June 7, 2012 Back in Bangkok

With an early flight tomorrow morning for Los Angeles. With the dateline we depart Bangkok at 5:40 am on June 8 and we arrive in Los Angeles at 9:40 am on June 8! During the rest of our time in Kanchanaburi we took a Thai cooking class, went to the Tiger Temple, rode an elephant and rode on the infamous railroad. We went from Kanchanaburi to Chiang Mai in the north (temples and night market) and then down to Ao Nang near Krabi for the beach experience. And all too soon we are heading back home. Justin will have five days at home and then he heads to University of Michigan for a seven week debate camp. I return to Sitka on June 9. I will be there until June 28 when I head off to Chicago for volkswalks (capitals of Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska and Missouri) and to watch niece Moira dance in the Nationals for Irish Dance on July 6. What will I miss the most about Thailand? The food, especially the mango with sticky rice. The incredibly friendly people. Adventures riding in Tuk Tuk. And getting to hang out with my nephew who is an amazing young man.

May 28, 2012 Kanchanaburi

This being Memorial Day it was appropriate that Justin and I came to the site of The Bridge Over the River Kwai. I made him whistle the movie tune with me as we walked along the bridge although this is the steel bridge not the wooden one of the movie fame which used to sit 300 meters downstream. This would have been an amazing enough experience. But as we walked back to the town side of the bridge we were told to stay off the upstream side of the bridge. Safety issues? No. They were filming a movie! And suddenly we end up in a turnout and an older white guy with greying hair is walking towards us on the upstream side of the bridge carrying a shoulder bag and a small old suitcase with dated stickers on it for example the old American Airlines stickers. And then he stops at the turnout opposite us and gazes down at the water (or the bridge). He did this repeatedly. I asked the woman with the walkie talkie next to me who the actor was. She wouldn't tell me. She said to google the movie The Railway Man. I texted a friend in Alaska asking her to google it but of course she wasn't awake since it was two or three in the morning there. Hmmm, I thought, he looks familiar. Is he someone famous? I know, he looks like Colin Firth! But the actor was wearing huge thick glasses. And Colin Firth is supposed to be six feet tall and this guy doesn't look six feet tall. At one point he asked the director a question about the action and I could tell he had an English accent. After several walks to the turnout opposite us giving me a chance to see his face better I realized that yes this had to be Colin Firth. I told Justin that I thought it was Colin Firth. A guy with the crew standing behind Justin gave me a look that said "yes it is Colin Firth!" So we watched him walk to the turnout a few more times and then that scene was done. So we walked off the bridge and saw that the crew was setting up for another scene. We stuck around and watched them film Colin walk through a bunch of extras acting like tourists to the point where he walks out to the turnout on the bridge. When that scene was done we went to the restaurant next to the bridge for dinner and got to watch them film another scene where the camera is at the far side of the bridge and Colin walks the length of the bridge towards the camera.

May 26, 2012 Bangkok Day 1

I asked Justin what the highlights of the day were. He said 1) The food, 2) The reclining Buddha and 3) The river taxi. It was hot and humid and it was a great day. We rode the city bus, hired a tuk tuk (sp?), had a store employee insist that a company van drive us around and sent a junior clek with us so the junior clerk could practice her English, rode the river taxi to the central sky rail station and rode the sky rail back to our hostel. In between we went to see the Golden Buddha (the "Original" one not the touristy one), the Royal Lapidary Company, the temple of the emerald Buddha, the Grand Palace and the reclining Buddha. The junior sales clerk directed us to a restaurant near the Grand Palace complex where had lunch and dessert which was mango slices with sticky rice and coconut milk. Justin said this meal was the best food he has ever tasted. So despite the hot muggy weather we are off to a great start.

May 25/26, 2012 in Bangkok

From France to Thailand! I made it to Navarrenx on May 12. From there I went via train to Frankfurt then to Anchorage and back to Sitka. May 23 I flew to LAX (Los Angleles). Nephew Justin flew in the morning of the 24th and we flew together to Tokyo (11 hours) and then to Bangkok (6 hours). It is hot and humid here. A vast difference frm France and Alaska. In Alaska it is around 1030 am on Friday. Here in Bangkok it is around 135 am on Saturday. Neither of us got much sleep on the planes. Justin is already fast asleep and I hope to do likewise soon.

May 5, 2012 in Nogaro

In Nogaro, department of Gers. And suddenly I am alone! From three to five to two to three to one. Heike and Julien caught a bus to Agen this evening and from there they will take the TGV (bullet train) to Paris. Well, I thought, there is still Michael who is walking from Krakau all the way to Santiago. I will probably continue to see him until I drop off the route. Only he is on the same bus to Agen to go home for a short visit to his aged father. But there is still Wilhelm who was walking with Michael and Wilhelm walks for a few more days. And there are a number of French and German people who I have seen consistently for a few days and suddenly I come to rely on seeing them until I drop off the route. I have a schedule that gets me to Navarenx on May 12. That gives me the 13th to get back to Paris and the 14th to get from Paris to Frankfurt. My Condor flight is the morning of May 15. We had three days of sun. Some tracks were still muddy but nothing compared to before the rain stopped. We had a little rain today and more is predicted for tomorrow. And the next day! All for now. Happy Cinco de Mayo!

