilgrimage, I took the traditional and most common route, known as the Camino Frances. Essentially, it is a 490-mile walk from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port on the French side of the Pyrenees to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. The purpose was to walk to a holy site where it is believed that the remains of the Apostle St. James the Greater are buried.

Now people embark on this adventure for many personal reasons. Some walk as part of a spiritual retreat and others to discover themselves. There are even some people who spend the 30-day walk in hopes that a miracle touches them or someone they love. For me, it was a combination of it all because I had kind of lost my “way” with my life.

So, I wanted to find my way back and the idea came to me to Walk and Pray.

To do this, I had decided to commit a portion of my daily activity to prayer while walking The Camino. But I didn’t want to make it all about myself. So I asked for the personal intentions of others. Essentially, every morning at the start of my walk. I would focus on my personal intentions for that day. Then I would focus on the intentions of another and then pray the novena for both our intentions. As I continued to walk, I tried to stay in reflection of that daily prayer and intentions of the day.

Why we want to Pray while we Climb Devil’s Tower

Now, of course, we are raising money for two different ALS foundations to donate in Sean’s name. We are raising money to donate in Sean Nolan’s name to both The Steve Gleason Foundation and The Tennessee Chapter of the ALS Association.

But while promoting something strange happened.

People kept sharing how ALS has affected their lives. Whether it struck them personally, ravaged a loved one, or affected a friend, countless people have been telling me their “ALS Story!” In telling me their story, they would passionately thank Chris, Darcee, & I and say how they felt like we were doing it for them too.

It was then that we realized that our climb was bigger than us and perhaps even Sean. We were going to need to climb and to pray Devil’s Tower in our task to summit the nation’s first National Monument.

Discover how two men want to climb and to pray as they summit the first National Monument in the United States at Devil's Tower, Wyoming. #DevilsTower #RockClimbing #ThatsWY
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Let us Carry your Intentions up Devil’s Tower

Of course, we would love you to donate to our GoFundMe page for Climbing Devil’s Tower for ALS. But if you can’t, you can help us in 3 other ways:

1. Please pray for us as we Climb Devil’s Tower on July 17th. Like I have said before, it is a bit scary. So if you can on July 17th, please pray for us to physically finish.
2. We want to carry your intentions with us up to the top of Devil’s Tower. It can be anything you want. Whether you need prayers for yourself personally, your family, or anything weighing on you.  This intention can be asking for help or perhaps even thanking God for recent Blessings. 
3. If you know anyone who has been diagnosed with ALS, share their name with us. As an ALS Research Ambassador, Sean has spent his last few years trying to help and educate others with ALS. Plus, he is asking us to donate money to help others. So we would like to carry those others as we attempt to climb and to pray up Devil’s Tower.

The logistics of carrying your intentions up Devil’s Tower

So, I am not going to lie, I have no idea exactly how we are going to be able to climb and to pray while tackling all 867 feet (265 m) from summit to base. I mean we don’t really want any excess weight during this nearly 7-hour climb. But what we would like to do is to write down all the intentions, prayers, and names on a sheet of paper and safeguard them in my pocket.

Before we climb, as a family we will read all the private intentions, prayers, and names of those affected by ALS. Then, safely tuck them into our pocket. Then if possible, at the very top, as we look upon the amazing views of Wyoming, we will repeat the process. However, if this isn’t possible when we finally return to the ground safely, we can then repeat the process in thanksgiving for a great experience that we shared with all of you.

How to Send us Your Intentions & Names

There are several ways you can send us your intentions or the names of those who you would like for us to carry up Devil’s Tower as we climb and pray:

1. You can leave a comment on this article below.
2. You can leave a comment for us on the Bucket List Project’s Facebook Page by Clicking Here.
3. If you would like to send it to us privately, You can fill out our Work With The Bucket List Project contact form.
4. You can always call, text, or message Darcee, Chris, or me (Eric) on our phones or social media channels.

We would like to have all the intentions & names of those affected by ALS collected and solidified by Wednesday, July 14, 2021, if possible. So please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. Of course, it goes without saying that any private intentions will always remain private. We will also try to reach out to anyone who shares their info with us a day before the climb to remind you so that you can join us on the climb in spirit.

Thank you for your Support

Lastly, we just want to say how much we appreciate all who are supporting us on this Climb for ALS. Without your thoughts, prayers, and support, it would definitely be harder for us to climb. So for that, Thank You!

Of course, we would also love donations because, without your financial help, we may never find a cure for ALS. But know that you don’t have to donate any money in order to ask us to pray and climb Devil’s Tower for you or your intentions. But, if you would like to help in our raising of funds you can visit our GOFUND ME PAGE directly. There you can see exactly which 2 ALS foundations Sean Nolan asked us to send all funds and exactly how we will distribute your donation. 

Don’t forget to Pin this to your favorite Bucket List Board!

The post To Climb and to Pray appeared first on The Bucket List Project.

We all know the travel fanatics, you might even be one yourself. They can’t go long without planning their next trip, and however long they go away for it never seems to be enough. There are loads of great experiences that can be gained from travelling, seeing new places, and navigating new cultures. All these experiences are unique, and no one else will experience the  same place in quite the same way as you. This is why so many people decide to pack their bags and go hunt out another adventure.

Wherever you are planning on going in the world, or whatever you are planning on doing, there are some things that all travel fanatics just need to have. Having all the right gear can make a lot of difference to your trip, and can make things run a lot smoother, especially if you find yourself in tough spot. Whether you, or a loved one is a travel fanatic, you will for sure need the right gear before you embark on your trip. Only when you are suited and booted, can you go chasing them horizons. Read on to see what every travel fanatic needs to have a great trip, you never know, you might find something that could really make a difference to your trip. Here’s some essentials of what you need, to make a list and listen up for what you might be missing out on.

The Bucket List Project shares some essential gear that Every Travel Fanatic Needs. #travelgear #travel #BackpackingGear #travelfanatic
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The Backpack

This is at the top of the list because this marks you out from the summer holiday goers, that go around the airport in their uncomfortable shoes, their carry on suitcases rattling behind them. The backpack means that you mean business, and that your going to be doing more than going straight from the cab, to the hotel, to the pool, and eventually to the bar. You will first of all need a large backpack, your main backpack, to carry all your gear. This will get you over any terrain, any incline, and back again with no worries. The size of it really depends on how long you are going for, and if you need to carry anything like climbing equipment around with you. The size should fit your needs, so if your going for a long weekend trip, there’s no need to invest  in a  huge one. You can always wash your clothes multiple times wherever you go, so there’s no need to carry lots of things with you.

As well as the main backpack you will also need a smaller one, when your larger one is back at the base. This can be easily folded up into your larger one, when you are moving cities, or moving all your stuff to a new location. The smaller one you can throw over your shoulder, and carry all your essentials about town quite easily. Something with zips will do fine, no finicky buckles or straps is necessary. When your in a new place you want your things to be secure, while your exploring and discovering new things.

Walking Boots

If you are a travel fanatic then you will probably be on your feet a lot This could be just waiting at airport, traversing a dry savanna, or scaling a muddy slope in the Lake District. Wherever your feet decide to take you, you will need comfortable reliable shoes to do so. For more ideas you can check out best gifts for campers. If you are  not going to be doing too much walking in strange terrain, then a comfortable shoe that’s supportive and has a good sole would be fine for getting from A to B. If you have a bit more walking in mind it’s worth investing in some walking shoes.

Walking shoes come in all shapes and sizes, and you really have to try them on to know if they are right for you. This might mean going into your local outdoors shop to have a look at their collection, or you can look online too. Many online stores let you exchange sizes and try different brands, so you can still try before you buy, but obviously this will take far more time.  If your local store doesn’t stock a huge variety of shoes, try having a look online to see if anything takes your fancy.

One of the main differences between walking shoes, is the height of the ankle support. There is no real need to get the extra high ankle support (which comes up to half way up your calf), unless you are embarking on an arctic expedition. For most people it’s a decision between the low ankle support and mid height one. The later is most popular if you are planning on walking some distance, although others find more flexibility and movement with less ankle support. Have a think about what terrain you will be walking on, and the distance you will be travelling before you make your decision.

Making sure you boots are made from a durable material, and is a breathable material too, is also a good thing to look out for. You don’t need to spend a lot of money to get a good pair, although the higher end might last a little longer. If this is your first pair, don’t feel pressured to buy the most expensive ones in the shop.

Finding the right walking or hiking boots are essential to every travel fanatic's needs. Check out all of our other recommendations. #travelgear #travel #BackpackingGear #hikingboots #walkingboots #caminodesantiago
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A Raincoat

The worst thing is travelling somewhere and forgetting to pack a raincoat, even if it’s somewhere warm, it is still unpleasant getting wet through. Remember to check if it’s rainy season, or if the area is prone to flooding or showers. Dry places cans till get cold at night, so make sure you have something to wear at night as well.

Here are just a few ideas to get you started with your travelling equipment. Having some backpacks, boots to walk in, and something to keep the rain of you is a great place to start. There is a lot of choice and variety for these on the market, so hopefully this will help you decide what is best for you.

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The Liebster Award!

Recently, I received an email informing me that the Bucket List Project was nominated for Liebster Award by Andreea of 10TravellingTips. If you don’t know Andreea, she’s a Romanian ex-flight attendant that shares her traveling experience, after visiting more than 60 countries, by adding 10 easy travel tips for each place visited.

So what is the Liebster Award?

The Liebster Award exists only on the internet, and is given to bloggers by other bloggers. Earliest cases of the award go as far back as 2011. It is a way to be discovered, but also to connect and support the blogging community.

