Could you contact me directly? Thank you.
Just as an FYI, last night before going to sleep I asked a friend who lives in Santiago to help us out. She should be in Private Conversation with you tomorrow - already...
If it is not too intrusive, please share what happened and why she did not remain in contact here.
We always try to provide the best advice and information to all pilgrims, but especially to both men and women who opt to walk solo. Zoe's experiences might help add to that advice. The Camino, statistically, is safer than remaining at home. However, any solo traveler, anywhere, needs to hold themselves to a higher level of awareness and responsibility, at least IMHO.
Basically, ANYONE who walks solo and has family or friends at home who will be concerned for them should (IMHO) leave a walking plan and establish a contact plan. This is similar to a sailor who leaves a 'float plan' before casting off. This way, if the traveler fails to check in as prearranged, recovery steps can be taken from the distant, stay-at-home, end.
The solo pilgrim who opts for this added protection should agree and develop a set contact plan for periodic text, email, video conversation, voice calls, or similar, and stick to it. With all the research and planning that usually accompanies any Camino the plan should also include a list of people and places to call on the Camino if you fail to keep the pre-agree contact plan. There should be a mutual understanding that this pre-plan will click into action automatically after some period of time that is, again, pre-agreed.
For example, my plan includes a weekly call to my senior mom, and daily updates to my wife. If I miss a contact my wife will ping me. If I fail to call mom (it has happened) she will call my wife. If two days (>48 hours) pass, my wife activates the pre-agreed emergency locator plan I devised. Here is what is looks like...
1. Use the "Find My Phone" app on her phone or iPad to locate where my phone is on the Camino. By repeating this over a few hours, depending on time of day, she can determine if I (or at least the phone is moving). However, if I changed my SIM card for a local SIM card, this would not work, unless she also had the new number. I has never used an unknown SIM. Also, if the phone has completely no power this might be difficult. It is easy to borrow a charger at an albergue, people leave them behind all the time, you have only to ask...
2. As I stay in pre-booked lodging, I leave a detailed plan, including phone numbers for all lodging places. She will go to a neighbor or friend who speaks fluent Spanish and will ask that person to call the previous, and next listed places to ask for me. We live in South Florida. Finding a native Spanish speaker is not difficult.
3. If steps #1 and #2 do not find me, she will take it to the next level. That includes calls to the Policia Nacional and Guardia Civil if I am not likely in a town or city. When they answer in Spanish, you can simply say "ayuda en ingles, por favor - help in English please." If I am in a large city, then she knows to search the internet for "Policia Local (name of town or city)." With that information, our friendly Spanish speaker will call the police to put out the word.
4. Only after all that is done will she contact the US Department of State (
www.state.gov) to file a missing citizen's report. The reason for the relatively late contact in the order of things is that the embassy cannot do any more than steps 1 - 3 envisage.
5. As I happen to have friends who live at Santiago, she would reach out to them after step #2. My walking plan has all the contact names, phone numbers and e-mail addresses. But, we do not shake that tree unless and until we have to. The ICE information I always carry with my passport and in my rucksack also has the name of a Santiago friend who knows what I am doing and can come to claim me in hospital or worse. This is also by pre-agreement.
Basically, this is all about responsibility. Yes, the Camino is about freedom and at times, anonymity. Yes, it is also about spontaneity. But, when you are far from home and there are family members, loved ones, or friends who might reasonably be concerned for your well-being, you have a responsibility to them to provide this level of confidence. With all the planning that usually goes into any Camino, this walking plan is just an added layer of insurance.
Finally, once the solo pilgrim gets to a certain mature age, or at any age, has chronic medical issues, it is even more important that this sort of pre-planning occur. Doing it for the first time is the most difficult thing. Once you have done it for the first-time, it only needs to be updated for each, successive Camino.
[I am editing this to add that being very OCD is in my nature as a trained process analyst and retired intelligence analyst.]
I am glad that this young lady has apparently surfaced, and I hope the above helps. If even one pilgrim is helped, my role is fulfilled.
Be safe out there...
