Lost my guidebook AND my shorts... adventures on the Camino Frances

[NadineK]

Hi fellow peregrinos!

I walked the Camino Frances from June-July 2014 and kept a blog while I was there... now that I'm back and missing the Camino every day, I've started to live vicariously through others' blogs. I thought I would share mine in case it brings back memories for those of you who have already walked, or could be of any help for those planning to walk.

http://singlestepcamino.wordpress.com/

What a trip. Losing my guidebook turned out to be the best possible thing. Losing my shorts... not so much. What did you lose along the way?

Buen Camino!

 

[JohnMcM]

I lost my heart to my Camino family. A wonderful loss in my life
Buen Camino

 

[Dennis D]

I lost three toe nails and found my smile. The Camino is a positive addiction for me too. Your blog is lovely and the photographs are first rate. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Mark Lee]

One pair of shorts and one t-shirt. Left them on the drying line and forgot them. Dammit! ha ha
Hope whomever has them appreciates them.
Oh, and forgot to mention on my first Camino left a great pair of flip-flop sandals at an albergue. Those were some great sandals. Got them in the Philippines. Very sturdy with tire rubber soles.

 

[Arn]

I lost my walking stick crossing the River Arlanzón in Burgos. Not a problem...in twenty minutes I had a pair of forearm crutches.

 

[Dreamwalker33]

Hi fellow peregrinos!

I walked the Camino Frances from June-July 2014 and kept a blog while I was there... now that I'm back and missing the Camino every day, I've started to live vicariously through others' blogs. I thought I would share mine in case it brings back memories for those of you who have already walked, or could be of any help for those planning to walk.

http://singlestepcamino.wordpress.com/

What a trip. Losing my guidebook turned out to be the best possible thing. Losing my shorts... not so much. What did you lose along the way?

Buen Camino!

7 pounds of unnecessary items -- all sent back to USA on day 4. 1 "Srubby", receipts, heavy shower kit holder/with hook, convertible pants, 2 tops, bracelet, 2 L water bottle, make up & extra lotion.

 

[Dreamwalker33]

7 pounds of unnecessary items -- all sent back to USA on day 4. 1 "Srubby", receipts, heavy shower kit holder/with hook, convertible pants, 2 tops, bracelet, 2 L water bottle, make up & extra lotion.

 

[NadineK]

I lost three toe nails and found my smile. The Camino is a positive addiction for me too. Your blog is lovely and the photographs are first rate. Thanks for sharing.

Losing toenails ouch!! I definitely found my smile, too. I lost a whole bunch of stuff along the way, but in the end I gained so much more... thanks for your kind words about my blog, and buen camino!

 

[NadineK]

One pair of shorts and one t-shirt. Left them on the drying line and forgot them. Dammit! ha ha
Hope whomever has them appreciates them.
Oh, and forgot to mention on my first Camino left a great pair of flip-flop sandals at an albergue. Those were some great sandals. Got them in the Philippines. Very sturdy with tire rubber soles.

I also lost a t-shirt... and a pair of socks... I kept thinking that hopefully it meant that someone could benefit from them more than I could (although who would want to wear someone else's socks, I don't know). But maybe your flip flops found a good home?

 

[pilgrim b]

My old watch stopped on day two and I lost all sense of time ,was thankful though that I didn't lose my patience

 

[MaryLynn]

I lost or forgot a new pair of Smartwool socks in Astorga. The next afternoon we walked into the wonderful Confraternity albergue in Rabanal and I checked their Lost/Found/NeedSomething box near the registration desk and was happy to find a pair of new Smartwool socks of a different colour than mine that seemed to be waiting for me! The lost toenails came later.

 

[Mark Lee]

I also lost a t-shirt... and a pair of socks... I kept thinking that hopefully it meant that someone could benefit from them more than I could (although who would want to wear someone else's socks, I don't know). But maybe your flip flops found a good home?

Ha ha, I sure hope they did.
In two Caminos I probably deliberately left in albergues (in donation boxes/tabletops, etc) 10-12 items I decided I did not need anymore. Some of that was good stuff, but at the time I really wanted to lighten the pack.

 

[barber1586]

Nadine, I enjoyed reading your blog. It's very well written. As Pepe, from San Nicolas, suggested, perhaps you should write a book.

Best regards,
Mary

 

[naplesdon]

I lost: some possessions stupidly left on clothes lines, 10 kg of body fat and lots of cares and woes; but nothing compares to what I found: my sanity, new friends and a total appreciation for healing ability of walking the Caminos.

 

[jmcarp]

... What did you lose along the way?...

I lost some, but sadly not all, of my judgementalism, impatience, and need to be in control of everything.

 

[NadineK]

Nadine, I enjoyed reading your blog. It's very well written. As Pepe, from San Nicolas, suggested, perhaps you should write a book.

Best regards,
Mary

Thank you Mary! I'd love to somehow do more with my Camino writing, so I need to stay in the spirit of that journey and put one foot in front of the other and start moving.

 

[Vivello]

I haven't had time to read it all, but your blog is wonderful. I love how you start each day right in the midst of the moment. Sonetime this spring I came across one of those "Before I Die..." walls walking through a nearby neighborhood here in Austin. I picked up the chalk off the ground and wrote, "Walk the Camino." I leave Tuesday!

Thanks for sharing your stories.

 

[Lynda t]

I lost a stone and a half. I gained tranquility and a daily regime with like minded peregrines.

