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I just saw this, my apologies. And I'll keep apologizing, because I don't truly remember AND it was in 2019, so presumably things are more expensive now. But I know we did a mix of very cheap lodging (bothies) and very expensive lodging (splurging on a hotel). The Gatliff Trust page should give...
I'm not an introvert, but I'm big on solitude. My three top tips for a solitary Camino are:
1. Stay off-stage where towns are quieter;
2. TELL PEOPLE that you want to walk quietly/alone/solo/without talking. You are allowed to want to walk by yourself and the sooner you get a reputation among...
Yeah, I would throw stuff out. I know it sucks, and it's wasteful, but the cost of exterminating them from your home is WAY more than the cost of a new pack or new pair of shorts. Also you might end up sending even more things to landfill if it comes to an apartment infestation. On my first...
I'm 5'2" and on the smaller side and have loved my Gregory Jade 38 for 8 years. I used to carry a Jade 28 but found it too annoying to Tetris everything in there, so instead I have a larger pack that I don't fill up (all the better for post-pilgriming souvenirs)! The update to this pack has some...
I've had a number of 'dalliances' on the Camino (and fended some off as well), but I don't think there has ever been a camino I've walked where I haven't witnessed people falling in love and, in a number of cases, staying that way. Last summer's walk, it was a couple who initially couldn't stand...
I struggle with this as well, and not just in relation to the Camino, but with all the travelling that I do. My immediate family is large and spread out across the four corners of North America. I'm Canadian and half of my best friends live on the west coast, while I'm on the east coast. Our...
Yes, you definitely have to have a passport with at least 6 months of validity to enter most countries. The question of whether you have to have a return flight or not isn't linked to that, though - you can still enter without a return flight if your passport is valid.
Depends where you're entering. I have never once been asked for proof of return when arriving in Paris (flying from Canada, but entering on a US passport).
I have done the YUL>CDG to get to Spain/Portugal many times and have always returned one of two ways: SDC>OPO>YUL (direct with Transat) or SDC>BCN>YUL (direct with Transat). Transat always has direct flights from Porto and Barcelona and they are reasonably priced, even when you book the return...
TW: suicide
I left a camino (Frances) halfway through last year, after discovering a fellow pilgrim in the throes of a suicide attempt. With the help of a doctor (who just happened to be walking by...because camino magic) we got him to safety, but after another week on the trail, I was just...
Oooh, enjoy!! The Norte is the best camino for food, IMHO. You can't go wrong in San Sebastian and Bilbao. I know there are a lot of recs above, but if you forget to write 'em down or can't find 'em or there's a lineup, you can walk into any decent-looking place in the main square(s) and find...
I'm heading out in a few weeks to walk the Francés (to Léon)/Salvador/Primitivo, and I'm going to wing it, because I haven't had time to plan and I didn't decide where I was going to walk until this past wknd! I'll book sthg for SJPP and that's about it. Orisson is already way booked up, so it...
I should also say that there is probably less need for advance booking & planning if you're on your own or a party of two. We were six, which occasionally took some finagling!
I walked the Heb Way in 2019 and it was one of the most SPECTACULAR experiences I have ever had. One of my walking friends and I said to each other afterwards, "Will we ever consider anything beautiful again? How could it possibly compare to the beauty of the Outer Hebrides?"
We used this...
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