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On the road to Santiago de Compostella....again!

By Pina And Bill Dunne

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We are fundraising for Jesuit Mission to help others transform their lives. Any amount you donate can make a real, tangible difference.

We are in training for our next Camino, Le Puy en Velay to Saint Jean Pied De Port, France about 750 kilometres. A walk of approximately 20 kilometres per day over forty-five days! We are starting small... 4 days per week, one hour walks and building up from there!

Check our progress and our past Camino experiences on https://pindun.wordpress.com


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My Updates

Back at it again!

Thursday 25th Jul
...or should that be, did we ever stop?
Here we are pounding the pavements of Melbourne's suburbs in readiness for our next pilgrimage.  This time we are headed west to Perth and walking from Subiaco to New Norcia.
Why? You may well ask.
10 years ago I participated in St Monica's 50th anniversary celebrations by joining colleagues in the New Norcia experience.  We trekked across to the west, not walking,  and were immersed in the Benedictine tradition and learned about the township and it's founders.
Subsequent years and our Camino experiences saw other connections emerging.
Dom Salvado founder of New Norcia had a close connection to Santiago de Compostela.  Rumor or myth has him taking eucalyptus seeds to Santiago... there is a huge tree in the park which is said to have such beginnings. 
The founding members of New Norcia made the journey and we, Bill and I will be joining a group in Subiaco this coming August, to retrace their steps and reflect on ...
approximately 20 kilometres per day for seven days.
Buen Camino and blessings to all, in all your
 endevours.
Pina and Bill

Santiago June 2023

Saturday 17th Jun
We finally made it! 751 kilometres on the via Podiensis and 120 kilometres on the last section of via de la Plata!
Thankyou everyone for your support.

Santiago June 2023

Saturday 17th Jun

We made it...

Tuesday 6th Jun
Frances Camino now complete 799 kilometres from 2017 plus our recently completed 750.8 kilometres

Two days to go... 700+ kilometres done!

Sunday 4th Jun

507 kilometres done

Wednesday 24th May
Hard to believe we've been going for 4 weeks and into our 5th week! We've had cold, wind and rain, hot days, humid days, grey days, days without a cloud in the sky
 Each day we rise, make sure our feet are okay (no developing blisters), check the weather so we are dressed and equipped for the day and set off after a moderate breakfast. Sometimes, most times it takes an hour to warm up... get the joints moving smoothly,  other times a little less. We encourage each other on by commenting on the surroundings, but more often than not, it's about how things could be worse... steeper, longer, wetter, more slippery.... we walk, we talk, we meet other pilgrims and sometimes share chocolate and stories. We see some often and gradually form a bond. We come across chapels and churches, wander in to sit and pray and wonder at how many other people over the centuries have done the same. At the end of the day we sit with other pilgrims,  share a meal and wish each other Bon Chemin. 

All in to make change...

Wednesday 24th May

Rainy day

Friday 12th May
and after the sun..

Limoges en quercy 304 kilometres

Friday 12th May
Not quite half way, but almost to Saint Jean Pied de Port. The first two weeks were incredibly hard. Lots of climbing, road, muddy paths and stony paths,  all made more difficult by rain and unseasonable heat.  Each day we try to rest, re-assess over a drink and generally recuperate for the following day. If you want more of a description of what it's like on Camino please go to my blog page pindun.wordpress.com. 
Thursday 27th Apr

A really long way to go

Monday 24th Apr
lucky for us we have already completed 799 kilometres!

view os St Michel from St Clair

Monday 24th Apr

Chappelle St Michel

Monday 24th Apr
Yes it is really high...

Le Puy en Velay

Monday 24th Apr
After years of planning and much training we have arrived at our starting point Le Puy en Velay. Yesterday we climbed to the Cathedral to have our Credentials stamped and had a look at the church. Along the way we discovered St George's College Church. We returned up the hill, early evening to meet fellow pilgrims.  Today we discovered St Laurent, celebrated the eucharist there with local parishioners, then after a coffee we tackled the 270 steps upto the Chappelle de St Michel and on the way down the Chapel of St Clair, both of these tied closely with the Camino de Santiago.  We are planning another visit to the Cathedral for a concert tonight. Tomorrow morning,  Monday we will attend the 7am Pilgrims Mass and Blessing... a send off, of sorts. Your continued prayers and encouragement are of great support.

Aosta

Friday 14th Apr
at 1825 metres!

Aosta

Friday 14th Apr
the track... our future paths?

