Recently I picked up a copy of the book Wild by Cheryl Strayed in my local little free library and started re-reading the story of her epic hike along the Pacific Crest Trail. I thought these adventures would be exactly what I needed to get my mind off confinement, but instead I find myself getting increasingly itchy feet. As I sat down to write this, I realised that four years ago at this exact time of year I was hiking along the Camino del Norte. No wonder I’m doubly craving that incredible feeling of freedom.
I find myself fantasising about getting up at the break of dawn to pull on the same clothes as the day before, with no other plan than to put one foot in front of the other and follow the yellow arrows, open to whatever the day will bring.
The Camino is nowhere near as difficult or wild as the Pacific Crest Trail, but I recognise that feeling of intense relief when putting down your backpack that Cheryl mentions and those descriptions of gobbling down all the food you can get because you are so hungry after a day of hiking. I will never forget how every apple tasted delicious, every tortilla sandwich was utter heaven:)
I loved being alone with my thoughts for hours, hearing just my feet crunching on the path and seeing the landscape evolving with every new kilometer covered. The quiet of the moments of solitude overlooking beautiful landscapes were incredible, as well as the fun times shared with other pilgrims of all walks of life met along the way. I think I may need to plan another long hike when it’s possible to travel safely again.
Cultivating joy 