Wow, we meet. Hello! Hola! I am excited you are here, because this means I have finally committed and I’ve finally done it. I’ve hit publish in this little space on the internet. Here will come a collection of stories that I have dreamed about writing for a long time. This is space for adventurous souls. A space where I hope to inspire your camino dreams (however those dreams may look), answer your camino questions, indulge your camino curiosity or your love of #traveltales by sharing stories of life and camino walking.
The long walk along the mystical way that is the Camino de Santiago (The Walk to St. James). It is pilgrimage that has existed for over 1,000 years, whose ancient paths and towns attract hundreds of thousands of pilgrims and hikers a year to the tomb of St. James in the northwest Spanish town of Santiago de Compostela. There are books, movies and blogs dedicated to it. For many, it is a bucket list once in a life time dream and for others (like me) it is a walk they continue to return to.
We are all many things and we all wear many hats. On this site, in this space you’ll meet these parts of me, Frances Antonia – woman, dreamer, romantic, writer, photographer, wanderluster, mother, partner, friend, hiker, activist, seeker and lover of those unexpected-spontaneous-synchronous moments.
Currently, my family and I live in a small city in The Netherlands. We are Australian but Spain is kind of, at a stretch, by Australian standards at least, in our backyard. During our second year here, (2018) I walked my first camino along the Camino Frances with my sister. We laughed (hard), cried (also hard), we bantered and joked, groaned and moaned. We made friends for life and friends for a day.
Looking back, well, we just loved our time together. I’ve been back along various camino trails a few times since that walk. Living here, it is fairly easy and doable. It has been a different adventure each time. I’ve walked solo, with a friend and I walked with my children.
Each camino has brought kind and interesting people into my life, each of them teaching me something. Each camino has been an invitation into the captivating wonder of being in a landscape far from home. Each camino day has challenged me to meet myself.
Wo-ah just in writing this I can feel this will be a beautiful space for me to escape into! A space where the romance and excitement of life that I love, need can continue to manifest. For you too hopefully. Those oh-wow-what-a-coincidence, those this-is-really-what-it-all-means, those this-is-tough-but-I-wouldn’t- want-to-be-anywhere-else and those I-am-home-in-the-world feels and moments. Yes, that is the story of the camino for me.
Writing has always been such an expansive doorway for me. For a while now, paths have been leading here; to this new blog for a new chapter of my writing. Maybe I hadn’t been ready before, or it was timing, or my energy wasn’t right, or I was listening too loudly to that shadow that says ‘there are so many camino blogs already and they’re doing such a brilliant job, what can you possibly bring’. Or it was all of the above!
This past week the call just became too loud to ignore. People both directly and indirectly via friends have asked me about el camino. Apparently, people seem to think I may have something to share. So yes, yes I will take on the challenge of this call. Honestly for so many reasons – but mostly because I simply need it, need this! To write. To share.
Hey though, I know this is an ‘about’ page but enough about me! I wonder what brought you here, is the camino calling you, or has it already? Maybe you are one of my armchair travelling friends coming along for another ride? So many of you have always been so eager to join me again and again. And now I am beginning a new adventure, new with old adventures. I am grateful to you, whoever, wherever and why ever you are here … you are very welcome.
Do feel you can get in touch if you have any questions or ideas to share with me. Practical writing hasn’t always been my modus operandi when it comes to blogging, but I do want to expand. So you can help me by asking the questions! And yes, my reflective style of writing is still something I plan to bring to this space. Ha as if I could do it that differently! This about page has turned into reflective ramble, has it not. Are you still with me?
And so without expectations (ok, maybe a few small ones), and just like my previous blogs, those precious spaces that have taken me on life changing adventures, together, let’s see where this one goes…
With much kindness,
Frances Antonia xx
What people say…
“You always write in such a way that brings us right alongside you as walk and sit us down to table with you. Thank you for getting our there with your big beautiful heart and sharing with us.” – Kimmi kimmi.ambles
“You’re hiking again … yippee. That means I’m hiking too … vicariously.” – Lizzy
“I’m so excited to be an armchair traveller again with you!” – Karen Coffee,Tea,Books
Want to create something together?
Get in touch via the contact page!
Camino Tales 