“In German, Liebster means sweetest, kindest, nicest, dearest, beloved, lovely, kind, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing, and welcome.”

If you have been nominated for the Liebster Award and choose to accept it, you are required to follow these rules:

1. Thank the person who nominated you and post a link to their site.
2. List the rules of the award in your blog post & display an image of the award. Then write a post about your nomination on your blog.
3. Answer the questions your nominee has asked in their blog post.
4. Nominate 5-10 other deserving new bloggers for the award and ask them 10 questions of your choice.
5. Revel in the winning of the Liebster Award!

The Bucket List Project won the #Liebster Award! Break out the Bubbly & read all about it!
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My Liebster Award Questions & Answers

Andreea of 10TravellingTips, with her nomination, asked me 11 questions and here are my responses:

1. Which country left the biggest impression on you and why?

   So far I love everything about Spain. My first trip there was to Barcelona and then to Run with the Bulls in Pamplona. Though very different in personality, both were filled with history, culture, and great food! My second trip to Spain was to walk the entire Camino de Santiago from the Pyrenees to the Atlantic Ocean. Again, I was amazed by the culture and kindness of all the people in all the northern regions of Spain. Plus the physical scenery was often breath taking!

2. Show us your most beautiful travel photo.

   

3. Do you prefer to travel alone or accompanied?

   I think Andreea of 10TravellingTips is trying to get me beat up because this is a loaded question! To be honest, I don’t know. For the majority of my life until 2012, I, like most people always traveled with others.  There wasn’t another option in my mind and I always enjoyed the company of others. However, if people couldn’t or didn’t want to travel where I wanted to go, I often missed out and never went. Then in 2013, I decided I didn’t want to wait on others and their schedules and took my first solo trip to Spain. I loved it. For the next several years, any big international trip I took was always solo. There is just something about traveling on your own schedule without having to worry about the needs or feelings or cost of another person. Plus, when you travel alone, if you want, you can always make new friends. Now with that said, I did take a major trip with Darcee to India for nearly 4 weeks and it was great. Her company reminded me of how special it can be to share experiences with someone and that even when traveling with others, you can still make friends.

4. What is your no. 1 dream destination?

   Everyone always asks me this question and it is so hard! Currently, I am enamored with Morocco, Antarctica, China, Argentina, Mongolia, and Myanmar. However, I would have to say if I had to choose one dream destination it would be to spend several weeks exploring my family heritagein Cuba.

5. Where are you planning to travel this year?

   Planning where to travel is always fun for me as seen in my 2017 Bucket List Hopes and Goals. 2017 already started off with a bang, as Darcee and I were in India racing an auto-rickshaw for several weeks and then visited the Taj Mahal. As for the rest of the year, we have a list of places. First the plan is to travel to Scotland, England, and Wales in April and May. Then we hope to explore the national parks of Northern California at the end of Spring.  Near the end of July, we will be exploring Alberta, Canada and Banff National Park. Then come the end of September, we are flying to Germany to celebrate Oktoberfest with the possibility of a side trip to Morocco!

6. What is your biggest fear while travelling?

   Tough question. I don’t know if I have any major fears while travelling because I am usually happiest being nomadic. I guess if I am travelling with Darcee, I worry about her safety since I often find myself in fun but “risky” situations.

7. What are the 3 items that always go in your suitcase?

   First and foremost, I always pack several cigars. There is just something about sitting at a café or an outdoor area in a foreign country with a cigar as I relax and ponder my day of exploration. Secondly, it may be the Eagle Scout in me, but I never travel without a pocketknife. It’s not that I always seem to need it, but as they say in the scouts, “Always Be Prepared!” Third, I would have to say, a notebook and pens. Even in this day and age of social media instant posting, I find handwriting notes, travel plans, or even memories of the day in my notebook, help me to remember things better.

8. What do you love most about travelling?

   I recently realized I LOVE that nervous feeling in my stomach before a major adventure or experience! With traveling, I often get that feeling and it makes me feel alive. When you are exploring, you are often seeing things for the very first time and processing new information through all of your senses. To hear strange sounds, taste new flavors, see great works of art, or touch different environments offers me a great way to learn and grow that I would never have had back home.

9. Where do you see yourself in 5 years from now?

   Hopefully, 46! But seriously, I don’t really make plans that far off. But I would hopefully have checked off over 100 items off my Bucket List Project and perhaps added 50 more!

10. Tell us your favourite travelling quote if you have one.

    

11. What motivated you to start your blog?

    Why post The Bucket List Project online? For 3 Reasons:

    1) I need everyone’s help…keep me accountable, help me find ways to accomplish my goals, or just cheer me on!!

    2) I want to help others with their own Bucket List Items.  #103 on my list is to Help anyone Complete an Item on their Bucket List within 1 year of them Helping me Complete one of Mine!!

    3) I want to Inspire People to Dream & then to GO OUT & COMPLETE THEIR BUCKET LIST!  If I can do this, then ANYONE CAN!  Too many people, my Friends & Family included, just go through life living a mediocre existence!

The Bucket List Project nominates the following bloggers for the Liebster Award:

1. Be|Esther – Esther give tips on how she has and continues to thrive and overcome good and bad experiences. In addition to this, she helps small business owners promote their businesses online!
2. World in Paris – World in Paris is a team of quirky explorers with a preference for the local side of Paris and its less known sights. I love how they are continuously looking for new ideas to enjoy the best of Paris.
3. Live Jennormously – Around mid-2015, Jennifer made a promise to herself to never stop having adventures or trying new things. She’s traveled overseas solo, hiked and camped in back-country, and scuba dived. I love her passion and her desire to share it with other adventurers.
4. Danay – Danay is a Latina entrepreneur, mom and wife. She loves to share stories of her family and write about her journeys, challenges, wins and some of the interesting things she discovers and divulges about being an entrepreneur, a mom, a traveler, a proud Latina and trying to be awesome.
5. Momming with Grace – Breeanna shares her story as a police wife, cancer killer, and God lover trying to make it through parenting our girl, Annabelle Grace, with a whole lot of Grace.
6. Wandering with MI – A CPA by profession, on Maria’s free time she’s a traveler, foodie, chef (to her family and friends, haha), adventure seeker and just now, a blogger. I love reading about places she’s been to, the food that she’s tried, her lifestyle, and her personal experiences and thoughts on everything.
7. A Baby Abroad – Dani is raising a baby while living abroad and making the most of it by travelling near and far. A Baby Abroad is about our journey into parenting, family life, and family travel because the world is too interesting and marvellous to miss out on it… even with a baby in tow. 
8. A Touch of Bliss – Mikaela is a lover of all things beauty, fashion and lifestyle! Her blog is filled with everything but you may also find some more personal posts. Here she talks about her struggles with body image, self esteem, anxiety and other ‘normal’ daily struggles and my quest to combat them.
9. Leave the Couch and Go – Anya and George created Leave The Couch And Go, because they’re passionate about happy and healthy living, and it’s high time they share their knowledge, talents and experiences with you.
10. Ivy & Sprig – Ivy and Sprig is meant to depict moms who are still growing themselves in their interests and passions while raising little sprigs too.  Stephanie seeks to encourage your faith, give you practical ideas for your family and give you a laugh sometimes.

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Look who The Bucket List Project nominated for the #Liebster Award! #blogger
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Questions for my Nominees:

1. Of these four Wizard of OZ characters, which do you most resemble in your own life & why?
   • The Protagonist (Problems just happen when you’re around.): Dorothy
   • The Brains (You think of ways to avoid/escape problems.): Scarecrow
   • The Heart (Everyone loves your spirit when problems occur.): Tin Woodman
   • The Hero (“Who’s a coward now that your problem just got REAL?”): Cowardly Lion
2. What is a scary moment you’ll never forget?
3. What is a Bucket List item you have already completed and why was it on your list?
4. What is the #1 travel destination item on your Bucket List and why?
5. What is the #1 Non-travel item on your Bucket list and why?
6. Pick one photo with a good story and tell it!
7. How do you find inspiration and get new ideas for your blog?
8. What is your favorite post that you’ve written?
9. What is the Craziest or most Extreme thing you have ever done?
10. What is your favorite and least favorite candy bar?

— Don’t Forget to Pin It! —

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On Monday, June 27th, 2016, I embarked on perhaps one of my greatest adventures of my life. I flew to Europe and made my way to France so that I could fulfill Adventure Activities and Experiences Bucket list item:

#109) Walk the Camino de Santiago from France to Santiago, Espana.

The Camino de Santiago, also known as the Way of St. James, is 490+ mile pilgrimage across Spain. There are multiple routes, but I had decided to join the traditional Camino Frances Route. This route, in general, starts in St Jean-Pied-de-Port on the French side of the Pyrenees. From there, I became a pilgrim or peregrino and began my walk toward Santiago de Compostela in Spain.

Why does one walk the Camino?

The main purpose for the Camino is to make your way to the city of Santiago de Compostela. It is here where it is believed that the remains of the Apostle St. James the Greater are buried. But, people make the pilgrimage for many other reasons. Some use it as a retreat for their spiritual growth. Others walk to discover their past or reveal their future. There are even some people walking in hopes that a miracle. To them, they believe that the Camino may heal them or someone they love. It all kind of sounds like some mystical, religious, self-discovery adventure right out of a C.S. Lewis or Paulo Coehlo novel.

People walk the Camino de Santiago for many reasons. But while you walk, there are some funny but true things & even a few insanities that'll accompany you on this journey. #CaminodeSantiago #CaminoFrances #BuenCamino
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Funny But True Things about the Camino de Santiago

For me, I walked for a mix of it all discovered a lot about myself and my relationship to others. But while you walk on the Camino for days on end, there are also many real-life quirks, funny truths, and even insanities that accompany you on this journey.

