- Time of past OR future Camino
- 2009-2022: CFx6, CP, VdlPx2, Mozarabe, more later.
Last night, I did it again: I booked a flight to Madrid on April 16th. No return ticket. Will be ca. 5 weeks. Need my annual Camino shot...
On the road again.
I like to take it easy when traveling: Arriving in Madrid 13.55, I'll take a night there. I could get a late train from Atosha train station to Pamplona, but it will arrive close to 11PM, so I'll rather take a tapas evening in Madrid, get a good night's sleep and take the train ca. 11.30, arriving in Pamplona ca. 14.30, and have another tapas evening there before starting out for some place beyond Alto del Perdon the first day.
About air travel: I always travel with https://www.norwegian.com/. They run a fleet of brand new, cost-effective aircrafts, bringing the prices way down: I got a ticket (2 flights) for ca. 100 Euros from up here in Arctic Norway to Madrid. Check out their webside: They are multi-multi-lingual and very international, and growing in no. of destinations. Very different from f.ex. Ryanair.
About domestic flights in Spain: Very expensive in Spain. Use train/bus instead. Much cheaper, and you can enjoy the landscape with a glass of red.
About trains in Spain: Always on time. Cheap. For us 60+ of age, you can buy a general discount ticket, called tarjeta dorada (Gold ticket): It will give you 25% (!) discount on almost all train tickets for one year. Cost is 6 Euros.
About buses in Spain: Also frequent, cheap, on time, and comfortable. Longer journeys always with a toilet cabin and short breaks.
About starting points: There is no need to start in SJpdP: Done it once, and I don't need to do it again. Pamplona-SdC is just as good, as is Burgos, or wherever: The Way is the goal. Also, it makes for easier travel/cheaper travel costs.
About places to stay: When I go, I always make reservations for my nights before the walk starts. This year, I'll reserve a place in Madrid (done) & Pamplona.
I use www.booking.com to do the reservations. When on the walk, I rarely do reservations, but if I'm While on the walk, I just stop when I want. I have never been without a bed all the years I have walked, but in high traffic, I might do a reservation, just for some ease of mind, so that I can enjoy my day in peace. Download the booking app from www.booking.com, it's easy & fast to use.
About Pilgrim passport: You need it to be allowed into many albergues. Buy it here from this/our website: https://www.santiagodecompostela.me...passport-from-the-pilgrims-office-in-santiago . Also buy a good guide: I recommend Wise Pilgrim , and also his mobile app: It is great! Buy it together with the passport.
About time: Far too many rush their Camino: Don't fall into that trap. Too many feel remorse, not joy, when they finally stand in front of The Cathedral, realising: The walk is over! Enjoy your days on the Way. Live in the now.
Get a backpack that complies to carry-on measures:
1) It stays with you; it is not lost in an unknown airport.
2) You save a lot of time in airports.
3) It is difficult to overpack; one will easily put too much in one's backpack, making it too heavy.
Remember: The Way is the Goal. You need time to get into your Camino mode. You'll know it when you find it. Trust me. Enjoy your days floating by, away from the rat race.
Buen Camino!
On the road again.
I like to take it easy when traveling: Arriving in Madrid 13.55, I'll take a night there. I could get a late train from Atosha train station to Pamplona, but it will arrive close to 11PM, so I'll rather take a tapas evening in Madrid, get a good night's sleep and take the train ca. 11.30, arriving in Pamplona ca. 14.30, and have another tapas evening there before starting out for some place beyond Alto del Perdon the first day.
About air travel: I always travel with https://www.norwegian.com/. They run a fleet of brand new, cost-effective aircrafts, bringing the prices way down: I got a ticket (2 flights) for ca. 100 Euros from up here in Arctic Norway to Madrid. Check out their webside: They are multi-multi-lingual and very international, and growing in no. of destinations. Very different from f.ex. Ryanair.
About domestic flights in Spain: Very expensive in Spain. Use train/bus instead. Much cheaper, and you can enjoy the landscape with a glass of red.
About trains in Spain: Always on time. Cheap. For us 60+ of age, you can buy a general discount ticket, called tarjeta dorada (Gold ticket): It will give you 25% (!) discount on almost all train tickets for one year. Cost is 6 Euros.
About buses in Spain: Also frequent, cheap, on time, and comfortable. Longer journeys always with a toilet cabin and short breaks.
About starting points: There is no need to start in SJpdP: Done it once, and I don't need to do it again. Pamplona-SdC is just as good, as is Burgos, or wherever: The Way is the goal. Also, it makes for easier travel/cheaper travel costs.
About places to stay: When I go, I always make reservations for my nights before the walk starts. This year, I'll reserve a place in Madrid (done) & Pamplona.
I use www.booking.com to do the reservations. When on the walk, I rarely do reservations, but if I'm While on the walk, I just stop when I want. I have never been without a bed all the years I have walked, but in high traffic, I might do a reservation, just for some ease of mind, so that I can enjoy my day in peace. Download the booking app from www.booking.com, it's easy & fast to use.
About Pilgrim passport: You need it to be allowed into many albergues. Buy it here from this/our website: https://www.santiagodecompostela.me...passport-from-the-pilgrims-office-in-santiago . Also buy a good guide: I recommend Wise Pilgrim , and also his mobile app: It is great! Buy it together with the passport.
About time: Far too many rush their Camino: Don't fall into that trap. Too many feel remorse, not joy, when they finally stand in front of The Cathedral, realising: The walk is over! Enjoy your days on the Way. Live in the now.
Get a backpack that complies to carry-on measures:
1) It stays with you; it is not lost in an unknown airport.
2) You save a lot of time in airports.
3) It is difficult to overpack; one will easily put too much in one's backpack, making it too heavy.
Remember: The Way is the Goal. You need time to get into your Camino mode. You'll know it when you find it. Trust me. Enjoy your days floating by, away from the rat race.
Buen Camino!
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