The Walk: Day 2

Essentially human – the bridge challenge

Thinking: I’d happily leave the route and walk another 5 kms rather than walk over that pedestrian footbridge!

Doing: still walking the Portuguese coastal route to Santiago de Compostela 😊

Today was a tale of two bridges. The first bridge was the kind I had been expecting to find along our route – the beautiful Romanesque Bridge of  Ramallosa. The second one however was  less so – it was very new and functional and across a dual carriageway. There was a much longer, winding pathway that  also ended up on the other side of the busy road but that was not the way we were going. We had all stared at the app and maps to work out our route but our instructions said clearly: ‘IMPORTANT!!! You need to cross the dual carriageway using the blue pedestrian bridge, so even if there are arrows directing you to a dirt track on the left ignore them’

It was as though someone had really wanted to throw me a challenge. What will Jenny find hard? In fact, what does she always avoid? The answer is heights – especially those where there is a steep drop either side and certain death below! I first discovered that I was not good with heights on a school trip to London aged nine – when to my horror, at the top of the Monument, looking out over the London skyline the world was suddenly spinning and my legs weren’t working.  

Working in the Middle East, I’ve had to get used to being in very high buildings for client meetings or hotel rooms but being on the 35th floor, or sometimes higher, looking out is more surreal than scary. But footbridges, where I am required to put one foot in the front of the other while cars are speeding along underneath me is very different... I know it is not rational– there was a rail either side – I was not going to wobble off.

My friend offered me his arm and we started walking over the bridge. We talked, looked ahead and tried to ignore my wobbly legs and voice. I got to the other side and felt relieved then elated – I’d done it – with the help of friends, a determined approach and their quiet confidence that I could.

So, from this day on the Camino I recognised something about myself and also how things work in my professional life. Even when I feel unsure about next steps, my team believe in our approach and quietly propel us forward. Our new knowledge-weave concept we’re currently working on  is built on 20 years of my research and our joint practical expertise and experience. Moving from the creative idea to implementing innovation requires a shared vision and collaboration. Like crossing the bridge - with a shared understanding of where we are going and help from my friends, I know we will put our vision into action. In my head, if not in my legs, I was skipping by the end of the day 😊

Buen Camino