Author Archives: CAP

Casey- First Day in Paris!

Posted on by

Today was quite a long and pretty stressful day, beginning with a ride in a double decker bus at 3am, making our way to Paris…but oh, how beautiful it turned out to be.

I have been blown away by the graciousness of people in this city. A woman saw us staring hungrily at road signs and showed us a place to eat. A waiter sat down with us at our table and showed us all of his favorite places in Paris on a map. A kind man saw me crying and handed me a tissue.

We also bumped into a family from Spain who recognized my scallop shell- they wished us a “good way.”

So much emotion and gratitude is coming up for me today- our journey has had many twists and turns and challenging moments (and we haven’t even started the Camino!) but things have always worked out so far, in the most unexpected ways. We have been so blessed to have met the wonderful people we have spent time with, and all the gifts they have given us: helpful guidance, a free meal, or a warm smile. I feel this connection of understanding and compassion, even through awkward language barriers.

Feeling peaceful and so full of gratitude.

First Day in London- Casey- March 21 2016

Posted on by

I am super excited to say that Jess and I have survived (and thoroughly enjoyed) our first day in London! And it came with many laughs, a few blunders, and much much fun.

We took a red-eye via Norwegian airlines, which was a very lovely and spacious airplane, though it was very difficult to get to sleep because everyone had their own television screen, most of which became quite bright and distracting. I drifted in and out of sleep, shifting positions, and trying not to think of how hungry I was (I meant to pack food for my flight, but ran out of time, and oh, how I regretted that). But waking up and realizing I was almost into London was so exciting that my exuberance charged me up more than a cup of coffee ever could!

Jess leading the way while I stop to snap a few pics

Jess leading the way while I stop to snap a few pics

Getting off the plane was the real adventure- trying to navigate all the trains and rails and the like while battling hypoglycemia/fatigue/dehydration… Jess and I purchased an Oyster card which got us cheap train tickets to use during our stay to get around London. It took us quite a while to find our hostel, taking many twists and turns, asking many people for maps and directions, and laughing all the way. Everyone was for the most part quite helpful and gracious!

Getting lost through neighborhood trying to find hostel

Getting lost through neighborhood trying to find hostel

The Queen Elizabeth Chelsea Hostel

The Queen Elizabeth Chelsea Hostel

We finally made it to the Queen Elizabeth Chelsea hostel/pub, run by a very friendly bartender named Justin. He welcomed us in and showed us around- we followed him behind the bar, through a narrow hallway that led to our showers and toilet, and then out the back door past an outside smoking area to a smaller building where our beds were kept.

*** Camelback silliness ***

I had a funny encounter (actually many along the way, but this one instance was particularly great) with my camelback, the only form of water transportation I decided to bring with me on my trip. I asked Justin where I could fill it up, and he offered to fill it using the tap water behind the bar. He looked confused as I handed him the blue sack, this pouch i had grown so attached to since purchasing it- it had provided so much nourishment for me (I love my water) sometimes I would carry it outside of my backpack…Justin had never seen one before, so I had to explain to him what it was. Shortly after he filled it up, a customer came in for a drink. He was also curious about my blue water sac contraption. “Do you fill it with alcohol?” he asked.

That’s all for now! Jess and I are off to start our second day in London! I hope everyone is doing well.