Mid-April to mid-May Camino Francés, my experiences, insights, mistakes and lessons

[michal.don]

Hello, two weeks ago, I finished the Camino Francés, and while all the recent memories have not properly settled yet, I think enough time has passed to write a bit about my experience of the Camino

First of all - a bit of context. This has been my second Camino - I walked the Norte in the fall of 2022. I had an amazing time at the northern coast of Spain, but after some time, I couldn't stop wondering, if I wasn't missing something, having not walked the Francés - the (by most) recommended first Camino, full of history, and with the most pilgrims. This had an obvious solution though - I had to come back So, with a lot of help from you on the forums, I made a rough plan, picked a date which could work as a good compromise between good weather and less busy trails, booked my flights and went for it.

In no particular order - some of the things I noticed, realized, learned:

- You can't really plan for the weather. The weather really sucked on the Napoleón on the first day - it rained, it was cold, miserable and foggy - I did not see any of the gorgeous views the Pyrenées offer. A few days before I walked, it even snowed. And a few days before that, the weather was almost perfect - sunny, temperatures in the twenties. The late April/Early may were unseasonably cold in Spain, in the meseta, the morning were almost freezing. I almost never took of my longsleeve in the first two weeks. The only thing you can pretty much count on, it rained in Galicia

- On the other hand, you can plan for the crowds. Not always, not everywhere, but for the most part. Sort of. When I wanted a bit of more solitary walking, I stayed in the offstage places, the small villages and towns. Not starting with 60 people from the same place does wonders in that regard. On the other hand, in the SJPdP-Roncesvalles-Zubiri-Pamplona stretch, there is not that much that you can do, especially, if you want to keep the distanes balanced and reasonable, which in the first few days I definitely did. A few weeks before I left home, I booked my beds up to Pamplona (as a lot of people here recommend), and I'm glad I did - Roncesvalles was completo in the afternoon, the hotel and pensión filled too, and some people had to walk further - something I definitely would hate to do after a long, hard day, with my shoes wet.

- I can walk quite long distances. I'm not sure it was entirely a good thing. After taking it a bit slower for the first week or so, I was able to pick up the pace, especially in the Meseta - the weather wasn't hot, and I walked from Burgos to León in six days. It felt great, but walking this fast, I outran most of the people I was seeing in the first ten days. Except for one, I did not see any of them for the rest of the walk. Sure, I met a lot of great people from León onward, but I still kind of regret that. The friendships from the first few days are special in their own way.

- It was hard for me not to be annoyed after Sarría. And I felt like an idiot. I knew that the vibe would change in the last 100 km. I was prepared for thet, and I managed to avoid the largest crowds by staying between the most popular stops, and generally walking longer days in the last bit. But still, seeing all those fancy-looking people in new, clean shoes, carrying their small backpacks, it just felt bad. "Why do these people have to crowd my Camino? They did not suffer like I did, they didn't deserve it as I did!" And sure, a few hours later, while I was sitting on a fallen tree next to the path, having a snack, an older Spanish gentleman walked past, hand in hand with his wife. In her other hand, his wife was holding a white stick - she was blind. It was in this moment I realized - a lot of these people would gladly walk the whole Camino - if they could. But they couldn't. I did. I was the one lucky, privileged enough, to be able to embark on an adventure like this. And for a lot of these people, especially the deeply religious ones, this one week of walking to a place with great historical meaning for their religion has much greater significance than I could ever understand.

- It's probably possible to walk the Camino without booking. I would not recommend that to almost anyone. At least without some significant caveats. I sometimes booked, sometimes not. Stayed mostly in albergues, in a few donativos, and in a few hotels. This being my second camino, I could most of the time predict bottlenecks, and by booking a place the day before/in the morning, I managed to avoid some unpleasant situations. Some places were full, some half empty. But I'd like to ask all of you, before giving advice to new pilgrims about booking/not booking, consider, if it is not only the right advice, but if it is the right advice for the right person. Are you really sure, that "you can always sleep under a porch of a church" is the right thing for Barbara from Miami, Florida, who is after retiring about to experience walking serious distances and a lack of air conditioning for the first time in her life?

- There are a lot of worse ways to spend your time than walking through the beautiful, beautiful country of Spain. I did not have a life-changing moment, or learning a great, impactful lesson on the Camino. I do not expect it to have changed my life from now onwards. But I had a great time doing the walk, meeting the people, even participating at a few masses, despite not being a religious person. The arrival to Santiago, and seeing the cathedral was a strong, emotional moment again. I might take some time off before walking again, but I think this wasn't my last Camino. I really enjoy the simple way of life - waking up, walking, meeting interesting people, having a coffee/meal with them, sleeping. I love the changing scenery during the walk, the feeling of accomplishment upon finishing the walk. I love the physical and mental challenge the Camino offers, I love the time I have for thinking about a lot of things. No, I don't think I'm done, yet

I'm sure I forgot a lot of things, I might add them later. And, last but not least - thank you all for giving great advice here, before and during my walk. And to all of you planning or considering your walk - Buen Camino and good luck!

Part two - in the next few days, I thought about more things to add - this time they probably are a bit more subtle things, details maybe. But things that still kind of stand out to me, things you might not realize before. Here goes:

- Let's start with an optimistic one - Some days are really going to suck. It might be the weather - on the first day, several hours into the climb into the Pyrenées, I literally could feel the water running through my toes in my shoes with every step. It might be some kind of pain/discomfort - my knees were giving me a bit of trouble in the first week. And even very minor pain, when you feel it every step, can be very annoying. It might be the crowds, it might be a lack of sleep, it might be the missing of the comfort of your home and your loved ones. Some days I just wished I could teleport myself home, and be done with the Camino. Don't worry, it's all part of the experience - the highs are so high because of the lows. These "bad" days really helped me appreciate the good ones, when the sun finally came, the trail cleared, the legs got used to the walking, and the views were just spectacular.

- The enthusiasm can be really contagious. Try not to resist it too hard. I met the first pilgrims at the Paris airport, before my flight to Biarritz. The flight was delayed, I missed my train to SJPdP (why do all the airlines seem to hate me on every Camino, like seriously ). So, with the newly formed group of pilgrims, we shared a taxi to SJPdP and were talking about what lied ahead. As we were getting closer and closer, everybody was visibly getting more and more excited and possibly nervous. I was trying to keep my cool, after all, I've already done this, and was trying to help my new friends with well-meant advice. We stopped at the Pilgrim's office, and decided to have a beer together, before heading to our accomodations. After a pleasant conversation, I decided to head out, and wished everybody good luck, and a "Buen Camino". One of the guys, an american gentleman, looked at me, and said: "I've been dreaming of doing this for the last twenty years. And finally, I got to hear and say "Buen Camino". It's really finally happening, isn't it?". Sometimes one simple "Buen Camino" means more than all the advice in the world, sometimes the excitement is more important than having an exact plan. Even if it's your tenth Camino, try to keep the newbie enthusiasm a little bit, it's much more enjoyable that way. And when you smile at people, they are much more likely to smile back at you, too.

- The Camino(s) offer a lot of different options - don't be afraid to try them. Even if it's just once. I get that some people prefer the comfort of hotel rooms, and like to eat in restaurants. But I think that the main thing, that differentiates the Camino from a vacation where you happen to walk, is the communal feeling, the being a part of the group of people with the same goal, and very similar state of mind. Yes, sometimes it's really nice to have a room for yourself, or having a great meal in a restaurant, but for me, some of the most cherished experiences come from a very basic place, cooking a dinner with complete strangers (who I could not understand for the most part, because pretty much the only english word they knew was "spaghetti", you can try and guess what was the dinner that evening ), or eating jamón and queso with a piece of bread, sitting on a rock I found next to the trail, with a person I just met. It might not be the most comfortable at the moment, but it's the things like these I'll remember for the rest of my life.

- Re equipment - Start with what you know. Be prepared to change what doesn't work. I met some people who bought a new pair of expensive hiking boots just before leaving for the camno. Only to throw them away at Pamplona, because they were killing them at every step. Some people really started to hate some of their clothes, because they did not work the way they expected them to. But they stubbornly continued to wear them, instead of buying another piece of clothing for a few Euros. Sometimes it can be hard to accept that you made a bad decision. You don't need an expensive piece of gear to be comfortable, just try to find what feels good for you. Try different stuff, until you find what works.

Michal

 

[rainswift]

Poor Barbara from Miami, Florida!

That was a great summary, I really enjoyed reading it! My first Camino will also not be the Frances, but maybe someday!

 

[maxsdyke]

Great post! Thank you so much for the breakdown. Me and my partner are on our first Camino (Del Norte staring from Gijòn) and we are figuring it all out. Definitely helpful to have some insight! Buen Camino!

 

[C clearly]

What an excellent, balanced view of the experience! Good words of wisdom.

 

[K_Lynn]

- It was hard for me not to be annoyed after Sarría. And I felt like an idiot. I knew that the vibe would change in the last 100 km. I was prepared for thet, and I managed to avoid the largest crowds by staying between the most popular stops, and generally walking longer days in the last bit. But still, seeing all those fancy-looking people in new, clean shoes, carrying their small backpacks, it just felt bad. "Why do these people have to crowd my Camino? They did not suffer like I did, they didn't deserve it as I did!" And sure, a few hours later, while I was sitting on a fallen tree next to the path, having a snack, an older Spanish gentleman walked past, hand in hand with his wife. In her other hand, his wife was holding a white stick - she was blind. It was in this moment I realized - a lot of these people would gladly walk the whole Camino - if they could. But they couldn't. I did. I was the one lucky, privileged enough, to be able to embark on an adventure like this. And for a lot of these people, especially the deeply religious ones, this one week of walking to a place with great historical meaning for their religion has much greater significance than I could ever understand.

Sounds like you had a great Camino, thank you for sharing.

