Paul and I are almost professional pilgrims - if the term exists. This is our fourth journey along ancient pilgrimage routes, the second being so tough it inspired us to write a guidebook that would make it less tough for people following in our footsteps. We have travelled on horseback and bikes, but never on foot. Walking long distances while carrying a huge rucksack is my idea of hell on earth, but having a pack pony reduces the pain.
Our motivation for this latest pilgrimage is two-fold. First we have been told that people are asking for a guide book that will form the interconnection between the via Francigena and the St James Way, but more importantly we hope to use our kilometres to raise money for an important and absolutely viable project in Burkina Fasso.
Having worked with a number of NGO's in the past, I think it is fair to say that I have a realistic view of what foreign agencies can bring to countries in need of development support, but I also have a less favourable view of the way a number of these agencies operate. The AMS, an association founded by our neighbours, Ann-Marie Sasse and her husband, is a prime example of how small agencies can and should be managed. Here is her story, in her words:
Jean-Claude and I were in the open scrub land of the de Haunde province, Burkina Fasso, when a crowd of happy, chatting children stopped to talk to us. As a consequence, we also met their teachers, three for 310 students, who showed us round the school and explained that only the oldest students had classrooms, while the youngest were taught under a simple shelter. It was on this day that we decided to provide them with a classroom too, one that would protect them from sandstorms, rain and above all the sun. The AMS association - children of Yabiro - was created at the end 2008 and thanks to numerous donations from friends, relations, customers and local businesses, we were able to begin the construction of the classroom at the beginning of March 2010. Now we need your help to finish the project .
Ann-Marie and Jean Claude pay their own travel expenses and all other operational costs. Any money raised from our walk will be seen in every brick and tile of the school building.
If you would like to donate to the project then please use the donate button:
Unfortunately the team on the other side of this project is far less impressive. Paul and I are early-retirees, with multiple ambitions, but insufficient finance, time or talent to complete even half of them. In 2005, we stumbled on the St James Way pilgrimage and thought it would be an opportunity to opt out of the daily routine while making some major life-decisions. Needless to say they are still on a list waiting to be ticked, but we did discover an entirely different and utterly seductive means of travel. Day after day, night after night, with our horses, our dog and ourselves … I'll stop before risking the hyperbole that so often accompanies descriptions of the pilgrimage experience and simply add that five years later we are still hooked, addicted and on the road again.
With our original horses in comfortable retirement, Nellie has been brought in to take their place and is by far the most suitable and competent member of the team. As a pure bred Merens, (a hardy French breed), she has all the sense, strength and stamina we lack. She is also quite beautiful, in a buxom kind of way. Paul was smitten within seconds of seeing her vast silhouette and had rechristened her Nellie (after the elephant) before even signing the cheque.
Flea's addition to the team was a complete surprise, for us as much as for him. A few days into March, during a particularly cold and wintry period, I and another woman saw two dogs dodging cars on the main high street in Arles. Something had to be done before one of them was hit. We dived into the traffic and finally managed to catch the smallest, a puppy of about 3 months, while the other dog, possibly his mother, ran off down a side street. Now, a few weeks later, Flea (so-named because I wanted to call him 'puce', but still can't deliver the French 'u') is still with us, unclaimed, much-loved and a great rucksack rider.
So that just leaves Paul and I, the weak links in this chain, tasked with avoiding the mistakes made on previous pilgrimages, gathering enough data for our next guide book, inspiring thousands of people to support Anne-Marie's excellent project and finally enjoying our good fortune while it lasts – it won't, as anyone following our blog will see.
