There is a Pilgrimage in northern Spain that is known as “The Camino”. It is 1100 years old, 500+ miles long, and a few years ago I decided that someday I was going to walk it. Last year, I decided that someday was May of this year. Circumstances (in the form of a lucrative, temporary job) had me put it off for a year, but I am on track to leave in late April/early May 2013 for the trip of a lifetime. Oh, and one other thing. They say your Camino begins the day you decide to do it. So, as I begin my Camino, I am 45, have never done a trip like this, and carry 284 pounds on a 5’5″ frame. Hmmm . . . I have always liked a challenge!
Something happened as I approached 40. My inner Bohemian began to get louder, and my inner virgo began to quiet down a little. They have always both existed, occasionally done battle, but usually worked together to guide me and help me maintain balance in my life. However, as I got closer to the big 4-0, I began to realize that I had been living the dream that others had for my life, and it was no longer sustainable. So, I changed jobs, began to work out to get healthy, and looked for ways to conquer my fears. On my 38th birthday, I did a local tourist bungee jump, and vowed to jump out of a plane when I turned 40 (more on that in a later post). I lost 100 pounds, looked great, felt great, but as I fell back into old patterns, I put the weight back on. So, here I am, planning my next big adventure.
I am working out, eating healthy (down 20 pounds in the last month and a half), and excited beyond words at what the next year holds. I will be chronicling my journeys (inner as well as physical) here. You will be able to follow my stories of the things that happen in my life, my planning for the trip, my successes, my failures, occasionally my opinions, and of course, the trip itself. Welcome aboard; may you be entertained, delighted, and encouraged to pursue adventure in whatever form it takes in your own life. Bon Voyage!
Bohemian Virgo 
Looking forward to following your Camino!!! Excellent challenge to take on!!
From the moment I met you- yes, the moment- I knew you were a remarkable individual. A force to be reckoned with. An amazing woman. You have and will continue to inspire me. I may not be physically traveling with you, but I will be following your every step. Lead on oh fearless one, lead on!
I can’t wait to follow along with your Camino vicariously, Colleen. This first post is delightful. You have a delightful writing style, and I’m confident you’ll be successful in your new life. Thanks for letting tag along for the ride. Cheers, Howard
Hi Colleen. I too will leave in April for my Camino. I will appreciate speaking with you, learning about your preparations. I have basically done nothing yet, so need to (quickly) shop for gear and do a bit of training. Bill
Hi There, Andy here hoping to do the camino around the same time as you, best wishes for the training,
Andy, have revamped blog to have my own domain name, and am now getting ready to post regularly until I leave. Let’s keep in touch, and buen camino!
Buen Camino, Coleen will keep aneye on your blog to see how you are getting on, best wishes. Andy