I too was annoyed as I walked out of Sarria. I remember vividly, commenting to a Camino friend on the shiny unscuffed shoes and full make-up. A few hours later as I walked down a hill there was a young man trying to take a picture of himself with a farmhouse in the distance. I asked if he'd like me to take the shot for him and we walked for a bit. Because I am frequently an idiot, when he said it was his first day walking I said "oh, you're on the minimum Camino". He laughed and said yes, but that he was continuing on to Finisterre after Santiago. As we walked he mentioned that he wasn't sure if he'd be able to walk from SJPdP, he had broken his hip and femur in a bicycle accident 6 months previous and was walking to get over the loss of being on a racing team and the loss of team friends. I was properly humbled and quickly got over my resentment of the new peregrinos.

We walk what we can. Buen Camino!

 

[michal.don]

That was a great summary, I really enjoyed reading it! My first Camino will also not be the Frances, but maybe someday!

Well, in my experience, the Camino can capture your soul and strongly draw you for another round... Good luck with your walk!

Great post! Thank you so much for the breakdown. Me and my partner are on our first Camino (Del Norte staring from Gijòn) and we are figuring it all out. Definitely helpful to have some insight! Buen Camino!

Enjoy the Norte! The stunning coastal views are just amazing And remember the "After Sarria" part of my text when you arrive to Arzúa and see the pilgrim traffic

What an excellent, balanced view of the experience! Good words of wisdom.

Thanks, but I'm still too young to be anywhere near wise.... And I can already think of a few things to add, so I think I'll write "part two" in a few days....

Sounds like you had a great Camino, thank you for sharing.

I did. Mostly. There were ups and there were downs, but that's all part of the experience, I think we'll all agree on that. I think I'll alaborate more on that part, too....

Michal

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

@michal.don , thanks for this well presented, balanced view. Very enjoyable to read.
Looking forward to part two.

Peter

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Michal, thank you for taking the time to write your very well thought out post. I relate to much of what you shared.

 

[Dani7]

Thank you for taking the time to write about your experience and sharing with us. Really enjoyed reading it. Looking forward to part II.

Being older does not always guarantee wisdom. Life’s experiences nurtures that, along with self awareness. You just showed us both, and that makes you wiser now than when you started your camino.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Being older does not always guarantee wisdom. Life’s experiences nurtures that, along with self awareness. You just showed us both, and that makes you wiser now than when you started your camino.

So true...love this, Dani.

 

[Luther]

Hello, two weeks ago, I finished the Camino Francés, and while all the recent memories have not properly settled yet, I think enough time has passed to write a bit about my experience of the Camino

First of all - a bit of context. This has been my second Camino - I walked the Norte in the fall of 2022. I had an amazing time at the northern coast of Spain, but after some time, I couldn't stop wondering, if I wasn't missing something, having not walked the Francés - the (by most) recommended first Camino, full of history, and with the most pilgrims. This had an obvious solution though - I had to come back So, with a lot of help from you on the forums, I made a rough plan, picked a date which could work as a good compromise between good weather and less busy trails, booked my flights and went for it.

In no particular order - some of the things I noticed, realized, learned:

- You can't really plan for the weather. The weather really sucked on the Napoleón on the first day - it rained, it was cold, miserable and foggy - I did not see any of the gorgeous views the Pyrenées offer. A few days before I walked, it even snowed. And a few days before that, the weather was almost perfect - sunny, temperatures in the twenties. The late April/Early may were unseasonably cold in Spain, in the meseta, the morning were almost freezing. I almost never took of my longsleeve in the first two weeks. The only thing you can pretty much count on, it rained in Galicia

- On the other hand, you can plan for the crowds. Not always, not everywhere, but for the most part. Sort of. When I wanted a bit of more solitary walking, I stayed in the offstage places, the small villages and towns. Not starting with 60 people from the same place does wonders in that regard. On the other hand, in the SJPdP-Roncesvalles-Zubiri-Pamplona stretch, there is not that much that you can do, especially, if you want to keep the distanes balanced and reasonable, which in the first few days I definitely did. A few weeks before I left home, I booked my beds up to Pamplona (as a lot of people here recommend), and I'm glad I did - Roncesvalles was completo in the afternoon, the hotel and pensión filled too, and some people had to walk further - something I definitely would hate to do after a long, hard day, with my shoes wet.

- I can walk quite long distances. I'm not sure it was entirely a good thing. After taking it a bit slower for the first week or so, I was able to pick up the pace, especially in the Meseta - the weather wasn't hot, and I walked from Burgos to León in six days. It felt great, but walking this fast, I outran most of the people I was seeing in the first ten days. Except for one, I did not see any of them for the rest of the walk. Sure, I met a lot of great people from León onward, but I still kind of regret that. The friendships from the first few days are special in their own way.

- It was hard for me not to be annoyed after Sarría. And I felt like an idiot. I knew that the vibe would change in the last 100 km. I was prepared for thet, and I managed to avoid the largest crowds by staying between the most popular stops, and generally walking longer days in the last bit. But still, seeing all those fancy-looking people in new, clean shoes, carrying their small backpacks, it just felt bad. "Why do these people have to crowd my Camino? They did not suffer like I did, they didn't deserve it as I did!" And sure, a few hours later, while I was sitting on a fallen tree next to the path, having a snack, an older Spanish gentleman walked past, hand in hand with his wife. In her other hand, his wife was holding a white stick - she was blind. It was in this moment I realized - a lot of these people would gladly walk the whole Camino - if they could. But they couldn't. I did. I was the one lucky, privileged enough, to be able to embark on an adventure like this. And for a lot of these people, especially the deeply religious ones, this one week of walking to a place with great historical meaning for their religion has much greater significance than I could ever understand.

- It's probably possible to walk the Camino without booking. I would not recommend that to almost anyone. At least without some significant caveats. I sometimes booked, sometimes not. Stayed mostly in albergues, in a few donativos, and in a few hotels. This being my second camino, I could most of the time predict bottlenecks, and by booking a place the day before/in the morning, I managed to avoid some unpleasant situations. Some places were full, some half empty. But I'd like to ask all of you, before giving advice to new pilgrims about booking/not booking, consider, if it is not only the right advice, but if it is the right advice for the right person. Are you really sure, that "you can always sleep under a porch of a church" is the right thing for Barbara from Miami, Florida, who is after retiring about to experience walking serious distances and a lack of air conditioning for the first time in her life?

- There are a lot of worse ways to spend your time than walking through the beautiful, beautiful country of Spain. I did not have a life-changing moment, or learning a great, impactful lesson on the Camino. I do not expect it to have changed my life from now onwards. But I had a great time doing the walk, meeting the people, even participating at a few masses, despite not being a religious person. The arrival to Santiago, and seeing the cathedral was a strong, emotional moment again. I might take some time off before walking again, but I think this wasn't my last Camino. I really enjoy the simple way of life - waking up, walking, meeting interesting people, having a coffee/meal with them, sleeping. I love the changing scenery during the walk, the feeling of accomplishment upon finishing the walk. I love the physical and mental challenge the Camino offers, I love the time I have for thinking about a lot of things. No, I don't think I'm done, yet

I'm sure I forgot a lot of things, I might add them later. And, last but not least - thank you all for giving great advice here, before and during my walk. And to all of you planning or considering your walk - Buen Camino and good luck!

Michal

Thanks for taking the time to share with us. I thoroughly enjoyed the read. I walked mid April to mid May in 2016, and have not made it back, but still hoping as I approach 70. I know the Camino has changed, but your experiences still mirrored mine. Busy albergues in the beginning, learning to reserve ahead the night before, guilt of feeling annoyed the last 100K, cold mornings, appreciation of being blessed to experience the Camino. Well done amigo.

 

[M and M]

Hello, two weeks ago, I finished the Camino Francés, and while all the recent memories have not properly settled yet, I think enough time has passed to write a bit about my experience of the Camino

First of all - a bit of context. This has been my second Camino - I walked the Norte in the fall of 2022. I had an amazing time at the northern coast of Spain, but after some time, I couldn't stop wondering, if I wasn't missing something, having not walked the Francés - the (by most) recommended first Camino, full of history, and with the most pilgrims. This had an obvious solution though - I had to come back So, with a lot of help from you on the forums, I made a rough plan, picked a date which could work as a good compromise between good weather and less busy trails, booked my flights and went for it.

In no particular order - some of the things I noticed, realized, learned:

- You can't really plan for the weather. The weather really sucked on the Napoleón on the first day - it rained, it was cold, miserable and foggy - I did not see any of the gorgeous views the Pyrenées offer. A few days before I walked, it even snowed. And a few days before that, the weather was almost perfect - sunny, temperatures in the twenties. The late April/Early may were unseasonably cold in Spain, in the meseta, the morning were almost freezing. I almost never took of my longsleeve in the first two weeks. The only thing you can pretty much count on, it rained in Galicia

- On the other hand, you can plan for the crowds. Not always, not everywhere, but for the most part. Sort of. When I wanted a bit of more solitary walking, I stayed in the offstage places, the small villages and towns. Not starting with 60 people from the same place does wonders in that regard. On the other hand, in the SJPdP-Roncesvalles-Zubiri-Pamplona stretch, there is not that much that you can do, especially, if you want to keep the distanes balanced and reasonable, which in the first few days I definitely did. A few weeks before I left home, I booked my beds up to Pamplona (as a lot of people here recommend), and I'm glad I did - Roncesvalles was completo in the afternoon, the hotel and pensión filled too, and some people had to walk further - something I definitely would hate to do after a long, hard day, with my shoes wet.

- I can walk quite long distances. I'm not sure it was entirely a good thing. After taking it a bit slower for the first week or so, I was able to pick up the pace, especially in the Meseta - the weather wasn't hot, and I walked from Burgos to León in six days. It felt great, but walking this fast, I outran most of the people I was seeing in the first ten days. Except for one, I did not see any of them for the rest of the walk. Sure, I met a lot of great people from León onward, but I still kind of regret that. The friendships from the first few days are special in their own way.

