Starting the end of April

[heatherrnw]

Hello! I posted on the board last year as starting my walk in September. Unfortunately, near that time I took a tumble down the stairs and ended up breaking my foot. :shock: Wouldn't you know the first time I ever break anything in my life it is my foot right before a long walking journey. Fates way of telling me it wasn't my time yet? :wink: lol

Alas, I have rescheduled everything and just booked my ticket for the end of April. I am coming from Texas and flying into London, arriving on April 26th. Taking Ryanair to Biarritz then the bus to Bayonne where I plan to stay for the night. The next day I will take the bus to SJPDP, stay there over night and get started fresh and early on the 28th.

I am more excited as ever with everything healed and the time so close now. If anyone is starting out around the same time I would love to hear from you

Best Wishes,

Heather

 

[SabsP]

Lots of luck Heather! Lovely time of the year you will be walking. Started last year in Roncesvalles on the 12th of April and arrived in SdC on the 17th of May.
Will walk the short Ingles this April.

Buen Camino and enjoy it all to the fullest!
Sabs

 

[cstclare]

Hi Hearher,
I will be starting from St Jean PdP on April 24, so I'll be a bit ahead of you . I will be taking my time, so perhaps I will see you along the way. I live in Corpus Christi now, but before I retired, I lived in Austin for 29 years.
Buen Camino!
Cathy

 

[Wizardbabs]

Hi Guys!
I'm leaving from the East Coast of Canada end of April and start my journey on the 24th from SJPP.

I'll be spending that night at the hostel Orisson (already booked).

I've been planning this for a year now and can hardly believe it's soon here!! We may see each other on route!!! :arrow:

Buen Camino!!

Barbara

 

[heatherrnw]

Thank you, Sabs. I am glad to hear it is a good time of the year to go. I was a little worried about the weather. Being from central Texas you get mostly hot and a little more hot to go with that.
I have not read a lot on the Ingles as of yet. This being my first camino, my attention has been reserved for the Frances since it is the one I will be doing. Though already thoughts of which I will do next have started to fill my head. Buen Camino!

We are practically next door neighbors, Cathy! I love the Corpus area. Austin is a beautiful place to live, but it doesn't have the beach that Corpus does! With going so close to each other, perhaps you are right and we will cross paths. It looks like you and Barbara will be starting out from SJPDP on the same day. Walking buddies?

Best of luck to you all! and Buen Camino!

 

[Arn]

Heather,

It's obvious the Camino has you in tow and you will soon be walking the Way.

April is a great time to start...the Camino will just be coming into it's own and the flowers will be blooming.

I know you're staying in SJPDP overnight...have you considered ending the first day at Orisson?

You'll love the view, the food is fantastic and it's a good place to meet other pilgrims as you start out.

Here's their site: http://www.refuge-orisson.com

Buen Camino,

Arn

 

[cstclare]

Barbara,
I will be at hostel Orisson on April 24 as well! I'm looking forward to meeting you!
Cathy

 

[heatherrnw]

Arn,

I actually did consider stopping there for the first night. I'm not exactly sure how I will be feeling by the time I reach it, if I would want to carry forward or will be completely exhausted. Something tells me I might just be ready to stop. I have given myself around 6 weeks to finish so not to rush myself and get to enjoy it as I go.

Heather

 

[Arn]

Heather,

It's key, that if you'd like to stop at Orisson, you need to make a reservation prior. It does fill up quickly.

Trust me, you will not regret it for many varied reasons.

It's such a beautiful location and the view to die for...many folks have gotten married right there.

Arn

 

[jujuaway]

sorry Arn " To live for",

i agree it was a great decision to stop there, to catch up with myself, to enjoy not hurrying and to start to adjust to a new way of life and so much more.

for me the walk over the Pyrenees was one of the highlights and so it was good to take my time a savour the beauty.
juju

 

[heatherrnw]

Well I sent contact info today to find out about making a reservation. I still wonder to myself if it would be stopping too soon. Can anyone tell me about the average time it takes to reach Auberge Orisson? I'm guesstimating about 4.