Postiglione

Friday 14th Apr
vie e viottoli

Postiglione

Friday 14th Apr
paesaggio stupendo

prologue to our 2023 Camino

Friday 14th Apr
Finally arrived in Italy to visit family and friends for Easter. Easter services reminiscent of my childhood in Postiglione. Everything changes and nothing changes... unsettling and comforting at the same time.  We are now in Aosta, Italian Alps seeing more family before we make our way to France.. There have been many opportunities for walking though the weather has been atrocious,  wind, rain, snow ... hopefully better weather for the Camino proper!

leaving Oz...Australia

Thursday 30th Mar
Though our Camino starts 24th April, we have packed, we have made final preparations and adjustments and are ready to leave next week, so that we can spend Easter in Postiglione SA Italia. We have not seen family for six years so it will be a wonderful reunion as well as a reminder of my earliest memories from my home town, the place in which I was born and where I spent most of my childhood.
While visiting family we will continue our training... long and short distances... and being in the mountains there will be no shortage of ups and downs!
Thank you for your continued words of encouragement,  we will need all the support we can muster. God willing we will get there!
Wishing you all a safe and Holy Easter.
Pina and Bill Dunne.

packing done

Thursday 30th Mar
how did it all fit?
Thursday 30th Mar

Lederderg Gorge Circuit training continues

Wednesday 22nd Feb
Read about our exploits on pindun.wordpress.com as we get closer and closer to our departure date, early April and the start, Apri 24th, of our Pilgrimage on the via Podiensis and onto Santiago de Compostella. 

Lederderg Gorge Circuit

Wednesday 22nd Feb
The 2 hour walk that turned into a 6 hour scrambling hike... straight up and straight down!

Up hills and down dales

Friday 10th Feb
Training continues,  if not at a furious pace, certainly at a consistent and challenging one. We are walking most days... aiming at 16 kms per day. We have achieved a few times... we are also incorporating steep tracts and find ourselves puffed out but ready to keep going ... We are also carrying our backpacks and increasing the weight slowly...All in all we are on track with two months to go before the big walk ... our Pilgrimage towards Santiago de Compostella. 

Organ Pipes

Friday 10th Feb
Up hill... all the way

glorious sky along Merri Creek Trail

Wednesday 25th Jan

Training post Christmas

Wednesday 25th Jan
We have continued our walks, averaging 50 kms per week. The heat and festivities set us back a little but departure time is fast approaching and the real Camino beckons... read more on 
https://pindun.wordpress.com/2023/01/25/the-camino-provides/

near Botany Bay

Thursday 13th Oct

from a very soggy Melbourne

Thursday 13th Oct
It's been a while since the last update but be assured the walking continues.  Our average is about the same but we've been able to incorporate different terrains and elevation. This last one is a particular challenge as both of us find it difficult in both directions... up is hard but sometimes going down is harder still... especially on the knees. Two weeks ago we walked part of the Bondi to Manly coastal walk and near Botany Bay and Maroubra... wonderful scenery and challenging walks... especially when the cliffs were windswept and the rain kept coming... good practice. 

Wet, very wet...

Thursday 13th Oct

3 month total kilometres walked

Saturday 17th Sep
one step follows another.... over 500 kms

Training continues

Saturday 17th Sep
Melbourne weather makes it a little challenging but the blossoms make up for it.

New boots

Sunday 28th Aug
Training took a bit of a set back over the last few weeks... foul weather and feeling under the weather slowed us down but with new boots to break in and milder weather saw us returning to 50 plus kilometers for the week .... and we now have airline tickets.... yes it is all happening.
Thanks once again for your support.
Sunday 28th Aug

Uluru base walk

Saturday 13th Aug

Uluru base walk

Saturday 13th Aug
The past week has been marked by contrasts... one moment we are in the desert, walking the red path round Uluru and hours later we are back in Melbourne,  sitting in a Lakeway, walking on asphalt paths and trudging to and from work. 
In total we walked another 60 kms and feeling closer to our goal... fitness for the Camino.

walking through Valley of the wind

Saturday 6th Aug
windy, scrambly and hot!

Uluru sunrise!

Saturday 6th Aug
The day started early as we needed to be in situ for day break and the sunlight hitting the rock!
we were ready but the car had ice on the windscreen, a quick scrub and fan on high saw,us down the highway and ready to watch the spectacle unfold. The pre-dawn light was eerie,  the air, Ice cold... all present excitedly watching and waiting... cameras poised ready for the first rays of light to hit the rock.
Pinks, blues, purples played out before us in the morning sky...yep, quite spectacular,  special, sacred.
We then started our first walk, Valley of the wind, a grade 4 difficulty level walk which saw us scrambling up rough terrain,  crunching over river stones and pebbles ... huffing and puffing right till the quite hot end.
The second walk through the gorge was shorter and less strenuous... a grade 3 difficulty level. Overall a 17 kms trek!

