Firstly apologies to Ros for infecting her with a Trojan virus when I sent the last Blog update with the happy snappies – they will be put on at a later date when my computer has finished its course of antibiotics ….
Nearly time to go home – back to my beautiful little cottage!
What a chain of events since my last update ….
I left France at Calais and took the short crossing to Dover on a P&O ferry – not nearly as nice as the Brittany ferry I went over to Santander on – it seemed to be quite a lot older (at least from the rust on the metal bits) still I was only on there for a short while and it got Shanti and I back to the UK. I must say I got quite a thrill when I saw the white cliffs looming up on the horizon!
I still felt that my ‘connection’ with upstairs was not quite right for me so I had booked myself into a place in Kent for a week’s retreat to get some help from the guy who runs it …. I came away still with no more feeling of connection than when I arrived but I realised why I went there …. to see what not to do and how not to run a healing centre/retreat!
My next port of call was Bournemouth with my two granddaughters, Charlotte and Molly. It was the first time Molly had been away from mummy and daddy for more than 1 night and I am not sure who was more worried about it, her or me. As it turned out neither of us needed to be because it was a little adventure that both she and Charlotte found to be great fun! The two of them using the ‘bunk’ bed had me lying awake for most of the first night thinking they would not remember where they were and ‘get out’ of bed forgetting they were up in the air! They both slept like logs! The weather was really kind to us – the sun shone and was in fact quite warm enabling us to take the ‘open-top’ bus to the beach every day.
Then came the time to set off for Spain to start the Camino. On the 30th September I caught a flight from Stanstead to Biarritz and a bus to Bayonne. I was sitting waiting at the train station for the next connection to St Jean Pied de Port when a lady with a rucksack sat next to me (you know me – talk to anyone!) ‘Hello’ I said ‘are you on your way to the Camino?’ Her answer started a very spooky conversation ….
‘Yes’ she said. She told me she was from Sydney Australia and had just arrived, feeling quite tired at that! The conversation went on and I asked her if she had any relations in England to which she said her ancestors were from Scotland ‘oh’ said I ‘me too’. The conversation went on and I said ‘oh by the way my name is Jan, Jan Reid’ her chin dropped onto her chest …. ‘Are you ok’ I asked ‘what did you say your name is’ she asked, ‘Jan Reid’ I replied …. ‘So is mine – my name is Jane Reid spelt R E I D!’ …. Of all the people in the world!!
Jane and I were joined by a lovely young man named Gunther from Germany, the three of us walked from St Jean Pied de Port to Pamplona and it was on the way through the woods in Linzoan that a swarm of horse flies attacked me (not one landed on Jane or Gunther!). By the time we reached Larrasoana I was beginning to feel quite ill (the poison had got into my blood stream). The lady who owned the Albergue gave me some cream to put on the bites to stop them from itching. I had a really restless night and the next day didn’t feel any better but continued with the walk. At Pamplona I bought some antihistamine in a Pharmacy and at 1600hrs checked in to an Albergue. There I slept until 0800hrs the next morning and felt even worse – I had a bad reaction to the antihistamine!!
‘Enough!’ my body said …. I found my way to the bus station and caught a bus to Bilbao then a bus to Santander (back here again!). It was a good job the buses stopped at bus stations on the two places I needed to get to because I slept the whole journey until the driver said ’All change’! The ferry didn’t sail to Plymouth for 2 days and so I checked into a hostel – oh my what a place – the walls were bright turquoise, no windows and the loo had one of those air fresheners that pumps a dreadful smell (and from what I have read additives causing depression) out every other minute! I just wanted to cry! ‘Well you know what you would tell your clients’ said a voice! So I took myself out of the room, down the stairs and once outside I asked upstairs to help. Funny how the help comes! I found a park – ‘Jardines de Pereda, Santander, Cantobria’ and I sat under a tree near a statue with beautiful carved figures on it. My Spanish is not good and my phrase book did not give a translation to the inscriptions on the statue but I think the gist was all about the keeper of the mountain, anyway it was truly striking and sitting in the sunshine amid wonderful trees, flowers and the statue overlooking the sea I began to feel better.
Before I left the UK in June I was talking to a friend (Iris) who lives in Wadebridge, Cornwall (a truly lovely lady who is extremely knowing in our field of business) said to me ‘you haven’t been down to visit me for a long while – when are you coming to see me?’ I telephoned Iris and told her what had happened and asked if the invitation was still valid ‘Oh yes’ she said so on arriving at Plymouth I made for the bus station and caught the appropriate buses to Wadebridge where with the wonderful tlc from Iris I began to really heal.
Then one day I received a telephone call from another healer friend of mine Ele and when I told her where I was she said ‘Oh you really ought to check out the Ley Lines in Penwith …. ‘Read the book Megalithic Mysteries of Cornwall by Cheryl Straffon’ WOW I did and wanted to explore the standing stones and ancient monuments like Lanyon Quoit, Men-an-Tol and the Merry Maidens Stone Circle to name but a few.
So here I am in Shanti (thanks to another dear friend who drove her down here for me) at the Atlantic Coast Caravan Park, Gwithian, Hayle, Cornwall (three miles of glorious golden sand beach and wonderful sand dunes) taking time out to get spaced out with the energy from the Leys and stones (I know as if I need these things to get spaced out I hear you say!) and enjoy walking on England’s pleasant pastures green and golden (who needs to travel across the sea when one can experience beauty right here).
Well I will be ‘going home’ on the 10th October and getting unpacked. I will be working again as of 1st November (check out the website for dates etc).
Really looking forward to seeing you all again
xx
What a beautiful city, very grand almost Parisian with wide tree lined boulevards. The trees all had their branches joined forming beautiful shaded walks along the river (see photo of the river and of the magnificent ornate bridge). There were old parts of the city were you felt as if you were in the 1930’s and other very new parts very modern.
It was a 5 minute walk to the beach which was spectacular, miles and miles of golden sand, the sea was turquoise with enormous waves capped with white foam interspersed with black suited surfers who planed their way towards the sand. I stayed here for 5 nights because the weather was glorious and I felt my battery becoming recharged. (see photo of the beach at sunset and the walk-way onto the beach [Jayne if you are reading this it reminded me of the postcard on your mantle!]). 
I have had so many lovely messages from people since this blog was set up (by the famous Rosalind of Fairy Cottage) bless you all.
