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I was very lucky that the airline check-in clerk in Miami took pity on me and let me check my backpack with poles inside for free. A last-minute checked pack would have cost $200, (so check your carrier's rules for your ticket) and the nearby airport security guard said I probably would have had...
How about one where a pilgrim family stays in a village and the son spurns the advances of a local girl? Then she accuses him of theft and he is hanged, then later found to be still hanging, but alive, by his family. Then the local magistrate laughs at them in disbelief and his chicken dinner...
Most of the people I have met who pushed themselves beyond reasonable limits were 20 something. If you're young, your body has limits, too! Old and young people need to learn to listen to their bodies.
I checked my 36L Osprey pack from the US, so I could take my nice Paria folding trekking poles. My sweetie suggested at the last minute to try an old pillow case and the pack fit into it perfectly! I taped it shut at the top, then used it as a laundry bag/pillow case on the Camino. It wouldn't...
Everyone is different, but I will never do a steep hike again without my pair of poles, especially on the downhill. Getting used to a pace that works for me only took a couple of hours of practice, and I am not a graceful person. A loose hold with straps, not a death grip, is key. They turn me...
The one thing I wish I had packed was a cute, lightweight little dress or skirt to put on between showering and bedtime. (some people use a sarong.) My towel was a lightweight cotton terry baby towel and worked great. I was happy with the sleeping sack I sewed from an old sheet, but I do...
In May of 2018, at SJPdP, I stayed at Beilari, which is a welcoming, peaceful albergue with a great vegetarian communal dinner. It's in the old town right across the street from the pilgrim's office. Follow the signs to the Citadel inside the old stone walls to get to the Rue de la Citadelle...
I wished I had a lightweight, round tupperware-type container for squishable fruit like peaches, nectarines or plums. I had several delicious vegetarian/with good vegetables meals on the CF - Beilari in SJdPP, Suseia in Zubiri, the Green Tree in Hornillos del Camino, El Alquimista in Ages, and...
The days with steep descents were the toughest for me, even though trekking poles helped tremendously. I stayed at Orisson between SJdPP and Roncesvalles and am glad I did. The descent into Roncesvalles was still tough, but the day wasn't overwhelming.
Coming down from the Cruz de Ferro was...
I agree with the strap/weight load adjustment suggestions. My Osprey Sirrus 36 was causing that problem during some training hikes. I went back to the store where I bought it and they helped me make adjustments that really improved my comfort. It made me glad I bought local inside of saving a...
I stayed in a mix of different types of lodging on the CF in June of 2018 and Booking.com was really easy. In Portomarin just past Sarria, an albergue host made about 6 calls for me with no luck, but I found what seemed like the last bed in town using booking.com. At least one place charged...
Ay! I just got my credencial and patch in the mail today! I'll be starting from SJPdP on May 24 and am booked at Orisson. Will anyone be traveling from Bilbao on the 23rd?
Julie
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