Walking It Out

When the kids were in their later teen years and well involved in everything, we looked to have a bit more time with them to simply hang out. Caitlin decided that we should join her to watch Grey's Anatomy on Thursday evenings. I recall that during the program whenever there was a crisis that had settled and everyone wanted to feel better they just "danced it out". Seems simple enough. Last night I found myself having a fretful sleep after having dealt with something that has been on the back burner for a time and finally came to a boil the last couple of days. Somewhere in the night I decided that I'd head out the door early without a plan and just see what developed. I hadn't planned to walk before departing for Spain this Thursday as our Camino amigos, Neil from Canberra and Ken & Christine from Regina, had just departed following numerous walks together. 

This photo was taken after Ken presented Neil (2nd from right) with a Canadian Tilley hat, thus making him an honorary Canadian. Sarah, we decided that you will have to venture north in order to be bestowed with a similar honour! 

As I said, we walked and walked! Ken has done an excellent job of reviewing our many kilometres in his own walking blog, so I'll just tuck in a few photos.

Of course, there had to be a photo of the Tres Amigos who are looking a little like a dull grey Three Muskateers! We are hoping to reconvene in Valencia, Spain in the spring of 2018 to walk the remote 1,300 km Camino Levante coast to coast. We will be tossing a coin to see who gets to be which Muskateer!

As I said, I'd been feeling well prepared when our Camino buddies departed and had decided to essentially curtail walking until arriving in Spain. Annemarie had arranged to walk with Rob today as he completed his preparations, and they walked much of the Esker Walk that I recently blogged, and did very well. Apparently Rob made some sort of comment that Geoff never stops for lunch on a training walk. Ha, he should read my last post...photo evidence!!

So, I headed out early this morning and found my way heading towards the water. I was a little tired of walking trails, roads and climbing closed in forest trails, and walking along the water is usually fresh on a hot day and wide open. 

It felt really strange heading out the door without my pack and poles and I almost went back for them, but today it wasn't that type of walk. This walk was to clear my mind and to prepare myself to head off in just 5 days to walk Camino (Spain) and Caminho (Portugal). A beautiful morning and I eventually decided to continue on all the way round the coastline until I arrived downtown (that would be the CBD to our Aussie friends!). 

I could have stopped to play chopsticks!?

Or perhaps enjoyed a cup of tea with these two?

But I had a purpose today, and so I walked on as the thermometer slowly climbed.

Across the cliff tops...

and out to the end of the breakwater where I made a point of finding a bench plaque that had so entertained Christine last week. Great advice! My father would like this.

Then it was into the harbour area where I found all sorts of touristy things happening as the Blackball Ferry departed for America.

There were dragon boat racers waiting for the harbour to clear...

but first the dance of the water taxis had to finish.

They were sailing along with different dance formations just like the RCMP Musical Ride with music blaring across the harbour!

I walked on to a well known bookstore to see if they still carried a certain discontinued Camino map book for my friend Ken, but alas they were all out and I'm afraid getting a copy is now very difficult.  Sorry Ken. I headed for home where I washed all my Camino clothes and hung them outside to dry. Still a few things to do before Rob and I depart early Thursday morning and some special guests arriving Monday from the Netherlands. However, today's walk did for me what it always does. I'm feeling ready to go again having "walked it out". 

Next report from Leon, Spain!!!