Nothing went right

[zenofmatthew]

Nothing went right, nothing went wrong.

I overpacked, and didn't pack enough.

I packed shoes and did it in my sandals.

I dreamt of seeing many things and didn't. I saw other things I didn't dream of.

Things were busy, but wide open also.

Made some friends, made some other friendships better.

When we saw a fork in the road, we took it.

We got lost, but did we know where we were before that?

They said the Camino provides. It did.

This time I was more of an anchor, next time I'll be more of an angel.

That's my review. How many stars? Not sure. The Camino exists under a field of stars.

 

[trecile]

Sounds like your Camino was absolutely perfect!

 

[zenofmatthew]

I'll take the "perfect" and raise it to "perfect for me."

 

[isawtman]

I overpacked, and didn't pack enough.

Can you be more specific?

 

[C clearly]

Can you be more specific?

I think @zenofmatthew is being poetic with that apparent contradiction. If you look at threads tagged "back pack & packing" you will find lots of specifics!

 

[trecile]

Can you be more specific?

perhaps this thread I started might be a helpful place to start.

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/absolute-bare-minimum-packing-list.66736/

 

[Walkerooni]

Sounds fabulous!

 

[naplesdon]

Can you be more specific?

You pack for rain and it never does, you don't pack for rain and you and your pack are soaked for 3 weeks. It's a metaphor of everything Camino.

 

[keith duke scott]

Nothing went right, nothing went wrong.

I overpacked, and didn't pack enough.

I packed shoes and did it in my sandals.

I dreamt of seeing many things and didn't. I saw other things I didn't dream of.

Things were busy, but wide open also.

Made some friends, made some other friendships better.

When we saw a fork in the road, we took it.

We got lost, but did we know where we were before that?

They said the Camino provides. It did.

This time I was more of an anchor, next time I'll be more of an angel.

That's my review. How many stars? Not sure. The Camino exists under a field of stars.

Very pithy review and I agree with all your sentiments. I especially like your " I got lost" which actually for me was my biggest fear. As a man asking for directions is difficult . But seriously as you point out I did my camino mostly not really knowing where I was and only a vague idea of where I was going and how to get there. That is the wo der of the Camino and so much better once you accept that fact. Well done! Buen camino

 

[gollygolly]

Nothing went right, nothing went wrong.

I overpacked, and didn't pack enough.

I packed shoes and did it in my sandals.

I dreamt of seeing many things and didn't. I saw other things I didn't dream of.

Things were busy, but wide open also.

Made some friends, made some other friendships better.

When we saw a fork in the road, we took it.

We got lost, but did we know where we were before that?

They said the Camino provides. It did.

This time I was more of an anchor, next time I'll be more of an angel.

That's my review. How many stars? Not sure. The Camino exists under a field of stars.

The Camino does provide, and I have a sense that you came to appreciate the old adage that 'we get what we need, not necessarily what we want', and that what we need is often unknown to us.

Thank you and liked your contribution very much.

 

[OnCamino]

Loved this review! Concise, with tongue in cheek maybe, but saying volumes!

 

[Jilly123]

Can you be more specific?

I believe the point of his wonderful statement about his experience is not to be more specific....the beauty lies in the wonder of it all. If you try to meet all prep details, the Camino will change all that for you, so go simply and trust you will have what you need and even more than you need in ways that might surprise you.

 

[Wanderingfriend]

Nothing went right, nothing went wrong.

I overpacked, and didn't pack enough.

I packed shoes and did it in my sandals.

I dreamt of seeing many things and didn't. I saw other things I didn't dream of.

Things were busy, but wide open also.

Made some friends, made some other friendships better.

When we saw a fork in the road, we took it.

We got lost, but did we know where we were before that?

They said the Camino provides. It did.

This time I was more of an anchor, next time I'll be more of an angel.

That's my review. How many stars? Not sure. The Camino exists under a field of stars.

This is beautiful, did you write it?

 

[Rex]

Sounds like a perfect trip, Peregrino.
Bonne chance et bon randonnee.

 

[woody66]

Yeah it says so little and so much.wish i could learn to do that!

 

[fredlarge]

Says it all. Well done.

 

[Linda SLP]

You pack for rain and it never does, you don't pack for rain and you and your pack are soaked for 3 weeks. It's a metaphor of everything Camino.

Sometimes I think preparing for the rain keeps it from coming , but then, I prepared for rain and got plenty of it.

 

[Paul Roby]

Loved it. Thanks for the summary. Sounds just like my walk.

 

[MichelleElynHogan]

The Camino provides. Yes, it does. So, good trip.

 

[psgerboc]

Nothing went right, nothing went wrong.

I overpacked, and didn't pack enough.

I packed shoes and did it in my sandals.

I dreamt of seeing many things and didn't. I saw other things I didn't dream of.

Things were busy, but wide open also.

Made some friends, made some other friendships better.

When we saw a fork in the road, we took it.

We got lost, but did we know where we were before that?

They said the Camino provides. It did.

This time I was more of an anchor, next time I'll be more of an angel.

That's my review. How many stars? Not sure. The Camino exists under a field of stars.

Really beautiful. Thank you.

 

[zenofmatthew]

First off, WOW! I can't believe the response to this. Frankly, I'm overwhelmed.

To answer a couple of questions, yes I wrote this. About my backpack: it was heavy - it had a battery and a coat I didn't use. I could have used some more t-shirts and underwear, and/or maybe a second pair of pants. I did drop off that one rock off though, it lightened my load. I didn't bring a guidebook other than the one I wrote, which had all the towns, places I'd heard about that sounded cool (which I didn't see for the most part), then I filled it in as I went. Just followed the arrows, the shells, the people. If the town wasn't familiar, I knew I'd made a mistake. A little holistic GPS, if you will.

