Sylvia Nilsen, well known in the Camino world for her ‘amaWalker blog’ and as ‘Sillydoll’ on the Camino forums, is a South African freelance writer who has been published in numerous local and international publications.
As Chairman of the South African Inherited Disorders Association (SAIDA) in the 1980/1990's, she published articles on inherited disorders, children with genetic disorders and 'Designer Babies' in local magazines.
She has worked as a research agent and editor for a UK-based travel guide publisher and produced several African city and country guides.
Sylvia's favourite hobby (besides writing) is walking and she has walked the Coast to Coast across England, over 8 000 km of Camino trails, including Paris to Spain, the Camino Frances from St Jean Pied de Port and Roncesvalles to Santiago, from Lourdes to Pamplona, el Ferrol to Santiago, Santiago to Finisterre and from Switzerland to Rome on the Via Francigena. She also walked from Durban to Cape Town as part of the 'Breaking Free' team in aid of abused women and children.
Sylvia has served as a volunteer hospitalero in Spain and is a Spanish accredited hospitalero volunteer trainer
in South Africa having trained 112 new volunteers. Sylvia was the Regional Coordinator for the Confraternity of St James in South Africa from 2003 to 2010.
In 2010 she started amaWalkers Camino (Pty) Ltd and takes small groups of pilgrims on three weeks walks of the Camino frances in Spain and France, as well as on the Via Francigena pilgrimage trails to Rome.
In her spare time she is working on a sequel to Pilgrim Footprints.
As Chairman of the South African Inherited Disorders Association (SAIDA) in the 1980/1990's, she published articles on inherited disorders, children with genetic disorders and 'Designer Babies' in local magazines.
She has worked as a research agent and editor for a UK-based travel guide publisher and produced several African city and country guides.
Sylvia's favourite hobby (besides writing) is walking and she has walked the Coast to Coast across England, over 8 000 km of Camino trails, including Paris to Spain, the Camino Frances from St Jean Pied de Port and Roncesvalles to Santiago, from Lourdes to Pamplona, el Ferrol to Santiago, Santiago to Finisterre and from Switzerland to Rome on the Via Francigena. She also walked from Durban to Cape Town as part of the 'Breaking Free' team in aid of abused women and children.
Sylvia has served as a volunteer hospitalero in Spain and is a Spanish accredited hospitalero volunteer trainer
in South Africa having trained 112 new volunteers. Sylvia was the Regional Coordinator for the Confraternity of St James in South Africa from 2003 to 2010.
In 2010 she started amaWalkers Camino (Pty) Ltd and takes small groups of pilgrims on three weeks walks of the Camino frances in Spain and France, as well as on the Via Francigena pilgrimage trails to Rome.
In her spare time she is working on a sequel to Pilgrim Footprints.