 

[journeycakes]

One of the pant-legs of a friend's convertible pants went missing and it was deeply missed. Either it fell out of or didn't get put in the backpack at an albergue during the "dorm floor chaos" and stealth of an early morning semi-darkness get-away or another pilgrim mistakenly took it during their own leave-taking. Of course, its absence wasn't discovered until a day or so later. Messages up and down the Camino failed to locate the missing part.

 

[caroleannelc]

Hi fellow peregrinos!

I walked the Camino Frances from June-July 2014 and kept a blog while I was there... now that I'm back and missing the Camino every day, I've started to live vicariously through others' blogs. I thought I would share mine in case it brings back memories for those of you who have already walked, or could be of any help for those planning to walk.

http://singlestepcamino.wordpress.com/

What a trip. Losing my guidebook turned out to be the best possible thing. Losing my shorts... not so much. What did you lose along the way?

Buen Camino!

I lost my heart and miss the journey every single day since I returned

 

[Jnlee99]

Lost 7 pounds of fat, my smartphone (best example of blessing in disguise), most of my toe nails (eventually they fell off after the walk), lost my worries, stress and attachment to a clock (surprising how my bio-clock filled that gap quickly), and most importantly my initial hesitations about the Camino. All this in two weeks

 

[NadineK]

I haven't had time to read it all, but your blog is wonderful. I love how you start each day right in the midst of the moment. Sonetime this spring I came across one of those "Before I Die..." walls walking through a nearby neighborhood here in Austin. I picked up the chalk off the ground and wrote, "Walk the Camino." I leave Tuesday!

Thanks for sharing your stories.

You're very welcome, and thank you so much for such nice words. Have a wonderful, wonderful time on your Camino, I'm so happy for you that your journey is soon to begin! Buen Camino!

 

[NadineK]

Lost 7 pounds of fat, my smartphone (best example of blessing in disguise), most of my toe nails (eventually they fell off after the walk), lost my worries, stress and attachment to a clock (surprising how my bio-clock filled that gap quickly), and most importantly my initial hesitations about the Camino. All this in two weeks

Isn't it amazing what even just a few days on the Camino can do? Losing my guidebook was definitely a blessing in disguise for me, though I probably would have had a harder time accepting the loss of my smartphone (mostly because it held so many of the photos I took!) But how amazing that you were able to see it as a blessing in disguise- that is truly, truly in the spirit of the Camino.

 

[Brissy]

I lost my walking stick crossing the River Arlanzón in Burgos. Not a problem...in twenty minutes I had a pair of forearm crutches.

Did you break a leg?

 

[Arn]

No, earlier on the Camino (alto de Pedron) I had quite a fall and damaged my right knee. I pressed on using the walking stick I'd carried on many long walks (AT 2164 miles/3483km). By Burgos and after the Dr in Estella told me to go home...I realized I needed to be both more mobile and stable. Thus the forearm crutches.
Although technically, I didn't "lose" my walking stick...by sacrificing my past accomplishments, I gained the ability to complete new ones. Thus three Caminos under the stars and the fourth in 24 days.
Buen "it only gets better" Camino,
Arn

 

[Alyssa]

Hi fellow peregrinos!

I walked the Camino Frances from June-July 2014 and kept a blog while I was there... now that I'm back and missing the Camino every day, I've started to live vicariously through others' blogs. I thought I would share mine in case it brings back memories for those of you who have already walked, or could be of any help for those planning to walk.

http://singlestepcamino.wordpress.com/

What a trip. Losing my guidebook turned out to be the best possible thing. Losing my shorts... not so much. What did you lose along the way?

Buen Camino!

Hahaha, great thread. I lost several things but many of them, including my iPhone (which I had lost between Astorga and Rabanal while using a bush several yards from the Camino) were miraculous returned to me! I have yet to write the blog post about that; I am still catching up on entries.

I lost my heart to my Camino family. A wonderful loss in my life
Buen Camino

John, I too, "lost my heart" to my Camino family; what an amazing experience! And what a gift to have found them in first place, no?

 

[JohnMcM]

Hahaha, great thread. I lost several things but many of them, including my iPhone (which I had lost between Astorga and Rabanal while using a bush several yards from the Camino) were miraculous returned to me! I have yet to write the blog post about that; I am still catching up on entries.


John, I too, "lost my heart" to my Camino family; what an amazing experience! And what a gift to have found them in first place, no?

A gift that just keeps on giving Alyssa, keeps on pleasing, keeps me smiling, keeps on bringing joy, keeps reminding me how blessed I am.

 

[NadineK]

Hahaha, great thread. I lost several things but many of them, including my iPhone (which I had lost between Astorga and Rabanal while using a bush several yards from the Camino) were miraculous returned to me! I have yet to write the blog post about that; I am still catching up on entries.

Alyssa, how great that some of your lost items were returned to you. The miracle of the Camino. It looks like we were on the Camino at a similar time this summer, I hope it was a great experience for you. Can't wait to check out your blog!

 

[Alyssa]

It DOES look like we were on the Camino right around the same time. There were a few Forum members there; Neusaplillis was a couple days or so behind me pretty much the whole time and we hoped to meet but it just never happened. The funny thing was that he met one of my good friends, Armanda, who stayed behind because of injuries and I met one of his friends, Jose Antonio who somehow got ahead of him. They would post photos of themselves together on my Facebook wall...it was hilarious! Anyway, it's amazing how even 25 km can keep two pilgrims apart.

Thanks for reading my blog and commenting; I'm glad you enjoyed it and I look forward to reading yours!

 

[simply B]

@NadineK , @Alyssa -

Your blogs were very enjoyable. I found myself missing the Camino more powerfully than usual this afternoon and your wonderful writing and photography took me back to a place quiet and full of beauty.

Thank you!

B