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First – THANK YOU to everyone who has already made generous donations! Many of you have donated anonymously and Canada Helps does not share your contact information so we can’t thank you personally – but please know – we get an e-mail alert every time someone donates and those pings are really motivating. We are grateful and so is MSF. You make the world a better place.
As Pat and I continue preparing for our Via Francigena adventure, we’re tramping local trails nearly every day. Sometimes we only walk six to ten kilometres, other days up to twenty-six. We hope it will all be enough to ready ourselves for the rigours of the trail. It’s been tough getting the distance in during these recent hot days but starting early and having trailside breakfast with a bear helps beat some of the heat. Don’t worry, we packed up breakfast, moved on and left the bear in peace.
We met a woman the other day while we were walking in Seal Bay Park who said, “Are you those two women?”
We stopped and talked for a bit. These are meaningful moments, so if you see us please say hi.
We’ve added N95 masks and COVID test kits to our gear, plus a variety of clothes to see us through temperatures ranging from +40 to -10°C, so our packs are a little heavier than we’d like. Once we add water and lunch, we’ll probably each have about nine kilos. Of course, our efforts and the weight on our backs pale in comparison with the challenges faced by millions of people around the world. And so, our desire to turn this adventure into a way of helping ease a bit of suffering through supporting MSF.
Arriving at the decision to go on this walk hasn’t been straightforward. There are compelling reasons to stay home. COVID continues, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine continues, travel nightmares at airports show no sign of abating – to name three of the most obvious. There are also compelling reasons to go, the most personal and urgent being that we’re aging out of our ability to make this trip. Did you know that the cushioning fat pads under our feet atrophy with age? Not to mention creaky knees.
We wonder if any global issues will improve by next year. Then there’s environmental concerns, inflation and a looming recession. Sensing future travel opportunities diminishing, we’re going this year with the understanding that our plans are flexible and that we’ll take each day as it comes.
Only by tossing our packs on our backs and setting out will we discover what the next months hold in store and if we’ll arrive in Vatican City by 21 November. That arrival will have more meaning than the simple completion of a 2000-kilometre walk if we achieve our $1,000,000.00 fundraising goal. Please encourage your family and friends to spread the word and walk vicariously with us by following our progress on this blog and on:
Instagram: @twowomenwalking
Twitter: @twowomenwalking
Facebook Group: Two Women Walking
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