- It was hard for me not to be annoyed after Sarría. And I felt like an idiot. I knew that the vibe would change in the last 100 km. I was prepared for thet, and I managed to avoid the largest crowds by staying between the most popular stops, and generally walking longer days in the last bit. But still, seeing all those fancy-looking people in new, clean shoes, carrying their small backpacks, it just felt bad. "Why do these people have to crowd my Camino? They did not suffer like I did, they didn't deserve it as I did!" And sure, a few hours later, while I was sitting on a fallen tree next to the path, having a snack, an older Spanish gentleman walked past, hand in hand with his wife. In her other hand, his wife was holding a white stick - she was blind. It was in this moment I realized - a lot of these people would gladly walk the whole Camino - if they could. But they couldn't. I did. I was the one lucky, privileged enough, to be able to embark on an adventure like this. And for a lot of these people, especially the deeply religious ones, this one week of walking to a place with great historical meaning for their religion has much greater significance than I could ever understand.

- It's probably possible to walk the Camino without booking. I would not recommend that to almost anyone. At least without some significant caveats. I sometimes booked, sometimes not. Stayed mostly in albergues, in a few donativos, and in a few hotels. This being my second camino, I could most of the time predict bottlenecks, and by booking a place the day before/in the morning, I managed to avoid some unpleasant situations. Some places were full, some half empty. But I'd like to ask all of you, before giving advice to new pilgrims about booking/not booking, consider, if it is not only the right advice, but if it is the right advice for the right person. Are you really sure, that "you can always sleep under a porch of a church" is the right thing for Barbara from Miami, Florida, who is after retiring about to experience walking serious distances and a lack of air conditioning for the first time in her life?

- There are a lot of worse ways to spend your time than walking through the beautiful, beautiful country of Spain. I did not have a life-changing moment, or learning a great, impactful lesson on the Camino. I do not expect it to have changed my life from now onwards. But I had a great time doing the walk, meeting the people, even participating at a few masses, despite not being a religious person. The arrival to Santiago, and seeing the cathedral was a strong, emotional moment again. I might take some time off before walking again, but I think this wasn't my last Camino. I really enjoy the simple way of life - waking up, walking, meeting interesting people, having a coffee/meal with them, sleeping. I love the changing scenery during the walk, the feeling of accomplishment upon finishing the walk. I love the physical and mental challenge the Camino offers, I love the time I have for thinking about a lot of things. No, I don't think I'm done, yet

I'm sure I forgot a lot of things, I might add them later. And, last but not least - thank you all for giving great advice here, before and during my walk. And to all of you planning or considering your walk - Buen Camino and good luck!

Michal

 

[pkonopka]

Hello, two weeks ago, I finished the Camino Francés, and while all the recent memories have not properly settled yet, I think enough time has passed to write a bit about my experience of the Camino

First of all - a bit of context. This has been my second Camino - I walked the Norte in the fall of 2022. I had an amazing time at the northern coast of Spain, but after some time, I couldn't stop wondering, if I wasn't missing something, having not walked the Francés - the (by most) recommended first Camino, full of history, and with the most pilgrims. This had an obvious solution though - I had to come back So, with a lot of help from you on the forums, I made a rough plan, picked a date which could work as a good compromise between good weather and less busy trails, booked my flights and went for it.

In no particular order - some of the things I noticed, realized, learned:

- You can't really plan for the weather. The weather really sucked on the Napoleón on the first day - it rained, it was cold, miserable and foggy - I did not see any of the gorgeous views the Pyrenées offer. A few days before I walked, it even snowed. And a few days before that, the weather was almost perfect - sunny, temperatures in the twenties. The late April/Early may were unseasonably cold in Spain, in the meseta, the morning were almost freezing. I almost never took of my longsleeve in the first two weeks. The only thing you can pretty much count on, it rained in Galicia

- On the other hand, you can plan for the crowds. Not always, not everywhere, but for the most part. Sort of. When I wanted a bit of more solitary walking, I stayed in the offstage places, the small villages and towns. Not starting with 60 people from the same place does wonders in that regard. On the other hand, in the SJPdP-Roncesvalles-Zubiri-Pamplona stretch, there is not that much that you can do, especially, if you want to keep the distanes balanced and reasonable, which in the first few days I definitely did. A few weeks before I left home, I booked my beds up to Pamplona (as a lot of people here recommend), and I'm glad I did - Roncesvalles was completo in the afternoon, the hotel and pensión filled too, and some people had to walk further - something I definitely would hate to do after a long, hard day, with my shoes wet.

- I can walk quite long distances. I'm not sure it was entirely a good thing. After taking it a bit slower for the first week or so, I was able to pick up the pace, especially in the Meseta - the weather wasn't hot, and I walked from Burgos to León in six days. It felt great, but walking this fast, I outran most of the people I was seeing in the first ten days. Except for one, I did not see any of them for the rest of the walk. Sure, I met a lot of great people from León onward, but I still kind of regret that. The friendships from the first few days are special in their own way.

- It was hard for me not to be annoyed after Sarría. And I felt like an idiot. I knew that the vibe would change in the last 100 km. I was prepared for thet, and I managed to avoid the largest crowds by staying between the most popular stops, and generally walking longer days in the last bit. But still, seeing all those fancy-looking people in new, clean shoes, carrying their small backpacks, it just felt bad. "Why do these people have to crowd my Camino? They did not suffer like I did, they didn't deserve it as I did!" And sure, a few hours later, while I was sitting on a fallen tree next to the path, having a snack, an older Spanish gentleman walked past, hand in hand with his wife. In her other hand, his wife was holding a white stick - she was blind. It was in this moment I realized - a lot of these people would gladly walk the whole Camino - if they could. But they couldn't. I did. I was the one lucky, privileged enough, to be able to embark on an adventure like this. And for a lot of these people, especially the deeply religious ones, this one week of walking to a place with great historical meaning for their religion has much greater significance than I could ever understand.

- It's probably possible to walk the Camino without booking. I would not recommend that to almost anyone. At least without some significant caveats. I sometimes booked, sometimes not. Stayed mostly in albergues, in a few donativos, and in a few hotels. This being my second camino, I could most of the time predict bottlenecks, and by booking a place the day before/in the morning, I managed to avoid some unpleasant situations. Some places were full, some half empty. But I'd like to ask all of you, before giving advice to new pilgrims about booking/not booking, consider, if it is not only the right advice, but if it is the right advice for the right person. Are you really sure, that "you can always sleep under a porch of a church" is the right thing for Barbara from Miami, Florida, who is after retiring about to experience walking serious distances and a lack of air conditioning for the first time in her life?

- There are a lot of worse ways to spend your time than walking through the beautiful, beautiful country of Spain. I did not have a life-changing moment, or learning a great, impactful lesson on the Camino. I do not expect it to have changed my life from now onwards. But I had a great time doing the walk, meeting the people, even participating at a few masses, despite not being a religious person. The arrival to Santiago, and seeing the cathedral was a strong, emotional moment again. I might take some time off before walking again, but I think this wasn't my last Camino. I really enjoy the simple way of life - waking up, walking, meeting interesting people, having a coffee/meal with them, sleeping. I love the changing scenery during the walk, the feeling of accomplishment upon finishing the walk. I love the physical and mental challenge the Camino offers, I love the time I have for thinking about a lot of things. No, I don't think I'm done, yet

I'm sure I forgot a lot of things, I might add them later. And, last but not least - thank you all for giving great advice here, before and during my walk. And to all of you planning or considering your walk - Buen Camino and good luck!

Michal

Well written - great thoughts and advice - thank you! I walked the Frances in the Fall shoulder season, mid-September to mid-October and want to return to walk the spring shoulder, mid-April to mid-May like you, so this was helpful (I also walked the Portuguese in the spring shoulder season and it was beautiful!).

One thought I'd add, like many on the Camino we are expecting a life changing moment, or the answer to some life question (job, marriage, etc.), but it usually doesn't come. After two Caminos my thinking is that the Camino doesn't provide any answers, but rather it changes the equation (the pilgrim) that is calculating the answer - it doesn't provide a single life changing event, but rather it changes the life that's living, thereby effecting the remainder of such life. Buen Camino!

 

[annabozeman]

Hello, two weeks ago, I finished the Camino Francés, and while all the recent memories have not properly settled yet, I think enough time has passed to write a bit about my experience of the Camino

First of all - a bit of context. This has been my second Camino - I walked the Norte in the fall of 2022. I had an amazing time at the northern coast of Spain, but after some time, I couldn't stop wondering, if I wasn't missing something, having not walked the Francés - the (by most) recommended first Camino, full of history, and with the most pilgrims. This had an obvious solution though - I had to come back So, with a lot of help from you on the forums, I made a rough plan, picked a date which could work as a good compromise between good weather and less busy trails, booked my flights and went for it.

In no particular order - some of the things I noticed, realized, learned:

- You can't really plan for the weather. The weather really sucked on the Napoleón on the first day - it rained, it was cold, miserable and foggy - I did not see any of the gorgeous views the Pyrenées offer. A few days before I walked, it even snowed. And a few days before that, the weather was almost perfect - sunny, temperatures in the twenties. The late April/Early may were unseasonably cold in Spain, in the meseta, the morning were almost freezing. I almost never took of my longsleeve in the first two weeks. The only thing you can pretty much count on, it rained in Galicia

- On the other hand, you can plan for the crowds. Not always, not everywhere, but for the most part. Sort of. When I wanted a bit of more solitary walking, I stayed in the offstage places, the small villages and towns. Not starting with 60 people from the same place does wonders in that regard. On the other hand, in the SJPdP-Roncesvalles-Zubiri-Pamplona stretch, there is not that much that you can do, especially, if you want to keep the distanes balanced and reasonable, which in the first few days I definitely did. A few weeks before I left home, I booked my beds up to Pamplona (as a lot of people here recommend), and I'm glad I did - Roncesvalles was completo in the afternoon, the hotel and pensión filled too, and some people had to walk further - something I definitely would hate to do after a long, hard day, with my shoes wet.

