Day 1: Barham

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Day 1: Barham

And so blessed, my pilgrimage began with no fanfare, just that first step, then the next and the next and the next.

My first destination, Barham, is not directly on the Via Francigena trail.  I wanted to break up the walk to Dover and I discovered a lovely lady who offers a bed and breakfast free of charge to Pilgrims.  This meant the guidebook didn't provide instructions on how to get there so I didn't use it at all and found my way there using Pocket Earth, an offline map application on my iPad mini.  It is so awesome that it shows most off-road walking paths as well.

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In Canterbury; hurdles and blessings

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In Canterbury; hurdles and blessings

I arrived in Canterbury, a little later than expected and a little poorer than planned.  I waited at the wrong bus stop so long I missed my bus.  I relied on the online map which clearly marked the bus stop I was waiting at.  What I didn't realise was that was for buses going to London and there was a different stop for buses coming from London that was not so clearly marked on their online map.

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Waiting without waiting

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Waiting without waiting

I am sitting in Greenwich Park, beneath blue skies that are slowly streaking white. The sun is warming the bare skin on my back. The wind rustles the leaf laden trees echoing around the park in nature's own mexican wave. Lovers picnic. Families stroll. A lean and muscular Italian youth shows off his six-pack as he practices his soccer skills. Two pesky terriers stalk three ravens scavenging the grass for food. Beyond the Maritime museum buildings, the muddy Thames winds past O2 Arena and into the city, or away from it, whichever way its currents flow. Me; I sit on the grass in stillness and I write; pausing frequently to look up and witness this English summer activity.

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My cause - Saving Our Sea Turtles

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My cause - Saving Our Sea Turtles

A turtle changed my life. On the second dive of my Open Water Scuba Diving course, I saw a turtle. A small, hawksbill turtle, gliding effortlessly through the water plane just metres ahead of me.  She looked into my eyes and I into hers and what passed between us I can only describe as love and ancient wisdom. I was hooked. I wanted to see more turtles so all of my holidays were planned around diving  

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The weight of the Devil

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I stand on the scales with the Devil on my pack. After some quick math deducting my Devil-less body weight I determine that it weighs 12.5 kilos.

12.5 kilos!

If this were a normal holiday, I would be proud of how light I had packed for once. I like having choice of clothes to wear and will happily pack up to the airline checked luggage allowance if I can fit it into my normal travelling backpack that has wheels and has mostly been dragged behind me and only a handful of times carried on my back. This time 12.5 kilos is too heavy. Not by airline standards but because the Devil has no wheels and will be carried on my back for 2,000 kilometres.

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Packing to surrender

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Packing to surrender

There are only 17 days until I fly to London.  26 days until I start walking the Via Francigena.  I have started preparing to pack my belongings and put them into storage once more.  For me, this is a two stage process.  

The first, is going through everything and asking myself if I really need to keep it. Will I use it again or has it served its purpose and is it time to let it go and pass on to someone else who will benefit more?

The second part is to pack what I am keeping into boxes, bag, suitcases, backpacks and finally move it into its final storage place.

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These boots were made for walking

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These boots were made for walking

These very red Zamberalan Crosser goretex boots will be my two best friends over the coming months, my only constant companions and direct support as I walk from Canterbury to Rome along the Via Francigena trail.

For my Tuscan walk, I purchased a pair of trail runners without much thought and without seeking advice or assistance. My only requirements were that they were mostly black, my preferred colour for sports shoes, and that they were inexpensive as I would only be wearing them for a week after which time they would probably be discarded as they would not be required for the rest of my travel plans. I found a pair of Asics trail runners that met both of these requirements.  However, when deciding to buy them, I neglected the most important aspects; comfort and fit.  I put them on my feet.  Took a few steps around the store and decided they would do the job.  I took them home and packed them in my bag without even breaking them.  Not once did I wear them before I left to go to Italy to walk 120 kilometres. Not once.

I realised the scale of my ignorance and poor decision making on the first day of that walk.

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The path I'll make by walking

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The path I'll make by walking

The path ahead is long. Approximately 2,083 kilometres long give or take a few kilometres.

I returned to my dreams that I placed high upon a shelf, out of sight, and I asked myself if they were dreams to be embodied and lived or dreams that float in the ether, only to live in my imagination. 

Make us real, they whispered.

Make us real or at least try. And so I am

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