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  1. november_moon

    Compact Camino Frances - how to choose which etapas to walk vs bus

    I don't think that people are saying you have to walk every step of the Camino for it to be meaningful. Plenty of people end up taking some sort of transport during their Camino - due to time contraints, injury, and whatnot. I think what people are saying is that approaching the Camino as a...
  2. november_moon

    Compact Camino Frances - how to choose which etapas to walk vs bus

    I definitely think that choosing the starting point based on the time you have is a better choice than skipping ahead. As others have mentioned, this isn't a hiking trip, but a pilgrimage. For a lot of people, a big part of the experience is the continuity - the act of walking from here to...
  3. november_moon

    Packing recommendations please

    Here is my take on your list: Merino wool is a must for socks. * Not really. It is a personal preference. I prefer Wrightsocks myself. You've got to determine what is right for you. Light layers work best for tops. * This is my approach because it allows for maximum flexibility - easy to...
  4. november_moon

    GPS

    I think it is important to decide how you want to use the GPS information. If it's just for navigation, then as a couple people have mentioned, you really don't need it at all - a paper map and sign posts are enough - but if you want to use GPS, any mapping app will work - Google Maps of...
  5. november_moon

    Have you been sponsored?

    This was not clear to me either in your original post. Some people have floated the idea of getting sponsored to fund their own journey, so I think it's important to make that distinction. I'm glad you clarified.
  6. november_moon

    The camino is boring landscapes, paved roads, traffic…

    Yes. This exactly. For me, the Camino isn't about the landscapes or the scenery. There are many more beautiful places to visit than the Camino. The Camino is about something more, but these are things you can't see. That is why the photos just don't really do it for people who haven't been...
  7. november_moon

    Blanket clarity

    Alberques are so varied that you will find pretty much all situations from a bare mattress to sheets and blanket. When I walked the Frances a couple years ago, I would estimate that 2/3 of the time there was either a blanket on each bunk or some available in a closet - almost always those...
  8. november_moon

    Festivals along the Frances

    That's a fabulous festival. The first time we walked, we happened upon it - had no idea that it was there. What a find. Second time we walked, we planned our Camino specifically to catch this festival.
  9. november_moon

    Trail foods snacks

    Hard boiled eggs are readily available - we found them in small stores along the way. For other snacks - I don't remember dried cereal, but we had a lot of nuts, dried fruits, cheese, various cured meats, bread, chocolate... lots of options for easy to carry snacks.
  10. november_moon

    Luggage transfer: Villafranca to Santiago

    Correos is the way to go, but they are closed on public holidays. It doesn't look like NYE is a public holiday though, so you should be able to send it that day. https://www.correos.es/ss/Satellite/site/aplicacion-1349167938569-herramientas_y_apps/detalle_app-sidioma=en_GB
  11. november_moon

    Where to have two rest days

    Of course it does depend on what sort of rest day you are looking for and how you define relaxation. We had a rest day in Leon because my feet needed a break. We still wandered around town a bit and did some sightseeing, which felt like a rest compared to a regular Camino day - LOL - we *only*...
  12. november_moon

    Where to have two rest days

    Burgos and Leon are both neat cities with plenty to see, so they make for great places to have a rest day. Astorga is another - not as large, but some good sightseeing opportunities. There's an alberque in El Acebo that is almost resort-like (pool, terrace, nice restaurant) where you can stay...
  13. november_moon

    Is Camino Frances a Rat Race in April/May?

    I met quite a few people who were following the stages of whatever guide they had - and quite a few more that started off following the stages, but realized part way through that they didn't have to. I do think a lot has to do with inexperience - the Camino is the first long walk that a lot of...
  14. november_moon

    Is Camino Frances a Rat Race in April/May?

    We walked in May a couple years ago and never had an issue finding space. We only reserved spots a handful of times along the way - mostly when we wanted to stay in private accommodations and a couple times when we got our packs transported. Mostly we just turned up places and found a bed. A...
  15. november_moon

    “Cheating”

    Do you accuse other pilgrims of cheating though? The topic isn't about what people think about other pilgrims and their choices, but what they say to them. If you think that people are cheating themselves out of something important by skipping ahead, then that's fine - we all think what we...
  16. november_moon

    Plantar fasciitis

    Ugh. Plantar facitis is a terrible affliction. Sounds like you are doing all of the self-care stuff you should be. Hopefully your doc will have some words of wisdom.
  17. november_moon

    “Cheating”

    I think it's all a part of one-up-manship that some people participate in. People make themselves feel better about their pilgrimage by diminishing other people's choices and other people's experiences. There are all kinds of things people can measure about their pilgrimage to compare to...
  18. november_moon

    Any wild life safety concerns on the French Way??

    We saw a lot of birds - including those wonderful storks that make giant nests on the top of bell towers. But yeah, that's about it for wildlife. Plenty of farm animals and pets though.
  19. november_moon

    How do you travel with money on the Camino?

    Places will make change for large bills if they have it - they don't always have it though, or may balk at having to use up a lot of their small money to make change for a small purchase. My approach is to specify an odd amount from the ATM (like 230 euros, as mentioned) so I am sure to at...
  20. november_moon

    How much of the Camino Frances can I cover in 19 days?

    We did Burgos to Santiago in about 24 days - most of our walking days were around 18-22 km and we had a couple of rest days. We wouldn't have been able to get to Santiago in 19 days without skipping ahead. Defnitely consider how far you think you'll walk in a day, add some buffer, and then...

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