Still, I think it might be a good idea to stop there. The beauty of it being a fine reason all on it's own, but also to not push myself to the complete point of exhaustion the first day. I will have about a day to wind down and rest after taking 2 days to get to SJPDP. I'm hoping that is enough. Just in case it's not, a stop half way to Roncesvalles sounds like a good idea.

Heather

 

[Sagalouts]

Hi Heather
I agree about stopping at Orisson,the only downside,if the weather is bad you may have to re-route or even walk back into SJPP.
like you I stayed in bayonne on my first Camino and loved the solitude,just sitting on my balcony, wine glass in hand feeling nervous but excited that I was finally at the start of something I had been planning for a whole year,I stayed a night in SJPP and loved the social dinner with my fellow walkers-I was a bit scared of the climb to Roncesvalles having read that 22 people had died there in the passed 20 years,the memorial markers you pass a testament to this fact,so stayed at Orisson the hardest part of the walk over in 4 hours and glad I did,over dinner you all stand up in turn and introduce yourself to your 30 plus fellow diners,this small group become your Camino club a bond is formed and you meet these people again and again on the road to Santiago,to a lesser extent this does not happen in Roncesvalles because of the sheer numbers staying there, in April maybe 100 plus,I have stayed there in summer when over 200 plus stayed in that small village. oh one tip in Roncesvalles you have to buy your ticket for the pilgrim meal in advance ( 2 sittings) go for the first,it gives you time for the Pilgrim mass.
The walk to Roncesvalles is the hardest day on the Camino because it falls on your first day,later you will walk harder routes to higher points but by then you will be a seasoned walker.
I will be walking with my son one week before you and because of time restraints will be doing Roncesvalles in one day,but then I'm an old fool who doesn't listen to his own advise
Ian

 

[KiwiNomad06]

Can anyone tell me about the average time it takes to reach Auberge Orisson? I'm guesstimating about 4. Heather

I don't know what the average is, but I took 2 1/2 hours to get from SJPP to Orisson. I am not a fast walker, but had been walking from within France so was reasonably fit by that stage. You could leave SJPP around lunchtime and still get there for the evening.
It's not just the time to Orisson you have to think about though- it's also the fact that Orisson is only about a third of the distance you have to walk to reach Roncesvalles, and there is no other place to sleep until you get to Roncesvalles.
Margaret

 

[Deleted member 3000]

If you have not developed blisters, you will have a lot of energy when you get to Orisson. If you continue on to Roncesvalles, the payback will be the next few days. Thousands more go on to Roncesvalles than stop in Orisson, so it is not unique to keep going.

You will make your own discoveries on the Camino. I started with "I can do more than this" as a tape playing in my mind. Somewhere the thought became "do I need to do more than this." If the answer was something like "my flight leaves tomorrow," then I knew I had an answer larger than my ego. Sometimes the question being asked has a better phrasing: "How much is enough?" or "How little is enough?" The answers may be entirely different.

"Why not stop in Orisson?"

 

[Toobizy]

Hi, I'm Tina, just joined forum. Planning to start in late April, although nothing booked yet. Fly to Biarritz. Interested in your posts because I need all the tips I can get. 63-year old. Terrified of the unknowns!

 

[cstclare]

Hi Tina,
Welcome to the experience of a lifetime! Lots of people your age are walking to Santiago. This forum is great for dispelling those fears of the unknown. Don't be afraid to ask questions. someone here will probably have an answer! Hope to see you along the way. I leave from SJPP on April 24.
Buen Camino,
Cathy

 

[heatherrnw]

You have all made wonderful points and I'm convinced! I will make my plans to stay at Orisson. Thank you for all the great info and sharing your point of views!

Heather

 

[heatherrnw]

Only 5 1/2 wks until I go! I'm getting very excited! I just paid for my spot at refuge Orisson yesterday and have only a few things left on my list to get!