Sunday, May 11, 2008
So what did you do today? Well for starters I moved from the YHA to the campground. Up on arriving out comes the tent, carefully laid it out over the ground cloth, then the poles; no poles. NO POLES? Casually looking around, keeping panic at bay, my head already thinking Time to go home, no poles. Well I guess I’ll just have to buy another tent to keep my tent in.
Maybe they were left in my bag that is now so nicely hidden in the bike shed at the YHA. Back to the YHA to find that the office just closed and will reopen in two hours. I’m smiling, yes I am. A figure whizzes by the window. Does the “Bee Line” ring a bell? After catching him in mid-step I explain that I think I dropped something in the bike shed. What did I drop you ask? . . . . KEYS, yep keys droppedem. “No problem mate.”
I unlock the bike shed, as I pull out my suitcase from it’s hiding place a voice asks “Did you find your keys?” Caught red handed standing there with suitcase in hand. “No still looking” is my response. “I’ll be upstairs just put the keys on the counter when your done.” Upon opening the suitcase my hand reaches in to find the tent poles hiding there. They are keeping company with a couple of belts. You ain’t seen happy like this I’ll tell you that.
Why the stealth you may wonder? Well I was hiding the suitcase there so I don’t have to drag it all over Europe. Everything has been transferred in to the panniers so I needed a place to stow the suitcase till I’m ready to go home. The young man asks no questions about the bag as I thank him for helping me out. So now is back to the campground for the tent raising.
I am happy that I have kept the monster of fear from planting doom and gloom in my mind. I am getting better at not catastrophizing events that are just a dot in time.
Like now being able to connect to the Internet at Starbucks, as I have been in the last two years. So I can connect in a Pub instead, however the pub connection costs me $20 for an hour. My air card will cost me 99 cents per minute, so right now getting on the Internet is an expensive adventure. T-mobile only costs $40 per month for unlimited access from a hotspot. Starbucks is a t-mobile hotspot that this computer appears not to like.
This is the third laptop I’ve owned, and the second one that is a real Junker. Upon my return I am purchasing a Compaq, then sending this Junker back to Acer. I am reducing aggravation in my life, which includes not getting frustrated by a computer. The Compaq I had worked every time (commercial with some soap boxing)
Monday, May 12, 2008
First night in tent went fairly well. Got a bit chilly, but sleeping bag took care of that. Went to sleep listening to the birds singing, when I woke this morning they were singing again, surround sound birds. Bike is getting its tune up, while I attempt to again find a hotspot that this computer will hook up to.
I think I’ll head south tomorrow to look for a ferry to France. Spent some time chatting with a fellow this morning. He told me camping in France is great, that the weather there is a bit more stable then England. “Head to the South if you can, warm by the Mediterranean. Back to the bookstore to check out some more maps.
The weather has been beautiful so far. Sunny, warm, light breeze, people in the parks laying in the grass. Green, green green abounds along with flowers of every color. All weekend the parks were littered with bodies, kids running, jumping and playing.
So what did you do today? Well for starters I moved from the YHA to the campground. Up on arriving out comes the tent, carefully laid it out over the ground cloth, then the poles; no poles. NO POLES? Casually looking around, keeping panic at bay, my head already thinking Time to go home, no poles. Well I guess I’ll just have to buy another tent to keep my tent in.
Maybe they were left in my bag that is now so nicely hidden in the bike shed at the YHA. Back to the YHA to find that the office just closed and will reopen in two hours. I’m smiling, yes I am. A figure whizzes by the window. Does the “Bee Line” ring a bell? After catching him in mid-step I explain that I think I dropped something in the bike shed. What did I drop you ask? . . . . KEYS, yep keys droppedem. “No problem mate.”
I unlock the bike shed, as I pull out my suitcase from it’s hiding place a voice asks “Did you find your keys?” Caught red handed standing there with suitcase in hand. “No still looking” is my response. “I’ll be upstairs just put the keys on the counter when your done.” Upon opening the suitcase my hand reaches in to find the tent poles hiding there. They are keeping company with a couple of belts. You ain’t seen happy like this I’ll tell you that.
Why the stealth you may wonder? Well I was hiding the suitcase there so I don’t have to drag it all over Europe. Everything has been transferred in to the panniers so I needed a place to stow the suitcase till I’m ready to go home. The young man asks no questions about the bag as I thank him for helping me out. So now is back to the campground for the tent raising.
I am happy that I have kept the monster of fear from planting doom and gloom in my mind. I am getting better at not catastrophizing events that are just a dot in time.
Like now being able to connect to the Internet at Starbucks, as I have been in the last two years. So I can connect in a Pub instead, however the pub connection costs me $20 for an hour. My air card will cost me 99 cents per minute, so right now getting on the Internet is an expensive adventure. T-mobile only costs $40 per month for unlimited access from a hotspot. Starbucks is a t-mobile hotspot that this computer appears not to like.
This is the third laptop I’ve owned, and the second one that is a real Junker. Upon my return I am purchasing a Compaq, then sending this Junker back to Acer. I am reducing aggravation in my life, which includes not getting frustrated by a computer. The Compaq I had worked every time (commercial with some soap boxing)
Monday, May 12, 2008
First night in tent went fairly well. Got a bit chilly, but sleeping bag took care of that. Went to sleep listening to the birds singing, when I woke this morning they were singing again, surround sound birds. Bike is getting its tune up, while I attempt to again find a hotspot that this computer will hook up to.
I think I’ll head south tomorrow to look for a ferry to France. Spent some time chatting with a fellow this morning. He told me camping in France is great, that the weather there is a bit more stable then England. “Head to the South if you can, warm by the Mediterranean. Back to the bookstore to check out some more maps.
The weather has been beautiful so far. Sunny, warm, light breeze, people in the parks laying in the grass. Green, green green abounds along with flowers of every color. All weekend the parks were littered with bodies, kids running, jumping and playing.
Hey, C, glad you made it. Reminding you that the grrrrs are just thoughts/feelings about how things "should" be and not just "as they are". and the main thing is to stop and smell the cows. And, if you are going to head into France, I can recommend the Basque region adjacent to Spain. Great wine, food and they are your basic hardy down to earth types (i.e. trouble makers in Spain). If you decide to go there St. Jean Pied de Port is where I started the Camino and it's in the lower Pyranies (sp???) on the French side of the France/Spain border. There's a refugio to stay in and/or homes and albergues, i.e. places for the pilgrims who sho up. there for little $ and it's really, really beartiful. And what about Austria?. NO worries, mate.
ReplyDeleteBy the way it seems to me that the universe is giving you the thumbs up about being just were you are or is meeting those tow ladies (one you even KNEW!) just a "coincidence"? Hmmmmm....
How's the poncho liner doin', or did you opt for a sleeping bag? And what the hell WAS all that weight?
I'm headin' over to Corrales Sat. and I've been hankerin' to move out onto the camino again too.
Later.
G