Sorrows and Joy

The loss of my niece Jess's baby daughter has saddened us all. Little Heidi didn't get a chance at life, and has left an immeasurable hole in the hearts of her parents, grand parents, and all the family.  It is at times like this that Australia is a long long way from Ireland. 


Unaware of the sadness ahead, grandaughter Kate and I had a great few days in Paris.  Admittedly we only walked to the second level of the Eiffel Tower, but at 704 steps up and 704 steps back down in top 20s temperatures, it was not a paltry achievement.  Afterwards we treated ourselves to a long and leisurely round trip on the river bus to recuperate before cooling down the delightful aquarium nearby.

Cooling the sore feet after the Eiffel Tower

We also climbed the tower of Notre Dame cathedral - a first for me, as was the aquarium visit.  Letting the grandchild choose the itinerary has great benefits!  While there were only a mere 240 steps to the first level, they were more difficult as they spiraled up and were worn and smooth, unlike Eiffel's cast iron steps.  However, the views from the gallery more than made up for loss of breath and creaky knees.

From Notre Dame to the Eiffel Tower

Camino training is well underway, and the walk still planned for the end of September, so please watch this space for updates.  Sarah continues to make great progress and ongoing cancer research needs our support.

Buen camino!

The Beara Way

It is high time I updated the blog!  Plans change and summer has its pleasant demands with visitors to entertain and grandchildren to care for - not that we would qualify for Mr Shane Ross's grand grant!

A recent chance to visit the UK's South Downs in the company of old college friends was greatly relished, and the sun shone for a full week. Early morning was the best time to sample the glorious undulating paths there before the heat became overpowering.

We have managed only a single day of the lovely Beara Way, and intend to do more, but meanwhile have been busy with shorter local walks and a daily swim in the amazingly warm Atlantic.

Sandstone boulders, Beara Way near Glengarriff

The Healy Pass

The Healy Pass : Glanmore Lake and Kenmare Bay

I have pushed back the Camino date to the end of September, and will set up the donation site before then.  The actual venue remains to be decided, depending on my capability nearer the time.  Meanwhile I am heading to Paris next week for a few days with grandchild No 4 : it has been a ritual to introduce them singly to the wonders of my favourite city, with the itinerary left in the hands of each one in their turn: this requires research and planning on their part, and I get to visit places I might not otherwise see.  The trip will demand a good bit of exercise and so qualifies for the current training plan!

Au revoir until next time!