Here are some of the funny but true things about the Camino de Santiago I learned along the Way:

1) You will give away the deed to your house back home for a bottom bunk

It doesn’t seem to matter if you are 18 or 80, the idea of climbing up to the top bunk at the end of a hard day of walking is enough to make anyone cry! In most albergues, it is kind of a first come first serve situation, while in others they have an over 40 rule.  However, you will bargain your treasures for the bottom bunk. If you are unfortunate enough to get the top bunk, then you must take care of everything before the climb because you will then enter the contest of “how long can I hold it before I have to climb back down to use the bathroom!”

2) You will politely HATE ALL CYCLISTS!

The first time you see a cyclist struggling to push their bicycles loaded with their saddle bags up a mountain, a sense of pity will encompass you.  Don’t fret, that will only last about 4 hours because then you will pray for them to crash down a mountain.  Why? Because these cyclist will come zipping by you, out of no where, at top speeds nearly clipping your arms and shoving you off the trail as they happily shout, “Buen Camino!” It’s insanity to say the least.  They own a $1,000 bicycle and can’t afford an effing $2.00 bell to warn you!  Stupid Cyclists… “Buen effin Camino!!”

3) By day three everyone qualifies as a registered podiatrist

Feet, feet, feet!  Everyone discusses their feet or the feet of others on the Camino.  Between blisters, bruises, twisted ankles, and lost toe nails every possible subject regarding feet is discussed – by everyone!  The earliest records of visits paid to the shrine dedicated to St. James at Santiago de Compostela date from the 9th century. So, as you walk you will start to wonder what type of space aged leather the pilgrims used for shoes as the Roman roads beat your feet into mush like Ivan Drago beat Apollo Creed’s face in Rocky IV!

Safety Tip: Walking the Camino de Santiago is a relatively safe adventure. But as in any place you travel please use common sense and stay to main areas while exploring. Plus, with any physical activity, please make sure you pay attention to your body. To give you some added security while in Spain, we strongly recommend that you consider getting Travel Insurance from World Nomads.  It is simple and flexible insurance to keep you safe while tackling any bucket list adventure.

4) Everyone has seen The Way, read The Pilgrimage, & owns a Brierly guidebook

You are so excited to start walking in the beginning, especially after seeing THE WAY or reading The Pilgrimage or your Brierly guidebook!  You will ask everyone if they have seen or read them and openly admit that you they are the catalyst to this adventure for you.  I mean why not, they make it seem so wonderful and easy!  But by the first week, you will wonder what map Martin Sheen had because his character was all over the place! On day 2 you will start to create voodoo dolls of John Brierly and wonder if he has ever even walked the Camino because this is way harder than he describes.  With regards to The Pilgrimage by Paulo Coehlo, you will think he must have been tripping out on some serious shrooms as you walk through towns he visited and had his visions yet see nothing that resembles the mystical world!

5) Spain’s metric system is more of a general average rather than an exact science

Perhaps one of the most insane and funny but true things about the Camino de Santiago has to do with math. Spain’s definition of 1 kilometer seems to vary from place to place and sign to sign with a +/- variance of +4 or +10! Wait or was it -22?

But seriously, reading your guidebook or maps will drive you insane as you walk for endless kilometers on end with no similar scale from day to day.  Even legitimate government road signs will vary along the many hours you spend walking toward Santiago, only to find out the next sign added 5 kilometers to the initial sign you read that morning!

6) You will hate energy & water conservation, but only in the bathroom

Spain seems to be doing wonderful work with energy conservation as you see the beautiful horizons lined with windmills.  However, after awhile you are willing to sign any petition that will get the timers off the bathroom lights or the shower water button to last longer than 38 seconds!

7) No one will question that you are following graffiti to your destination

The Camino de Santiago might be the only time in your life where you will deliberately follow crappy yellow spray painted arrows across an entire country and no one will think you are crazy!  I mean imagine if you were back home and you told your parents that you found some spray paint markings under some bridges or on random trees & you wanted to see where they led. They would definitely try to talk you out of it! But on the Camino, you search for them and start get nervous when you don’t see them after awhile!

8) You will carry the Camino with you every day

No this isn’t some sort of deep thought! This is a literal statement.  Of course, you will carry with you, the symbol of a pilgrim, your scallop shell. But also, every time you take off your boots you will pour out pounds of dirt, rocks, and unknown particles!  Suddenly you will feel like Andy from the Shawshank Redemption as he emptied his escape route into the prison yard.

9) You will become a Pyrenees Snob

Well you might become a Pamplona snob, a Burgos snob, a Leon snob, or another location snob to anyone who starts after you! I mean come on, you suffered far harder circumstances and have become an expert on the Camino in the 3 days before they started! Well, everyone can agree that the jerks that start in Sarria will never understand! It’s weird when you realize your contempt for those who start in Sarria as they complete the bare minimum length of the Camino.  Even in John Brierly’s guidebook, he warns to “Beware of signs of irritation at the intrusion on ‘my’ camino…” as new pilgrims enter at Sarria!

10) You will Gain Weight

The Camino de Santiago must be the only event where you will burn 9 million calories a day hiking and come home 15 lbs. heavier! How? Perhaps, it is because the only things to do besides walking is eating & drinking!  Every day you stop for a second and third breakfast before lunch. Then, there is the pilgrim’s menu served everyday for $10 or less where you eat like Arnold getting ready for a Mr. Universe body building competition.  Plus, with 95% of the Camino participating in Siesta, the only thing you have to do in the afternoons is eat and drink wine or ice cold pints of beer!

11) Everyone smiles in the same language

It doesn’t matter where people are from or how good your foreign language skills are, you will be able to talk to anyone – if you want. Don’t get me wrong, you may become an expert at charades by the end of the Camino, but it will be worth all the laughter and memories!

How to walk your own Camino to Santiago de Compostela

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Disclosure: This post, “Funny But True Things About the Camino de Santiago”, may contain affiliate links. Using the links doesn’t cost you any extra, and it helps keep the site free, fun, and community supported! Eric & Darcee will never recommend a product that we don’t genuinely believe in, actually use ourselves, have researched, and trust. Please see the disclosure policy for more information.

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** let me start off by saying that I am writing these diary posts from my cell . So please excuse the format, look, possible grammatical errors, and feel of this presentation for normally I would have a laptop but wanted to disconnect is much as possible while walking the Camino de Santiago

July 29, 2016: Sarria – Gonzar

Today started out stressful. I woke up at 4:30 a.m. to get back into my albergue but to no avail.  That is until one of the girls heard me yelling from the street and let me in finally!

From there we walked in the dark. It was the first time I actually needed my headlamp. Because we couldn’t see anything, the walk started out kind of boring.

Later, James and I met up with an Italian woman named Angy who talked with us a bit.  She was doing the Camino for religious reasons which was kind of refreshing to hear. She told me how at the age of 4 she received a personal blessing from Pope John Paul II and it changed her life.

Then we finally made it to the 100 kilometer marker. I didn’t know how to take this milestone. Most of the markers have been counting down and it’s kind of made me sad. There are two types of people that walk the Camino I guess, those that run to the finish line and those who love the race itself. I guess I’m the latter.

From here, we finally made it to Gonzar which is a rundown village but our albergue was a fun community set up. Everyone was hanging out at the little bar relieving the stress of their walk with friendship, laughter, and wine.

July 30, 2016: Gonzar – Melide

We started out at the butt crack of dawn and left in a cold heavy fog and darkness again. Although we walked through the darkness trying not to get lost, it was kind of fun.

There wasn’t much to see in my opinion accept other newer pilgrims entering the Camino. I keep thinking that if I had done just the minimum Sarria to Santiago which often Americans do, I would never want to come back because it’s kind of boring.

Finally we made it to Melide where we ate Pulpo and hung out with even more Irish people.  Melide is a cool small town what was hopping on the Saturday night as we came across several groups of Bachelor parties running around the streets.

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July 31, 2016: Melide – Salcedo

Today was another long rough day. I can tell it’s hard for everyone due to the fact that our bodies have been worked for 31 days straight, this last section is boring compared to the previous weeks, or perhaps we’re all just realizing that the end is near and it’s tiring us down.

We walked through many little Villages that offered some minor views. One of the nerdy highlights for me where these many shelters called Hórreos.   Essentially they are like little sheds raised up about 4 feet off the ground in people’s yards.  Historically they are used for storing corn in order to keep it dry and away from rodents. However I was told that sometimes pilgrims would sneak into them to sleep at night when they couldn’t find a place to stay. To me they’re very cool looking as they look like Cemetery tombs. Though they don’t seem to be of use anymore, they offer a unique look into the traditions of the farmers of Galicia.

Finally we made it into the small town of Salcedo.  Tonight will be our last family dinner before heading into San Diego tomorrow. The thought of this ending kind of saddens me.

August 1, 2016: Salcedo – Santiago

It was a cold slow-moving morning. I have never liked when a vacation, adventure, or anything fun comes to an end and this was no exception.

So we trudged from town to town in the cold stopping from time to time to eat, rest, or just because.  

One of the highlights is near the end called Monte De Gozo. It’s a monument to St. John Paul II and St. Francis of Assisi that overlooks the city of Santiago.

From there we made our descent into the city. We walked through the suburbs following James which is good since the markings were few and he had been there twice before.

Finally we entered Old Town Santiago. The old town is classic which I love. We would wander through the small streets amid the big crowds making our way to the cathedral. Finally we walked through the city arches into the main plaza before the cathedral. It was weird as I looked around at the random pockets of people and the million emotions that were flooding the streets. Some hugged their loved ones, others cheered, a few cried, and all while I sat in silence just observing.

