About
About me and why I made this page. What is my Plan and how am I preparing?
Who am I?
I’m a 32 year old man, living in the Netherlands.
I’ve tried (multiple times) to find my “calling in life” (and failing..).
Unemployed due to mental-health issues, I had to move back in with my parents.
With no relationship, children, owned-property or other important long term commitments,
I find myself on a crossroad in life.
My hobbies include gaming, airsoft, making music, cosplay (i.e. making costumes) and other ways to express myself creatively. I’ve always been fascinated with history, culture, politics and the whole “state of the world.”
A bit of an amateur anthropologist, you might say.
With the world heading the way it is heading; Climate change, Class divide, Rising xenophobia and the constant increase in cost-of-living
I feel I need an escape, something that would give me a new perspective on life,
and hopefully in the process, find a new way to live.
I’ve made stupid mistakes in my past and had to bear the brunt.
Trusted people who weren’t worth it and let myself be abused and misused.
This has made it untenable for me to stay, with all the ghosts of my past, dragging me down into a depressive spiral.
I need an escape.
For all these reasons and more,
I’ve decided to go on my Pilgrimage.
I’m planning to hoist my backpack on my back and start walking Southward.
Towards the Sun.
Why this page?
This page is my progress-tracker, I will post my preparations and training.
What do I think I need to take with me and how can I best prepare?
I’m planning on walking all the way, so good shoes and good posture is a must!
Also I would like to use this page as my “travel log” or Blog.
I’m sure there are a lot of people in similar situations as mine.
This is why I write in English, to lower the language barrier.
I might translate everything into my native Dutch at one point, but sometimes I feel it’s easier to express myself in English.
And yes I know, my grammar and syntax aren’t very good, but that’s the same for me in Dutch, I’m not very talented as a writer.
But if this page could be a point of inspiration, or the push someone else needs to make the first step,
If only one person sees this and it inspires them, I would be so honoured.
It would be the greatest thing I’ve done with my life up to this point.
So to all whom find this page,
Welcome! I hope to inspire you or at the very least, entertain you!
Cheers,
I-Jun
“Way of St. James pilgrims (1568)” ~by Roland zh Wikipedia .
My Principles
Leave only ash, hair and footprints”
Based on the Leave no Trace principle. The Idea is that I don’t want to make a negative impact on the world around me. My travels and existence should not hinder nature or anybody else. I already practice this principle in my day-to-day life, always making sure I do not leave anything behind.
So why the addition of Ash and Hair?
I like to smoke a sigaret, and while the filter will go into the bin, I don’t think the little bits of sigaret-ash that falls off, will have an impact. (feel free to correct me if I’m wrong!) Another thing is my long hair. Every humanbeing sheds hair, skin follicles, sweat etc. These last two are harder to see with the naked-eye. But my long hair is sometimes noticable if I brushed my hair outside. Again I don’t think these few hairs will have any meaningful impact on nature nor the place I’m at.
Ofcourse I can not NOT leave foot-prints while walking.
But I think I do need to permit myself to “exist” and leave traces of my existence. So along with the ash and hair I will leave behind on the regular, these are the “necessary evils” of me wanting to hike and travel. But if I can help it, I want to leave the places I’ve been, better then I found them.
Cleaning my own garbage is the least I can do!
Route
As mentioned in the introductions, I’m planning on walking Southward.
I’ll start walking from my parents home in North-Holland
As of now I’m thinking about walking the Pilgrimage of Compostela
Simply because it’s a known route, it has historical significance (and I love history!) and I think I might meet like-minded people along the way.
“Approximate Map of the Way of St. James in Europe.” ~by Manfred Zentgraf, Volkach, Germany Wikipedia .
I will keep updates about the route I’m taking, in the Quick Overview section, but for now this is the most likely route!
But first I’ll do a Trial-Run.
I want to start a Trial-Run this August of 2025.
See the countdown
This gives me a bit of time to prepare and get my walking gear in order.
Also to train a bit and see if a Pilgrimage is even something I would want to see through to the end.
This will give me ample opportunity to see if I forgot something, need better preparations, or change my plan entirely.
For this trail run I’m thinking of walking the Floris V path, also known as the “LAW” 1-3
“Lange Afstands Wandeling (Long Distance Hike) 1-3” ~by MarijnBosma Wikipedia .
Why wait till August?
I’m planning to start my Trial-Run on the 10th of August.
I know it would be smarter to start walking in April/May, I still have a few things I want to do in 2025.
