tomp734444
New Member
Hello,
Firstly, I would like to apologise for the long and rambling nature of this post, but I hope some of you will read it. My name is Tom and I live in the South of England. I will be 75 in December.
Twelve years ago, my wife and I were on a touring holiday in Northern Spain. We stayed at a hotel on the outskirts of Santiago de Compostela for a night so that we could explore yet another beautiful Spanish city. In the morning, we decided to walk into the City, thus avoiding the problem of parking and on the way, we were overtaken by a group of people in full hiking gear. Coming up behind them was a solitary figure, also dressed for hiking. We fell into step with him and struck up a conversation. It transpired that he was from Ireland and had set-out 21 days previously from St-Jean-Pied-de-Port on the Camino Frances. We learned more about the pilgrimage, St James and his connection with Santiago de Compostela and eventually arrived at the Cathedral square amidst a tumult of other Peregrinos. It was fascinating stuff.
We enjoyed the experience and had a nice lunch in Santiago and returned to our Hotel, picked-up the car and continued our tour of Spain.
Four years later, whilst undertaking a charity bike-ride from John 'o Groats to Lands End (the far Northeast to the far Southwest of Britain), I suffered a cardiac arrest. I was lucky to be brought back after having been 'dead' for eight minutes. This happened on day 10 of my ride and was the only day when I would have a companion - my son-in-law - who had been on a course which included CPR. The event occurred just outside Bristol, which has one of the best Cardiac Units in the UK and the house near where it happened belonged to the local First Responder. I had no out-of-body experience, no bright lights or other manifestation of a religious kind. I am not a devoutly religious person and my life has been somewhat chequered to say the least. I do try to be a good person, but have a long list of people I have let-down in many different ways. I could not think of any good reason why i was spared. I completed the final three days of my thirteen-day bike-ride three months after my incident and I just got on with life.
However, over the following years, my thoughts occasionally turned to that Irishman and his determination to reach his journeys end at Santiago de Compostela.
I spoke sometimes of undertaking the Camino, but did nothing about it: until now!
I don't understand why I am doing it; my wife and family are against it because of what happened in 2011, I am getting old and whilst fit, I have never walked even one days' worth of distance. It is a kind of madness, but I know that I must make the effort. Is it a religious calling? I don't know. Am I just doing it for an egotistical kick? I don't know. I am hoping that I will find-out along the way.
I set-out from SJPdP on September 7th - the eighth anniversary of my Cardiac Arrest and hope to be in Santiago on October 12th. I've done my research thanks to this Forum and place myself in the hands of Fate.
Firstly, I would like to apologise for the long and rambling nature of this post, but I hope some of you will read it. My name is Tom and I live in the South of England. I will be 75 in December.
Twelve years ago, my wife and I were on a touring holiday in Northern Spain. We stayed at a hotel on the outskirts of Santiago de Compostela for a night so that we could explore yet another beautiful Spanish city. In the morning, we decided to walk into the City, thus avoiding the problem of parking and on the way, we were overtaken by a group of people in full hiking gear. Coming up behind them was a solitary figure, also dressed for hiking. We fell into step with him and struck up a conversation. It transpired that he was from Ireland and had set-out 21 days previously from St-Jean-Pied-de-Port on the Camino Frances. We learned more about the pilgrimage, St James and his connection with Santiago de Compostela and eventually arrived at the Cathedral square amidst a tumult of other Peregrinos. It was fascinating stuff.
We enjoyed the experience and had a nice lunch in Santiago and returned to our Hotel, picked-up the car and continued our tour of Spain.
Four years later, whilst undertaking a charity bike-ride from John 'o Groats to Lands End (the far Northeast to the far Southwest of Britain), I suffered a cardiac arrest. I was lucky to be brought back after having been 'dead' for eight minutes. This happened on day 10 of my ride and was the only day when I would have a companion - my son-in-law - who had been on a course which included CPR. The event occurred just outside Bristol, which has one of the best Cardiac Units in the UK and the house near where it happened belonged to the local First Responder. I had no out-of-body experience, no bright lights or other manifestation of a religious kind. I am not a devoutly religious person and my life has been somewhat chequered to say the least. I do try to be a good person, but have a long list of people I have let-down in many different ways. I could not think of any good reason why i was spared. I completed the final three days of my thirteen-day bike-ride three months after my incident and I just got on with life.
However, over the following years, my thoughts occasionally turned to that Irishman and his determination to reach his journeys end at Santiago de Compostela.
I spoke sometimes of undertaking the Camino, but did nothing about it: until now!
I don't understand why I am doing it; my wife and family are against it because of what happened in 2011, I am getting old and whilst fit, I have never walked even one days' worth of distance. It is a kind of madness, but I know that I must make the effort. Is it a religious calling? I don't know. Am I just doing it for an egotistical kick? I don't know. I am hoping that I will find-out along the way.
I set-out from SJPdP on September 7th - the eighth anniversary of my Cardiac Arrest and hope to be in Santiago on October 12th. I've done my research thanks to this Forum and place myself in the hands of Fate.