Jules Torti and her wife were stymied twice. First it was the pandemic and then it was Kim's plantar fasciitis. Were they starting Croatia's Camino Krk off on the right foot? Kim was already favouring her left. The Camino has proven to be a mutual dog whistle in their relationship-the irresistible magnet that propelled them to walk 920 kilometres on the Camino de Santiago in 2018 lured them back to another 150-kilometre pilgrimage around Croatia's Krk Island and the 274-kilometre Coastal Route of Camino Portugués.
Once upon a time (2018), in a faraway land (Spain), pilgrims began their day under the stars, long before the sun lifted and warmed their shoulders. A milky coffee and savoury tortilla would rejuvenate the journey but the coffee break would be unpredictable. The café would magically (and gratefully) appear when needed the most. At day's end, there would be a guaranteed bunk in a hostel or albergue somewhere- it was first come, first-served but there was always a bed.
Relying once again on their feet and fate (and no cell phone), they wondered if the Camino's patina had tarnished since their last adventure. Whimsy seemed to have been replaced by wi-fi. The predictable bunk bed blur and sleeping bagged stays of the Camino Frances quickly became a stress-soaked ordeal of no vacancy resort towns. And why were there no waymarkers or pilgrims for days on end? What was once carefree and car-free became an increasingly expensive disillusioned wander. At least it was blister-free.
Navigating endless olive groves, vineyards, bottles of wine, gypsy dogs, nudists, wild boars, the "Valley of the Moon" and cancelled flights, Camino Chaos is laced with Torti's signature sarcasm, Super Bock, watermelon-eating sheep, U-turns, profanity, insanity history and heroics. Follow the determined duo as they accidentally come to the end of the Camino Krk and find their way back to Santiago with a sense of bewilderment and humour.
Navigating endless olive groves, vineyards, bottles of wine, gypsy dogs, nudists, wild boars, the "Valley of the Moon" and cancelled flights, Camino Chaos is laced with Torti's signature sarcasm, Super Bock, watermelon-eating sheep, U-turns, profanity, insanity history and heroics.
Follow the determined duo around Croatia's Krk Island and Coastal Portugal as they find their way back to Santiago on two very trying Camino routes with a sense of bewilderment and humour (and hives for Kim).
Jules Torti and her wife were stymied twice. First it was the pandemic and then it was Kim's plantar fasciitis. Were they starting Croatia's Camino Krk off on the right foot? Kim was already favouring her left. The Camino has proven to be a mutual dog whistle in their relationship-the irresistible magnet that propelled them to walk 920 kilometres on the Camino de Santiago in 2018 lured them back to another 150-kilometre pilgrimage around Croatia's Krk Island and the 274-kilometre Coastal Route of Camino Portugués.
Once upon a time (2018), in a faraway land (Spain), pilgrims began their day under the stars, long before the sun lifted and warmed their shoulders. A milky coffee and savoury tortilla would rejuvenate the journey but the coffee break would be unpredictable. The café would magically (and gratefully) appear when needed the most. At day's end, there would be a guaranteed bunk in a hostel or albergue somewhere- it was first come, first-served but there was always a bed.
Relying once again on their feet and fate (and no cell phone), they wondered if the Camino's patina had tarnished since their last adventure. Whimsy seemed to have been replaced by wi-fi. The predictable bunk bed blur and sleeping bagged stays of the Camino Frances quickly became a stress-soaked ordeal of no vacancy resort towns. And why were there no waymarkers or pilgrims for days on end? What was once carefree and car-free became an increasingly expensive disillusioned wander. At least it was blister-free.
Navigating
