Jim and Kim's Travels: We're Off to Walk the El Camino in Spain

Late last year, I had an urge to do something out of my comfort zone with some other like-minded ladies. The idea of walking a part of the Camino to Santiago de Compostela was hatched and, before we knew it, six of us were on board.

Over the past several months, we zoom called almost weekly, shared information and tips, and bought countless things I would have never known I needed. Amazon did well by us! We practiced walking distances, tried many different shoes, and wondered if we could really do this.

And finally, it was the day to leave! Love this artwork in the Fredericton airport...

Getting on the plane in Fredericton is a workout...

So happy to fly at this time of year...the colours were beautiful.

Hello, Toronto!

And hello to Terri! Terri and I met on what were originally Weight Watcher online support boards about 20 years ago. When the boards were phased out, our group migrated to another platform and kept chatting.

We had only met one time in person in 2016, but we chat almost every day. I jokingly call our group my "imaginary friends," but I guess it's time to stop saying that!

We were flying to Porto, Portugal via Lisbon.

An hour to go...I don't think we really slept. More like dozed frequently.

Getting ready to land...

Through the clouds...

We met our connection in Lisbon, and were getting ready to land in Porto. I'm guessing this is the Douro River, which then flows into the North Atlantic Ocean.

Porto is a coastal city in northwest Portugal known for its port wine production, sardines, cobblestoned streets, and hills...many hills. We were planning to stay for two nights before heading to Baiona, Spain.

This dude caught my eye. Certainly not something you see everyday...

Porto is a beautiful city with lots of stately buildings and high end shopping. We had a driver meet us at the airport and take us to the apartment where we were staying for the next two nights.

Outside our apartment building...we were in a very nice area.

We met up with Lynne and Laura, who had already checked in.

There was a nice little restaurant right next to the apartment, so it was an easy choice for dinner.

A busy spot...

Terri and I are on the left with Lynne and Laura on the right. Lynne is a friend of one of the "imaginary" friends, who sadly had to drop out of the trip. Lynne bravely came along anyway, with a group of ladies she barely knew. Strangely, Lynne and I live in the same city, so we were able to get together for a walk in our training days. Laura is part of the online group, that has been chatting for over 20 years. She and her Portuguese husband have a second home in Portugal, so she was already in the country.

Seems to be a new trend with servers. They surprise you by taking a picture of themselves first. Always makes for a laugh when you look at your photos after.