From here we found our pensione and cleaned up before returning to the square to make our way to the pilgrims office to receive a certificate of completion.

From that point, James and I ran into previous characters from The Walk including Athena, Emily, Marie, Denis, Brian, and many others. It was great to see them all again and in such a happy moods.

That evening, James, Brian, Denis, and I celebrated with lots of beer and laughter as we all relaxed… Damn Irish!!

August 2, 2016: Santiago de Compostela

This morning was kind of a dream. I woke up around 8 a.m. and just kind of laid in bed. It’s kind of weird not getting up and walking. Around 10:30, I packed and went to the cathedral. It’s kind of an old-looking Cathedral inside compared to the others we had visited but it was nice nonetheless. After walking around, I got in line to see the Sepulchre of St. James. You enter from behind the Altar and climb first up to the big statue where I touched it while others hugged it. Then you go down beneath the altar to see the tomb of St. James.  You enter into a small room where you look through iron bars at his tomb.  To be honest, it was kind of anti-climactic for me. I guess I will always remember the walk far more than the destination.

Then I went to the pilgrim mass at noon. We were all there. The mass was nice but the highlight was at the end when they swung the giant incense burner.  As everyone watched it all, I finally felt something…a second of soft happiness.

After mass, I ran back to my pensione to grab my gear. It was time for me to leave. I said goodbye to Susanne and Ayeisha first and then James and Saoirse.  They all meant a lot to me on this walk and it was hard to say goodbye as I hug them. Perhaps I will be lucky enough to meet them again in life but for now, they will all be great characters in my life story.

Now it is time to walk the Camino Finisterre & Muxia.

Don’t forget to Pin this to your Bucket List Board!

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** let me start off by saying that I am writing these diary posts from my cell . So please excuse the format, look, possible grammatical errors, and feel of this presentation for normally I would have a laptop but wanted to disconnect is much as possible while walking the Camino de Santiago

July 22, 2016: St. Martin del Camino – Astorga

Today we we returned to the beautiful walk as we walked with Maya, Amelia, and their SoCal family from town to town and through the farms between them.

Our first highlight was Puente de Orbigo. This is one of the longest and rather beautiful bridges along walk. The story goes that this preachers often used for knights to joust to gain honor or settle disputes and as you walked across you could easily imagine the scene.

The second highlight was La Casa de Los Dioses Cantina.  Basically this guy David was living the hippie life in the middle of the wheat fields offering places to sit and relax while he gave away free fruit juices, fruits and vegetables, and time to enjoy his little playful kittens as they reminded you of what is important in life.  His Cantina was perfect and across was the most beautifully tall wheat.  I walked across into the field and looked up as the blue sky hovered so close I could touch it.

As I walked into Astorga, I realized that this may have been the first day where all of us were joyful and silly together all the once.  It was amazing as silly photos, singing, word games, and lots of laughter filled the days walk.

After arriving, I went to explore.  Astorga is a classic and clean city with a plaza that is full of life. It even has the building designed by Gaudi next to their cathedral. Later we were treated to a great family dinner cooked by the Irish family and then returned to the plaza for ice cream while watching the locals celebrate their Friday night.

July 23, 2016: Astorga – Foncebadon

Last night I froze again!

We left really early again. I think the heat is too much for some people and others seem to be done walking. Everyone always seems shocked when I tell them I would love to do this longer, or I don’t mind the heat, or I’m not home sick at all.

The walk out of Astorga was relatively easy as we drifted in the cool morning. Even the moon refused to leave us as it guided us until noon.

Apparently we passed the area where a few years back a female pilgrim was misled by fake markers, kidnapped, and then murdered.  We walked through this supposed zone quietly.

Now Rabanal was our main stop for lunch.  It’s a beautiful town that made me feel like we entered a small alpine village. Apparently there’s up Benedictine monastery there that accepts pilgrims for a silent 2 night  retreat.  Perhaps next time.

From here we left toward Foncebadon. The climb was hard and reminded me of our first weekend the Pyrenees.  Personally, I loved it.  Sure it was hot and the path was extremely slippery and rocky, but I loved the challenge.

Finally we made it to this small hamlet.  It was basically a small area of several albergues amid ruins of other buildings on the side of the mountain…it was perfect.  This is perhaps the town where Paolo Coelho battles the devil dog in his book The Pilgrimage. We just sat outside enjoying the view of the valley below and the cool breeze.

July 24, 2016: Foncebadon – Ponferrada

The beautiful morning walk!

I awoke in a great mood.  We left and proceeded up the mountain under an amazing sky.  As the sun rose slowly, we witnessed unbelievable colors crossing through the sky.  We were all in awe.

As we continued, we arrived at the famous Cruz de Ferro.  People often leave a stone or a token at the foot of the cross.  I personally just left my thoughts.

It was a hard walk down Alto Altar, but the beautiful scenery, cool weather, and small villages kept us in good spirits along the way.

By around lunchtime we made it to Molinaseca.  The town has a classic old town but what I really thought was cool was how they created a public swimming area in the Rio Meruelo.  We ate lunch and watched pilgrims and locals alike jumping into the crystal clear cold river to cool off or relieve their aches.

Now the walk to Ponferrada was boring, long, and hot along the highway.  We finally made it to St. Nicholas de Flue, an albergue run by Franciscans.  

Ponferrada was also a boring town.  The only highlight was a giant castle built by the Knights Templar but it was closed.

Later I joined up with Fr Jeff and his friend Jared to celebrate his birthday. While celebrating, we met a girl from Dublin named Sinead.  She was eating all alone in nice clothes reading a Camino guidebook while the three of us looked sun beaten, dusty, and run down.  Fr Jeff asked her to join us and she revealed that tomorrow would be her first day walking the Camino and she was so nervous.  It was fun to see her like this as I tried to think about how I was 24 days prior in St. Jean when I started.

July 25, 2016: Ponferrada – Trabadelo

Herman the German Snored!!!

Last night was a horrible night’s sleep!  For the first time in a while, I got a bottom bunk which was great.  However, Herman the German, as we called him, had the top bunk.  He would toss and turn or jump in and out of bed several times for the first two hours.  It felt like an earthquake as he would shake the wobbly metal bunk bed.  Then after he finally settled, the snoring commenced!  He was so loud that everyone in the dorm room heard him.  I think in total I slept for one hour!

Then we left.  The day was hot and long.  Couple that with my lack of sleep led to a cranky morning.

Finally we reached Trabadelo.  There isn’t much to this village but our albergue hosts were great.  They allowed us to use their private pool to cool off and then cooked us a great dinner.  

Later I crashed into my soft bed.

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July 26, 2016: Trabadelo – O’Cebreiro

I woke up refreshed and happy.

The walk was beautiful as we followed the Rio Pereje through many little villages.  They all had unique personality as we moved closer to the Galicia border.

Then the climb came as we went up 700 meters away from the Castille y Leon region and into Galicia.

Finally we made it to O’Cebreiro atop the mountain.  This area has a unique Celtic feel to it.  After checking into the pension, I found a beautiful spot overlooking the valley to sit and smoke a cigar as the cool breeze relaxed me.

For dinner, I joined a group from Denmark and Holland as we discussed the world, travel, and life.  I’m always impressed that so many foreigners can speak English so well and how I struggle to speak minimalistic Spanish.

July 27, 2016: O’Cebreiro – Triacastela

A walk in the Fog!

Today started out with a snafu.  After hiking up the mountain for about 1 kilometer, I realized I had forgotten my cell phone and had to go back.  Luckily, I was feeling great and was able to run back down and then back up fast enough to catch up with everyone.

It was great though as I was able to witness a beautiful sunrise over the massive fog.  We were so high up that some of the other mountain peaks looked like islands floating in the sea of fog.

Soon though, the fog would overtake us.  But it was actually a blessing as it cooled us off during the hard uphills and downhills.

Finally we arrived at Triacastela.  This town is beautiful as it follows along a small river.  Everywhere you hear Galician music and see celtic symbols.  

I did a little exploring and later went to mass at their “Cathedral” de Santiago.  Then, we enjoyed a home cooked dinner as sat in the beautiful yard of our albergue.

July 28, 2016: Triacastela – Sarria

Today we had decided to finally take one of the scenic routes to see an ancient Benedictine monastery.  It would add an extra 6km to our walk but it seemed worth it.  Sadly, it was kind of a let down.  We walked in cool temperatures passed farms but there were no towns to stop in, so it felt like a very long walk. Finally we got to the Monastery.  Walking down towards it was amazing as it looked like a fortress.  It is reported as one of the oldest in all Europe so I was excited to see its history.  But to no avail.  The monastery is pretty much closed off except for the gift shop.  You can take a tour but it was at specific times and only in spanish, so we passed.

From there we took the long “scenic” path back to the main Camino and on to Sarria.  Sarria was a nice town and soon we met up with Fr Jeff, Jared, and Sinead.

Then my disastrous night began. Fr Jeff, Jared, Sinead, and I hadn’t eaten so we left to find food.  The guys wanted burgers buy Sinead and I wanted Pulpo (octopus).  So we went down to restaurant row by the river, ate, and returned.  Sinead went to her pension and I went up to my albergue only to find it locked!!  I hadn’t realized that we had a curfew especially since it was just the Irish family, James, and I in the place.  So I started knocking on the front door and yelling to the second floor where my roommates were.  After an hour, I desperately needed a bathroom, so I went in search of that and a place to stay.  I first checked the pension that Sinead was staying at.  When I walked in looking for the hospitelero, Sinead was there.  I told her that I was locked out and was desperate for a bathroom and she offered to help.  She was a life saver.  

