Shenzhen versus Hong Kong airports

Flew to Changsha from Shenzhen yesterday and back today. In Shenzhen
they again changed gate about 20 minutes before planned takeoff.
Second time in a row this happenes to me in Bao On (precious peace) as
the Shenzhen airport is called. Not much precious about that place - a
more noisy and shrill airport is hard to find.

After letting us board one hour late, they kept us in the plane
sitting on the tarmack for four hours without in the first two hours
telling us why.

It turned out it was due to heavy rain and thereafter a glut of
planes landing and taking off.

I have never seen such an agitated and foulmouthed Chinese crowd as
the atmosphere developed in the plane - quite interesting actually.
Poor airhostesses who really got the verbal abuse.

However I believe it is probably Bao Ons traffic controllers who is to
blame of the lack of info. Afterall the pilots just want to go as much
as the passengers don't they.

I'll really will try to stay away and use our wonderfully Hong Kong airport a paradise compered to Bao On in Shenzhen.
hereafter.

Sent from my iPhone
Ole Jacob Groenvold

Kristins progres

Hello Dear wife and all else.
I which you were here together with me on the pilgrimage, in Paris and
London. sammen med på pilgrimsferd, i Paris og London. Kristin is
doing well, I am proud, now in Rominao and following her schedule.

St Etienne Churc Paris 20100605

A beautiful beige coloured church in Paris very airy and full of light
give's a good feeling

Although in Paris I seem's to be continuing my pilgrim pattern of doing
my Daily devotions in churces. Paris has an abundant choice of those)

As a matter of fact - we should all walk or "travel" as Pilgrims with
God each and every day of our life.

I which I could be back on the Pilgrim trail after 20 hours in Paris.

Hotel Terminus Lyon Paris 20100604

I have now been about 20 hours in Paris – seen Sacre Ceur (and taken lots of photoes) – on of the most beautiful churches in Paris including a fabulous view of the city itself, and also spent the night in a comfortable hotel and just had my breakfast. (Included)

Paris is one of the most beautiful cities in this world.

The pilgrim trail gives you blisters – and burning feet by about 1pm after walking from 8am or even 7am. After about 2-3pm your body is really tired and if you have to go on walking to about 5-6pm to reach a destination and a bed, you just collapse into it after dinner at 8 or 9pm

Why is it that I just which I was back on the pilgrim trail?

Because it is a beautiful simple world with nature all around, birds singing, prayers and bible reading and chats with people.

I really just want start planning for the next time. I hope I can share this experience with a friend or two from home.

Home is Hong Kong – but somehow it is difficult to explain this slow life Pilgrim life to someone in that busy exciting and yes also very beautiful city.

Like a shadow through the colours of life

I am watching you

A cat I met on my walk through France. Gradually it let me stroke him.

Prayer is the key

On of my congregation's slogans is: "Prayer is the key"

Both me and my coleague are quite insistant on the fact that it is the
twice monthly prayer meeting we have in our church, that carries and drives the development of what is happening in Amazing Grace Lutheran Church.

The Catholics of France is using candels to focus theif minds on prayer.

My prayers on the trail all tended to be short and to the point. Each one of them just a few sentenses actually repeated several times during the day. '

I believe our prayers does not depend on our words, nor on how much emotions people can hear in our voice, but the attitude in our hearts and our honesty towards God. Of course in the end prayers depend on God only

Beautiful tracks

The trail is. "designed" to give you peace of mind.

Pilgrim dog riding high

The dog really had a good owner. At first I thought it was lazy, but
later realized it had a problem with his right back knee and was limping.

It is pretty cool thing that the owner takes his dog on a possible two months walk. Sorry Mia (my cat) I believe it would not do you good to take you on my walks.

Pilgrimage ended this year, but now I am on my way to Paris

In Paris I am looking forward to two days of photography, not with my
Iphone but with my Canon and my fisheye!!

Pilgrimage ended for this year train Agen - Paris 20100604

I am on the train to Paris. Yesterday I left daugter in Auvillar and
walked back to Moissac in 4 hours about two hours faster than the
other way. At a point I checked on my speed and it was about 5,4km pr
hour. My personal normal speed is quite high.

