In November 2016, on a whim, I checked airfare to Europe. There was a crazy sale with prices lower then I'd seen in a decade. How could I resist? So, I'm off again, this time accompanied by my sister-in-law, Tere. We'll be leaving Mexico on 6 June 2017, then fly out of Los Angeles on Sunday, 7 May and return home six weeks later on 18 June 2017.
The plan is to walk the Frances route. I've been thinking that I needed to give it a second chance. Everyone else seems to love the Frances. Maybe this time, I will, too.
Perhaps my biggest complaint about the Frances was that I felt malnourished. Prior to departing, I have been researching vegetarian friendly albergues and restaurants. I've been able to come up with a pretty complete list and am encouraged. I even looked up several on the web and their menus look delicious. It is my hope that on this camino, I will eat better, feel stronger and enjoy the camino Frances to the fullest.
Rather than beginning in Saint Jean Pied-de-Port like most people, the starting point will be two days before in the city of Aroue. After landing in Paris, we will be taking a five hour train ride to Bayonne. The following day, we'll take an hour long local bus ride to the town of Aroue where we'll be staying at one of my favorite gites on the Le Puy route that served amazing food and had a wonderful ambiance. The following night we'll stay at another great gite in Ostabat. Our third night will be spent in Saint Jean Pied de Port along with the masses of other pilgrims just starting out. This plan, in addition to giving Tere a "taste" of France, will give us a couple of days to get over some of the jetlag and work out some of the kinks before tackling the Pyrenees. Over the next 34 days, I'm hoping we can make it all the way to Finistera. If not, we'll take the bus there so Tere can see the end of the world. We have a flight out of Santiago de Compostela on 15 June to Paris where we'll be spending several days so she can see the sights.
Ultreia!
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