Throughout the Camino, it would amaze me how pilgrims would often help each other out.  No one seemed a stranger on the walk, always looking out for one another.  Though I didn’t sleep due to the stress of the situation, I felt lucky.

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** let me start off by saying that I am writing these diary posts from my cell . So please excuse the format, look, possible grammatical errors, and feel of this presentation for normally I would have a laptop but wanted to disconnect is much as possible while walking the Camino de Santiago.

July 15, 2016: Hontanas – Boadilla

Another long day!

We had as a group decided to leave early to walk another 28 kilometers. Today I realized why the Meseta is so feared and loathed,  though personally I felt that it was okay.

Some of the group was suffering a bit from the heat and even James finally picked up a blister. It was tough on the group as we walked for it seemed like forever with no place to stop and escape the heat.

Now on the Camino, we tend to be hidden from the outside world, but today everyone was talking about the Bastille day tragedy in Nice, France.  One of the younger members of our group seemed to be especially affected by this information and asked me, “why does stuff like this happen?” I don’t envy parents at times like this! I tried to offer some insight but I’m sure by failed miserably as she walked away caring the weight of the world on her shoulders. It slowed my walk that morning!

A couple of the others were struggling as well and needed and escape from the steep climbs and the heat.  I understood their issues but could offer no relief.  The walk can be physically and mentally tough on anyone. After 2 weeks its easy to see why are person would want to stop or even quit and go home.

We finally made it to Boadilla and our Albergue.  Hopefully everyone was able to find relief and recharge their spirits for tomorrow.

July 16, 2016: Boadilla – Carrion de los Condes

Not going to lie, I dislike waking up early! I been spoiled recently waking up whenever I want back home. But the gang wanted to leave by 6 a.m. so I reluctantly woke up.

Though a little cranky, I was happy that we did. As we walked along the Canal de Castilla, I was blessed with that unbelievable sunrise. 

We headed west so the sunrise was behind us but the western sky line was full of beautiful colors as the sun rose behind us.  As we walk to long the canal, old Spaniards lined the banks with long cane poles and baskets as they were crawfishing. A memory of my home in New Orleans.

The rest of the walk was quiet and slow along the “scenic route” of the meseta.  Finally we arrived at Carrion.  Here I met a priest about my age from Canada name Jeffrey. He seemed like a great guy as we hung out for an hour in the plaza smoking cigars and sharing our adventure stories.

July 17, 2016: Carrion – Terradillos de los Templarios

The Meseta is kind of boring which I guess is great for thinking!

James, Greg, and I got started around 8 a.m. after breakfast but soon we walked the path relatively apart at our own paces. After morning prayers, I spent most of my time battling random thoughts with my intentions of the day.

This day in the meseta kind of sucked because it started with 17 kilometers of no break. That means no towns, no food, no nothing, except heat. Being from New Orleans, the heat doesn’t seem to bother me as much but it wears everyone else down both physically and mentally.  At one point James and I met up with Emily and Marie as we chatted about life to break up the monotony of the scenery surrounding us. Finally we made it to our albergue.  This town didn’t offer much, so we hung out playing games in the dining hall and laughing our exhaustion away.

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July 18, 2016: Terradillos – El Burgo Ranero

The day I was kidnapped!

We left early and walked in the coolness along the tree lined paths. The meseta seems to be ending as they were a few more villages along the walk today.

One of the highlights of today was a field of sunflowers that greeted us after an hour or so into the walk.

 Another highlights was crossing the Ermita Virgen del Puente.  On the other side of this bridge was a beautiful gateway arch. It reminded me of the scene in the movie, The Neverending Story, where Atreyu has to be pure of heart to pass between two statues to continue on his quest.  Here between the two arches is the Centro Geographico del Camino or the direct center of the Camino. We made it halfway!

Then, we finally made it to Bercianos where I broke up the band as they say. My Irish family, James, and Greg stayed behind but I continued on for another 7.5 kilometers in order to get closer to a town called Mansilla where I would meet up with my family from Spain the next day.

When I finally arrived at El Burgo, I checked into a municipal albergue that takes donations only in exchange for a bed. One of the older volunteers showed me to my bed. Then she grabbed my shoulder and said now it’s time to play. So I reach for my wallet, and she said, ” I can’t accept cash I meant to give me a hug”. I replied telling her that I was sweating and disgusting but she didn’t care. She said that all pilgrims need a hug sometimes. So I put down my bag and hugged her.  She was right!  I needed that.

After getting cleaned up, I walked across the street or I met up with some other friends I met along the walk, two Italians, two americans, and an old spaniard. We decided to have dinner together and it was a blast. We had the craziest conversations as everyone spoken in their native tongue while we were trying to figure out what each other what was saying. But that didn’t matter because we laughed.

I was told earlier in this walk a very important quote, “Everyone Laughs in the Same Language!”

After dinner our gang returned outside to the patio where we sat, laughed more, and attempted to drink grappa.

Then suddenly my cell phone rang which was weird because I didn’t have service. As I looked at my phone a van pulled up behind me and a bunch of kids jumped out screaming that they were here to kidnap me! Ah Family…I love them!!

In a whirlwind, I left my dinner party, ran with them back to my albergue to collect all my drying clothes, my pack, and boots. Then I hopped in the van with them! It felt a little weird being back in a car but I didn’t care as Francisco and Bea’ drove me around first to see Amando Llorente’s house and then to their farm house.

From there we ate some more and then surrounded by my many little cousins, we sat outside in the cool summer night as we talked about the Camino, my bucket list, adventures, and life.

July 19, 2016: Rest Day – Leon – Mansilla

Though I wasn’t walking, I still woke up early. So I decided to continue my intentions as the kids and family slept.

Around noon, Bea, Javi, Beatriz, Javi’s friend Eric, and I went into the city of Leon to explore the cathedral there. It was absolutely beautiful. This cathedral is famous for it stained glass windows and it definitely lived up to the hype.

Later in the afternoon after taking a tour of the cow farm, Francisco, Eric, and I took a bicycle tour to the town of Mansilla.  This was great because Francisco is a great tour guide and it allowed me to see a stop on the Camino that I would have missed.

Coincidentally we ran into my Irish family at one restaurant who were staying in that town. Francisco got us some unbelievable meats to try and taught me how to drink Sidra in the traditional way which was a fun event in itself.

Later that evening, we returned to the house where we had an unbelievable feast of tapas. Then after dinner we sat outside in the cool night smoking cigars while the triplets shared hilarious stories of their youth.

It was another perfect day with family!

July 20, 2016: Villafale – Leon

I left my family in Villafale with Pili as she dropped me off at Puente Villarente.  I was happier than anything!

It made me a little sad to think that I might not see James or the Irish family again, but I was too happy to let it bother me.  Then out of no where they all walked up on me.

Together, we all walked again into Leon.  After eating burritos for lunch, I hung out with random people while drinking wine and enjoying a cigar. Emily, the girl from Queensland, Australia, joined us.  She leads an interesting life of travel as she told me of all the places she’s been, where she is planning on going, and how she funds it all.  It amazes me how people can make their dreams work in real life.

July 21, 2016: Leon – St. Martin del Camino

Today was an easy walking day.  The weather was beautiful and cool as we walked through the suburbs and industrial areas leaving Leon.

The rest of the walk was average but about mid day we ran into this great family from southern California.

After making it to our albergue, we just hung out.  There wasn’t much to the town.  However we spent the afternoon with the SoCal family playing card games, charades, and just chatting.

Sometimes you just need to have an easy night.

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The post Excerpts from my Camino Diary – Week 3 appeared first on The Bucket List Project.

** let me start off by saying that I am writing these diary posts from my cell . So please excuse the format, look, possible grammatical errors, and feel of this presentation for normally I would have a laptop but wanted to disconnect is much as possible while walking the Camino de Santiago.

July 8, 2016: Viana – Navarrete

I woke up this morning feeling great! My left foot still was really sore and tender but a little better and the lighter bag had Lifted my spirits also!

The girls and Greg left early and James seem to be in a rush, so after we passed Greg, James went after Susanne and her daughters while I walked alone which was good for me. The morning weather was cool. It wasn’t great scenery at all & I often felt a little unsure of where I was going because the markings today were very few or difficult to find. However that had no effect on my joy!

We entered the Rioja region which is famous for its wine which made sense as I witnessed countless rows of grapes everywhere as far as the eye could see.

Finally I made it to Longrono, a big city, where I had caught up with James and the Irish family for my first meal. The city is nice but once past the old town you start entering through the suburbs and then across a gigantic City Park.

As I was walking out of town, I had a fun conversation with my horrible broken Spanish with a local Spaniard woman for about 8 blocks.  When I initially met her, I noticed a cast from her shoulder to her wrist and tried to make some horrible Spanish joke about her karate. She immediately smiled and demanded taking me for a tour of the Camino as she headed to work.  

After a long walk out of town, we finally made it to the small town of Navarrete which has a beautiful church. Here we rested the entire afternoon.

In reality it was nothing special about the walk today but for me it was a happy day!

July 9, 2016: Navarrete – Najera

Leaving Navarrete was ok.  We started in the plaza for a quick bite and coffee while some locals are obviously still out from partying the night before!

For a while James and I walked to the vast countryside. However soon we met up with two new Irish characters: Denis & Brian.  (The Damned Irish are everywhere on the Camino). But I enjoyed their company and their stories as they entertained us the entire time until we arrived in Najera.

The town is very nice and after leaving Denis and Brian, we checked into our Albergue where we met up with the Irish family.

There is a beautiful river that goes through this town.  So, I found a bench beneath a tree along the river and enjoy one of my Cuban cigars as I watched the world go by.

