For 2024 Pilgrims: €50,- donation = 1 year with no ads on the forum + 90% off any 2024 Guide. More here. (Discount code sent to you by Private Message after your donation)
I knew the REI pack I was taking would be at the very limit; so I built a box out of scrap wood whose interior dimensions matched the airline's carry on dimensions. As long as I could get the pack into the box (opened on two opposite sides for easy extraction of the pack) I knew I could get it...
I first saw this in the latest REI sales flyer in my mailbox - and that surprised me enough to go onto their website to see what they were offering and charging. After looking at the advertised itinerary, this is better billed as 'a series of hikes along the route of the Camino' - certainly not...
We packed everything on the inside of our packs inside of a multitude of slider food storage bags. Sleeping bag has its own bag, shirts, extra pants, undies, etc. Press out all of the air before sealing. Everything slides in and out easily, still malleable enough to adjust shape for the...
I attempted to use booking.com a couple of times during our Camino last fall, but only when the albergue I was calling couldn't speak any English. However, I found that booking.com (at least in my case ) was charging 40% more than what was listed in either the Dintaman guide or on WisePilgrim...
My wife and I stayed in private rooms about half the time on our 46 day Camino. Usually we stayed in private rooms available in an albergue, not a pension. Costs were about 50%-75% more than the two of us separately, but then again we had privacy and a private bath. Habitation para dos con...
Take JulieandPeter's advice - Start in St Jean Pied de Port and go as far as you can while enjoying the Camino world. We met plenty of people who did the Camino in stages across several years. To rush from Sarria to Santiago just to get a certificate isn't really doing the Camino. Enjoy it...
As far as toughness, down (in my opinion) is way harder than up, so the descent into Zubiri, Acebo, Molinaseca & Portomarin were tough. We just missed the rain at Zubiri, and that would have been tougher.
My wife swears by Hiker's Wool she found online. I think it comes out of New Zealand...
My wife and I went from SJPP to Santiago between 7 Sept and 23 October 2017. We took the lightest 3-season bags we could find at REI with a peneferin treated liner for bed bugs. Never zipped the bag uptight at all. Enjoy your Camino.
Take time after about an hour and a half after starting each day to sit down and enjoy a local breakfast of cafe' con lechi and totillas (which is actually a Spanish omelette type of pie shaped dish and not a flour or corn tortilla in sight!) and enjoy the morning. 'Proper' pilgrims take breaks...
Last year my wife and I (61 & 63 respectively) went from SJPP to Santiago in 46 walking days with only 2 rest days: coming to an average of 10.5 miles a day. That was after a training period for me of only one month because I was recovering from Achilles tendinitis. 33 days before leaving for...
While my wife and I both got our Compostelas, we seriously considered not getting them because the Credential meant so much more about the Camino and all of our experiences. If we would have known about how to just get the final stello and not stand in line, we may have done that.
Take it easy and you'll be fine. Way too many pilgrims truck out with lots of enthusiasm at the beginning and find they are probably not walking at the pace or cadence they originally trained, and they try and 'push thru' the pain in their feet. Well, I saw some horrific blisters the first...
My suggestion is to take you time & enjoy your Camino. My wife and I (61 & 63) did the Camino Frances from St Jean to Santiago in 46 walking days - that's about 10 1/2 miles per day. Highest day was about 13 miles and we only took 2 rest days. So there was a period of 30 consecutive days...
I need help with remembering the 'Santa Clara' in Bercianos del Real Camino. My wife and I stayed there on 01 Oct 2017, even had a private room, and it's the only place out of our 46 day trek from SJPP to Santiago that if don't have recollections or pictures to help me. If anyone has some...
This site is run by Ivar at in Santiago de Compostela.
This site participates in the Amazon Affiliate program, designed to provide a means for Ivar to earn fees by linking to Amazon