I had a couple of other quirks to my Camino ethos as well, such as "no information about either choice means no downside to either," or "don't say no unless it is illegal or immoral."

Wow, floored by this. You all are awesome.

 

[trevorcc]

Nothing went right, nothing went wrong.

I overpacked, and didn't pack enough.

I packed shoes and did it in my sandals.

I dreamt of seeing many things and didn't. I saw other things I didn't dream of.

Things were busy, but wide open also.

Made some friends, made some other friendships better.

When we saw a fork in the road, we took it.

We got lost, but did we know where we were before that?

They said the Camino provides. It did.

This time I was more of an anchor, next time I'll be more of an angel.

That's my review. How many stars? Not sure. The Camino exists under a field of stars.

Have No expectation and you will have no disappointments, thats how I do the Camino.

 

[zenofmatthew]

Have No expectation and you will have no disappointments, thats how I do the Camino.

Exactly. I didn't even have an expectation of finishing. If a farmer would have stopped me, I may have spent the time mucking out the barn. Didn't matter. It's been a few years.

 

[walkingstu]

Nothing went right, nothing went wrong.

I overpacked, and didn't pack enough.

I packed shoes and did it in my sandals.

I dreamt of seeing many things and didn't. I saw other things I didn't dream of.

Things were busy, but wide open also.

Made some friends, made some other friendships better.

When we saw a fork in the road, we took it.

We got lost, but did we know where we were before that?

They said the Camino provides. It did.

This time I was more of an anchor, next time I'll be more of an angel.

That's my review. How many stars? Not sure. The Camino exists under a field of stars.

Well said

 

[WalkingJane]

Nothing went right, nothing went wrong.

I overpacked, and didn't pack enough.

I packed shoes and did it in my sandals.

I dreamt of seeing many things and didn't. I saw other things I didn't dream of.

Things were busy, but wide open also.

Made some friends, made some other friendships better.

When we saw a fork in the road, we took it.

We got lost, but did we know where we were before that?

They said the Camino provides. It did.

This time I was more of an anchor, next time I'll be more of an angel.

That's my review. How many stars? Not sure. The Camino exists under a field of stars.

Buen Camino!

 

[trevorcc]

Exactly. I didn't even have an expectation of finishing. If a farmer would have stopped me, I may have spent the time mucking out the barn. Didn't matter. It's been a few years.

I spent 8 days in ICU at the Santiago hospital in 2013 but went back in 2014.

 

[keith duke scott]

Have No expectation and you will have no disappointments, thats how I do the Camino.

That is the key to much more than the camino. All the budist masters say the source of all suffering is the attachment to outcomes. In our western culture that is a difficult lesson and one I struggle with like most people I imagine. But for my norte camino I was able to grasp that mind set. I had no idea if I was even going to finish, become Injured, suffer from lack of friendship as I went alone. Become lost, that was a big outcome I did not want . Lose my wallet, that actually did happen. All I had left was my passport thank God. I met a friend on the camino and I would "venmo" him money to his account and he would go to the atm and give me cash. It was a bit of an annoyance but I still had a great time. When I got to santiago all my reordered credit cards where there waiting for me. In summary that's why the camino is such a healthy experience for our modern mind and body and soul. To shed our comfortable world for a world of the unknown and to expose ourselves to adventure and freedom snoring pilgrims and fresh Cafe con Leche at the Crack of dawn somewhere beautiful and new. Follow your heart and buen camino.

 

[trevorcc]

That is the key to much more than the camino. All the budist masters say the source of all suffering is the attachment to outcomes. In our western culture that is a difficult lesson and one I struggle with like most people I imagine. But for my norte camino I was able to grasp that mind set. I had no idea if I was even going to finish, become Injured, suffer from lack of friendship as I went alone. Become lost, that was a big outcome I did not want . Lose my wallet, that actually did happen. All I had left was my passport thank God. I met a friend on the camino and I would "venmo" him money to his account and he would go to the atm and give me cash. It was a bit of an annoyance but I still had a great time. When I got to santiago all my reordered credit cards where there waiting for me. In summary that's why the camino is such a healthy experience for our modern mind and body and soul. To shed our comfortable world for a world of the unknown and to expose ourselves to adventure and freedom snoring pilgrims and fresh Cafe con Leche at the Crack of dawn somewhere beautiful and new. Follow your heart and buen camino.

My wife says I lose something on every walk, credit cards, nearly my life as the doctors told me I had only about 24 hours left before the poison would have spreed.

 

[keith duke scott]

My wife says I lose something on every walk, credit cards, nearly my life as the doctors told me I had only about 24 hours left before the poison would have spreed.

Wow that is very scarey. I am hoping you are fully recovered.

 

[WalkingJane]

Nothing went right, nothing went wrong.

I overpacked, and didn't pack enough.

I packed shoes and did it in my sandals.

I dreamt of seeing many things and didn't. I saw other things I didn't dream of.

Things were busy, but wide open also.

Made some friends, made some other friendships better.

When we saw a fork in the road, we took it.

We got lost, but did we know where we were before that?

They said the Camino provides. It did.

This time I was more of an anchor, next time I'll be more of an angel.

That's my review. How many stars? Not sure. The Camino exists under a field of stars.

Thank you!

 

[trevorcc]

Wow that is very scarey. I am hoping you are fully recovered.

Sort off but been back 2014 2016 and 2018 to walk it with the snow.