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Do it right! Start at SJPDP and take your time! Lot of people with leg/foot problems walk the whole Camino. Might take a couple years to finish but that is very common. Age--did SJPDP to Finisterre at 69 and did the Primitivo this year at 74. While walking the Primitivo in May at least 30% of...
Have walked the Frances, Norte, Primitivo, and the Portugese and there is ONLY ONE Camino--The Frances!! The others are hikes.
Was also in Military and we never walked 20+miles a day , day after day, for a month! It can wear you down...but it is all in your head. First three days are the worst...
Believe the majority of people carry their own pack and just walk. Shouldn't be any crowds at that time of year so there should be no problem finding places to stay. Also at Finisterre there are/were some AIR BNBs that are great deals if you will be there for a couple nights.
Want the Compostela? My suggestion is the beautiful, uncrowded walk from Finisterre to Muxia to Santiago. Don't need the compostela? Then Santiago to Muxia to Finisterre and get the Fenisterre and Muxia documents!
Or do what many do--Start at SJPDP and do another week every year until you...
Decathlon stores have very good sleeping bags at excellent prices. Their stores are all over Spain. I have carried a sleeping bag on 5 caminos and used it every camino.
On one of the other Camino websites, the owner of a private albergue said that she always expects guests to use their own...
Walked 5 camiinos and NEVER Pre-Booked. Always found somewhere to sleep. Locals on the Caminos like to joke that a re-make of the movie is being made...This time they always pre-book and always use taxis to carry their packs. People will probably like it better than the first movie. And next...
Nothing like the Camino Frances! SJPDP to Finisterre!! Walked the Portugese, The Norte, the Primitivo and there is NO comparison to doing the Frances. Carry your own pack and stay in the Municipal albergues. You will meet amazing people in the Donation Albergues. Learn that we are all EQUAL!
Do NOT worry. Porto to Santiago is relatively easy compared to other routes. Highly recommend you consider walking all of the way to Finisterre--Beautiful walk.
Porto--I went there blind--had no idea it is PARTY town on weekends and no easy to find a cheap place to stay on Friday or Saturday...
Food--walked a lot with two Vegetarians and they were NOT happy with the meals. On the other hand they did confince one albergue to make an entire Pilgrim meal vegetarian just to make the rest of us try a complete meal with no meat.
Stayed in Albergues with some of the nicest teenagers I have ever met. Some got tired of walking with their "Old Parents" and were a day or two ahead of them. Think you need to change churches if yours has a problem with teenagers meeting strangers.
Met a lot of people from Holland walking the Camino in May & June. Most said they had troubles with the hills since it was flat back home--but they all finished! It is a long walk, not a difficult walk. Take your time and take care of your feet.
We were hit by same weather. Once we started putting rocks on the cairns for the mountain Gods, we never had any more rain. People in front of us and behind us got wet, but not us.
There were at least ten tents in municipal park in SJPDP may 16. These people tended to camp entire trip. Lot of people sleep under stars at least one night per week.
Larry & IPOD,
Guess I'm lucky--my IPOD quit working. Was planning to use it to learn Spanish. Planning on humping my ruck out of SJPDP May 16. Re-packing it again! Putting the Travel Iron back in as I just watched the Youtube vid of guy carrying 50% of his weight while his wife carries her pack...
To all of you from Pennsylvania- When I work with gas workers from Oklahoma or Texas, I always tell them the story of the Harrisburg Patriot Newspaper contest for a new state motto--the motto that came in 2nd and which I voted for was "Pennsylvania--we really are as dumb as we look" And I've...
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