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I head South in December - last year I walked from the Via Augusta (Cadiz to Seville) in a week, and this year I'll be walking the Mozarabe, Malaga to Cordoba (17th-23rd). There's no guarantee about the weather but fingers crossed it's warmer than the UK! There's always the VDLP - I walked...
As I say - it was more the comparison with the places I stayed leading up to that particular albergue. Everyone rates it and that was partly why I stayed there. Great place, but not so great for me on that particular night. It wasn't Gonzar btw.
Just a personal viewpoint (aren't they all?)...one's experience of an albergue can be influenced by a multitude of factors. A couple of (anonymised) examples:
1. Walking on my first Camino Frances, after about a week I stayed at an albergue that was amongst my worst experiences - it was full...
Oddly enough - me too last night. I'd had my 600 calories but then got the munchies in a big way and caved in. Not beating myself up about it though - back on the diet again today.
No the operation was for a torn meniscus - left knee arthroscopy (key hole surgery allowing them to trim the tear). Knee replacements can wait. When I was in Aus it seemed everyone I spoke to had had an arthroscopy whereas here in the UK it seems pretty rare.
Oh - torn meniscus can be agony. Had the same in my left knee in 2015 and remember hobbling around Brisbane when I lived in Aus. Had the operation and it's been fine since - just the right one that I've needed the steroid injections in. But as I say - the best thing you can do for your knees...
Yup sticking to it is the challenge. That said the last week has been more 'fasting for 5' and 'eating normally for 2'! 'Only' have another 7 pounds to go to my ideal weight, but seem to have plateaued for the last week. Re the knees - I've been having injections once a year for the last few...
Wow! I thought I was doing well having dropped 26 pounds in 3 months by 5:2 fasting and lots of walking. Thanks for the additional info as well. Keep up the great work.
Ditto 're 'thought I was done with Camino Frances - or any Camino in Spain.' Then several months later..the 'it wasn't that bad' popped into my head. Which led to ' maybe I could do it again'....which rapidly led to 'let's do it again". It's an addiction.
The ones I got last week from the Camino Shop are definitely bigger than those supplied previously - same width but about 6mm longer/taller hence the tight fit into the wallet. As you say the paper also feels thicker and has a rather odd pattern down the spine and across the bottom - my first...
Which leaves me wondering is it a cunning plan to encourage me to buy a replacement plastic wallet? Imagine all those plastic wallets around the globe - now effectively redundant unless you have the grip of a marine. Maybe we should start a campaign to restore credencials to their 'true' size...
Yes indeed and I've used them previously on each camino I've walked. But there's an issue - I've just bought 3 new credencials from Ivar (well 2 really as one was free with the VDLP guide) and have discovered they are slightly larger than the previous version and consequently they don't fit...
Decision made - its....Camino de Madrid. Flights booked - fly into Madrid Sunday 8th March and home again on the 19th. Thanks to all those who provided input to the original question.
Robert - thanks. Over the last couple of days I've shifted from Lisbon to Porto to the CdM - just spend this morning to checking flights and train schedules from Sahagun back to Madrid. Looks like it will be the CdM.
Rob - thanks. I passed through Ponte de Lima (beautiful town) when walking from Porto. I'll have a look but will probably head further south as by March I'll be in need of some sun and blue skies! Post-script - Torres has been added to my 'to do' list. Thanks again.
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