Kiwi Pilgrims

[KiwiNomad06]

OK I am going to be the first kid on the new block

I am KiwiNomad and I live in Palmerston North. In 2008 I walked 'quite slowly' in both France and Spain, from Le-Puy-en-Velay to Santiago. I began in mid-April when it was still quite wintry in the Auvergne, and finished at the beginning of July when summer had arrived in northern Spain.

I have a (retrospective) blog about the journey, http://chemincamino08.blogspot.com/ entitled "Il faut aller doucement".

I am hoping to maybe walk again in 2012 or 2013. I have in mind the route from Cluny through Le Puy, then repeating a bit of the Le Puy route to somewhere just after Conques. Then I would like to head further south to pick up the Voie du Piémont Pyrénéen http://vppyr.free.fr/vpp-index-etapes.php3 from about Etape 11- St Lizier, pass through Lourdes, then across the Somport Pass and onto the Camino Aragones.

Please feel free to PM me if you think I could help with any questions you have about the Camino etc.

Margaret

 

[gittiharre]

Hi, I am Gitti and I have walked the Camino Frances in May/June 2006, 1/2 of the Austrian Route as far as Innsbruck, followed by the Czech Greenways ( this one with my husband) from Prague to near Vienna, which crossed the route of St James in Cesky Krumlov in June/July 2008 and the Le Puy Route in August/September 2009. Next year I am planning to walk from Le Puy to Santiago with my husband, subject to resolving teenage issues. If I end up going alone again next year, I will probably choose a route I have not walked before.
Here are my blogs and a copy of my packing list. Feel free to contact me via PM if you think I can be of help. Cheers, Gitti
p.s. 3 files are the maximum number you can attach, so the next post from me has the rest of the attachments.

 

[gittiharre]

As a follow on from my previous post, here are the blogs from the Le Puy route and the Czech Greenways, warm regards, Gitti

 

[gittiharre]

By the way, I live in Auckland, emigrated to New Zealand from Germany via London in 1981. Work background, nursing/education/real estate. Have acquired a large extended family and friends while living here and love NZ, now a NZ citizen. However I just need to get back to my roots regularly and walk on ancient trails in Europe. I just love it and my ideal life would involve going walkabouts during the European summer, writing guidebooks and spending the New Zealand summer here......Gitti

 

[suzie morgs]

Hi Gitti,
I'm not a Kiwi but from across the ditch. Thank you for your packing list and advice. It will be really helpful. You have so much wisdom, so thanks for sharing.
Suzie

 

[Sonard Rich]

Hello everyone!

On Saturday I'm leaving Rotorua for Europe to walk el Camino for 10 days. Any suggestions for a 100km walk? It sounds like Sarria will be very busy. I'd be grateful for any suggestions

Michelle

 

[KiwiNomad06]

Hi MIchelle,
It will probably be very busy from Sarria, but if you want to get a Compostela at the end, you do need to walk the last 100km into Santiago, and for most people that means starting at Sarria. There are alternatives like the Camino Ingles, Portuguese etc. and maybe someone else can tell you where the 100km marks are on those.

If you don't want a Compostela at this stage, but just want to walk for ten days, I guess you could start somewhere further back eg Pamplona and just walk for as long as you have time....
All the best.
Margaret

 

[Serendipidy]

Hi Gittiharre !
Thanks for the packing list, just brilliant, I hope to start my Camino from St Jean pied de Port, flying to Madrid from Auckland NZ, and need to book a train ticket to Pamplona, do you know which Station ? Atocha or Chamartin, and a bed for the first night in Spain, Help !
Regards Alan

 

[gittiharre]

Hi serendipity, sorry I don't know about the train station thing, I think there is only one in Pamplona. Go well, lots of love, Gitti

 

[Canuck]

...which Station ? Atocha or Chamartin...

Atocha!
http://www.renfe.com/viajeros/index.html

Cheers,
Jean-Marc

 

[Serendipidy]

To Jean-Marc,
Thanks for the Atocha 'Info',
Would you happen to know of a Pension, cheap hotel, in Madrid to get over the jet lag from New Zealand, hmm, maybe two nights,
Regards "Serendipidy"

 

[KiwiNomad06]

Would you happen to know of a Pension, cheap hotel, in Madrid to get over the jet lag from New Zealand, hmm, maybe two nights, Regards "Serendipidy"

Hi Alan,
Sorry I don't know about accommodation in Madrid, though perhaps you could PM Rebekah from Moratinos as I know she knows! But as a fellow Kiwi I think you are doing the best thing, as we have so many time zones to cross. I was starting in France so gave myself a few slow days in Paris to get over the nastiness of jet lag, and it meant I started walking in a much better state.
Margaret

 

[Canuck]

To Jean-Marc,

Would you happen to know of a Pension, cheap hotel, in Madrid...
"Serendipidy"

Serendipidy,

My suggestion would be to make your way to Atocha station by metro(I can help if you wish) and from there walk around the side streets and look for a hostal. There are many at affordable prices.
For good measure, here is an indication:
http://www.google.ca/search?q=hostal+ne ... =firefox-a

Cheers,
Jean-Marc
P-S. Atocha station is right near all the good stuff to visit, starting with the Prado Museum.

 

[hel&scott]

Jean-Marc is right, close to Atocha are lots of good / cheap pensions and it's handly to all the interesting bits - keep an eye out for the turtles in the train stations tropical garden and a vertical green wall growing near by, if your feeling home sick you will find flax and cabbage trees in the botanic gardens outside Pardo, not that you'll miss the NZ weather ... have a great walk.

 

[CaroleH]

We stayed almost a week in Madrid before walking the CdeM . . .in Hostal Santa Cruz. It was good, central (between Plaza Mayor and Puerto del Sol), and even tho our small room was on the first floor it was quiet and had Air con. We'll stay again.
Hostal Santa Cruz
Plaza de Santa Cruz
28012 Madrid
Tel: 913 664422
http://www.hostalsantacruz.com

Buen camino. Carole

 

[lovingkindness]

hi there, everyone. I´m a kiwi too and have spent much of the past few years out and about hiking caminos and long distance trails in Europe, England and NZ. I have been in Spain since October last year when I walked from Cadiz to Santiago. From Christmas until now I have been a volunteer at a casa paroquia/albergue on the Via de la Plata, also hiking alternate options to the Via Sanabres. I am currently preparing for my greatest escape ever: God willing, I am going to walk from Trondheim (Nidaos) in Norway down the old army road in Denmark, through Germany and France and along the Camino del Norte to Santiago DC. Preparations complete, I´ll begin in August. Cheers, Lovingkindness.

 

[gittiharre]

Wow lovingkindness, that sounds absolutely fabulous. All the very best, how long do you think that will take you? You are starting late in the year, will you be walking through winter? Love, Gitti

 

[lovingkindness]

Hi Gitti, it could take me several months or it may take the rest of my life. -Lovingkindness