It is strange to be on my way home. I've got blisters on both feet,
but this morning waiting for the bus I thought. What if I just chuck
the ticket to Paris and just walk? I will catch up with daughter in a
couple of days. It was really tempting.

Of course I could not do that, but the wish certainly was there. The
life on the pilgrim trail is quite unique. You meet a lot of people
and make a lot of friends. Most people feel like family and almost
everyone is helpful and willing to talk. We are united in the motto of
"Ultreia" Always onwards.

I was taking a rest yesterday and the person who passed came over and
asked " Ca va" Are you ok? Everyone will greet you " Bon jour" Good
day.

One thing is clear: In my heart I am already planning to come cack and
walk towards Compostella the name most people uses for Santiago de
Compostella

I only wish I could get one or two of my close friends to come with
me. Not because I do not want to walk alone, but because this
experience is just too good not to share with others. Hey guys anyone
listening?? You need about 4 to 6 weeks on the road. If you do this
you will have an experien e in your life you will not forget.

Sent from my iPhone
Ole Jacob Groenvold

Blisters

Since about the second day I have got blisters on both feet.
And for the last 12 days I have been walking with them.

I used to be a great fan of the brand "Compeed" but have more or less
switched to a much cheaper and thinner kind of micropore bandaid that
you can see underneath. It's got glue on the inside and you just slap
it on after removing the protecting paper. 5 meters cost a out 2 Euro
and you only needs 3-4cm for each cut.

Pilgrim daughter.

Today 20100603 in Auvillar daughter walked on on her own towards
Santiago Spain about 1100 km to the southwest. She can make it and
will I believe.

It was really difficult to part as I got to go back to Paris and
London for work. Sad and of course a little bit worried.
It is so difficult to part from your very good friend.

However the comfort is if course that on The Camino you never have to
alone. Many many nice people on the trail all going the same way - we
have met many of them already.

Moissac from where our Gite is situated

Difficult to beat this view!

Very friendly French

They did not stop talking to us in French, we understood about 20% of
what they were saying, but what the heck... We were all smiles and
tres joily anyway

The railwayline and the monastry

French culture and life is baffeling

Moissac monastry from the 12 century, the inside garden.

Went into the tourist office here in Moissac where the Lady at the
counter has English just a little bit better then my French. This
makes for interesting but not very efficient communication.
Can she help me book a hotel in Paris? No they are not a travelling
Agency.

Can she give me the Telephone no to Hotel Terminus in Paris? No but
She can call them, 30 cents please.
Me: Ok???? Then yes please.

She: Sorry Terminus hotel says, we are full....

Me: Ok

Me again: Can she give me the telephone no to the tourist info in Paris Montparnass Station
please? Cause that is were my train from Moissac is coming in.

Looking at her Internet terminal she answers:
I will give you a list of hotels near Montparnasse in Paris. How many
stars do you want please?

Me: Two stars.

She proceeds to print a list of hotels with two stars in the Monterparnass aria, but with NO telephone nos on the list.

What am I doing wrong here?
Why can tourist offices not provide hotel teleph. no?

Why are the willing to call them?

Why do they not have train schedules?

And why does not their public internet terminals work?
Strange.....

The tourist office is also the the guardian and ticket seller of this
Beautiful 12 century monastry in Moissac that almost got torn down in
in 1850 to make way for the railway they built at that time.

Moissac 20100601

Kristin is here in the post office of Moissac. She has fetched her
postal pack she sent from Espalion where we started our walk to Post
Restante in this town. The box is now going onwards about seven days.
She needs the stuff in Spain, but do not want to carry it there. Good
system.

The end of this years walk - almost

Kristin and I arrived in Moissac last night and found a very nice Gite
called "La Petite Luminiere" = The small light or something close-
just above the town with a very good view of the whole town. Fabelous
dinner too by the landlady who cooked and eat with us.She is doing
this gite as a service to God.

Last night we were so tired. The 24km from Lauzerte was really tough.
Looking at the last six days last night we had done between 23 up to
30 every day and found out that IT was a bit too ambitious. In between
we need days between 15 and 20 so that not all walking days last until
5-6 at night.

Today is a day off. Kristin and I have been walking for 14 days
including these two rest days.
I am planning to walk one day more - then back here and then the train
to Paris on the 4th. I can not reach Condom that has the next easy
connection to Paris.

