No Camino last year. Last time was a November jaunt from Leon to Santiago in 2019… just before the shit hit the fan.
I fly into Madrid and then on to Irun. resos for the first couple of nights…
Vaccinated. Pfizer. 2 shots.
scared. A little.
Norte and then the Francés. I’ve never been in Spain for more than 3 weeks. This time it’s 9 weeks or so.
Scared. A little.
If your being a little scared produces additional caution and paying attention more closely, you will be fine. Relax, enjoy your Camino, and follow the lead the locals set. If they are distancing, you distance - 1.5 meters is the rule there. If they are masking - you wear a mask.
Personally, at home I use one of those nylon cords that you might use for hanging a pair of eyeglasses on your chest. Available on Amazon or in your local Dollar Store, etc. They work like a charm.
This way, everyone you approach can see that I have a mask at the ready. It also suggests to others that I am prepared to wear it. It beats having to rummage through your pockets only to find that your last mask dropped out along the senda some km back. I stash all the extra masks in a one quart / liter ziplock bag.
If you fold over the bag and squeeze the air out, it rides in one of my pants cargo pockets. This way, they are ALWAYS with me. I can also give one to another pilgrim who might need one.
Also, have a small bottle of hand gel ready at all times. I try to buy the small bottles with the silicone hanger loops - they are very convenient. You can purchase more gel and masks in any farmacia. Refill the small, hanging bottle form a larger bottle. You might be able to top-off at an albergue or hostal, without having to buy a large bottle. Just squirt the gel into your tiny bottle.
Go along to get along. Bring a sleeping bag or some sort of sleep sack so you do not need to use albergue blankets - even if they are available. Many places will provide or sell plastic sealed single-use, disposable sheets and pillow cases. You can choose to be eco-noble and rough it with your own sleep tools, or opt to have the thin disposable sheets.
This is all a situation where common sense and thinking ahead a little should be the rule for anyone on Camino for the foreseeable future. I do not plan to head out on the trail until next spring, 2022. But, I am assuming that these precautions will still be in place then.
We ought not be fearful, neurotic or obsessive. Just some basic precautions and following the lead of the locals should do it. Remember to be polite to everyone you meet. A smile, and always saying "please" and "thank you" go a long way to melting barriers, especially in these tense times. Learning a bit of basic Spanish would not go wrong either.
I leave for Spain on 1 September, to volunteer in the Pilgrim Office for a few weeks. Right now I am trying to get a third Moderna, COVID booster vaccination to add some top-off protection as I will be mingling with arriving pilgrims. The risk goes with the job. The job is my passion. I am not afraid - but I AM cautious.
Hope this helps.
Tom