July 10, 2016: Najera – Santo Domingo

Last night’s sleep was extremely rough for me. Between the heat of the night and the locals leaving the bars and discos from around the corner to head home, I hardly got a wink. But I woke up very happy and physically feeling even better than ever.

James and I walked through this extremely boring walk together. It was weird because the Camino was pretty busy today as all the pilgrims were racing to their destination before the heat overtook them.

There was nothing special or visually pretty going on this part of the Walk. Go figure it would be just my luck! I struggled a lot of the beautiful sections of the Pyrenees due to the pain in my legs and feet and now that I’m strong and full of energy, nothing to see!

I think a lot of us we’re starting to get a little weary of the walk. So we decided to bypass the albergues and upgrade to a pension. A pension is more like a dorm room with less beds and a private bathroom.  But it was nice and much appreciated.

The town of Santo Domingo is beautiful. We walked briefly around the old town & explored the beautiful cathedral there. Later we sat for dinner at a street café as I smoked a phenomenal Montecristo Cuban cigar & we all sat watching the world pass us by. It was a great evening!

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July 11, 2016: Santo Domingo – Beldorado

The Irish family left early while James and I left Santo Domingo at our regular 7 a.m. time. There wasn’t much to this walk as we passed countless wheat fields leaving the Rioja region and entering the region of Castilla y Leon.

For the first time the Camino was kind of ho hum to me.  But that was fine as we entered the town of Beldorado at a really early time.

Susanne and her daughters had gotten in earlier and booked us into a great albergue that had a pool and a great dining hall.  It was weird because usually I feel bad about not spending time exploring the towns we visit. But this time we all hung out and relaxed with beers and sangria and just decompressed.

July 12, 2016: Beldorado – Ages

The cold Drizzle day!

Today we needed to walk 30 kilometers, so we left really early. It was a cold day that drizzled on us off and on till 2 p.m…but that didn’t ruin my spirits!

The landscape of today’s route changed some which also kept me happy. One of the unique things is that there are several non religious monuments along Camino in this region. These monuments would share with us information about Spain’s tough Civil War or other battles from their history!

Later we stopped at San Juan Ortega and visited the monastery and church where the famous saint of the pilgrims himself is buried.

However James had walked this one section before and recommended that we continue on to a town called Ages.

It was a great plan and mother nature agreed as the sun came out. Ages is a small town with not much to it .  However, the church totally amazed me.  From the giant stork nest atop the steeple, to it’s history, to it’s quiet cold inside, Saint Eulalia church stopped me for a bit!

After visiting the church, we relaxed in the sun before dinner. Now dinner was a treat, because our hospitelero and his wife cooked us a fabulous dinner made to order. There’s no way to lose weight on the Camino with unbelievable food like this!

July 13, 2016: Ages – Burgos
A long walk in the park!

Today started out really cold but it was a beautiful walk up the sheep path to Alto Cruciero. These hard walks uphill are becoming easier for me though my feet are still a little tender.

I started my walk with Athena, a slightly older woman from Washington DC who has lived a very colorful life of adventure around the world.

I then caught up with James and Susanne as we continue down the mountain into Burgos. It’s nice to stop from time to time at these little towns for tortilla and Cafe Con Leche. Perhaps I shouldn’t stop every five kilometers but it’s so addictive!

From Castaneres, we decided to walk through the park. According to our book it was the scenic route and a welcome relief. We would walk past countless old men strolling around while children would play by the riverside. However this park is enormous and it felt like we were walking forever.

Finally, after a million kilometers, we came into the city of Burgos.  I had never heard of the city of Burgos before but it was great. Apparently Burgos is the city of El Cid! There is a massive Cathedral de Santa Maria in the center as the city sprawls in each direction around it.  We checked into our albergue and then searched for food….Kebobs!  It seemed weird to me not to eat menu de peregrino, tapas, pintxos, or Spanish food, but it was great.

Afterwards, James, Greg, Emelia, and myself took a tour of the city on a fun little tourist train! I’m not exactly sure what we saw, but the train was so relaxing that several of us dozed off.

Then I went to my first mass on the Camino. Now many of the town’s previously visited had offered a pilgrim mass but I didn’t go for various reasons. I guess I feel that my walk is my mass. But we all went as a group and it was very nice.

Tomorrow the Meseta!!!

July 14, 2016: Burgos – Hontanas

Welcome to the Meseta!

The walk out of Burgos was nice but a little cold. I had a horrible night freezing to death and was happy to leave even at 6 a.m.! But today was going to be another long walk, over 30 kilometers exclamation point

Now the meseta is a vast area along the way with very limited trees, towns, or any type of scenery. However to me it has its own type of beauty and I felt that the cold weather was a blessing. For Americans, the best way I can describe it, is that the Meseta is like walking across Nebraska. There’s just countless fields of wheat as far as the eye can see.

Finally we arrived at our Albergue in Hontanas.  This town and Albergue were a great find!  For about seven euros we felt like royalty. The Irish family went to the public pool while James and I sat around a beautiful courtyard beneath the church of Santa Brigida. Later I would take some time to explore this beautiful and simple Church.

Now the highlight for me of this night was our Pilgrim dinner as I ate family style with other pilgrims from Italy, Germany, Ireland, and Spain. The food was phenomenal as it was cooked fresh in the kitchen by our hospitelero. They started out with the traditional pilgrim’s garlic soup and another pot filled with lentils. Then I was served salmon over vegetables followed with rice pudding for dessert. We all went to bed with happy full bellies!

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The post Excerpts from my Camino Diary – Week 2 appeared first on The Bucket List Project.

** let me start off by saying that I am writing these diary posts from my cell . So please excuse the format, look, possible grammatical errors, and feel of this presentation for normally I would have a laptop but wanted to disconnect is much as possible while walking the Camino de Santiago.

Week 1: A hard lesson in humility!

July 1, 2016

What a physically rough day. They warn that this day is by far the hardest, but come on isn’t that what they tell tourist? No its 100% true.

I started the morning at the gate of St Jean Pied de port where I found a bench to started my novena and prayed. The weather at 7 a.m. was perfect as I made my way out of town. Throughout the walk you would see many eager pilgrims all wishing each other “Buen Camino”!

But as you leave the city limits you realize why they warn you of the difficulty. See the walk to Roncesvalles is only 25 km or for Americans about 16 miles but in that 16 miles you almost entirely walk up hill ultimately reaching a height of 1450 meters or 4757 feet!

Throughout the first 3 hours, I essentially walked alone amid the crowd. It was pleasant and peaceful as I reflected on my special intentions of the day. They were also beautiful French farms and fields lined with sheep, horses, and cattle. Oddly enough the roads were scattered with enormous black slugs easily 6 inches long or bigger.

Around Orisson, I began walking with a older gentleman who had just left Greenland and was returning to home country of Denmark. He was a bit sad because his 18 year old son didn’t want to leave his girlfriend at home to walk with his father on this walk.

Some time later we met up with 3 others: Lucca from Italy, Max from Germany, and Zack from Sacramento California.  We would all walk and talk and tell our stories while struggling to make it to the peak of Col de Lepoeder.

From that point we thought the hard part was over. Boy were we wrong! The downhill was even worse. The constant hammering on our hips, quads, knees, and shins was brutal. It felt never ending until suddenly we crossed the bridge into our town. Hopefully the cool fog will lift and possibly the rain will be over tomorrow.

July 2, 2016: Roncesvalles – Zubiri

Today almost killed me!

I was so sore from yesterday that I walked very slowly all day (about 2 miles an hour in fact). It was a downhill nightmare on my legs.

I started my morning with the morning prayers and intentions and left in the cold mist alone. It was quiet and beautiful as I pondered millions of thoughts. There wasn’t much to the walk except the difficulty and by 2/3rds I way, I was dying physically.

By 2 p.m. I had made it into Zubiri. It’s a beautiful town and I debated on plowing through to another 5 km to the next town. My legs burned and after talking with other pilgrims, I had decided to stay which was great because we sat and rested at a local bar drinking, smoking, and eating a great Peregrino dinner while relaxing. Tomorrow to Pamplona!

July 3, 2016: Zubiri – Pamplona

It was in Irish kind of day!

James, a friend I met in Zubiri, who is from Ireland and I both left around 7 a.m. At first I stayed with him, but soon he jetted off and I lagged behind. However it didn’t phase me because the day was beautiful as I struggled along the beautiful countryside.
For a while I walk with this young Canadian couple along the Arga River. Then I arrived at Cafe Parada, where James sat with others including this Irish mother Suzanne and her 2 daughters. From that point we all decided to walk together into Pamplona.

The second half the day, though still hard, was fun as the 2 young daughters entertained us with their questions, songs, and stories.  I learned that there is an actual Irish language that is still taught in schools and used in many of the towns. Not some dead language but alive like our Cajun French in Louisiana.

One of the highlights was we had decided to take a detour to an old convent still owned and run by the daughters of Sacred Heart (okay only run by 4 nuns but still). We visited with one of the sisters who laughed at my Spanish and showed us around the beautiful church. We were allowed to climb into the bell tower and ring the bell for good luck. Though we didn’t stay there the convent is also still use as a hostel to feed and house pilgrims for a donation. It was tempting to stay but we decided to head on for Pamplona.

We made our way into Pamplona. The city here was alive and noisy as it prepared for the commencement of San Fermin. We walked around a bit as I sat amid the noise of the plaza next to the famous Cafe Iruna, a favorite of Ernest Hemingway.

Today was a great day!

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July 4, 2016: Pamplona – Puenta De La Reina 

Leaving the city was good. We left fresh and happy making our way to the concrete jungle of Pamplona but this would become our longest day. Susanne is a lovely woman and it amazes me how old she is because she’s always smiling, happy, and positive. Though it is evident that she is a mother as she worries for her this health and safety of her daughters.