- I can walk quite long distances. I'm not sure it was entirely a good thing. After taking it a bit slower for the first week or so, I was able to pick up the pace, especially in the Meseta - the weather wasn't hot, and I walked from Burgos to León in six days. It felt great, but walking this fast, I outran most of the people I was seeing in the first ten days. Except for one, I did not see any of them for the rest of the walk. Sure, I met a lot of great people from León onward, but I still kind of regret that. The friendships from the first few days are special in their own way.

- It was hard for me not to be annoyed after Sarría. And I felt like an idiot. I knew that the vibe would change in the last 100 km. I was prepared for thet, and I managed to avoid the largest crowds by staying between the most popular stops, and generally walking longer days in the last bit. But still, seeing all those fancy-looking people in new, clean shoes, carrying their small backpacks, it just felt bad. "Why do these people have to crowd my Camino? They did not suffer like I did, they didn't deserve it as I did!" And sure, a few hours later, while I was sitting on a fallen tree next to the path, having a snack, an older Spanish gentleman walked past, hand in hand with his wife. In her other hand, his wife was holding a white stick - she was blind. It was in this moment I realized - a lot of these people would gladly walk the whole Camino - if they could. But they couldn't. I did. I was the one lucky, privileged enough, to be able to embark on an adventure like this. And for a lot of these people, especially the deeply religious ones, this one week of walking to a place with great historical meaning for their religion has much greater significance than I could ever understand.

- It's probably possible to walk the Camino without booking. I would not recommend that to almost anyone. At least without some significant caveats. I sometimes booked, sometimes not. Stayed mostly in albergues, in a few donativos, and in a few hotels. This being my second camino, I could most of the time predict bottlenecks, and by booking a place the day before/in the morning, I managed to avoid some unpleasant situations. Some places were full, some half empty. But I'd like to ask all of you, before giving advice to new pilgrims about booking/not booking, consider, if it is not only the right advice, but if it is the right advice for the right person. Are you really sure, that "you can always sleep under a porch of a church" is the right thing for Barbara from Miami, Florida, who is after retiring about to experience walking serious distances and a lack of air conditioning for the first time in her life?

- There are a lot of worse ways to spend your time than walking through the beautiful, beautiful country of Spain. I did not have a life-changing moment, or learning a great, impactful lesson on the Camino. I do not expect it to have changed my life from now onwards. But I had a great time doing the walk, meeting the people, even participating at a few masses, despite not being a religious person. The arrival to Santiago, and seeing the cathedral was a strong, emotional moment again. I might take some time off before walking again, but I think this wasn't my last Camino. I really enjoy the simple way of life - waking up, walking, meeting interesting people, having a coffee/meal with them, sleeping. I love the changing scenery during the walk, the feeling of accomplishment upon finishing the walk. I love the physical and mental challenge the Camino offers, I love the time I have for thinking about a lot of things. No, I don't think I'm done, yet

I'm sure I forgot a lot of things, I might add them later. And, last but not least - thank you all for giving great advice here, before and during my walk. And to all of you planning or considering your walk - Buen Camino and good luck!

Michal

This was helpful to read for me. I am just planning my first camino and going in a week (talk about short notice!) so this was just what I needed. Glad to hear you had a good experience.

 

[SlowCamino2024]

This was helpful to read for me. I am just planning my first camino and going in a week (talk about short notice!) so this was just what I needed. Glad to hear you had a good experience.

Hello, two weeks ago, I finished the Camino Francés, and while all the recent memories have not properly settled yet, I think enough time has passed to write a bit about my experience of the Camino

First of all - a bit of context. This has been my second Camino - I walked the Norte in the fall of 2022. I had an amazing time at the northern coast of Spain, but after some time, I couldn't stop wondering, if I wasn't missing something, having not walked the Francés - the (by most) recommended first Camino, full of history, and with the most pilgrims. This had an obvious solution though - I had to come back So, with a lot of help from you on the forums, I made a rough plan, picked a date which could work as a good compromise between good weather and less busy trails, booked my flights and went for it.

In no particular order - some of the things I noticed, realized, learned:

- You can't really plan for the weather. The weather really sucked on the Napoleón on the first day - it rained, it was cold, miserable and foggy - I did not see any of the gorgeous views the Pyrenées offer. A few days before I walked, it even snowed. And a few days before that, the weather was almost perfect - sunny, temperatures in the twenties. The late April/Early may were unseasonably cold in Spain, in the meseta, the morning were almost freezing. I almost never took of my longsleeve in the first two weeks. The only thing you can pretty much count on, it rained in Galicia

- On the other hand, you can plan for the crowds. Not always, not everywhere, but for the most part. Sort of. When I wanted a bit of more solitary walking, I stayed in the offstage places, the small villages and towns. Not starting with 60 people from the same place does wonders in that regard. On the other hand, in the SJPdP-Roncesvalles-Zubiri-Pamplona stretch, there is not that much that you can do, especially, if you want to keep the distanes balanced and reasonable, which in the first few days I definitely did. A few weeks before I left home, I booked my beds up to Pamplona (as a lot of people here recommend), and I'm glad I did - Roncesvalles was completo in the afternoon, the hotel and pensión filled too, and some people had to walk further - something I definitely would hate to do after a long, hard day, with my shoes wet.

- I can walk quite long distances. I'm not sure it was entirely a good thing. After taking it a bit slower for the first week or so, I was able to pick up the pace, especially in the Meseta - the weather wasn't hot, and I walked from Burgos to León in six days. It felt great, but walking this fast, I outran most of the people I was seeing in the first ten days. Except for one, I did not see any of them for the rest of the walk. Sure, I met a lot of great people from León onward, but I still kind of regret that. The friendships from the first few days are special in their own way.

- It was hard for me not to be annoyed after Sarría. And I felt like an idiot. I knew that the vibe would change in the last 100 km. I was prepared for thet, and I managed to avoid the largest crowds by staying between the most popular stops, and generally walking longer days in the last bit. But still, seeing all those fancy-looking people in new, clean shoes, carrying their small backpacks, it just felt bad. "Why do these people have to crowd my Camino? They did not suffer like I did, they didn't deserve it as I did!" And sure, a few hours later, while I was sitting on a fallen tree next to the path, having a snack, an older Spanish gentleman walked past, hand in hand with his wife. In her other hand, his wife was holding a white stick - she was blind. It was in this moment I realized - a lot of these people would gladly walk the whole Camino - if they could. But they couldn't. I did. I was the one lucky, privileged enough, to be able to embark on an adventure like this. And for a lot of these people, especially the deeply religious ones, this one week of walking to a place with great historical meaning for their religion has much greater significance than I could ever understand.

- It's probably possible to walk the Camino without booking. I would not recommend that to almost anyone. At least without some significant caveats. I sometimes booked, sometimes not. Stayed mostly in albergues, in a few donativos, and in a few hotels. This being my second camino, I could most of the time predict bottlenecks, and by booking a place the day before/in the morning, I managed to avoid some unpleasant situations. Some places were full, some half empty. But I'd like to ask all of you, before giving advice to new pilgrims about booking/not booking, consider, if it is not only the right advice, but if it is the right advice for the right person. Are you really sure, that "you can always sleep under a porch of a church" is the right thing for Barbara from Miami, Florida, who is after retiring about to experience walking serious distances and a lack of air conditioning for the first time in her life?

- There are a lot of worse ways to spend your time than walking through the beautiful, beautiful country of Spain. I did not have a life-changing moment, or learning a great, impactful lesson on the Camino. I do not expect it to have changed my life from now onwards. But I had a great time doing the walk, meeting the people, even participating at a few masses, despite not being a religious person. The arrival to Santiago, and seeing the cathedral was a strong, emotional moment again. I might take some time off before walking again, but I think this wasn't my last Camino. I really enjoy the simple way of life - waking up, walking, meeting interesting people, having a coffee/meal with them, sleeping. I love the changing scenery during the walk, the feeling of accomplishment upon finishing the walk. I love the physical and mental challenge the Camino offers, I love the time I have for thinking about a lot of things. No, I don't think I'm done, yet

I'm sure I forgot a lot of things, I might add them later. And, last but not least - thank you all for giving great advice here, before and during my walk. And to all of you planning or considering your walk - Buen Camino and good luck!

Michal

Thanks, Michal, for taking the time to share your detailed and thoughtful perceptions. You are appreciated. It means a lot-- especially to us newbies --to learn from the experiences of seasoned camino comrades like yourself and other generous souls on this site to help us prepare.
As an older but young at heart soul, preparing for a first time Sept-Oct Camino Frances, yes, I have already begun making some loose plans and reservations...in hotels, not albergues...in smaller towns, because it IS amazing that many of the main areas are already booked up! And no, I will not be staying in albergues at this late date in life LOL.

Anyway, I just want to say to EVERYONE on this site, God bless you all for the kind and generous spirits here! It means a lot ...Thanks again!

 

[priscillavivio]

Hello, two weeks ago, I finished the Camino Francés, and while all the recent memories have not properly settled yet, I think enough time has passed to write a bit about my experience of the Camino

First of all - a bit of context. This has been my second Camino - I walked the Norte in the fall of 2022. I had an amazing time at the northern coast of Spain, but after some time, I couldn't stop wondering, if I wasn't missing something, having not walked the Francés - the (by most) recommended first Camino, full of history, and with the most pilgrims. This had an obvious solution though - I had to come back So, with a lot of help from you on the forums, I made a rough plan, picked a date which could work as a good compromise between good weather and less busy trails, booked my flights and went for it.

