When done with the trek

[heatherrnw]

I'm trying to decide if and when I should make the arrangements to get back to Paris from Santiago. I've allowed myself 6 wks to walk the camino, not sure if it will take more or less time than that. I was curious what the experiences have been of others that have traveled it before. Have you made the arrangements before starting for when you reach Santiago? Or is it something that is done when you are finished with the pilgrimage? Experience has shown me that advance arrangements tend to cost less, but if you don't know your exact date it is hard to do that. I am not really sold on the idea of setting a date to get there by. I would rather take my trek as it will allow me, be it fast or slow.

Heather

 

[lynnejohn]

Sounds good, Heather.

We usually spend a couple of days in Santiago, just getting used to not being a pilgrim. It's very odd, the first morning you wake up and you have nowhere to go. It's a very bittersweet moment, and it's worthwhile exploring all of its meanings. You have walked for so long, every day, and fallen into a rhythm, and now that rhythm is broken. You need a day or two to ease into being a non-pilgrim self again. Then enjoy the fine sights, sounds, food, wine, shopping of Santiago. It's a nice decompression before you get back to your life.

If it's not the high season when you arrive in SDC, you can probably find a place when you get there. Otherwise, take a stab at it and try to adjust about a week out if needed.

If you have the time, consider walking (or bussing) to Finisterre/Muxia to the end of the world. A very moving final chapter to your camino. If you don't have time, build it into your next camino!

Buen camino, and enjoy every minute!

lynne

 

[heatherrnw]

Lynne,

Thank you for your response. And I would have to say that I fully believe what your signature says. "The journey IS the destination."

I had thought to take some time when I'm finished to just sort of decompress from the whole walking journey when I am finished. Where to do it was something I was unsure of. But I like your suggestion a lot. I will certainly take it into consideration. Thank you for your insight.

Heather

 

[renegadepilgrim]

I would second what Lynn has said. I stayed in SDC for three nights, spent one day taking the bus to/from Finisterre. I booked my flight to Barcelona when I got to SDC.

 

[Anna-Marie]

Hi Heather,

I flew into Paris, and was going to figure out how to get back there after I reached Santiago--though of course you're right about advance arrangements costing less. As it happened, my airline went under (which was actually rather a relief, since I didn't have to push myself too hard), and I ended up flying out of Madrid.

This time ... I'll probably book a flight from Santiago to London (where my flight back to Canada leaves from). But that's only because I've given myself lots of time to walk, and if I happen to be on the fast side (unlikely), I'll walk to Finisterre. Or just hang out in Santiago for a week or so--like Lynne said, it's a great place to get used to not being a pilgrim.

Anyway, six weeks should be lots of time for walking. I did it in ... let's see ... five weeks and three days, and I was on the slow-ish side.

Buen Camino!
Anna-Marie

 

[KiwiNomad06]

I had no idea how long it was going to take me to walk (I started from Le Puy), and I needed to get back to Paris also for my departure back to New Zealand. I didn't want to put unnecessary pressure on myself to make an 'end-date' in Santiago, and I preferred to leave booking my return trip to Paris until I reached Santiago. At short notice, the plane was too expensive, and I took the train. It was also quite expensive, but I liked the train journey, as it allowed me to 'retrace' my journey in a sense. (The route wasn't the same as the Camino, but the landscapes were mostly similar.)

There were some young ones who walked at the same time as us who found the cheapest way back to Paris: they caught transport to Porto from where they got a very cheap flight to Paris. A short journey away from Santiago before heading to Paris might save heaps.
Margaret

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, Heather,
It always brings back a lot of memories to read posts from people planning their first Caminos. Lucky you. All the unknowns are such an important part of the experience, and those of us from the US or other far away places just have to deal with some details that others don't, as far as travel goes at least.

Here's what I usually do, it's a slight variation on what others have said. The first thing is to decide where you want to spend extra days if you in fact have them. If you had decided you would spend them in Paris, your point of departure for the US, then you're going to have to play it by ear and wait to see what unfolds. But if you know you want to spend them in Santiago, or walking to Fisterre or Muxia if time allows, then you can book your return trip to Paris now because you know you'll be hanging out in Spain if you're done early. And since the date of your return trip to the US is, I'm assuming, fixed, you can just figure out when you need to be there and book accordingly.

I usually come in and out of Madrid and usually want to spend one day in Madrid before leaving, so I always book a flight or train from Santiago for the day before my departure to the US. And then I just wait to see how much extra time I have in Santiago. Last year I was able to walk to Fisterre and Muxia and it was wonderful, but sometimes I arrive with a few hours to spare!

And I agree with the others who say that six weeks walking time is generous. Though there are huge ranges, 33-35 days is a pretty typical time frame. Especially for someone like you, whose picture suggests that you must have spent the last few years running after active small children! Buen camino to you, Laurie

 

[Caminando]

Good question and I like your laidback approach to planning.

I can concur that the Fisterra option can be a good one, tho' not for everyone after an important camino. But if you prefer a bit of arty culture, and can get yourself to Madrid, the galleries there are free at certain hours. "Guernica " is on display in the Museo Sofia, if thats your thing. I'll be doing just that soon after a camino.

I found acc. at 10 euros too, tho' many would prefer more expensive places. Well, who wouldnt?!

Check out Ryanair from SDC to Madrid. Fares change all the time, tho' there were some recently from 5-10 euros single, which I have taken.

Anyway, just a thought which certainly won't appeal to all on the forum.

 

[heatherrnw]

Thank you all for your responses and ideas! I very much like the idea of visiting Finisterre before leaving. So that will probably be something I shoot for. I did make mention of spending a couple of days in Paris to see the sights, but my husband thought it better to be able to do that with him there, lol. So perhaps I will wait on it and just spend my last days in and around Santiago and Finisterre then make my way back to Paris in time to catch my plane home.

Laurie, you would be right about the chasing of children. Though that picture is a few years old now. My girls will be 12, 9 and 7 when I go. So the chasing has lessened a lot these days, lol. They are all part of the reason for my journey as well as the first thoughts that want to keep me from it. I know that they will forever be on my mind while traveling and the reasons I will, at times, get very home sick. So it is not needed to say how excited I will be to get back home to them and share all the experiences I will have had along the way.