For example; I really want to go to a festival on the first weekend of August. (31st of July - 3th of August) It’s called Castlefest
Castlefest is a total experience with lots of music, fantasy writers, themed catering, medieval crafts and a large market which offers everything a fantasy fan could want…
The later date also gives me ample opportunity to train and collect my needed gear. And I think I don’t mind the idea that the weather will get colder and the days shorter on my Trial-Run. It feels like I’m preparing for the worst situation, so when I leave for the real Pilgrimage, I will be ready for (almost) anything!
What Route do I want to take?
The plan is to start walking from my home near Alkmaar.
- From Alkmaar walk towards Haarlem.
- From Haarlem to Amsterdam.
- The third stage of the “Floris V Pad” starts at Amsterdam.
- So from here I will follow the Route of the “Floris V Pad”.
More Info and Updates coming soon.
Quick Trail-Run Route Calculation
- Avg. Hours of Walking: [ROUTE_TOTAL_HOURS] hr / [AVG_WALKING_HOURS] hr per day = [AVG_DAYS_WALKING] days
- Avg. Distance to Walk: [ROUTE_TOTAL_DISTANCE] km / [AVG_WALKING_DISTANCE] km per day = [AVG_DAYS_WALKING] days
- Avg. Walking Speed: [ROUTE_TOTAL_DISTANCE] km / [ROUTE_TOTAL_HOURS] hr = [AVG_WALKING_SPEED] km/h
- Conclusion: So I will walk for [AVG_DAYS_WALKING] day, walking [AVG_WALKING_SPEED] km/h for [AVG_WALKING_HOURS] hrs, with a minimum distance of [AVG_WALKING_DISTANCE].
More Info and Updates coming soon.
The real Pilgrimage Route.
The Trial-Run is in preparation for the real Pilgrimage. I’m thinking of follow the route of Camino de Santiago
It’s a very well known Pilgrimage route, which has its advantages, such as hostels and other accommodations.
A Google Maps of the (possible) route
Starting from my parents home in North-Holland, walking toward Haarlem.
Haarlem is a common starting point of the Pilgrimage, according to Wikipedia .
From Haarlem, I could make my way to Amsterdam and start on the “Pilgrimspad” towards Wezet (Visé) in Belgium.
Or take a more direct route from Haarlem to Brussels.
Then from either Wezet or Brussels to Paris
Or conclude somewhere in Belgium, that I’ve walked enough and only walk the “Pilgrimspad” for now.
But if I do choose to continue, set Paris as my “mid” point and the start of the Pilgrims path “The Camino Francés” (or “French Way”),
The “French Way” is the easiest route and I don’t think I can take a difficult route on my first try.
Seeing as the route is difficult enough as is!
“Samos, in Galicia, on the French Way or Camino Francés” ~by BarbaraDown Wikipedia .
Quick Pilgrimage Route Calculation
- Avg. Hours of Walking: 451 hr / 5.5 hr per day = 82 days
- Avg. Distance to Walk: 1977 km / 25 km per day = 80 days (79.08)
- Avg. Walking Speed: 1977 km / 451 hr = 4.3 km/h
- Conclusion: So at least 80 day, walking 4.3 km/h for 5½ hrs
This sounds doable
Thoughts on the Routes
Even though the less traveled and less popular routes do sound more attractive to me.
“The Camino Primitivo”, sounds the most interesting to me, because of its historical significance.
And because it will probably be less “tourist-y”
But we will see when and if we get there.
Training
Start walking. A bit further every time.
How am I training?
With music in my ears, I already like walking as a pastime.
I have no idea how long I can walk for (in KM), but I can walk at a steady pace for about an hour before my feet hurt.
Also I will need to go to my GP, to get a podiatrist to look at my wonky feet.
I know I’m not walking correctly, with a bit of “knock-kneed legs” (or X-legs).
So something like correcting-soles would be a must have, or else I might permanently damage my legs and knees.
Also I have a small “regimen” of power/endurance training I do bi-daily (every other day) consisting of:
- 15x Push-Up
- 15x Sit-Ups
- 15x 10 Kg halter each arm
- 10x Squads with halters
- 60sec Planking
I still need to include Crunches, but I don’t seem to get the technique right, or it doesn’t feel right, I don’t know. (Might need to ask my GP)
“Roman bridge with 19 arches over the river Órbigo. The bridge has been integrated into the modern Camino Francés.” ~by José Antonio Gil Martínez Wikipedia .
Training Preparations
What are things I want to train for? What do I expect to encounter along the way?
Making Miles
A Pilgrimage means walking a whole lot, and making a bit of progress is important to keep spirits high.
from walking 5 km to 10 to eventually about 20/25 km a day.
