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I had a wonderful Camino. I was unable to finish due to injuring my knee.
The first injury was only 3 days in. So I walked slow and short distances. After a couple of weeks I felt somewhat healed. Then came a 1/2 mile of steep downhill, on pavement. I could no longer walk without extreme pain...
Take a rest day when you are tired, before you get injured.
Take a tourist day when you walk into a town or city and stand in amazement, want to explore more.
It's great to have a plan and wonderful to toss the plan.
Sept is when the black berries are ripe. Lots of bushes in the foot hills. :)
We were wet and cold for 4 days, then great weather. It did get cooler in the mornings in early Oct. I just layered and unlayered.
On Camino, time/place/distance had no meaning for me. It was light and I walked. I was hungry and ate. I was tired and kept walking or could stop for the day. We did make bed reservations due to lots of walkers and fewer beds.
Laying in bed in a small village, not knowing what day it was or...
Advise: a good pack, pack very light, stop at Orison, comfortable shoes. Resist the urge to go fast for the first week, plan a short walk the day after hiking over the mountains, take rest days when you are tired. Don't try to keep up with the 20 somethings. There is no reason to walk in the...
We went in Sept, it rained the first 4 days. Cold rain and wind. The full poncho kept my husband dry, my snap up the side poncho kept my pack dry - I got wet due to the wind.
A dry bag for bedding and a dry bag for passports, travel paperwork did a great job. Wet bedding after a long day wasn't...
I planned and planned a bit more, had a great time doing it. Reached Rossenvailes, then stopped planning. I badly injured my knee going into Zubiri, changed plans. We found a Camino family and changed plans again. Part of the family needed to take a bus for a preplanned side trip and one person...
At 63 yrs old and not a hiker, the Camino was challenging. What I tell my friends who ask: I was cold and wet and hot and tired and hungry. Each day was hard in some way, physically, mentally . But Everyday Was Wonderful. Each day offered something or someone that lifted my spirit, made me...
If you will feel more at ease just starting out, then do make a reservation. If you are ok with walking an hour or more further if all the beds are taken .....
I was very glad to have made a reservation. The weather was wet, windy and cold. The trail was muddy and slippery. Took us a long time...
We are now back home after one month of Camino walking and two months of tourist fun in Spain. The ligaments in my left knee twisted very badly on day 3, all was fine going up and over the mountain in the rain and cold and wind. lol So I walked for most of the time on a painful knee, going slow...
We arrive in Barcelona on Tuesday. Staying over night at Roncesvalles on the 10th. Hope to find you. I am 63 yrs old, 5 ft tall, short grey hair, 110 lbs. Hubby has a pony tail of grey hair.
We fly out in 36 hours.
So many of you have helped, in too many ways to count. You have listened to my fears, helped me pack (and repack and ...), held my hand, recommended equipment, offered encouragement and pulled me down from the ceiling.
I have felt the care from this community.
Now, you...
Read it quite awhile ago I can see why a through hiker who wants to go fast, beat the competition type of person would be unhappy on the Camino.
Large, full pack, tent, stove, stinky after day two vs. light load, showers, indoor plumbing, good meals, vino. All his negatives are my pluses.
Hubby just made sure he can use his tablet, which he is taking, to get to his laptop and main computer at home. He has told clients he will be available, it's only Spain so no problem. He is all set up with phone, data etc.
I will have my phone off unless I really need to do something. And I...
Living in a major metropolitan area, lots of traffic, many people walk. Most people hit by cars are not using the crosswalks, not waiting for the walk signal, staring at their phone and not paying attention.
Follow the street crossing signs, look both ways, pay attention to people in cars that...
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