Jane – in the shower – wearing a purple coat ????

Jane – in  the shower – wearing a purple coat ????

If you’ve ever played Cluedo this should get you thinking! I can assure you I wouldn’t have a clue if I wasn’t the Jane in question!!! I’ll leave it with you for a minute.

In the meantime I just wanted to set your minds at rest – Kathleen and I both managed to get up from that sofa, and after a night’s sleep, managed to walk approximately five and a half miles incorporating a visit to our local agricultural show! Truly intrepid hikers!!! However this time we went minus our rucksacks and poles though still had our trusty four legged companion.

We both have the same make rucksacks purchased from our individual specialist stores. Mine is a larger ( but fortunately not self-filling !!) version, and when I bought my walking poles I took it back with me to Steve and his two lovely four legged assistants (both trained for mountain rescue and absolutely gorgeous) , so that he could show me how to fix them to it. When I was happy with that – he proceeded to show me where, and how, the ice pick was carried! Now I know the weather in Galicia can be changeable, but I am thankfully not expecting to require such an implement on this trip. However, how reassuring to know that when Kathleen and I venture away in the future, should we need such a piece of equipment I will be able to carry it for us!

I don’t know about you, but I like and respect salespeople who don’t try and sell you something that you don’t need. Apart from Steve being a mine of information and a delight to spend time with ( even though buying things in the process) he is one such person.

At my last visit , he could have sold me a rain coat costing anything upwards of £100. He has all the gear ( and all the ideas!) in his shop to kit out every type of visitor – from those climbing the highest peaks in the world to those trekking through the deepest jungles, to those just enjoying all the UK has to offer. So when I asked him for a waterproof, windproof and breathable coat because the raincoat I have is a cheap one ( those that come in a matching bag) and it always seem to make me sweat when wearing it – he could have sold me anything! Not Steve – no, and it is here I refer you back to the title of this piece.

My raincoat is purple – and his reply to my request was “Well is it waterproof Jane?” ” I don’t know” I said ” I get all sweaty when I’m wearing it.” “Of course you do ” he said “you will sweat up to 2 litres of fluid on one of your walks! Before you buy another coat , check that yours is waterproof. If it is it will do you. Put it on and get under the shower – that’ll show you if its waterproof or not!”

So that is (unbelievably!) exactly what I did – and yes it will do! At this point, I say a big thank you to Steve and his dogs at Blackburn Outdoors in Huddersfield for his invaluable advice and information. I wish I could visit more regularly but there is a limit to how many ice pick carrying rucksacks, walking poles and boots one can use at a time!!!

So Kathleen and I are now on the countdown to our Camino – we fly next Saturday on Ryanair to Santiago de Compostella, from where we are taken by car to Sarria, the start of our walk- and yes Ryanair have a strike planned that day. So please Mr O’Leary, whatever else you do, make sure our plane takes us to where we want to go – otherwise you may find yourself confronted by two very unhappy sixty something year old, pole wielding (fortunately no ice pick in sight) women!!!