Mananath
Active Member
- Time of past OR future Camino
- Camino Frances July 2022
No questions, just some observations.
I will be starting the Camino Norte in 3 weeks. Last year, at the same time, I walked my first Camino, the Frances. As I prepare for the Norte I can't help but compare how I feel now to how I felt last year.
I remember devouring everything I could about the Camino -- reading blogs, watching youtube videos and pretty much reading all the old postings on this forum. I was super stressed about the pending Camino: what would it be like? would I enjoy it? would my body be able to handle it? There were so many unknowns.
I also freaked out a bit about gear -- it was my first long walk (some of you might remember my shoe saga) -- and really didn't know what to buy or how to decide what I truly needed to carry. I overpacked just a wee bit.
This year, however, I am a lot more relaxed. I still have some concerns about my knees and all the descents I know they will face on the Norte but for the most part I am not stressing. I know what to bring, I know what supplies I need to have and I know what I can easily source in Spain. More importantly I know what to wear on my feet this time around. ha. I just placed my Camino order on Amazon and it...isn't a whole lot.
My confidence as a long distance walker has grown greatly over the past year, both from the CF and other treks I have done this year, which is helpful.
I haven't done a whole lot of "planning" outside of pre-booking my first few nights (and oh lord is accommodation expensive!) and return flights. Camino hasn't consumed my life -- some days I even forget it is coming up. And, I am pretty comfortable with all of that.
I am hoping to approach this camino a bit differently -- last time I was very focused on the destination and less so the journey. I find I don't really have that drive this time around. Of course I hope to walk the whole thing but I know I will have a tight schedule and might have to bus a few sections to make it to Santiago for my return flight and I am OK with that.
Part of me worries I am approaching this a bit too cavalierly but another part of me just think's it's all good, I got this. I am excited for this coming Camino, to seeing a different part of Spain and drinking as many cafe con leche's I can come across!
I will be starting the Camino Norte in 3 weeks. Last year, at the same time, I walked my first Camino, the Frances. As I prepare for the Norte I can't help but compare how I feel now to how I felt last year.
I remember devouring everything I could about the Camino -- reading blogs, watching youtube videos and pretty much reading all the old postings on this forum. I was super stressed about the pending Camino: what would it be like? would I enjoy it? would my body be able to handle it? There were so many unknowns.
I also freaked out a bit about gear -- it was my first long walk (some of you might remember my shoe saga) -- and really didn't know what to buy or how to decide what I truly needed to carry. I overpacked just a wee bit.
This year, however, I am a lot more relaxed. I still have some concerns about my knees and all the descents I know they will face on the Norte but for the most part I am not stressing. I know what to bring, I know what supplies I need to have and I know what I can easily source in Spain. More importantly I know what to wear on my feet this time around. ha. I just placed my Camino order on Amazon and it...isn't a whole lot.
My confidence as a long distance walker has grown greatly over the past year, both from the CF and other treks I have done this year, which is helpful.
I haven't done a whole lot of "planning" outside of pre-booking my first few nights (and oh lord is accommodation expensive!) and return flights. Camino hasn't consumed my life -- some days I even forget it is coming up. And, I am pretty comfortable with all of that.
I am hoping to approach this camino a bit differently -- last time I was very focused on the destination and less so the journey. I find I don't really have that drive this time around. Of course I hope to walk the whole thing but I know I will have a tight schedule and might have to bus a few sections to make it to Santiago for my return flight and I am OK with that.
Part of me worries I am approaching this a bit too cavalierly but another part of me just think's it's all good, I got this. I am excited for this coming Camino, to seeing a different part of Spain and drinking as many cafe con leche's I can come across!