Enduring Elevation
As a Dutchman I’m not used to elevation changes, so I’ll need to prepare for this too.
The plan is to go to the Dunes and practice with elevation and rougher terrain.
Beast of Burden
I will need to carry all of my belongings on my back; a tent, sleeping gear, clothes and food are just the basics, and this will easily add-up in weight.
So I need to practice walking with a heavy load on my shoulders.
Self-sufficient Survivalist
Being self-sufficient and having a bit of survival knowhow could be very useful on the way.
So I’ll need to educate myself in the way of the survivalist.
A small campfire
Gear
What do I need? A checklist of sorts.
What gear do I have?
I have a military-backpack for foot soldiers,
It has a lumbar support and thick padded shoulder straps. I will need to check if it’s still waterproof!
And I already have military-boots,
in a fairly new condition, but I’m not sure if they are too heavy for me? Maybe I need to find more modern walking boots? A simple first-aid kit, with band-aid, a flea-nipper, a few painkillers and a refresher on first aid knowledge is very useful.
The rest of my gear I will need to acquire
One of my smaller backpacks I use for Cosplay. This was a wasteland-survivor outfit.
The main issue is weight.
I could bring my tent with me, but it is a 4 person tent weighing around 20Kg if not more!
I do also have a sleeping bag, but it’s heavy, thick and not water or windproof.
Same goes for pretty much everything I currently have at home.
Its either too old and broken,
Or too thick and heavy.
Worst comes to worst I will start my Pilgrimage with these heavier things, and hope I can upgrade along the way.
But if I could help it, getting a bit better prepared,
would certainly be worth the effort!
“Man wearing pilgrim clothing. 450 - 425 BC. Prague, NM-HM10 771.” ~by Zde Wikipedia .
Gear list:
My checklist of gear I still need, I already have and I won’t need.
Must Haves
- Walking boots:
Army boots, might be too heavy though? - Backpack:
Military Footsoldier backpack, with lumbar-support and thick-padded straps - Tent:
Lightweight, 1 or 2 person, so I can keep my stuff inside my tent - Sleeping Gear:
Lightweight, water and windproof sleeping bag/pillow - Last Resort Ration:
is maybe something that would be good to have, think along the lines of a protein bar or other energy dense food. - Eating Supplies:
Utensils, Plate etc. / My own gas burner? or something to cook on? - Medical Supplies:
Band-aids, a flea-nipper, a few painkillers and more - Correcting Soles:
I have a bit of knocked kneed legs or X-legs - Flashlight:
Obviously - Backpack lights/Reflectors:
Something to keep me better visible for others during the evening. - Easy-Accessible Pouch / Water:
Pouches and Bidon that I can reach while walking, so I don’t have to stop and search in my backpack. - Clothing:
T-shirts, Pants and the like.
Also layers! Better to be able to take off a piece of clothing than to be too hot or cold! - Raincoat:
Or something waterproof to keep me dry. - Good Socks:
Thick padded socks could be nicer for my feet, but will be a whole lot warmer and I don’t want to walk on sweaty feet. (blisters etc.)
So thick but breathing socks. - …:
Should Haves
- Entertainment:
Books? or E-Book? E-book is lighter and might be able to read on my Smartphone?
Electronics would mean I need some sort of Power-Supply though. - Fire-starter:
Just in case? - Survival Knife:
A knife to cut ropes, or make makeshift tent-pegs etc - Tape / Rope / Ti-rips:
To fix things along the way! - Shaving Razor:
Something to keep my beard in-check.
I only know how to shave with an electric shaver, so this is something I will need to learn too! - …:
Could Haves
- Sun Powered Power Bank:
for Electronic devices such as a (smart)-phone, flashlight(?) or GPS-Tracker - Smartphone:
for emergencies, checking the weather report, GPS and Maps and contact to the outside world, including this page! - GPS Tracker:
Safety measure, incase of emergencies - Someway to make a little money on the road:
This is a big Could/Want to have, I still don’t really know what use I am to society.
So finding anything that someone else finds worthwhile and especially valuable, would be a big change in my life. - …:
Won’t Haves
- A constant Internet-connection or same 06 number:
I want to find an escape from my current life, bringing something that will drag me back is too much of a risk I think.
But I do also want some way of contacting family or emergency services. - …:
Depiction of Saint James in the 12th century Codex Calixtinus. ~by Certo Xornal Wikipedia .
Thanks
Thank you for reading!
If you recognise your work and I did not attribute it correctly to you as author,
please contact me via this page on Github.com
via my Reddit page
or email: iJun.Pilgrimage@gmail.com
Cheers,
I-Jun