This time next week we will be climbing in the Pyrenees. Last Friday morning I was spraying our sleeping bags with Permethrin. It was the first sunny day that I could do this outside and have enough time to air and dry the bags. You see last year when we walked from Ponferrada, because it was for 10 days, I was able to book small hotels in advance. This time because we will be on the road, so to speak, for about 34 days it is not possible to book in advance. We have booked small hotels for the first two nights and for Pamplona. After that it is pot luck. We will have to stay in Albergues.  Albergues are hostels and accommodation is usually in bunk beds with additional overflow space on mattresses on the floor. If you have seen the film, the Way, with Martin Sheen and Jimmy Nesbitt, it gives you a good idea of trying to sleep in an Albergue, with maybe 60 bunks to a room. Anyway, we will have the experience of Albergue accommodation and their dreaded bedbugs. Even though the Albergues are chemically cleaned, monthly, the bedbugs live in mattresses and can cause major problems.  Hence the spraying with Permethrin which is highly toxic but hopefully will keep the bugs away from us. By the time we get to an Albergue we will be so knackered that bedbugs won't matter, and anyway,Mary is more concerned that she cannot take her hair straighteners than she is of bedbugs.
On the subject of nasty things. How long does it take the Ulster Bank to set up a charity account that requires money to be deposited and only two cheques to be written in September? Answers written on the back of Ulster Bank notes. Seriously, we still don't have account details yet.

Well today highlighted two different approaches to preparation for the walk.  Austin and Pauline trekked to the top of a 2000ft Welsh mountain carrying full backpacks. In all honesty that is what Mary and I should be doing. Anyway we, on the other hand, were being entertained to lunch at Little Flower Girls School. For those following this blog who can still remember school lunches this was an experience you would not have had. This was not a school lunch, this was equal or even better than most of the top restaurants in the city. Mind you over the years this has become the standard I have witnessed in everything done by this great school.  The 6th form hospitality students under the expert guidance from their teacher Joanne Mc Aloran treated the staff to a magnificent array of French and Spanish cuisine. The stuffed peppers, spiced chicken and savoury meatballs were all mouth watering and worth every penny donated by the staff towards our selected charities. We would like to again thank Mary Collins the principal, her staff and pupils for the kindness, generosity and support they have shown to our family. Who will ever forget the school choir during the Mass of the Angels.
On a more negative note we still have no bank details from the Ulster Bank but we live in hope. Maybe we will have them by Monday.

Hopefully we will be in a position tomorrow to give bank details in order that donations can be made direct. This should have been set up last week but the Ulster Bank had a slight problem !!!  These things are sent to try us.   The staff and pupils at Little Flower Girls School in Belfast  have been fantastic in their support. Tomorrow they are holding a Spanish and French sponsored lunch and have invited Mary and I.  We have been in constant contact with the Pattersons in order to trim down what we are carrying.  500 miles is a long way to have to carry all your belongings and there is no sense in duplicating items.

Two weeks today and the four of us will be in St. Jean having what I hope is not the last supper but rather the first of many along the length of the Camino. The preparations for this trip have been full of many positive and negative emotions. Today I experienced both. Firstly, Mick Mc Cann sent us an email which went on to tell us that the distance we will be walking is roughly the equivalent of walking from his parents house in Glengormley to our house 55 times. Putting it like that he scared the s*** out of me. I was in a really bad place but then Mary found a little gem of information and when she shared it with me both our spirits lifted. On the 6th day of walking, 2.8km outside Estella,  you arrive at the Bodegas Irache with its famous Fuente del Vino. This is where pilgrims can fortify themselves, at the generosity of the Bodegas, for the journey ahead. In NI speak, plenty of wine  for nathin and who's going anywhere.
We continue to be humbled by your generosity and messages of encouragement. Thank you.

Just finished getting money ready to put in to our candmcamino account tomorrow. The total now stands at £1400. Saying thanks to everyone for their kind generosity doesnt seem enough. Repacked our backpacks this afternoon. Everything has to be weighed and then you have to decide if you could do without it. It is recommended that you carry less than 10% of your body weight so I have about two weeks to gain an extra stone in weight. When everything is on your back for 500 miles every single ounce counts. Find it hard to believe that in 18 days time we will have hopefully completed the first day. The other three will have long finished so hopefully they will have a nice pint waiting for me at the finish.
Will publish  Ulster Bank details tomorrow for anyone wishing to donate directly in to the account.
All the best  Colin

This time three weeks we will be in St. Jean Pied de Port getting ready for the first days walking in the Pyrenees.  Mary and I will be joined by two old friends, Austin and Pauline Patterson. Austin, Pauline and I have been friends since our University days in Leeds in the late 60's and I hope we will still be close friends when we finish the Camino. 500mls is a long way.  Austin is experienced in this mad type of adventure having been to Everest not once but twice. Oh and by the way Everest the mountain not the double glazing firm. I have now reached the moment of truth that I am the weak link in this team.  Last year when we did 250K I struggled to keep up with the pace set by Mary and now joined by two fit experienced walkers I hope my old flat feet can keep up. Since Austin and Pauline have stayed with us on many occasions they knew and loved Rachel and have set up a fund raising link for the Lily Foundation that carries out research into Mitochondria Disease.
I'll sign off now with a thank you to everyone who has supported us.  Your support has been very motivational and emotional to Mary and I and will be of enormous financial help to our designated organisations.

Just to let you know that Mary, Maeve and Peter Howard had a meeting with the Ulster Bank today and have set up a candmcamino account. This account should be operational by the end of next week and I will then give payment details. I'm still struggling with how to manage this blog. I finalised our itinerary today and as yet have not been able to find out how to copy and paste it from my documents on to this blog. I dread to think what I'll do about photographs.  Anyway suffice to say, at this point, Day 1 of the walk is Monday 27th May from St. Jean Pied de Port and is 23K. The 35th and final day of the walk is Tuesday 2nd July when we arrive in Santiago.
I'll post another bolg at the start of next week and let you know how our training is doing.
See you soon