In no particular order - some of the things I noticed, realized, learned:

- You can't really plan for the weather. The weather really sucked on the Napoleón on the first day - it rained, it was cold, miserable and foggy - I did not see any of the gorgeous views the Pyrenées offer. A few days before I walked, it even snowed. And a few days before that, the weather was almost perfect - sunny, temperatures in the twenties. The late April/Early may were unseasonably cold in Spain, in the meseta, the morning were almost freezing. I almost never took of my longsleeve in the first two weeks. The only thing you can pretty much count on, it rained in Galicia

- On the other hand, you can plan for the crowds. Not always, not everywhere, but for the most part. Sort of. When I wanted a bit of more solitary walking, I stayed in the offstage places, the small villages and towns. Not starting with 60 people from the same place does wonders in that regard. On the other hand, in the SJPdP-Roncesvalles-Zubiri-Pamplona stretch, there is not that much that you can do, especially, if you want to keep the distanes balanced and reasonable, which in the first few days I definitely did. A few weeks before I left home, I booked my beds up to Pamplona (as a lot of people here recommend), and I'm glad I did - Roncesvalles was completo in the afternoon, the hotel and pensión filled too, and some people had to walk further - something I definitely would hate to do after a long, hard day, with my shoes wet.

- I can walk quite long distances. I'm not sure it was entirely a good thing. After taking it a bit slower for the first week or so, I was able to pick up the pace, especially in the Meseta - the weather wasn't hot, and I walked from Burgos to León in six days. It felt great, but walking this fast, I outran most of the people I was seeing in the first ten days. Except for one, I did not see any of them for the rest of the walk. Sure, I met a lot of great people from León onward, but I still kind of regret that. The friendships from the first few days are special in their own way.

- It was hard for me not to be annoyed after Sarría. And I felt like an idiot. I knew that the vibe would change in the last 100 km. I was prepared for thet, and I managed to avoid the largest crowds by staying between the most popular stops, and generally walking longer days in the last bit. But still, seeing all those fancy-looking people in new, clean shoes, carrying their small backpacks, it just felt bad. "Why do these people have to crowd my Camino? They did not suffer like I did, they didn't deserve it as I did!" And sure, a few hours later, while I was sitting on a fallen tree next to the path, having a snack, an older Spanish gentleman walked past, hand in hand with his wife. In her other hand, his wife was holding a white stick - she was blind. It was in this moment I realized - a lot of these people would gladly walk the whole Camino - if they could. But they couldn't. I did. I was the one lucky, privileged enough, to be able to embark on an adventure like this. And for a lot of these people, especially the deeply religious ones, this one week of walking to a place with great historical meaning for their religion has much greater significance than I could ever understand.

- It's probably possible to walk the Camino without booking. I would not recommend that to almost anyone. At least without some significant caveats. I sometimes booked, sometimes not. Stayed mostly in albergues, in a few donativos, and in a few hotels. This being my second camino, I could most of the time predict bottlenecks, and by booking a place the day before/in the morning, I managed to avoid some unpleasant situations. Some places were full, some half empty. But I'd like to ask all of you, before giving advice to new pilgrims about booking/not booking, consider, if it is not only the right advice, but if it is the right advice for the right person. Are you really sure, that "you can always sleep under a porch of a church" is the right thing for Barbara from Miami, Florida, who is after retiring about to experience walking serious distances and a lack of air conditioning for the first time in her life?

- There are a lot of worse ways to spend your time than walking through the beautiful, beautiful country of Spain. I did not have a life-changing moment, or learning a great, impactful lesson on the Camino. I do not expect it to have changed my life from now onwards. But I had a great time doing the walk, meeting the people, even participating at a few masses, despite not being a religious person. The arrival to Santiago, and seeing the cathedral was a strong, emotional moment again. I might take some time off before walking again, but I think this wasn't my last Camino. I really enjoy the simple way of life - waking up, walking, meeting interesting people, having a coffee/meal with them, sleeping. I love the changing scenery during the walk, the feeling of accomplishment upon finishing the walk. I love the physical and mental challenge the Camino offers, I love the time I have for thinking about a lot of things. No, I don't think I'm done, yet

I'm sure I forgot a lot of things, I might add them later. And, last but not least - thank you all for giving great advice here, before and during my walk. And to all of you planning or considering your walk - Buen Camino and good luck!

Michal

I just completed my first Camino on the Camino Frances. I am one of those who started at Sarria (I also walked on to Finisterre). I did this walk partially with my daughter and partially solo, after a knee surgery, and suffering from arthritis and another ongoing health issue. I walked what I felt I could. I suffered some pretty severe blisters that required medical assistance in Santiago (despite using Vaseline, wearing toe socks liners, merino wool socks, and trail runners 1/2 size bigger than what I normally wear). Still, I bought hiking sandals in Santiago and completed my walk to Finisterre. Despite a very few people that I overheard "shaming" those of us who started at Sarria, I was overwhelmed by the supportive, encouraging, friendly people I met on the Camino. My experience restored my faith in humanity as I met, and had deep conversations, with people from around the world despite not knowing their political ideologies or religious beliefs. I leave the Camino empowered as I realize my body (which has already created and birthed 4 amazing children) is strong and much more capable than I previously thought (at 60). I am grateful for my experience and am likely to return to the Camino in the future, doing another section.

P.S. Certainly the walk from Santiago to Finisterre was a different Camino...much less crowded, smaller villages, fewer bars/restaurants along most of the trail - likely more similar to what much of the rest of the Camino is like outside of the last 100km. I found it to be more serene and peaceful. But I found the Sarria to Santiago journey to be no less enjoyable as I appreciated the camaraderie and almost festive experience. Apologies to all those who are/were disappointed in the change on the Camino after Sarria. I hope you are/were able to appreciate each stage of the Camino uniquely, knowing that none of us knows another's lived experience.

Buen camino!

 

[JerryStroebele]

Muchas Gracias, Michal.don. I held off walking the Camino Frances for years because of the “crowds “ I heard about while walking other Caminos. When I did walk it my experience and feelings were similar to yours but I can’t express or describe them so well as you have. I will walk it again this fall. Buen Camino

 

[Camino Chrissy]

On my first camino Frances in 2015 with the exception of my first night staying at Corazon Puro, I was winging every stage all the way to Santiago, and then continued between Finesterre and Muxia. It all worked out and as a newbie having first watched "The Way", I thought everybody "winged" the camino.

I brought three family members with me in 2017 and we booked the first three nights, but then walked day by day winging it. I was anxious for my "kids" to stay at the albergue in Monjardin and walk up to the castle after their wonderful communal dinner. Well, as we got nearer, two pilgrims walked past us and my ine son said, "They are probably getting the last beds" as a joke. Sure enough when we arrived, there were only two beds left of the four we needed. We checked around and the few other lodgings in the village were completo. I'd remembered reading on the forum that hospitaleros helped find beds when they were full, so we walked back to the albergue and he mentioned a brand new one that had opened in Luquin, so we diverted off trail and stayed there. It was really nice and we had the whole place, "Albergue Casa Tiago" to ourselves.
I personally had wanted to repeat my prior interesting stay at the albergue in Monjardin. Our quirky room had this terrace looking out over the sweeping beauty while we enjoyed a glass of vino...some memories you don't forget and are as vivid as yesterday.
BTW, after that, my daughter-in-law started emailing in the morning to reserve four beds each night. We were told to arrive by 5:00pm or they would be given to others. No problem for us; all good.
P.S.This was before any of us knew about Gronze or Whatsapp.

 

[Charles Ross]

I'm reluctant to pre book anything. I'm starting to think that a nice, 2-person, ultralight tent might be a good investment. 400 bucks, 2 pounds. Lot's of nooks and crannies to spend a low-impact night on the Frances.

 

[PiM1]

Thanks for sharing.
LoL ... I also started mid April and only just arrived in Melide ... 51 km to go ... on the first day I was just grateful to arrive safely at Roncesvalles walking through fog, rain, cold and icy wind. This morning walking from Palas de Rei, started 7.10 am I was virtually by myself for about 1.5 hrs ... it was an unexpected gift... I am one of people who booked and my system worked great until Sarria. I got blisters so had to cancel and also lost some money. My motto is keep doing what works until it does not!
I have been on the camino for so long that I, just want to arrive safely in Santiago and as the crowds go ... it is what it is ... buen camino

 

[StephenBurnett]

Thanks for sharing.
I walked the Frances exactly the same time you did and I can relate to your experiences and insights perfectly. It was a fantastic journey.

 

[Cicada]

Hello, two weeks ago, I finished the Camino Francés, and while all the recent memories have not properly settled yet, I think enough time has passed to write a bit about my experience of the Camino

First of all - a bit of context. This has been my second Camino - I walked the Norte in the fall of 2022. I had an amazing time at the northern coast of Spain, but after some time, I couldn't stop wondering, if I wasn't missing something, having not walked the Francés - the (by most) recommended first Camino, full of history, and with the most pilgrims. This had an obvious solution though - I had to come back So, with a lot of help from you on the forums, I made a rough plan, picked a date which could work as a good compromise between good weather and less busy trails, booked my flights and went for it.

In no particular order - some of the things I noticed, realized, learned:

- You can't really plan for the weather. The weather really sucked on the Napoleón on the first day - it rained, it was cold, miserable and foggy - I did not see any of the gorgeous views the Pyrenées offer. A few days before I walked, it even snowed. And a few days before that, the weather was almost perfect - sunny, temperatures in the twenties. The late April/Early may were unseasonably cold in Spain, in the meseta, the morning were almost freezing. I almost never took of my longsleeve in the first two weeks. The only thing you can pretty much count on, it rained in Galicia

- On the other hand, you can plan for the crowds. Not always, not everywhere, but for the most part. Sort of. When I wanted a bit of more solitary walking, I stayed in the offstage places, the small villages and towns. Not starting with 60 people from the same place does wonders in that regard. On the other hand, in the SJPdP-Roncesvalles-Zubiri-Pamplona stretch, there is not that much that you can do, especially, if you want to keep the distanes balanced and reasonable, which in the first few days I definitely did. A few weeks before I left home, I booked my beds up to Pamplona (as a lot of people here recommend), and I'm glad I did - Roncesvalles was completo in the afternoon, the hotel and pensión filled too, and some people had to walk further - something I definitely would hate to do after a long, hard day, with my shoes wet.

