Judy Hassan Elsaid
Travel consultant, Long distance expeditions mentor & backpacking junkie
A 1,067 KM #jurni; on the Camino De Santiago
India. 2012 - i met this guy in a wedding, who told me about walking 900 KM on the Camino De Santiago ! What a lunatic, i thought to myself. why would anyone do this to thyself? 4 years later, after a huge career shift and an ongoing chase of dreams; i decided to make my own jurni. daily walking training two months before i flew to France, i walked almost 200 KM within Cairo Streets and outskirts and having one thought in my head: walking 1,000 KM on the Camino De Santiago.
This picture was taken, in Spain, on the first day of my Camino - September 13, 2016 after crossing border of France and Spain
Ever heard of the CAMINO DE SANTIAGO? Did you watch the movie "The Way (2010)" ? it is one of multiple hiking trails throughout Europe where people walk for different purposes. Originally a religious pilgrimage, but now a life changing jurni for anyone, of any belief or any religion. It is a challenge, a chance to travel on budget, time to spend in search for oneself or just a simple cool way to find yourself among people, who could leave a mark in your life forever.
If i got a kid, the 10th' birthday present will be a backpack, the 15' hiking boots & sticks and the 17th' a flight to an exotic far hiking trail (before his/her feet gets too big for the boots) .. backpacking hikers learn from mother-earth !
the decision
June 2016 decision made !
After a dramatic career-shift, I needed something to keep me going. I needed a personal project to feel accomplished. I was never the athletic type. the idea of walking 500KM sounded soo crazy and pointless. Yet after training every day and walking almost 70 - 95 KM / month, I decided to finish 1,000 KM on the Camino de Santiago.
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13-IX-2016 : Sean Jean Pied de Port, #France.
My Start of the camino frances; one of the ways to hike the Camino De Santiago. I chose the french route, because it is the least physically-challenging & best social experience, so said the forums.
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SJPP is where I got my credentials (the passport in pictures; it is needed to mark your camino stops and staying in albergues.
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.. Day 0 I planned to stay in SJPP, but my very first friend convinced me to start walking
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we ended up in a nice group of 4 #peregrinos and spent the night in #Hunttos. Just an hr before a #thunderstorm hit the #mountains ..
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