Walking the long hot fields to Cizur Menor seemed easy but the heat really slowed us down. This made us search for escape which in turn prolonged our daily battle of walking in the heat. Plus Ayisha, the eldest daughter was struggling physically. Hell we all were beaten and bruised but she seemed worse for wear around her knees.

Then we climbed! It seemed a slow gradual climb but in our condition seemed very hard. However you never can stop and soon we reached the top of Alto de Perdon where we witnessed the famous iron silhouettes of pilgrims as we rested beneath the windmills.

At this point some of our group decided to give up their packs as James and I continued down the valley with our gear toward Puente de la Reina. It was a very long walk down the Mountain. A very  long walk!

I did get a chance to stop at a small town called Obanos, where I got to see the skull of St William encased in silver.

It’s amazing how you find yourself missing out on so much. Much like life I suppose. As you walk down the steep hills of these horrible broken ancient Roman roads, you keep your head down staring at your feet so you don’t fall. It kind of sucks!

Usually we end each day around 2 or 3 p.m. but today we crawled into town around 6 p.m. When we found our albergue, we immediately jumped into the pool and later celebrated surviving with a lot of wine. I never slept so good!

July 5, 2016: Puente de la Reina – Estella

My morning with Greg!

James and I left at our typical 7 a.m. time, while the girls and Greg and Australian man who had joined us, had left out earlier.

However, by the town of Manenu, we had caught up with Greg and he was struggling with many blisters on his feet. So I decided to walk with him for a while as James continued forward to catch the girls. It was great hearing Greg’s story.

Greg is a principal from Perth Australia, who was essentially forced to take a 7 month holiday due to some Australian laws since he hadn’t taken is mandatory Holiday in several years.

However a short while later we had caught James who is with Emelia, a young girl from Denmark who reminds me a lot of my precious cousin Graziella.  It was fun as we passed through the infamously evil town of Cirauqui.

Then by the town Lorca, we had caught up with our Irish family and powered through the last 8 to 9 kilometers to Estella.

Estella is a beautiful town along the river with a castle on a hill. It’s a decent sized town but felt small which was nice. Susanne had also found us a place to stay at the Albergue Anfas which was awesome because it was only 7 euros but also it is run by mentally challenged individuals who took special care of us.

July 6, 2016: Estella – Los Arcos

Today was hot! James, Greg, & I left after my morning prayers as the girls had left and hour earlier.

The walk started out nice into Irache where we got to drink from the famous wine fountain.

But then it just became a very long hot walk through the open farmland without a shade! Sadly Greg fell behind again but we did find the young Canadian couple, Nick & Kelly, again and walked with them for a bit.  James also met up with another northern Irish man named John Greene who joined us.

July 7, 2016: Los Arcos – Viana 

Last night was a rough night of sleep for all of us, plus when I woke up my left foot felt bruised, sore, and was super swollen. It was painful all day.

Luckily the Irish girls and their mother had convinced us all to break up the next two days according to the guide book into three days.

So we started out leaving Los Arcos on the long walk to Sansol about 7km away. I personally like starting out at 7 a.m. and walking for a while before having a breakfast break. I tend to feel more energetic that way. The past few mornings I’ve been drinking cafe con leche which is odd for me since I rarely drink coffee but when in Spain do as the Spaniards do I guess.

From Sansol, we walked to Torres del Rio where I saw Iglesia de Santo Sepulcro, a chapel made for and connected to the Knights Templar.  It was beautiful in its simplicity.

From that point I caught up with James who walks a little bit faster than I and we hobbled into the town of Viana.

At first this town looked like a dirty and depressing industrial town, but as we got closer to the old town you could see its charm.

Susanne saved me again! She had found a real post office and I had decided that one week of walking the Camino was more than enough time carrying this massive weight that I was carrying. So I decided to ditch some clothes, my cold weather sleeping bag, and some other stuff. Although it was expensive, hopefully it saves my feet from the 4.25 kilos or 9.5lbs weighing me down!

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The post Excerpts from my Camino Diary – Week 1 appeared first on The Bucket List Project.

The scallop shell (in Spanish: concha de Vieira) has, over the past centuries become the recognized official symbol of the famed Camino de Santiago.  It can be seen throughout the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela.  Sometimes it is engraved on posts, sometimes painted on signs, and through some of the more populated areas, as part of their official street signs or emblazed into the road.  This has been done throughout most of the Camino in order to guide pilgrims along the way.

Not only is the scallop a guide throughout the journey, but it has also become a symbol of the Pilgrim themselves.  Often the pilgrims (peregrinos in Spanish) will obtain a scallop shell at the beginning of their walk.  They then sew it to their clothing or pack or wear it around their neck to identify them as a pilgrim – to locals and tourist alike.

But why the Scallop Shell?

One of the biggest reasons perhaps is the fact that scallop shells can be found on the shores in Galicia, near the end of the walk. Maybe pilgrims were looking for a souvenir to take home with them to commemorate their walk or even to prove to others the success of the walk from areas like France or Belgium.

Even though it may have started as a token of remembrance to the pilgrim, over the centuries the scallop shell has taken on symbolic meaning in relation to St. James the Greater (who is the main inspiration for those on pilgrimage through the Camino de Santiago) and his death.

There are two versions of the myth surrounding the origin of the symbol of the scallop with regards to the death of Saint James, who was martyred by beheading in Jerusalem in 44 AD.

Version 1: After James’ death, his disciples shipped his body to the Iberian Peninsula to be buried in what is now Santiago. Off the coast of Spain a heavy storm hit the ship, and the body was lost to the ocean. After some time, however, the body washed ashore undamaged, covered in scallops.

Version 2: After James’ death his body was mysteriously transported by a ship with no crew back to the Iberian Peninsula to be buried in what is now Santiago. As James’ ship approached land, a wedding was taking place on the shore. The young groom was on horseback, and upon seeing the ship approach, his horse spooked, and the horse and rider plunged into the sea. Through miraculous intervention, both emerged from the water alive, covered in scallop shells.

For those non-religious pilgrims (an oxymoron if you will) as well as the religious, the scallop also has come to be a metaphor for the actual map of routes itself.  Imagine (in the photo to the right), that the grooves in the shell, which meet at a single point, represent the various routes pilgrims traveled, eventually arriving at a single destination: the tomb of the Apostle, Saint James the Greater in Santiago de Compostela.

Will I be carrying this symbol of the Camino?

Of Course.

About a month ago, I was contemplating how to get my scallop shell, I knew that I didn’t want to buy it at the beginning of the walk like a tourist because this isn’t your typical tourist vacation.  I wanted it to be as authentic as possible.  As I was deciding where I was going to go snorkeling in Florida, a sudden memory flooded me of my late Grandmother, Armen Gamble (aka Grandmom).

I'm Learning why Pilgrims carry a Scallop Shell on the Camino De Santiago! #Camino #CaminoDeSantiago
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See, although I loved my Grandmom, her life and story remain somewhat a mystery to me.  We often related more to our maternal side of the family growing up due to the quantity of children that were our age that were around to play with.  However, despite my lack of intimate knowledge, I suddenly remembered how she collected shells and proceeded to contact my cousin and Aunt – sure enough they had one perfectly preserved scallop shell left that belonged to my Grandmom.  It had been wrapped in tissue paper and tucked away in my Aunt’s drawers.

When I asked why my Grandmom collected shells at all, she said, “Grandmom was born in Atlantic City, NJ and lived one block from the beach on Ventor Ave. this is where and when she was the happiest. When the Great Depression came, the family moved to Washington DC. She was about 10 years old and it was a very big change. They were extremely poor and living conditions were difficult – bed bugs etc. but when they could, they made their trip to the “shore” to have a vacation – to refresh their spirit. My mom knew how to budget and stretch a dollar and support 2 kids on her meager income which included sending us to Catholic School, piano lessons and scouting. She always took us to the beach one week out of the year. She went to the beach to renew her spirit – she was so happy there. She just loved the ocean so much – it was just fun to see what “treasures” we could find.”

So with my symbol, a gift from my Grandmom, I hope that the Camino will also renew my Spirit!

How to walk your own Camino to Santiago de Compostela

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A pilgrimage is when a traveler, typically on foot, journeys to a holy place of special significance, usually to a particular religious belief.  As they walk to this church, shrine, or location of importance, the pilgrim will often find that the route in itself becomes a form of spiritual path or retreat for their spiritual growth.

So, where does the 490 mile walk of the Camino de Santiago take a pilgrim?  What shrine or location of importance is found through this experience?  Does the pilgrim have to pray and to whom?

The answer is found in the name of the actual Camino de Santiago de Compostela.  Santiago which translated from Spanish to English is Saint James.  He is the patron saint of Spain.  But who is he?

James, son of Zebedee (died 44 AD) was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus. He was a son of Zebedee and Salome, and brother of John the Apostle.  Often, he was known as James the Greater because there was another younger apostle named James, son of Alphaeus (aka: James the Lesser).  According to the Gospels of Mark 3: 17, James and his brother John were given the nickname Boanerges, which means “Sons of Thunder” by Jesus.  In the Gospel of Luke 9: 51-56, the two brothers showed their fiery temperament as they called down fire from heaven to destroy a village which had refused them hospitality.  Also, James was one of only three apostles whom Jesus selected to bear witness to his Transfiguration. (The Transfiguration is when Jesus became radiant in glory upon a mount as he met with Moses and Elijah.)

So, how does one of Jesus’ Apostles become the patron saint of Spain and the focus of an entire pilgrimage across the northern part of the country?