- I can walk quite long distances. I'm not sure it was entirely a good thing. After taking it a bit slower for the first week or so, I was able to pick up the pace, especially in the Meseta - the weather wasn't hot, and I walked from Burgos to León in six days. It felt great, but walking this fast, I outran most of the people I was seeing in the first ten days. Except for one, I did not see any of them for the rest of the walk. Sure, I met a lot of great people from León onward, but I still kind of regret that. The friendships from the first few days are special in their own way.

- It was hard for me not to be annoyed after Sarría. And I felt like an idiot. I knew that the vibe would change in the last 100 km. I was prepared for thet, and I managed to avoid the largest crowds by staying between the most popular stops, and generally walking longer days in the last bit. But still, seeing all those fancy-looking people in new, clean shoes, carrying their small backpacks, it just felt bad. "Why do these people have to crowd my Camino? They did not suffer like I did, they didn't deserve it as I did!" And sure, a few hours later, while I was sitting on a fallen tree next to the path, having a snack, an older Spanish gentleman walked past, hand in hand with his wife. In her other hand, his wife was holding a white stick - she was blind. It was in this moment I realized - a lot of these people would gladly walk the whole Camino - if they could. But they couldn't. I did. I was the one lucky, privileged enough, to be able to embark on an adventure like this. And for a lot of these people, especially the deeply religious ones, this one week of walking to a place with great historical meaning for their religion has much greater significance than I could ever understand.

- It's probably possible to walk the Camino without booking. I would not recommend that to almost anyone. At least without some significant caveats. I sometimes booked, sometimes not. Stayed mostly in albergues, in a few donativos, and in a few hotels. This being my second camino, I could most of the time predict bottlenecks, and by booking a place the day before/in the morning, I managed to avoid some unpleasant situations. Some places were full, some half empty. But I'd like to ask all of you, before giving advice to new pilgrims about booking/not booking, consider, if it is not only the right advice, but if it is the right advice for the right person. Are you really sure, that "you can always sleep under a porch of a church" is the right thing for Barbara from Miami, Florida, who is after retiring about to experience walking serious distances and a lack of air conditioning for the first time in her life?

- There are a lot of worse ways to spend your time than walking through the beautiful, beautiful country of Spain. I did not have a life-changing moment, or learning a great, impactful lesson on the Camino. I do not expect it to have changed my life from now onwards. But I had a great time doing the walk, meeting the people, even participating at a few masses, despite not being a religious person. The arrival to Santiago, and seeing the cathedral was a strong, emotional moment again. I might take some time off before walking again, but I think this wasn't my last Camino. I really enjoy the simple way of life - waking up, walking, meeting interesting people, having a coffee/meal with them, sleeping. I love the changing scenery during the walk, the feeling of accomplishment upon finishing the walk. I love the physical and mental challenge the Camino offers, I love the time I have for thinking about a lot of things. No, I don't think I'm done, yet

I'm sure I forgot a lot of things, I might add them later. And, last but not least - thank you all for giving great advice here, before and during my walk. And to all of you planning or considering your walk - Buen Camino and good luck!

Michal

Michael thanks for I really enjoyed your summary.

 

[Speddy]

Your story of the sight-impaired woman brought back memories of how powerful a moment in time can stand still and tell a story we will never forget.

 

[pjacobi]

Are you really sure, that "you can always sleep under a porch of a church" is the right thing for Barbara from Miami, Florida, who is after retiring about to experience walking serious distances and a lack of air conditioning for the first time in her life?

While accommodations under a porch of a church are primitive, it is minimally sufficient for one night. There are many areas in the world where the situation is much worse. I hope everyone on the Camino has this experience for one night and learns to count their blessings.


-Paul

 

[Gekkosan]

Hello, two weeks ago, I finished the Camino Francés, and while all the recent memories have not properly settled yet, I think enough time has passed to write a bit about my experience of the Camino

First of all - a bit of context. This has been my second Camino - I walked the Norte in the fall of 2022. I had an amazing time at the northern coast of Spain, but after some time, I couldn't stop wondering, if I wasn't missing something, having not walked the Francés - the (by most) recommended first Camino, full of history, and with the most pilgrims. This had an obvious solution though - I had to come back So, with a lot of help from you on the forums, I made a rough plan, picked a date which could work as a good compromise between good weather and less busy trails, booked my flights and went for it.

In no particular order - some of the things I noticed, realized, learned:

- You can't really plan for the weather. The weather really sucked on the Napoleón on the first day - it rained, it was cold, miserable and foggy - I did not see any of the gorgeous views the Pyrenées offer. A few days before I walked, it even snowed. And a few days before that, the weather was almost perfect - sunny, temperatures in the twenties. The late April/Early may were unseasonably cold in Spain, in the meseta, the morning were almost freezing. I almost never took of my longsleeve in the first two weeks. The only thing you can pretty much count on, it rained in Galicia

- On the other hand, you can plan for the crowds. Not always, not everywhere, but for the most part. Sort of. When I wanted a bit of more solitary walking, I stayed in the offstage places, the small villages and towns. Not starting with 60 people from the same place does wonders in that regard. On the other hand, in the SJPdP-Roncesvalles-Zubiri-Pamplona stretch, there is not that much that you can do, especially, if you want to keep the distanes balanced and reasonable, which in the first few days I definitely did. A few weeks before I left home, I booked my beds up to Pamplona (as a lot of people here recommend), and I'm glad I did - Roncesvalles was completo in the afternoon, the hotel and pensión filled too, and some people had to walk further - something I definitely would hate to do after a long, hard day, with my shoes wet.

- I can walk quite long distances. I'm not sure it was entirely a good thing. After taking it a bit slower for the first week or so, I was able to pick up the pace, especially in the Meseta - the weather wasn't hot, and I walked from Burgos to León in six days. It felt great, but walking this fast, I outran most of the people I was seeing in the first ten days. Except for one, I did not see any of them for the rest of the walk. Sure, I met a lot of great people from León onward, but I still kind of regret that. The friendships from the first few days are special in their own way.

- It was hard for me not to be annoyed after Sarría. And I felt like an idiot. I knew that the vibe would change in the last 100 km. I was prepared for thet, and I managed to avoid the largest crowds by staying between the most popular stops, and generally walking longer days in the last bit. But still, seeing all those fancy-looking people in new, clean shoes, carrying their small backpacks, it just felt bad. "Why do these people have to crowd my Camino? They did not suffer like I did, they didn't deserve it as I did!" And sure, a few hours later, while I was sitting on a fallen tree next to the path, having a snack, an older Spanish gentleman walked past, hand in hand with his wife. In her other hand, his wife was holding a white stick - she was blind. It was in this moment I realized - a lot of these people would gladly walk the whole Camino - if they could. But they couldn't. I did. I was the one lucky, privileged enough, to be able to embark on an adventure like this. And for a lot of these people, especially the deeply religious ones, this one week of walking to a place with great historical meaning for their religion has much greater significance than I could ever understand.

- It's probably possible to walk the Camino without booking. I would not recommend that to almost anyone. At least without some significant caveats. I sometimes booked, sometimes not. Stayed mostly in albergues, in a few donativos, and in a few hotels. This being my second camino, I could most of the time predict bottlenecks, and by booking a place the day before/in the morning, I managed to avoid some unpleasant situations. Some places were full, some half empty. But I'd like to ask all of you, before giving advice to new pilgrims about booking/not booking, consider, if it is not only the right advice, but if it is the right advice for the right person. Are you really sure, that "you can always sleep under a porch of a church" is the right thing for Barbara from Miami, Florida, who is after retiring about to experience walking serious distances and a lack of air conditioning for the first time in her life?

- There are a lot of worse ways to spend your time than walking through the beautiful, beautiful country of Spain. I did not have a life-changing moment, or learning a great, impactful lesson on the Camino. I do not expect it to have changed my life from now onwards. But I had a great time doing the walk, meeting the people, even participating at a few masses, despite not being a religious person. The arrival to Santiago, and seeing the cathedral was a strong, emotional moment again. I might take some time off before walking again, but I think this wasn't my last Camino. I really enjoy the simple way of life - waking up, walking, meeting interesting people, having a coffee/meal with them, sleeping. I love the changing scenery during the walk, the feeling of accomplishment upon finishing the walk. I love the physical and mental challenge the Camino offers, I love the time I have for thinking about a lot of things. No, I don't think I'm done, yet

I'm sure I forgot a lot of things, I might add them later. And, last but not least - thank you all for giving great advice here, before and during my walk. And to all of you planning or considering your walk - Buen Camino and good luck!

Michal

Thank you for this. Your narrative very closely mirrors my own experience, down to your wonderful reflection about Sarria.
The main difference for me is that I’m an introvert. I’m perfectly happy if I don’t speak to anyone, and my most enjoyable days were those when I could walk for hours without seeing another human being on the trail. So yeah, the Sarria “procession” was rather jarring…. Like you, however, I saw a number of people who were struggling, and probably could not have walked what I walked, at the pace I did. But they were doing their best, within their capabilities, and they completed their Camino in their terms. That, I agree, also deserves respect.
Thanks again for a beautiful post.