Both Kristin and I are feeling strange we are parting. I am really
going to miss her. Of course daddy are feeling a bit uneasy about
letting his "little" daughter walk alone, but have no doubt she can do
it. And besides that, on the camino you do not have to be alone if you
do not want to. There are people walking together with you.

Sent from my iPhone
Ole Jacob Groenvold

Moissac 20100531

A little friend on the way to Compostella?

Time out

Lascabanes 20100520
Some newfound Aquitaines/friends resting in a field near Lascabanes.
Two French brothers and their Dutch friend Diny.

It seems after about 10 days of walking, complete mental peace have
arrived.

The days program is just looking at flowers in the fields, listening to the birds
sing, looking at all the green stuff, and waiting for dinner vine and
desert, besides walking from a to b.

Live is good and extremly simple being a pilgrim. You all need to try!
Of course there are blisters but even they don,t bother me much.

La Croix de Magne outside Cahors France

Magne's cross? Or may be that is the Norwegian Mission Society in
Norway for both me and my old boss in Oslo Norway?? Hmmmm.

Cahors 20100529

The best preserved fortified Middle Age bridge in Europe lies in
Cahors and the Pilgrim trail passes by.

Cahors

Here is the free tourist map of
Cahors a town of about 20 000 people.

Just realised that I have been here before , on the way to start our
Pilgrim walk, sleeping on the night train. Kind of weired isn't it?

20100528

Today's goal Cahor in our "sights" - a town from the middle ages.

Poppies everywhere 20100528

These kind of fields are everywhere and increadibly beautiful. Today
we walked about 26km from Vaylats to. Cahor doing good speed on Cami
Ferrat the old road constructed by the Romans. Means the road might be
2000 years old. Roman Legionairs were marching on them. Sometimes
doing this kind of walk makes you feel you are in some kind of time
maschine.

At a certain time today we were walking with Lou from Australia, A French
guy, a Dutch lady and us two "semi" Norwegians.

I realize I have problems to answer the question: Where do you come from. Should I
answer Norway, China or where I slept last night?

Bach 20100527

Time is sort of merging and the past is dissapearing. What is present
in my mind is the immidiate and the near future.
It is difficult to think about churc and work and people in HK. (but
I do do it)

Just been walking for about 12km from Limogne and we are now in Bach.
The name stems from a German family that settled here in the 18th
century.
Having a big lunch of soup, then vegetables and lamb. Very nice, rose
vine too.
There is only one, but excellent restaurant in this village of about
500 people or so. The place is filler with walkers like us and
tourists. It is very easy to spot who is who from the clothes and the
sligvtly sloppy look our fellow Pilgrims.

Tonight we will sleep in a monastry run by the "Little sisters of
Jesus" eat with them and go to mass. I am wondering if they will allow
a protestant to participate in their communion? In our church we do
give communion to. catholics

Sent from my iPhone
Ole Jacob Groenvold

Walking in the French Sunchine

Towards Cajarc 20100524

Towards Cajarc 20100524

Having shaken Daughter off for the day - I had the wide open road to
myself, however I kept on looking back hoping she would appear around
the bend of the road. I must have been missing her. She only reappered
at the Gite in Cajarc at 9:30pm.
This was about 90 minutes after me. At least "old" age I cam walk
faster tham her.

Getting into Cajarc last night I was really sore footed. Dined on old
bread, water and some marmelade.

Cajarc is a beautiful little village the locals insist to call a town.
May be they are right? It got a La Poste (post office) several
restaurants, hotels and even a railway station. The Gite is clean too.
I am sipping beer looking across the main square watching my laundry
drying in the window of my Gite.

At one of the restaurants we have found free wifi called "Default"
Life is great!

Cajarc 20100525

Long Walk last night more than 30km and I can still feel it in my
legs. Daughter and I split up for most of the day. Good to be alone
sometime. She also needs training for the time I go up to Paris on the
4th of June, and then to London for meetings. She managed yesterday
very well.

She wants to make it to Santiago de Compostella before July 25th St.
Jacobs birthday. Since it falls on a Sunday this year, 2010 is
considered a Holy year and the place is going to be jampacked.

