Getting ready for the Camino - 6 weeks to go

I've been reading  a Camino narrative, Walking Home by Sonia Choquette - "a world-renowned intuitive guide and spiritual teacher" according the blurb on the back.  The only two other works she refers to are Shirley MacLaine's and Paulo Coelho's - neither of which are at the top of the go-to list for people looking for practical advice on completing the walk.   Not withstanding, Walking Home has been a useful read. Her lack of meaningful preparation and what it costs her in terms of physical pain and discomfort is a good encouragement to me to make sure I put in some reasonable training beforehand - though I guess I have the luxury of time to do that. The other big thing I've got from her account, of a May Camino, is that it can be mighty cold and wet at that time of year - so I've revisited my packing list and included some thermals, gloves and I think I'll take along short gaiters to keep water out of boots.

 Speaking of boots, I've been using a pair of cheapish leather boots I bought for round $85 last year sometime - Gondwana Bunroy is the brand name.  Being leather, they are a bit steamy on hot days, but surprisingly and almost by accident, they have worn in to be the most comfortable shoes I own, and my plan is to take them. My only anxiety is that the heels are showing distinct signs of wear.

I'm trying to build up to walking round 20 k in one go wearing my pack in a day - I am getting in 20k a day but that is spread over a number of walks and not all with the pack.  I'll be leaving in about 6 weeks. So I guess I could be putting in around 400 - 600 k before I leave, plus 800 k on the walk itself.  Do those heels have 1400 kilometres left in them I wonder?  I guess I am going to find out.

Today I walked towards Point Cook and after jumping a fence and wobbling my way across rocks over the surrounding water way, I got into Chetham Wetlands conservation area or so I was told by the enigmatic sign which I came upon quite literally in the middle of nowhere.

What, I wondered, is the point of telling the reader "Access via Point Cook Coastal Park" when if they can read the sign they have somehow accessed the area anyway?   Still it was a grand walk - really quite wild and desolate out there, and lots of birds all living their birdy lives happily in the wetlands.   I had to wade across the creek to get out, but it was nice to walk somewhere a little different.

I will have to find some hills to walk up - one feature of Altona is, as can be seen from the photo above, that it is pancake flat.  So, more hills!