 

[michal.don]

Part two - in the next few days, I thought about more things to add - this time they probably are a bit more subtle things, details maybe. But things that still kind of stand out to me, things you might not realize before. Here goes:

- Let's start with an optimistic one - Some days are really going to suck. It might be the weather - on the first day, several hours into the climb into the Pyrenées, I literally could feel the water running through my toes in my shoes with every step. It might be some kind of pain/discomfort - my knees were giving me a bit of trouble in the first week. And even very minor pain, when you feel it every step, can be very annoying. It might be the crowds, it might be a lack of sleep, it might be the missing of the comfort of your home and your loved ones. Some days I just wished I could teleport myself home, and be done with the Camino. Don't worry, it's all part of the experience - the highs are so high because of the lows. These "bad" days really helped me appreciate the good ones, when the sun finally came, the trail cleared, the legs got used to the walking, and the views were just spectacular.

- The enthusiasm can be really contagious. Try not to resist it too hard. I met the first pilgrims at the Paris airport, before my flight to Biarritz. The flight was delayed, I missed my train to SJPdP (why do all the airlines seem to hate me on every Camino, like seriously ). So, with the newly formed group of pilgrims, we shared a taxi to SJPdP and were talking about what lied ahead. As we were getting closer and closer, everybody was visibly getting more and more excited and possibly nervous. I was trying to keep my cool, after all, I've already done this, and was trying to help my new friends with well-meant advice. We stopped at the Pilgrim's office, and decided to have a beer together, before heading to our accomodations. After a pleasant conversation, I decided to head out, and wished everybody good luck, and a "Buen Camino". One of the guys, an american gentleman, looked at me, and said: "I've been dreaming of doing this for the last twenty years. And finally, I got to hear and say "Buen Camino". It's really finally happening, isn't it?". Sometimes one simple "Buen Camino" means more than all the advice in the world, sometimes the excitement is more important than having an exact plan. Even if it's your tenth Camino, try to keep the newbie enthusiasm a little bit, it's much more enjoyable that way. And when you smile at people, they are much more likely to smile back at you, too.

- The Camino(s) offer a lot of different options - don't be afraid to try them. Even if it's just once. I get that some people prefer the comfort of hotel rooms, and like to eat in restaurants. But I think that the main thing, that differentiates the Camino from a vacation where you happen to walk, is the communal feeling, the being a part of the group of people with the same goal, and very similar state of mind. Yes, sometimes it's really nice to have a room for yourself, or having a great meal in a restaurant, but for me, some of the most cherished experiences come from a very basic place, cooking a dinner with complete strangers (who I could not understand for the most part, because pretty much the only english word they knew was "spaghetti", you can try and guess what was the dinner that evening ), or eating jamón and queso with a piece of bread, sitting on a rock I found next to the trail, with a person I just met. It might not be the most comfortable at the moment, but it's the things like these I'll remember for the rest of my life.

- Re equipment - Start with what you know. Be prepared to change what doesn't work. I met some people who bought a new pair of expensive hiking boots just before leaving for the camno. Only to throw them away at Pamplona, because they were killing them at every step. Some people really started to hate some of their clothes, because they did not work the way they expected them to. But they stubbornly continued to wear them, instead of buying another piece of clothing for a few Euros. Sometimes it can be hard to accept that you made a bad decision. You don't need an expensive piece of gear to be comfortable, just try to find what feels good for you. Try different stuff, until you find what works.


(I also edited the original post, if posting it here and posting it in the original post too is against the forum rules in any way, or considered spamming, I apologize)

Michal

 

[michal.don]

Being older does not always guarantee wisdom. Life’s experiences nurtures that, along with self awareness.

Sure, I agree. But I think being young pretty much guarantees the lack of it Getting wise is a life-long process

After two Caminos my thinking is that the Camino doesn't provide any answers, but rather it changes the equation (the pilgrim) that is calculating the answer - it doesn't provide a single life changing event, but rather it changes the life that's living, thereby effecting the remainder of such life. Buen Camino!

That's a very nice way to put it - I really like the sound of it, thank you!

As an older but young at heart soul, preparing for a first time Sept-Oct Camino Frances, yes, I have already begun making some loose plans and reservations...in hotels, not albergues...in smaller towns, because it IS amazing that many of the main areas are already booked up! And no, I will not be staying in albergues at this late date in life LOL.

I touched this regard in my "part two" a bit, are you sure you do not want to try an albergue or two on your walk? It's not as bad as it might seem... Usually

 

[NualaOC]

Great post and thread, @michal.don and a good balance to some of the more dogmatic perspectives on the CF.
I'd love to see it bookmarked/pinned by the moderators (not sure what the correct terminology is for that).

 

[Gekkosan]

Part two - in the next few days, I thought about more things to add - this time they probably are a bit more subtle things, details maybe. But things that still kind of stand out to me, things you might not realize before. Here goes:

- Let's start with an optimistic one - Some days are really going to suck. It might be the weather - on the first day, several hours into the climb into the Pyrenées, I literally could feel the water running through my toes in my shoes with every step. It might be some kind of pain/discomfort - my knees were giving me a bit of trouble in the first week. And even very minor pain, when you feel it every step, can be very annoying. It might be the crowds, it might be a lack of sleep, it might be the missing of the comfort of your home and your loved ones. Some days I just wished I could teleport myself home, and be done with the Camino. Don't worry, it's all part of the experience - the highs are so high because of the lows. These "bad" days really helped me appreciate the good ones, when the sun finally came, the trail cleared, the legs got used to the walking, and the views were just spectacular.

- The enthusiasm can be really contagious. Try not to resist it too hard. I met the first pilgrims at the Paris airport, before my flight to Biarritz. The flight was delayed, I missed my train to SJPdP (why do all the airlines seem to hate me on every Camino, like seriously ). So, with the newly formed group of pilgrims, we shared a taxi to SJPdP and were talking about what lied ahead. As we were getting closer and closer, everybody was visibly getting more and more excited and possibly nervous. I was trying to keep my cool, after all, I've already done this, and was trying to help my new friends with well-meant advice. We stopped at the Pilgrim's office, and decided to have a beer together, before heading to our accomodations. After a pleasant conversation, I decided to head out, and wished everybody good luck, and a "Buen Camino". One of the guys, an american gentleman, looked at me, and said: "I've been dreaming of doing this for the last twenty years. And finally, I got to hear and say "Buen Camino". It's really finally happening, isn't it?". Sometimes one simple "Buen Camino" means more than all the advice in the world, sometimes the excitement is more important than having an exact plan. Even if it's your tenth Camino, try to keep the newbie enthusiasm a little bit, it's much more enjoyable that way. And when you smile at people, they are much more likely to smile back at you, too.

- The Camino(s) offer a lot of different options - don't be afraid to try them. Even if it's just once. I get that some people prefer the comfort of hotel rooms, and like to eat in restaurants. But I think that the main thing, that differentiates the Camino from a vacation where you happen to walk, is the communal feeling, the being a part of the group of people with the same goal, and very similar state of mind. Yes, sometimes it's really nice to have a room for yourself, or having a great meal in a restaurant, but for me, some of the most cherished experiences come from a very basic place, cooking a dinner with complete strangers (who I could not understand for the most part, because pretty much the only english word they knew was "spaghetti", you can try and guess what was the dinner that evening ), or eating jamón and queso with a piece of bread, sitting on a rock I found next to the trail, with a person I just met. It might not be the most comfortable at the moment, but it's the things like these I'll remember for the rest of my life.

- Re equipment - Start with what you know. Be prepared to change what doesn't work. I met some people who bought a new pair of expensive hiking boots just before leaving for the camno. Only to throw them away at Pamplona, because they were killing them at every step. Some people really started to hate some of their clothes, because they did not work the way they expected them to. But they stubbornly continued to wear them, instead of buying another piece of clothing for a few Euros. Sometimes it can be hard to accept that you made a bad decision. You don't need an expensive piece of gear to be comfortable, just try to find what feels good for you. Try different stuff, until you find what works.


(I also edited the original post, if posting it here and posting it in the original post too is against the forum rules in any way, or considered spamming, I apologize)

Michal

Another GREAT post, thank you!
Re: shoes - gosh! I know that there are enough threads about the subject, but to me, if only one piece of advice could be shared, it’d be “don’t even think about starting El Camino with footwear you haven’t worn for at least 50-60km, under as many road and weather conditions as you can manage”.
With bad shoes and hurting feet, you’re really not getting much anywhere!!

 

[michal.don]

Another GREAT post, thank you!
Re: shoes - gosh! I know that there are enough threads about the subject, but to me, if only one piece of advice could be shared, it’d be “don’t even think about starting El Camino with footwear you haven’t worn for at least 50-60km, under as many road and weather conditions as you can manage”.
With bad shoes and hurting feet, you’re really not getting much anywhere!!

Well, yes, but...
If your shoes fall apart just before León, and you can't find the same shoes anywhere in the city, you might be forced to take a big gamble, and walk the remaining 300-ish kilometres in completely untested shoes, and just hope for the best... I got really lucky in that regard....
Michal

 

[Gekkosan]

Well, yes, but...
If your shoes fall apart just before León, and you can't find the same shoes anywhere in the city, you might be forced to take a big gamble, and walk the remaining 300-ish kilometres in completely untested shoes, and just hope for the best... I got really lucky in that regard....
Michal

True, that's a possibility.
Like everything else, I expect this is a matter of different importance to different people.
In my case, my feet are extremely finicky. Buying shoes is somewhat complex process that involves trying out many models and configurations, and generally driving the sales assistant mad.
So when I buy something that really first comfortably, I get at least two.
I carried two pairs with me at all times: the shoes I was wearing, and the backup set.
I ended up wearing mostly just one pair, the waterproof ones, even though they were slightly less comfortable. But if those had died, I had a reliable, well-tested second pair to save the day.
They're very light shoes, so having a second pair didn't add a significant amount of weight to my backpack.