Blisters have come back again. One on each foot. But with compeed
plaster I can walk quite well on it. Just need to take of. Got sun and
sweat rashon the back of my calves yesterday bought a tube of ointment
at the Pharmasie for that too. For some reason - all the small towns
have lots of Pharmasies (drug stores), but so does Paris so it can not
be the Pilgrims.

Sent from my iPhone Ole Jacob Groenvold

Long walk Yesterday

Today 20100525 Cajarc
Walked about 30km yesterday. Most of it alone. Kristine and I deceided
to split up for a day - sometime it is good to be alone. IT is also
good training for her when I leave for Paris and London for work. I
have to be in Paris by the 5th and

Sent from my iPhone Ole Jacob Groenvold

Un grande cafe ole chaud (warm) for breakfast. They heat the milk.

20100523 St Felix church and St. Jaque the Pilgrim

20100523 Figuac

View from hotel room quite åa Nice little town.

Finally in Figuac Sunday 23 of June 2010

My baggage is back. It was really waiting for me here! I am feeling a
lttle bit more kindly disposed towards British Air, but not a lot. Not
getting your carefully packed stuff was awfull.

Now I am sitting here showered in the hotell and enjoying the view
from the hotell balcony. See next pic.

Just have to figure out how to get rid of the exstras I bought for the
walk. It might be a problem as today is Sunday and tomorrow is a pub.
holiday.
Anyway Malle Postall can help me. This is a servise that drives your
baggage for a fee along the trail. They even functions as a taxi if
you want to "cheat" on the walk.

Sent from my iPhone
Ole Jacob Groenvold

20100521

Just a short stroll left ......... It sounds weired, and probably is
too, but this is very enjoyable!
Whish you were here!

The daughter and the Cool guy!

Outside Conque Cathedral 20100521

20100521

Conque village

Blue sky and yellow flowers

Yes, the sky was this blue and the flowers that yellow today on the
21st of May 2010!

20100521 Senerques

The view from my coffetable in the sun.

Today 20100521 from Espeyrac towards Conque

Third day and not a cloud 360 degrees. This the blessing of God!
Here we are in rural beautiful France a world apart from the big
cities! The air is so fresh and cool in the morning that that you can
taste the scent of flowers.

Tired girl who wants to be a Pilgrim

Daughter in Rodez on the 18th of May, waiting for the buss to Espalion
after not haveing slept properly since 15th of May in Hong Kong......
But She is so cool.

Travelling light

Praying in a church

Salad and rose wine

Estaign

Estaign

Pilgrim daughter walking

Poppies

Flowers, fields, hills and beauty as far as your eye can see.

17th of May in Heathrow London under an ash cloud

And with the wrong flag on my pants.
:-(

First two days out of Hong Kong was just horrible

Arriving in Paris Monday afternoon my luggage had dispeared and only
surfased last night (Thuesday) in London were as I am now in Southern
France. In my missing backpack was all I thought I needed for my three
week on the Pilgrim trail.

Last night I was jubilant knowing my back would catch up with me in
Figeac on comeing Sunday.

I bought a small backpack last night, one silk sleeping sheet bag, two
pairs of socks, one towel, one underpants and a very friendly
farmasist got me the French version of my drugs not fussing about me
haveing no subscriptions.

Got a French sim card from Orange too and loaded it with 35 Euros that
SOMEHOW disapeared from my phone in the span of about two hours! I
have no idea about how, but were greatly Pissed at Orange. No calls to
HK!
Now I will only blog while on free wifi.
At that moment I was feeling completly desperate. This was before I
got the message my bag had been found.
Almost just wanted to go home.
I really deserved today. I really really want to take my trail friends
here!!

Sent from my iPhone
Ole Jacob Groenvold

Beautiful beyond description.... French countryside. Beautiful villages of France

A very good day. We have walked our first day from Espalion to Estaign
13km. So green, so many flowers and rolling hills and oak forrests,
blue skies, white clouds, sunshine with about 17 degrees in the
shade,birds singing, beautiful churches and time to read the bible and
chat with daughter.

I am praying for a friend with a sick wife, two friends from my cell
and ofcourse my wife who will have an important talk soon besides
reading 1 Samuel.

Sent from my iPhone
Ole Jacob Groenvold

Stuck in Heatrow for a while ash in the clouds.

