weekly photo challenge: achievement
We didn’t even need to think twice about what photo we would use for this challenge.
Our Camino passport says it all! Stamps showing that we walked approximately 800 km (500 miles) from St Jean Pied de Port in France to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. It took us 6 weeks. We still can’t believe we achieved this 🙂
wise monkeys abroad 
November 24, 2014 at 7:41 am
Congratulations, both for actually walking the Way, and for being astute enough to know how important it is to walk the Way, and what an achievement!
I came upon El Camino far too late in life to walk it (although I suspect there are oldies and wrinklies who’ve done it anyway). But we traversed it with a small group, stopping from time to time to walk at least a few paces, and hearing stories about it as we went. One of the peak experiences in my life!
(If you haven’t seen the Martin Sheen movie, The Way, please do. Talk about bringing back memories —)
November 24, 2014 at 10:17 am
Thank you for your comment!
We have known about the Camino for several years now and felt that this was the year to do it 🙂
We saw The Way after we did the walk as we didn’t want spoilers or any preconceptions before we went.
The Camino is a life-changing, magical and uplifting experience! It’s one of the most memorable things we have done!
November 22, 2014 at 10:05 am
Truly an amazing achievement! Congratulations on this accomplishment. Perhaps you can frame your stamped Camino passport.
November 22, 2014 at 10:35 am
Thank you for your lovely words! Sue – it’s actually in the framers as we speak. We are framing the passports, the Santiago certificates (for completing the last 100 km) and the St Francis of Assisi certificate (issued only ONCE every hundred years). So just waiting for that phone call to tell us it is ready to be picked up 🙂
November 21, 2014 at 5:18 am
I don’t know anything about this, but this looks incredible!! I gotta get more information…
November 21, 2014 at 7:43 am
Yes, do look more into it.
To put it simply, the Camino is a ‘pilgrimage’ to Santiago de Compostela (where it is said to house the remains of St James). People can pretty much start anywhere but the most famous and popular is the Camino Frances which starts in the south of France (St Jean Pied de Port) and crosses into Spain.
Many people now do it for many reasons and not just religious purposes. The most amazing thing is decluttering your thoughts and bringing life back to basics! It is one of the best things we have ever done 🙂
It wasn’t easy but it was worth every second!
November 20, 2014 at 7:48 pm
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November 20, 2014 at 4:00 am
Definitely second the idea to frame this accomplishment!
November 20, 2014 at 7:06 am
Thank you 😀
November 19, 2014 at 1:07 am
Well done guys! It is such an achievement and you should be very proud! I was so proud of myself for doing the Inca Trail and that was only 4 days – I’m not sure I could do 6 weeks! I love the passport full of loads of stamps – a great way to remember your trip 🙂
November 19, 2014 at 6:47 am
Thanks Ayla!! You are so sweet in saying that 🙂 we are having these passports and our certificates framed. We can’t wait to get it up on our wall!
The Inca Trail is tough on a different level (ie camping, no showers, altitiude) so you guys are incredible for accomplishing that 🙂
November 19, 2014 at 9:35 am
That’s a great idea getting them framed. We have stamps from the Inca Trail in our passports so I understand how fantastic they are to look at 🙂
November 18, 2014 at 9:58 pm
Amazing guys!! You did it!!! You have made memories to cherish for the rest of your lives… I know it wasnt easy, but this is something no money can pay, and no one can take away from you!! Congratulations 😀
November 19, 2014 at 6:41 am
Thanks Allane!!! We appreciate your kind words 🙂 Actually we have a lot of catching up to do on your blog too. Sounds like you had some grand adventures during that time we were walking 🙂
November 19, 2014 at 8:13 pm
You’re welcome, my pleasuree 😉
Don’t worry about that, you will have time…. I understand how things are when we are traveling and when we are back home… I also have lots to catch up with everyone 😉
Yes, I went to Turkey and Egypt while you were traveling 😀 Amazing!!!
November 20, 2014 at 8:49 am
Lucky you 🙂 Turkey is incredible, huh? And Egypt is somewhere we have dreamed about going for ages but just have never got there.
We MUST check out your posts 🙂
November 20, 2014 at 6:19 pm
Yess, indeed, I loved Turkey!! I must say I was impressed, especially with the people, so nice!
So finally one place you guys still haven’t been yet!! 😀 time to change that soon 😉
November 20, 2014 at 8:32 pm
LOL – yes, we will have to make sure we change that 🙂
November 21, 2014 at 10:20 pm
hahaha 😀 it wont be so hard… it will be fun 😀
November 18, 2014 at 4:43 pm
Perfect for this challenge 🙂 congrats
November 18, 2014 at 4:54 pm
Thank you!!