 

[Quahaug]

Hello, two weeks ago, I finished the Camino Francés, and while all the recent memories have not properly settled yet, I think enough time has passed to write a bit about my experience of the Camino

First of all - a bit of context. This has been my second Camino - I walked the Norte in the fall of 2022. I had an amazing time at the northern coast of Spain, but after some time, I couldn't stop wondering, if I wasn't missing something, having not walked the Francés - the (by most) recommended first Camino, full of history, and with the most pilgrims. This had an obvious solution though - I had to come back So, with a lot of help from you on the forums, I made a rough plan, picked a date which could work as a good compromise between good weather and less busy trails, booked my flights and went for it.

In no particular order - some of the things I noticed, realized, learned:

- You can't really plan for the weather. The weather really sucked on the Napoleón on the first day - it rained, it was cold, miserable and foggy - I did not see any of the gorgeous views the Pyrenées offer. A few days before I walked, it even snowed. And a few days before that, the weather was almost perfect - sunny, temperatures in the twenties. The late April/Early may were unseasonably cold in Spain, in the meseta, the morning were almost freezing. I almost never took of my longsleeve in the first two weeks. The only thing you can pretty much count on, it rained in Galicia

- On the other hand, you can plan for the crowds. Not always, not everywhere, but for the most part. Sort of. When I wanted a bit of more solitary walking, I stayed in the offstage places, the small villages and towns. Not starting with 60 people from the same place does wonders in that regard. On the other hand, in the SJPdP-Roncesvalles-Zubiri-Pamplona stretch, there is not that much that you can do, especially, if you want to keep the distanes balanced and reasonable, which in the first few days I definitely did. A few weeks before I left home, I booked my beds up to Pamplona (as a lot of people here recommend), and I'm glad I did - Roncesvalles was completo in the afternoon, the hotel and pensión filled too, and some people had to walk further - something I definitely would hate to do after a long, hard day, with my shoes wet.

- I can walk quite long distances. I'm not sure it was entirely a good thing. After taking it a bit slower for the first week or so, I was able to pick up the pace, especially in the Meseta - the weather wasn't hot, and I walked from Burgos to León in six days. It felt great, but walking this fast, I outran most of the people I was seeing in the first ten days. Except for one, I did not see any of them for the rest of the walk. Sure, I met a lot of great people from León onward, but I still kind of regret that. The friendships from the first few days are special in their own way.

- It was hard for me not to be annoyed after Sarría. And I felt like an idiot. I knew that the vibe would change in the last 100 km. I was prepared for thet, and I managed to avoid the largest crowds by staying between the most popular stops, and generally walking longer days in the last bit. But still, seeing all those fancy-looking people in new, clean shoes, carrying their small backpacks, it just felt bad. "Why do these people have to crowd my Camino? They did not suffer like I did, they didn't deserve it as I did!" And sure, a few hours later, while I was sitting on a fallen tree next to the path, having a snack, an older Spanish gentleman walked past, hand in hand with his wife. In her other hand, his wife was holding a white stick - she was blind. It was in this moment I realized - a lot of these people would gladly walk the whole Camino - if they could. But they couldn't. I did. I was the one lucky, privileged enough, to be able to embark on an adventure like this. And for a lot of these people, especially the deeply religious ones, this one week of walking to a place with great historical meaning for their religion has much greater significance than I could ever understand.

- It's probably possible to walk the Camino without booking. I would not recommend that to almost anyone. At least without some significant caveats. I sometimes booked, sometimes not. Stayed mostly in albergues, in a few donativos, and in a few hotels. This being my second camino, I could most of the time predict bottlenecks, and by booking a place the day before/in the morning, I managed to avoid some unpleasant situations. Some places were full, some half empty. But I'd like to ask all of you, before giving advice to new pilgrims about booking/not booking, consider, if it is not only the right advice, but if it is the right advice for the right person. Are you really sure, that "you can always sleep under a porch of a church" is the right thing for Barbara from Miami, Florida, who is after retiring about to experience walking serious distances and a lack of air conditioning for the first time in her life?

- There are a lot of worse ways to spend your time than walking through the beautiful, beautiful country of Spain. I did not have a life-changing moment, or learning a great, impactful lesson on the Camino. I do not expect it to have changed my life from now onwards. But I had a great time doing the walk, meeting the people, even participating at a few masses, despite not being a religious person. The arrival to Santiago, and seeing the cathedral was a strong, emotional moment again. I might take some time off before walking again, but I think this wasn't my last Camino. I really enjoy the simple way of life - waking up, walking, meeting interesting people, having a coffee/meal with them, sleeping. I love the changing scenery during the walk, the feeling of accomplishment upon finishing the walk. I love the physical and mental challenge the Camino offers, I love the time I have for thinking about a lot of things. No, I don't think I'm done, yet

I'm sure I forgot a lot of things, I might add them later. And, last but not least - thank you all for giving great advice here, before and during my walk. And to all of you planning or considering your walk - Buen Camino and good luck!

Part two - in the next few days, I thought about more things to add - this time they probably are a bit more subtle things, details maybe. But things that still kind of stand out to me, things you might not realize before. Here goes:

- Let's start with an optimistic one - Some days are really going to suck. It might be the weather - on the first day, several hours into the climb into the Pyrenées, I literally could feel the water running through my toes in my shoes with every step. It might be some kind of pain/discomfort - my knees were giving me a bit of trouble in the first week. And even very minor pain, when you feel it every step, can be very annoying. It might be the crowds, it might be a lack of sleep, it might be the missing of the comfort of your home and your loved ones. Some days I just wished I could teleport myself home, and be done with the Camino. Don't worry, it's all part of the experience - the highs are so high because of the lows. These "bad" days really helped me appreciate the good ones, when the sun finally came, the trail cleared, the legs got used to the walking, and the views were just spectacular.

- The enthusiasm can be really contagious. Try not to resist it too hard. I met the first pilgrims at the Paris airport, before my flight to Biarritz. The flight was delayed, I missed my train to SJPdP (why do all the airlines seem to hate me on every Camino, like seriously ). So, with the newly formed group of pilgrims, we shared a taxi to SJPdP and were talking about what lied ahead. As we were getting closer and closer, everybody was visibly getting more and more excited and possibly nervous. I was trying to keep my cool, after all, I've already done this, and was trying to help my new friends with well-meant advice. We stopped at the Pilgrim's office, and decided to have a beer together, before heading to our accomodations. After a pleasant conversation, I decided to head out, and wished everybody good luck, and a "Buen Camino". One of the guys, an american gentleman, looked at me, and said: "I've been dreaming of doing this for the last twenty years. And finally, I got to hear and say "Buen Camino". It's really finally happening, isn't it?". Sometimes one simple "Buen Camino" means more than all the advice in the world, sometimes the excitement is more important than having an exact plan. Even if it's your tenth Camino, try to keep the newbie enthusiasm a little bit, it's much more enjoyable that way. And when you smile at people, they are much more likely to smile back at you, too.

- The Camino(s) offer a lot of different options - don't be afraid to try them. Even if it's just once. I get that some people prefer the comfort of hotel rooms, and like to eat in restaurants. But I think that the main thing, that differentiates the Camino from a vacation where you happen to walk, is the communal feeling, the being a part of the group of people with the same goal, and very similar state of mind. Yes, sometimes it's really nice to have a room for yourself, or having a great meal in a restaurant, but for me, some of the most cherished experiences come from a very basic place, cooking a dinner with complete strangers (who I could not understand for the most part, because pretty much the only english word they knew was "spaghetti", you can try and guess what was the dinner that evening ), or eating jamón and queso with a piece of bread, sitting on a rock I found next to the trail, with a person I just met. It might not be the most comfortable at the moment, but it's the things like these I'll remember for the rest of my life.

- Re equipment - Start with what you know. Be prepared to change what doesn't work. I met some people who bought a new pair of expensive hiking boots just before leaving for the camno. Only to throw them away at Pamplona, because they were killing them at every step. Some people really started to hate some of their clothes, because they did not work the way they expected them to. But they stubbornly continued to wear them, instead of buying another piece of clothing for a few Euros. Sometimes it can be hard to accept that you made a bad decision. You don't need an expensive piece of gear to be comfortable, just try to find what feels good for you. Try different stuff, until you find what works.

Michal

Very insightful post. Enjoyed reading it very much. Thanks

 

[MARSKA]

On my first camino Frances in 2015 with the exception of my first night staying at Corazon Puro, I was winging every stage all the way to Santiago, and then continued between Finesterre and Muxia. It all worked out and as a newbie having first watched "The Way", I thought everybody "winged" the camino.

I brought three family members with me in 2017 and we booked the first three nights, but then walked day by day winging it. I was anxious for my "kids" to stay at the albergue in Monjardin and walk up to the castle after their wonderful communal dinner. Well, as we got nearer, two pilgrims walked past us and my ine son said, "They are probably getting the last beds" as a joke. Sure enough when we arrived, there were only two beds left of the four we needed. We checked around and the few other lodgings in the village were completo. I'd remembered reading on the forum that hospitaleros helped find beds when they were full, so we walked back to the albergue and he mentioned a brand new one that had opened in Luquin, so we diverted off trail and stayed there. It was really nice and we had the whole place, "Albergue Casa Tiago" to ourselves.
I personally had wanted to repeat my prior interesting stay at the albergue in Monjardin. Our quirky room had this terrace looking out over the sweeping beauty while we enjoyed a glass of vino...some memories you don't forget and are as vivid as yesterday.View attachment 171639
BTW, after that, my daughter-in-law started emailing in the morning to reserve four beds each night. We were told to arrive by 5:00pm or they would be given to others. No problem for us; all good.
P.S.This was before any of us knew about Gronze or Whatsapp.

Chrissy - I stayed in that same room spring of 2024 with a few other pilgrims I had met on the way. God Bless!