This morning we should have landed at Heatrow at 04:55, then they told
us we were landing in Belgium Brussels, then changed their mind again
and landed at Stanstead in England instead. There they keept us in the
plane for 2 hours and flew us 15 minutes 16km to Heathrow in our
jumbojet. Shortest flight I have ever been on.

Ash is causing a lot of problems, but I am wondering why this has not
been a problem before... Vulcanos have been there all the time.

When we got to Heathrow London I had of course missed my connection to
Paris and had to rebook. At the counter the lady was ventilating to
her next seat coleague, but took my passport and said, "Oh not yet
another Paris" talking as if I was a bothersome pacage she had to deal
with - then keep on ventilating with her coleagues. After about 5
minutes or so looked at me and asked what did I want.

Feeling provoked I did not respond at once, afterall she had my
passport and boardingcard in front of her, then said I need to go to
Paris as soon as possible. I admiti I might have sounded a bit
sarcastic.

Shenthen told me the first free seat was at 7pm tonight, but I could
standby on the 1pm one and the next ones before 7pm.

Checking in again at the Main counter the guy was wondering why the
lady had not asked me to standby on the 10am.

I am wondering too, because now I am almost in Paris on the 10am.

Did the first lady try to punish me for sarcasm? May be. Is there a
spiritual lesson here? If yes it must be that sarcasm does not pay of

Sent from my iPhone Ole Jacob Groenvold

San Pellegrino

Guess what? San Pellegrino (Italien) brand name of a brand for
sparkeling mineral water here in Hong Kong, translated into English
means The Holy Pilgrim.

At the AirPort

Starting my pilgrimage 16/5 2010

At the airport in Hong Kong, Local time is 21:26

Why do I do this? Seen with the eyes of Hong Kong people it is
probably a bit weired. Walking may be 400 - 500 km in two and a half
week, carrying 8-9 kg on my back 6-8 hours a day, is that a good
holiday?

To me it is something I have been looking forward too for the last
year, from the day I left the trail in Espalion in France.

First of all it is a spiritual exersise. Walking like this opens my
mind and heart to God. Why does this happen on a pilgrimage?
One reason might be that so much of your daily life is stripped away -
this year I have not even brought my small camera, I am planning to
use my Iphone. This is not a photo opp.
Once on the trail talking is nice, but after a couple of hours of
doing that, there is still oceans of time to think and just take in
the beautiful French countryside.

Thinking about your life is actually giving God a chance to talk to
you, add prayer and bibel reading many times during the day you are
opening the door to Jesus. And when you do that He has promised to
enter.

Sent from my iPhone Ole Jacob Groenvold

I am a pilgrim from China

Hi there.
The fourth stage of my pilgrimage is soon to start. On Sunday night 16/5 2010, we are getting on a plane to Paris from my home here in Hong Kong China. We are me Jack and my daughter.

From Paris France a night train will take us to Rodez i Mid-Pyrynes.
This is close to where the Pilgrim train between Le Puy en Velay i France and Satiago de Compostela in Spain passes by.

A bus will take me from Rodez to Espalion where we ended our walk last year 2010
The Le Puy en Velay to Espalion trail is about 160 km long, what is left to Santiago is about 1600+ km. From Espalion we are probably taking a taxi up to the beautiful village of St. Come d'Olt - where we will actully start and just walk the last day of 2009 to get to Espalion.


Olt is just to beautiful to not to have a closer look at - something we were not able to do last year. My daughter is probably even more keyed up than me.
She says she will do the whole trail in 2010 - and arrive in Santiago some time before the 25 of July. Which is I suppose the day in 2010 to be in Santiago de Compostella. The birthday or so the catholics say - of St. James the main saint of all Pilgrims.

This is the second time we go to France to walk - but it is not my first time on a pilegrim trail. Did walk 1, in a week in 2003 between Oslo and Hamar in Norway - about 150km and in 2004 between Dovre and Trondheim/Nidaros - about 250km. The second walk took about two weeks to complete.

Once you start doing walks like this, many of us are caught. I am. The feeling of freedom and peace is just too great not to try to experience again. (And why not)

Follow this blog - as I hope to blog directly from my Ipone down in France!