Anticipation and Fulfilment

(If you are coming here looking for raunchy sex, don't waste your time. This is much more about a long-sought reality of love and life.)

She was catching a plane from Sydney to Stockholm. He was already there, presenting a paper at an international conference. She was confident that it would go well, as he always spent a great deal of time thinking, researching, reflecting, writing and editing, until he had something worth presenting. Even though it wasn't of real interest to her, she was still looking forward to hearing how it went, what response he had had.

After so many discussions, it was good to know that he had finally found a way, not only to go on the Camino walk, but for them to walk it together. Better still, he had worked out (this was usually something she did) that if she flew into Stockholm, they could then travel together via Eurail pass, spending part of each day in Brussels, Bruges, Paris and Madrid before ending up in Porto for the start of their Camino. They had agreed that he would arrange the transport, checking with her first to make sure it was suitable, and she would do the same in return with the accommodations along the way. Working together had been fun, with some minor modifications made on both their parts as each suggested different things to see and do.

And now, at 7:15 a.m., she was landing, having spent 28 hours travelling via Hong Kong and Helsinki to Stockholm. When she came through the arrival gate, she looked both exhausted and radiant. He swept her into his arms, held her close. It had been so long since they had been together; so many hours of chatting, emailing and, above all, longing. And now, at last, they were together.

He helped her with her bag, having found the best transport to take them to their hotel. There, he checked them in. They went to their room, where she had a shower and, as both had anticipated, collapsed on the bed. He joined her, and soon they were both sound asleep. (Having been awake part of the night, eager to see her again, he had no problem falling asleep again -- but then, he never did.)

When she awoke some hours later, he was already up, taking care of emails, and so on. (Why was it that he always seemed to need time to do that? Never mind, he was there, and ready to be with her.)

He enjoyed watching her dress, almost as much as he had enjoyed helping her undress. Then together they went out for something to eat, and to see the sights.

They enjoyed the city. It had been many years since he had visited there, so she was more familiar with it than he was, and took great delight in showing him the sights she knew, or those she didn't know but wanted to see. He had done no preparation for Stockholm, knowing she would have the day mapped out, and it would be good.

That evening, they planned the next day together. They would travel through the day to Brussels, where there were things they both wanted to see. They would spend the night there, see the city, then in the evening travel the short distance to Bruges to spend the night. (They bought a separate ticket to Bruges, rather than use a day of their Eurail pass for the short journey.) Bruges is a museum city, a step back into the past, yet with all the conveniences of a modern city. He fit right in there, his childhood Flemish not in any way contemporary (his Flemish made him, in effect, a walking museum piece), but good enough that he could communicate with the locals, explain what they wanted, translate for her. That proved to be the case again this time.

They both loved watching the swans on the canals, seeing the Beguinage, climbing the 83 meter Belfry Tower (dating back to 1240, plus additions in 1487) to hear the bells as they struck (deafening at close quarters, yet beautiful).

That evening, they dined in one of the lovely cafes along the tree-lined streets, drinking in the quiet beauty of the place, and revelling in each other's company.

The next day, they took the train back to Brussels and on to Paris, a relatively short journey of a few hours. That gave them time to enjoy the city the same day and the next, spend two nights there before moving on during the day to Madrid. The Eiffel tower, a walk along the Champs-Elysees, a visit to Notre Dame cathedral to see what rebuilding had taken place, Versailles... and of course enjoying a glass of wine along the Left Bank.

That night they enjoyed a wonderful bed in a beautiful little boutique hotel she had found, tucked away in a lovely quiet but vibrant corner of the city. Again they made love, as they had done constantly during their time together, this time enjoying passionate sex in addition to the looks, the gentle touches which characterized their love-making connections with each other during each day.

The train took them on to Madrid, where they took in a traditional Flamenco show. The next day, they took in 'Highlights of Madrid by bike". He followed that with an architectural tour while she enjoyed IKONO, an artistic and sensory photographic experience. They then joined together in Tapas and Wine Tasting, before retiring to their hotel room for a good night's sleep. They needed it!

On the last day of their rail journey, they went to Porto, from where they would catch train and bus transport to Cossourado, the start of their Camino, a walk of about 120 km along the coast of Portugal and Spain to Santiago de Campostela. (There were earlier places to start, including from Porto, but they involved much longer distance and more days. This was enough for them.)

They had spoken of it many times before and he knew how much she longed for it, but there were always things standing in the way... but today, that would all change.

Once again, as they had done on the trip so far, they stayed in places she had carefully selected, far enough along the way so they would enjoy a day's walk along the coast, yet never so far that she wouldn't have time to take photos of the countryside, of the little villages and houses which they passed. And never so far that they would be too exhausted to enjoy the evenings together, eating dinner in the little cafes situated along the path, or to make love (if they chose to do so) in bed.

They walked together, sometimes talking, other times in silence. Along the way, they met and chatted with other pilgrims from all over the world, some serious walkers, some walking for just a few days, but all of them with their own story to tell. Had they been able to take down all the stories they heard, it would have made for a fascinating book of spiritual and physical discovery. But there was something about the intimacy and vulnerable openness of the discussions that prevented them from doing so. Each discussion was a gift in itself, not to be lessened or squandered by making it public.

The views of the countryside, long anticipated but never before seen; the physical satisfaction of walking substantial distances; the conversations they struck up with people along the way - all these had been imagined, anticipated. Now it was all real, and they revelled in it - even those days when sheer exhaustion overtook them from the terrain they had traversed and the distance they had walked.

After 10 days of that, having walked about 12-15km per day average, they at last arrived at their destination, the cathedral at Santiago de Campostelo. There they joined other pilgrims in a joyous Mass of Thanksgiving, sitting, standing, raising arms and hands, walking, taking and eating, taking and drinking, being nurtured after the journey they had just completed, and in preparation for the journey still to come.

That night was a special time of love-making, gentle and tender, as they lived again the gift the trip had been.

On waking, they prepared to depart, with both going to Barcelona to take in the magnificent beauty of the basilica of Sagrada Familia, the holy family. This would be their last day together, and they were determined to make the most of it.

That night their lovemaking was passionate and all-consuming, a celebration of the last weeks, and a foretaste of what was to come the next time they came together.

They went together to the airport early the next morning where, after checking in for their respective flights and having gone through security, they ate a leisurely breakfast, coffee for him, hot chocolate for her.

Then at last, their flights being called, they held each other close, kissed, thanked each other for the wonderful time, and looked forward to the next time they would be together, a time which couldn't come quickly enough.