Well according to legends, post-resurrection of Jesus, St. James preached the gospel in Iberia as well as in the Holy Land.  The Virgin Mary appeared to James on the bank of the Ebro River at Caesaraugusta, while he was preaching the Gospel in Iberia. She appeared upon a pillar, Nuestra Señora del Pilar, and that pillar is conserved and venerated within the present Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar, in Zaragoza, Spain. Following that apparition, St. James returned to Judea, where he was beheaded by King Herod Agrippa I in the year 44.

St. James’ remains were then supposedly carried by boat from Jerusalem to northern Spain, where he was buried on what is now the city of Santiago de Compostela.  In one story, after James’s death, his disciples shipped his body to the Iberian Peninsula to be buried in what is now Santiago. Off the coast of Spain, a heavy storm hit the ship, and the body was lost to the ocean. After some time, however, it washed ashore undamaged, covered in scallops.  This lead to the symbol of the Camino de Santiago, the scallop shell.  St. James’ feast day is now celebrated in Santiago de Compostela on July 25.

So with this history of the Apostle James the Greater attached to the Camino, does this mean I will have to pray while walking?

If you were walking a pilgrimage like the Camino de Santiago, do you feel like you should pray?
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I will try.  In the past few years, though I consider myself a Catholic, I have become tired.  I don’t reject Catholicism, however I seem to look elsewhere for God rather than in his physical “house.”  Therefore, I have been lazy and at times purposeful, about not attending mass or praying.  With this said, the Camino de Santiago (aka The Way of St. James) is largely considered to be a spiritual event, among other things.  Therefore, I have decided to commit a portion of my daily activity to prayer while walking The Camino.  With this commitment, I have chosen to do a Novena to the Apostle St. James and ask for his intercession.  A novena is a series of prayers that are said for nine straight days, usually as a prayer of petition, but sometimes as a prayer of thanksgiving.

My hope is this will help to renew my faith and spirituality.  So starting on July 1, 2016, each day for 9 days straight, my goal will be to open my Novena, focus on my personal intentions of that day, focus on the intentions of another, pray the novena for both our intentions, and then walk in reflection of that daily prayer and intentions of the day.  After the first 9 days, I will then take one day off before I begin the Novena again.  This cycle, (9 days of prayer with 1 day off) will be repeated a third time so that each my 30 days of walking will be filled with prayer.

Will this actually happen? Only time will tell.  But I hope so and with your help I think I can add prayer to this pilgrimage.  So with that said, I am asking for 2 things from each of my readers.  1) Please Pray for me on this pilgrimage!  Not only for me to physically finish but to be spiritually present. 2) I need 27 intentions.  Please contact me with your intention.  It can be for you, your family, or anything weighing on you.  This intention can be asking for help or perhaps thanking God for recent Blessings.

You can get your intentions to me in several ways:  You can leave a comment on this article below, you can leave a comment for me on Facebook by Clicking Here, you can email be from my Facebook page, or for those who personally know me call, text, or email me personally.

Obviously, I would love 27 different people with intentions but I will happily take them from anyone who wants to give them.  They of course will be private if you want.  Just send them as soon as possible.  As I receive them, I will write them in my private Camino notebook that will be travelling with me.  I will also reply with the date, that I will pray for  your intention, so you can join me on that day in prayer if you wish.

Buen Camino!

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The post To Walk and Pray appeared first on The Bucket List Project.

For the last several months, I have often been asked, “Where is your next adventure?”  My reply has been, “I am going on Pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago!”

This is then always followed up with, “Why are you going on Pilgrimage? Are you a Pilgrim?”

My Answer: “Am I a Pilgrim?  I don’t know!”  “Why am I walking the Camino? I am not sure.”

According to Wikipedia a pilgrim (from the Latin peregrinus) “is a traveler (literally one who has come from afar) who is on a journey to a holy place. Typically, this is a physical journey (often on foot) to some place of special significance to the adherent of a particular religious belief system.  Typically, it is a journey to a shrine or other location of importance to a person’s beliefs and faith, although sometimes it can be a metaphorical journey into someone’s own beliefs.”

On Monday, June 27th, 2016, I will be embarking on a perhaps one of my greatest adventures, a pilgrimage if you will. This is to fulfill Bucketlist item #109) Walk the Camino de Santiago from France to Santiago, Espana.

The Camino de Santiago, often called the Way of St. James has several routes of different lengths.  The traditional and most common route, known as the Camino Frances, is a 490 mile walk from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port on the French side of the Pyrenees to Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, Spain where it is believed that the remains of the Apostle St. James the Greater are buried.

Many take up this route for many reasons: as a form of spiritual path, retreat for their spiritual growth, to discover their past or reveal their future, or in hopes that a miracle touch them or someone they love, and many other reasons.  It is not a hard hike like those who have backpacked the Appalachian trail nor is it a seemingly impossible climb like reaching the peak of Mt. Everest.  However, it is a test of physical, mental, and spiritual perseverance and overall will.

Walking the Camino de Santiago is definitely on my Bucket List! #Bucketlist #CaminoDeSantiago
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So why on earth am I going to take on a 490 mile pilgrimage that will require me to walk for 30+ days?  Am I looking for a miracle?  Do I need some sort of revelation?  Have I lost God?

I guess there is a little bit of “Yes” in answer to all of those deep questions, but I also keep coming back to quote by J.R.R. Tolkien:

“Not all those who wander are lost,” a line from the poem All that is gold does not glitter,

written by J. R. R. Tolkien for The Lord of the Rings.

It was a line that Tolkien wrote twice. Tolkien first wrote in reference to Aragorn who seemed to wander, but his journeys were always to a purpose.  The second time he uses it, is repeated by Bilbo at the Council of Elrond. He whispers to Frodo that he wrote it many years before, when Aragorn first revealed who he was.

In recent years, I have found a purpose, my Bucket List Project.  It has offered me an outline of many things – opportunities, adventures, and discoveries that are hopefully leading me down the path of a good life.  The world seems a very large place and I can’t believe that I am meant to only live it in one tiny section for my small period of existence only to have it end with no experiences, no education, no adventures, or no self revelation of purpose.  But where do I start?  Where do I find these lessons?  How do I experience these adventures that will help me learn who I am?  For me, the answer has become my Bucket List Project.

Though I am walking the Camino de Santiago to fulfill my bucket list, I am really walking it to find out more about myself.  Will I discover anything at all?  Only time and about 490+ miles will tell.  I hope that each of you will follow along as I walk this path and join me in perhaps my greatest adventure to date. Perhaps this will become a wonderful chapter in the life of my Bucket List Project.

Have you ever gone on the Camino de Santiago or any other pilgrimage before?  Perhaps you have just been on a local retreat?  What have you discovered about yourself or the world?  Please let me know in the comments below so that I can use your comments as points to ponder on my walk.

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The post the Camino de Santiago appeared first on The Bucket List Project.

I think I need to take a little walk!

Every year around mid January, I sit around and contemplate about what I want to accomplish in the coming year, especially with the Bucket List Project.  I compare what I have been wanting to do versus what is going on in my life.  Then I make out a very raw outline (as seen at My Hopes & Goals of 2016) and share it with everyone.  Personally, I love it when I finally “figure it out” cause it then allows me to start dreaming of the great adventures I am going to take on or the projects I want to accomplish.  Plus I am a list-maker by nature and this allows my scatter brained mind to maintain some sort of focus.

But with life, things are subject to change.  With me, things change can be for millions of reasons but usually its because my heart sees an opportunity and overtakes my brain.

Originally, my Summer 2016 plans were as follows:

June

• #188) See the Synchronous Fireflies in Elkmont, Tennessee
• #5) See my 6 Pack Abs

July

• Do one of my MAKE AMENDS Items hopefully!

August

• #54) Go to a Summer Olympics
• #124) Travel to Rio De Janeiro, Brazil
• #185) Visit and Stay with 3 Different Friends who live in Foreign Countries so that I can Reconnect with Old Friends & See that Country through Local Eyes (My Brazilian Friends I met in 2012)

Seemed like a great set of Summer Adventures, but I have decided after much contemplation that I don’t want my first trip to Brazil to be in the insanity of the Olympics and I am missing the fireflies as I type this post.

So what are my new plans???

Well Here goes:

June

• On June 27th I will fly the red eye to Boston & then on to Philly where I will spend a 12 hour layover exploring Independence Hall hopefully
• June 28th – June 29th: Fly from Philadelphia, PA to Lisbon, Portugal
• June 29th – June 30th: ride the overnight train from Lisbon, Portugal to Biarritz, France and then onto St. Jean Pied de Port, France.

July

• July 1st – ????: #109) Walk the Camino de Santiago from France to Santiago, Espana (I will be walking the entire 490 miles of the  Camino Frances and then possibly the additional 50 miles to the coastal area of Finisterre, Espana)
• July???: #185) Visit and Stay with 3 Different Friends who live in Foreign Countries so that I can Reconnect with Old Friends & See that Country through Local Eyes (My Family in Leon, Espana while I am Hiking the Camino)

August

• August??: Figure out how to get from Finisterre, Spain and get to and explore Porto &/or Lisbon Portugal where I will complete – #153) Drink Port Wine in Portugal
• August 10th: Fly from Lisbon Portugal back to Boston
• August 11th: Go with my two Yankee loving cousins (I am a RED SOX FAN!!) &  complete – #55) Return to Fenway Baseball Park to See the Red Sox Play the Yankees

So these are my new updated plans.  Look for new blog articles before I go.  I will be discussing the Camino de Santiago, why I am doing this 490+ mile walk, and some other great insights before I go!

Have big summer plans this summer?  Please let me know in the comments below!  I love to hear about other adventures of all kinds!

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