First week / last week on the Camino

[MichaelC]

This one is just for fun.

First week: Wow, I can't believe I just walked 100km!
Last week: Only 100 km to Compostela? That's so close!

First week: I can't survive on just toast and coffee in the morning. I need a big American breakfast.
Last week: That albergue offered us toast and coffee in the morning -what a treat!

First week: Gotta keep on walking walking walking 'til I get to my stop
Last week: Anyone want to stop for a slow lunch? I read that there's good pulpo in this town.

Feel free to add your own!

 

[Former member 92300]

First week: "OMG - I don't know how I will make it up the hill"
Last week: "You call that a hill? That was nothing!"

 

[Tassie Kaz]

First week: "Isn't it lovely how all the villages sit on top of hills...a church occupying the highest point looking over the surrounding countryside..."
Later weeks: "Why did they build all the villages on top of #@*! hills?! This thing is tiring enough! Didn't they know it would be easier building (& walking..) if they built them in valleys?!"

Actual excerpts from my emails home during my first Camino (& first long distance walk)...the CF in 2012.
Of course I knew why the villages are built on high points but that didn't help my demeanour on those exhausting days!
Great topic @MichaelC

 

[domigee]

Very good, thanks for the laugh!
i can’t add anything at the mo, too stressed, starting in less than 24 hours

 

[wisepilgrim]

First week: Has everything that was packed when leaving home.
Last week: Has only the essentials, or less since the soap was left in the shower and the underwear was left on the drying line a few villages back.

 

[henrythedog]

First week: Has everything that was packed when leaving home.
Last week: Has only the essentials, or less since the soap was left in the shower and the underwear was left on the drying line a few villages back.

Yes - exactly this - no matter how ruthless you may be prior to day zero; you can always find something to dispense with by day 10. My pack always weighs less when checked in for the flight home than it did on the flight out.

Also first week ‘hello tree, hello flowers - let’s take the scenic detour; how horrible that every signpost is covered in taxi stickers’

Last week: ‘surely there’s a short cut’

 

[mspath]

First week, thought when entering an albergue "I'll take a shower later after a siesta". (Unfortunately you fall sound asleep dirty and when you try to shower there is no hot water .)

Last week, thought when entering an albergue "I'll take my siesta later after a shower". (Probably you'll have hot water to shower and you can fall asleep clean.)

 

[lt56ny]

First week: "OMG - I don't know how I will make it up the hill"
Last week: "You call that a hill? That was nothing!"

First week - How am I going to make it up this hill
Last week - I still hate these f#^%king hills!

 

[Sue127]

First week: hope I survive as a vegetarian
Last week: Tortilla again? Never mind, I need foooood!

 

[Former member 92300]

Here is another:
First week (getting to the starting point): What train or bus do I take to get to my albergue or the starting point? And how many KM am I supposed to walk today/in the morning???
Last week (getting ready to go home): The albergue/airport is only 'x' kilometers away - may as well walk!

I seriously said to myself that the airport in Madrid was only 7 miles - it would be an easy walk - but better sense prevailed as airports are notoriously difficult to access by foot!

 

[Terrri]

First week: I want the clean, dry shower stall.
Last week: I want the wet shower stall because that means I don't have to wait for the warm water to reach here.

 

[Terrri]

Here is another:
First week (getting to the starting point): What train or bus do I take to get to my albergue or the starting point? And how many KM am I supposed to walk today/in the morning???
Last week (getting ready to go home): The albergue/airport is only 'x' kilometers away - may as well walk!

I seriously said to myself that the airport in Madrid was only 7 miles - it would be an easy walk - but better sense prevailed as airports are notoriously difficult to access by foot!

We actually tried this back in 2016 but were only about 1km away. Problem was the parking lot goes on forever before you even get close to the airport and we didn't know which way to walk. Luckily it was just a trial walk the night before our departure.
Ever since my first time on the Camino in 2013 I always guesstimate walking distances at roughly 15 minutes per km. Nothing seems so far anymore.

 

[Apotropaic]

1st week: meticulously checking the weather every night
Last week: weather doesn’t matter. After rain, cold, sun, sleet, snow, rain, sun, cold, and rain, I have the right kit.

 

[CWBuff]

1st week: meticulously checking the weather every night
Last week: weather doesn’t matter. After rain, cold, sun, sleet, snow, rain, sun, cold, and rain, I have the right kit.

Sort of like USPS in the good ole days...Nor rain nor snow nor sleet

 

[frannie z]

This one is just for fun.

First week: Wow, I can't believe I just walked 100km!
Last week: Only 100 km to Compostela? That's so close!

First week: I can't survive on just toast and coffee in the morning. I need a big American breakfast.
Last week: That albergue offered us toast and coffee in the morning -what a treat!

First week: Gotta keep on walking walking walking 'til I get to my stop
Last week: Anyone want to stop for a slow lunch? I read that there's good pulpo in this town.

Feel free to add your own!

I'm always up for good pulpo.... what town was that?

 

[jsalt]

First week: Get back to the albergue by 10pm or you will be locked out.
Last week: Get back to the albergue by 10pm or you will be locked out.

(I am not very good at getting back to the albergue by 10pm .)

 

[La Brique Jaune]

First Day: I didn't know it will be a life changing experience.
Last Day: I want to do it in reverse

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Great thread idea!...and so many fun replies to read!
First Day: After a long travel day and a delicious dinner at Corazon Puro, I retired to my room. Stepping in the bathroom down the hall I wondered "Where are all the towels and soap?" Then it occurred to me "Oh yes, I have to dig in my backpack and use my own, starting today!"
Last Day: Upon seeing the Cathedral in Santiago; "I made it! I conquered! This amazing walk is now off my bucket list!"

 

[MichaelC]

I'm always up for good pulpo.... what town was that?

Melide is famous for it, and has whole restaurants that only serve octopus for lunch. I only had it in Leon, though, along with other pintxos.

 

[Joodle]

First week: Taking the bed way back in the corner, up against a wall, putting up my towel from the top bunk to hang down for sleeping privacy. (Very modest)
Last Week: dressing at the side of my bed without a care. Introducing myself to the man whose bed is about 12 inches away, with a “ since I see we are going to be sleeping together, we should probably introduce ourselves”.

 

[dougfitz]

First Week: I hope there is a restaurant next to the albergue. I don't think I can shuffle any further than that today.
Last Week: (in Ribadiso) I've heard there are some nice places to eat in Arzua. We can walk there in half an hour.

 

[mspath]

Anytime, almost anywhere,
"If I could only sit down; more seats please"!

 

[Sparrow in Texas]

First day spoken by a very fit military pilot, "It was a lot harder than I thought it would be."
Last day, "I cannot wait to do it again!"

 

[David Tallan]

First day: "Oh look, it's another pilgrim!"
Last 100km: "OMG. Where did they all come from?!"

Also good where other Caminos feed into Frances.