Sunrise @Uluru

Saturday 6th Aug
too early, too cold 🥶 2° felt like-3!

Uluru sunset

Friday 5th Aug
a long way for a walk...

a very long way for a walk

Friday 5th Aug
We dreamed of this but never had the opportunity... we flew to Uluru today and seemed to hit the ground running.... visiting the cultural center, walked close to the rock and watched the colours change on the rock at sunset! 
You might think that was not much walking but we clocked up 13 kms!
More to come tomorrow... enjoying the quiet,  the warmth and the desert landscape!

Week 4 or so

Sunday 31st Jul
After a little hiccup... I developed a case of plantar fasciitis.... aching foot arches and a blister.... Yes I had over done it a few days and warn the wrong shoes so there was a blister too! But as one does.... I bandaged the blister, rested the feet for a day and bookended the week's walks with Royal park.....
The training is going well, this week we walked 50 kms!
Thanks again for your donations and your ongoing support.

This is serious....

Friday 22nd Jul
I realised this morning... here we were on my day off, getting up early, putting on hiking boots and out the door by 8.30! Week four of our training... and heading for Brunswick, about a two hour walk. Perhaps we could pick up a reward along the way!
We started slowly and fell into a rhythm, chatting along the way, noticing the patches of frost, the well tended gardens, the birdlikfe and greeting the occasional walker coming towards us.
Over the past four weeks we have walked 45 kms (over did itin Bright), then 38 kms, then 33 kms and this week 44 kms.
We are building up our strength and our ability to walk consecutive days.
We are a little worse for wear... aching joints and blisters, but surprisingly we pull up rather well the following day!
Ultreia! Onwards!

Merri Creek wander

Friday 22nd Jul
Pascoe Vale to Royal Park

CBD wander

Friday 22nd Jul
Southwark circuit

Wandering in Bright

Friday 22nd Jul
Bright to Wandilingong

Thank you to my Sponsors

$500

St Monica's College

$211

Anonymous

$105.50

Anonymous

$105.50

Margaret O'neill

You are amazing! I admire your commitment and wish you well both in the preparation and finally the Camino.

$105.50

Brendan Watson

Have a great trip

$105.50

Oliver Smith

Hope you had a wonderful Easter and are feeling primed for the big walk!

$105.50

Anna

Almost there!!!! Pictures have been absolutely amazing. Love you lots

$100

Adriana Mackinnon

We love Bill and Pina - our pillars!

$52.75

Anonymous

Hello Pina and Bill. You have our admiration. We wish you well. Love and prayer.

$52.75

Annemaree And Patrick

You are an inspiration, or insane.

$52.75

Daniel Dunne

Best of luck on the walk :)

$52.75

Patricia Murray

Every blessing for your Camino, Bill and Pina. Love and prayers, Trish x

$52.75

Peter Danger

Hi Bill & Pina Best wishes to you both on your next adventure. Looking to hearing of your travels. Stay safe & well.

$52.75

Marian Kelly

Keep up the good work you two! So glad you are back doing what you love! God bless your efforts!! Marian💕💕💤

$52.75

G. Mario & Luciana Martini

Wishing you a great Camino Bill & Pina.

$52.75

Celia Paoloni

Well done! I am so excited to hear your progress in training and about the actual Camino once you are there. Thanks for being such wonderful friends to Jesuit Mission too

$52.75

Tomay Cathy

Keep goind!

$52.75

Helene Van Iersel

$52.75

Carol Creed

Great walking, great photos, great people. Well done.

$52.75

Dorothy And Michael Mattalo

We are honoured to support two wonderful people we met on our first Camino. May your efforts bring eternal light to others finding their way. God Bless.

$50

Marsha And Steve

Buen Camino our friends. Hope to see you while you are in your journey.

$50

Pastorelle Sisters

Bravi. Buon cammino & God bless!

$50

Jeanine

What an inspirational couple you are!

$50

Adriana Mackinnon

God bless all your endeavours

$50

Domenico & Rosa Moscatello

Pina & Bill you’re an inspiration Gods blessings to you both

$31.65

E. Piu

state bene, un abbraccio c

$31.65

Susanna Hammet

Buon camino, what an amazing experience xx

$31.65

Andrew, Maria % Lucas Conte

We have thoroughly enjoyed following the camino journey and a little sad it has almost come to an end. Well done on such a wonderful achievement.

$26.38

Teresa Goldsbrough

Every blessing for training, preparation. Buon Camino. Endeavour to catch up before April.

$21.10

Lina Morales

So much admiration for you both! Bravissimi!