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600km Walking Pilgrimage through Spain

Written by Denise Chng Lisan & published on September 2 2008

From the moment I discovered an ancient pilgrimage path in Spain in June last year, the attraction of walking hundreds of kilometres towards an assured destination grew on me daily. My eagerness to go on a month-long journey on foot across the steep slopes, lush valleys and forests of the Pyrenees, and through countless small towns and villages, was part of a subconscious quest to find depth and meaning in my life. At the age of 33, I was approaching – prematurely, perhaps – what seemed to be a mid-life crisis.

Straits Times Life! Article,Denise Chng Lisan,Camino de Santiago,Camino Frances

Letter from Quebec: Preserving Heritage

Written by Denise Chng Lisan & published on November 8 2008

'TRAVEL is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living,' wrote Miriam Beard. Life in Quebec is now my teacher, pointing out my knowledge gaps and honing my ideas of living - be it language, culture, life-skills, or the environment.

Denise Chng Lisan

The Pyrenees

Posted by Denise CHNG Lisan On Tuesday, September 18, 2007
The Pyrenees is beautiful. But at this moment, it is a daunting and unknown creature to me. The first sight of the mountain, I thought "how am i going to do this?" People get me worried when they say, "you're doing this alone?!" "You're walking how many days?!" "Did you train?"
Urgh.

I tried to find a short cut. See if I can get to the other side of Pyrenees without hiking over. but I'd have to take two days getting there by train, flight and buses.
Spain is so near, yet so far.


I'll have to hike for 12 hours for 28km on the first day. There's no choice to break the walk, as that's the nearest lodging one can find. The climb is up an elevation of 500m at least to 1000+++m. That's half a kilometre closer to heaven. Nice thought.

Tomorrow I leave for St Jean Pied de Port, the last town in France. I think I will start the day after (at 6am) to make my way to Roncesvalles in Spain (once I get myself mentally prepared). Can I do this???

I can. I can. I can. That I must tell myself.

I will write next when I recover from this, and from Spain! Please pray for me!
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2 Response to 'The Pyrenees'

  1. Julia Lau Said,
    http://denise-camino.blogspot.com/2007/09/pyrenees.html?showComment=1190229960000#c3328723280756047434'> 19 September 2007 at 12:26

    hi Dee. I've read every entry. you can do it. you have the strength within you, and lots of people looking out for you. have a great journey. It already sounds like it's off to a good start.

    much love from Washington DC
    Ju

     

  2. Denise CHNG Lisan Said,
    http://denise-camino.blogspot.com/2007/09/pyrenees.html?showComment=1190472660000#c3231018961664278018'> 22 September 2007 at 07:51

    Thanks Ju! I did it! =) Yippee! I can´t wait to climb my next mountain with you.

     

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