November 18, 2014 at 12:00 pm
Congratulation! And again – jealous 😉
November 18, 2014 at 12:17 pm
Thanks! It was a wonderful thing for us to experience 🙂
November 18, 2014 at 9:18 am
Bravissimi!!!!!!! 🙂
November 18, 2014 at 9:20 am
Thanks Diana 🙂
November 17, 2014 at 5:16 am
wow! super cool achievement!! well done & congrats to both of you!
November 17, 2014 at 6:49 am
Thanks Indah 🙂 It was a truly rewarding and uplifting experience for us both!!
November 16, 2014 at 11:55 pm
gotta love collecting stamps!
November 17, 2014 at 7:53 am
Totally… who doesn’t love collecting stamps, right? 🙂 Hope you have been well! Actually, that reminds us we need to visit your blog and do some catching up!
November 16, 2014 at 11:39 pm
Amazing! 🙂
November 17, 2014 at 7:53 am
It was pretty cool 😉
November 16, 2014 at 1:09 pm
That’s great! What an accomplishment. I’d not even heard about this before I read it here, but it’s on the bucket list now for sure!
November 16, 2014 at 3:20 pm
It is an absolutely wonderful experience that we are so grateful to have been able to do 🙂 Hope you have the opportunity one of these days too!
November 15, 2014 at 11:24 pm
Congrats!
November 16, 2014 at 1:42 am
Thank you 🙂
November 15, 2014 at 10:05 pm
So what’s the next big hike? ;o)
November 16, 2014 at 1:44 am
Ha! That’s a good question 🙂 We have been thinking about it and yet to come up with the right answer. Hope you have been well!
November 16, 2014 at 1:48 am
Yes. We’ve been buried in the “next country” shenanigans. Don’t know if you caught the post, but its Jamaica next summer!
November 16, 2014 at 1:54 am
No, we must’ve missed that post – feels like we have plenty of catch up to do! So Jamaica next summer?? NIIIIIIIICE!!!!!
November 15, 2014 at 7:39 pm
That really is an achievement to be proud of.
November 16, 2014 at 1:46 am
Thank you 🙂 We are waiting for our certificates & these very passports to be framed. They are with the framers right now… can’t wait to get it back and mount it!
November 15, 2014 at 7:12 pm
This is so impressive!
November 16, 2014 at 1:47 am
Thank you so much 🙂
November 15, 2014 at 4:30 pm
wow.. the passport!! This is some achievement indeed!!
November 16, 2014 at 1:50 am
This has to be one of the best souvenirs that we have to show from any of our trips 🙂
November 15, 2014 at 4:29 pm
Oh my! This is amazing 🙂
Here’s mine:
WeeklyPhotoChallenge@EverythingNyze
November 16, 2014 at 1:51 am
Thank you – will be sure to check yours out!
November 15, 2014 at 3:56 pm
Once again, congrats on walking the Camino, Monkeys! You got a nice souvenir there as a reminder of all the hard work that went into it 🙂 I suppose when you look at each stamp now you are reminded of something memorable on each leg of the journey. Looking closely, I can even see a stamp that has two chickens on it. Now that must have been a fun leg…I think 😉 Hope you two are having a good weekend!
November 16, 2014 at 1:53 am
Beautifully said once again 🙂 The passport is probably one of, if not, the best souvenirs that we have from our travels!! We do look at each stamp and try to recall what happened there and the memories certainly do come flooding back. And the memories are as clear as they were the day we did them, almost like we get a video reel in our head of each day 🙂
Mabel, we wish you a wonderful weekend also! Happy Sunday!
November 16, 2014 at 1:59 am
Oh…. and by the way – the stamp with the chickens. That was in Santo Domingo where there is a chicken “cage” inside the church with one chicken and a rooster inside 🙂
November 17, 2014 at 3:50 pm
Nice to know 😀
November 15, 2014 at 10:15 am
Nice 🙂
November 15, 2014 at 11:04 am
Thank you 🙂
November 15, 2014 at 8:14 am
Fabulous and well done you! On our bucket list but yet to be checked off …. 🙂
November 15, 2014 at 8:34 am
Oh thank you so much! We hope you get to do it one day soon. It is just an incredible experience.
November 15, 2014 at 8:35 am
We will – we sort of have to actually. In that – its there and we just must way 🙂 Happy weekend 🙂
November 15, 2014 at 8:41 am
Awesome! 🙂 You have a great weekend also!
November 15, 2014 at 8:00 am
Neat! I treasure mine too . My stamps are much more higgledepiggledy than yours and each one brings so many memories. Sigh.
November 15, 2014 at 8:13 am
🙂 Memories always flood back looking at anything Camino related! Definitely a big *sigh* now that we are back to reality 🙂