Meet Chico the Welsh Donkey who Walked 1000 Miles Around Wales with Hannah Engelkamp, He's The Seaside Donkey

"ETA:   With Christmas a few days from now I thought it time to post about donkeys. What's the Christmas connection?  Thinking over the Bible passages with donkeys: as transport for Mary and Joseph travelling to Bethlehem; when the family left with new baby Jesus and used a donkey to carry Mary and Child;  Palm Sunday with Jesus riding into the city atop a donkey; finally, the talking donkey in Numbers:22 in the Old Testament.  There may be other stories, but these first come to mind. The humble and unspectacular donkey is a star, a story focus, a beast of burden, a purposeful spirit, and a cantankerous companion."  

My only experience with a mule, or is it a donkey, was a "Pin the Tail on the Donkey" birthday game from when I was very young.  (I'm not ancient yet.  Is that game still around?)

Forest of Dean and Wye Valley Review newspaper article and image.

For the past few months I've been entertained, entranced, and gotten a little misty eyed reading Seaside Donkey, 1000 Miles Around Wales, With a Donkey.  The writer just finished her walk around the coastline of Wales with, "Chico."  

I'm telling you about Hannah (the writer and adventuress) in case you may like to visit her blog and get caught up in this story.  I'm impressed with her gumption for setting out to do something like this.  You can find links to newspaper coverage of her walk here.

The walk was not without it's problems.  Besides the weather (Wales can be very rainy) there was relationship building between woman and donkey.

Time on the road, the fields, the shoreline and more was about 5 and 1/2 months.  My feet hurt just thinking about that.

The Kickstarter project she has set up and needs backing for can be read about here.  A book, movie, and more are in the works- looks like a lot of fun.  I hope she gets all the pledges needed.  The cut off for pledges is January 29, 2014.  If I had the opportunity I would go on the walk she is offering. Chico's big eyes just call out for attention.  Of course, he has Flo now, so he's not entirely lonely.

Congratulations to Hannah, Chico, and those who gave a hand along the walk.