To Flamenco or not to Flamenco? That is the question.

You may or may not recall that I dragged my beloved to a tango lesson in Buenos Aires and he was shaking in his shoes. It should be known that even after hiking dangerous inclines in the freezing winds of Patagonia, and diving with sea lions near to the orca hunting ground of Peninsula Valdes, it was the tango he feared most. This time we hope to walk a mere 800kms from the South of France to the West Coast of Spain on a pilgrimage known as the Camino de Santiago. I am confident this does not trouble him at all. The Flamenco on the other hand ………..I have decided not to tell him about my plan for us to learn Flamenco whilst we are there. The photos below prove that he was indeed lord of the tango but….You have to love him to understand him you see. Lets just keep the flamenco as our little secret okay?

Anyway we are off in seven days and we have been training in different ways over a period of time (training to hike great distances that is). We have experienced a couple of fairly trying days in Patagonia and know how one’s body can feel after hiking long distances in extreme cold conditions. We both had to cling to the ground when the wind was so strong that walking was impossible and flying was the only choice; all the while we had sleet blowing in our ear canals. I have carried a pack through the heat and rain of a leech infested rainforest where fear prevented me from stopping at all for the 7 hour trek. We have more recently wandered up the largest hill in our city a couple of times to get back into mode.

But then just two weeks ago I was unfortunate enough to acquire one of the most nasty flus I have had in my life. This was after having the flu shot (which may have been a little late). Now I can barely carry my pack to the end of our street let alone a few hundred metres more to the incline on the next corner. I have stopped work a week early in the hope of getting some energy back. Lets assume that this is just the first of many challenges to be encountered on this “pilgrimage” and whilst it may slow us down it will only be a slight hiccup in the grand plan!