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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...
Agreed re: the Kinvaras not being ideal. They have almost no grip on the sole (as you know) and, while the Frances is not super technical, some of the section you're walking could use a little bit more grippiness in the sole (I'm thinking in particular of the descent from O Cebreiro). I also...
Loving all of these updates, as I am toying with the VF for the fall. Perhaps you covered this in earlier threads (e.g. when you were in the Po Valley), but how have the mosquitoes been? I heard that it's a terrible year for 'em.
I've worn Altra Lone Peaks for years, for every camino and every thru-hike. They don't REALLY last the whole time, but by the end of the Frances, your feet will be leather anyway. I would say the only time you really need them at full functioning capacity is if you're taking a route with lots of...
One other point - the tampons that are widely available in Spain are those without an applicator (like the o.b. brand in the US/Canada). Those are actually my preference, but I know some fellow peregrinas who have been freaked out when they realized it's hard to get the applicator/playtex style...
Oh man, believe it or not, El Acebo is where I had BRUTAL bed bugs in 2013...I will honestly never stop in that town again. I ended up sleeping outside in a lounge chair while critters rustled in the garbage cans next to me. One good thing about it is that I learned that night that bedbugs are...
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