April 27, 2012 in Moissac

Julien and I are back in Moissac after two days off to visit friend Marie-Helene from my walk through France last year. And friend Heike from the walk through Spain last year has joined us for a week of walking. So now we are three again. And we start walking again tomorrow morning. We have a chambres d'hotes place to stay tomorrow night in Auvillar but are now having any luck lining up a place in Miradoux for Sunday night. Send good thoughts our way - because the next town is a good five km farther!

April 24, 2012 in Lauzerte

And now we are two. We went from three to five and in Cahors we had a true Camino farewell dinner on the 21st. On the 22nd Julien and I continued walking on our own. It continues to rain everyday. These past two days have been particularly brutal perhaps because of changes in the soil composition. For whatever reason we have spent major portions of the day slipping and sliding along very muddy tracks. We hoped to arrive at Moissac but we agree that 26 km (distance to Moissac) in the mud is too much. And so we will split the distance in two. Although we have lost three good Camini friends our new constant companions continue to appear and reappear: a Belgian couple (who speak perfect Flemmish, French, English etc.) two women from Paris who speak perfect English and a woman from Strassburg with whom Julien communicates in French and she and I struggle together in German. All for now - dinner in five minutes!

April 19, 2012 in Limogne-en-Qercy

We have come 300.5 km since we started walking from Le Puy in April 1st! Weather continues to be less than optimal - raining on and off most days and/or windy - but it could be much worse. We were already settled into our wonderful gite d'etape Les Gloriettes this afternoon when the hail storm hit. Great news: 2011 Camino friends Anke and Peer have joined us for a few days. Sad news: We plan to reach Cahors on thr 21st. Marie will stay behind and begin her journey back to Lyon and then back to Sitka. Ever since Conques we have been saying good-bye to familiar faces as people "time out" and return to their homes and regular lives. Some we only knew by sight or first names. Others we have exchanged email addresses with and hope to see again. And then there are the new familiar faces that we look for on the road, at our new gite or around town. And such is the way of the Camino/ Chemin.

April 14, 2012 in Conques

We reached Conques yesterday. Today was a day of rest and exploration in this beautiful medieval town. Tomorrow we climb out of the valley and on to Decazeville. This is uncharted territory for me as last year we skipped the 205 km between Conques and Moissac. I wish I could attach photos so you can see for yourself that a treasure Conques is.

April11, 2012 In Estaing

We are on track with last year and are in Estaing. Tomorrow we will stay at Golinhac. Friday and Saturday we will be in Conques. Weather has been challenging and the trail is tougher than much of the trail in Spain. By the time I reach my gite (hostel) for the night I feel a great sense of accomplishment! We are eating dinner at a bar with wifi. Wifi has been spotty and today is the first day I could remember my gmail Password thus allowing me to send this quick update. Hopefully I can write more from Conques.

In Sitka but heading back to France

I can't believe that I last wrote in September, 2011.  Here it is almost the end of March, 2012.  Much has happened but I'll have to tell you about it when I see you in person.  Suffice it to say that I have been back in Sitka for the month of March and that I head off again tomorrow morning, Sunday, March 25.  I am returning to France to walk for (only) six weeks.  Same trail but different friends.  Remember when I told you that "whenever you are ready to go just let me know and I'll go with you?"  Well two Sitka friends took me up on that.

We are starting from Le Puy (again) on April 1st (again).  74-year-old Sitka friend Marie heads home after three weeks and college friend Julien and I will continue for another three weeks.  I can't go the full distance this time because I need to get back to Sitka so I can take off again on May 23 - for Thailand with nephew Justin for his 16th birthday trip.

So, we will walk as far as we can go in six weeks.  Santiago and God willing fellow 2011 pilgrims Heike, Anke and husband Peer will join us for a few days.  And hopefully Julien and I will be able to visit Marie-Helene when we reach Moissac.

I already know that I will be walking April, 2013 with cousin Denise to celebrate her 60th birthday.  (You see I really am serious when I tell you to let me know when you can go and I will join you.)  Denise hasn't decided whether she wants to walk the Camino Frances or the Camino del Norte.  Next year what I hope to do, before Denise gets to Spain, is return to where Julien and I stop this year and walk to the place where Denise is able to start.

Think about joining us.

No promises about being a better blogger.  Now that I am off to France again I will try. . .

Karen