LIVE from the Camino 28 km walk from Palas se Rei in the rain

[VintageCowgirl]

Coming from the Wet Coast of Canada I’ve been hitting my stride with this Atlantic storm battering Spain. I’m used to being wet and having wet docks, shoes, feet. I started in SJPP on September 20 and I just want to be done do I’ve done 2 x 28 km wet days in a row.

Have been sharing the Camino with tour operators since Puente la Reina. Not usually the same tour companies. Theres a lot with different agendas.

I stopped for breakfast about 3km from Palas de Rey and then went to the table to get my stamp. There were 2 people there. But the man clutching the stamp kept opening credential after credential to stamp them all. And when done passed it to the woman who also had an armload of credentials to stamp. I don’t know why neither put the stamp down in between opening the next credential so pilgrims like myself with one credential to stamp could get it done. And then I saw the blue mini bus that I’ve seen a few times since Sarria. First of 3 sightings today. I guess those two drew the short straws and had to put on rain ponchos and take all their bus companions credentials out to stamp.

And then I saw another tour group I haven’t seen before at Boente. Three mini buses. The tour operator provided them all with red raincoats with the company logo snd yellow umbrellas. They were hanging around for everyone to get the rain gear on and some of them decided it would be prudent to block the Camino marker to make it difficult for others on the Camino to know to turn there. I got around them but they were soon on the way singing the praises of the Camino. So high visibility in more ways than one, though that was fine with me. They’re happy. I was only annoyed about blocking the marker. Then the rain really bucketed down which dampened the singing and I lost sight and earshot of them. About 30 minutes later when I was off the trail and on the road, their buses were waiting. Kind of a neat concept. Bus a little. Walk a little. And you might not even need to get off the bus to get a stamp in your credential.

 

[Theatregal]

But the man clutching the stamp kept opening credential after credential to stamp them all. And when done passed it to the woman who also had an armload of credentials to stamp. I don’t know why neither put the stamp down in between opening the next credential so pilgrims like myself with one credential to stamp could get it done.

If you encounter large group stamping again, perhaps just ask politely if you could get a quick stamp and be on your way? Or ask if the stamper could stamp yours as well : ) Hope you have some fair weather days ahead!

 

[J Willhaus]

I saw in the paper that there should be another week or so of rain every day. Glad you are near the end. I know it is hard not to be annoyed or at least I would be annoyed.

 

[Robo]

They probably wonder why so many idiots walk all the way............and whilst carrying a pack
All to their own I guess

 

[John Crawford Howell]

I feel fortunate I did not encounter these tour groups at any time even though I knew they were out there. I, therefore, avoided placing myself in a position to judge others who sheltered in their buses while I trudged on in the wind and rain. I'm glad I did it my way.

 

[PeteD]

Personally I was happy to be walking in the rain. It would have been so cramped noisy and steamy on those busses! Just felt the sun shinning for 10 minutes now we have arrived in Santiago and had a little time to dry off. In the end I guess it’s only water

 

[SureFtWayEli]

I feel fortunate I did not encounter these tour groups at any time even though I knew they were out there. I, therefore, avoided placing myself in a position to judge others who sheltered in their buses while I trudged on in the wind and rain. I'm glad I did it my way.

Agreed about doing it my way. The first time doing the Frances I encountered a tour group that had stopped for a picnic lunch & then were going to walk a distance before reboarding their bus. They were French. I knew a few words & gave a greeting. Immediately, I had people flock around me talking a mile a minute, question upon question, like I was some hero. What I got out of it was they wanted to know what it was like backpacking the whole Camino. It almost seemed like they were not confident they could actually do it, but didn’t want to miss an opportunity to go. They ranged predominantly in their 60s unless well preserved, because of their good French wine. When I gave them my goodbye & “Buon Camino,” they responded the same & gave me a big cheer, lots of pats & well wishes. After that, I viewed doing the Camino that way completely differently & nearly wished to run into them again to see how they were doing. I tried to indicate to them that backpacking it had its own spiritual side because of all the time involved that they might miss with such a large group of ever present people. A few seemed to understand & the word quickly spread by mouth as if interpreting this bit of information. My hope is that there were some who took it to heart & at a later date decided to give it a try. They really were a beautiful group of people who felt they were missing something & I might be the key. Hopefully, they treasure the parts they walked.

 

[SureFtWayEli]

Responding to PeteD. As a child, I loved splashing in puddles in the rain. As a teen & adult, I tried to avoid puddles. When I had children, I loved watching my own boys splash in puddles. On the Camino, I became a child again & thoroughly enjoyed the rain & splashed through the puddles, slid in the mud & laughed when I fell in the mud. I decided then I love everything that day brings.

 

[Keith H]

Today between Castrojeriz and Boadilla del Camino it rained sideways and blew hard enough to push me across the track. I was walking along with my Camino pal Jim and we were joking the whole way. When we got into shelter and sat down for a beer we both said we were glad we did it together so it was a funny memorable moment instead of a hard slog. Jim did mention that he was sure a fish had jumped into his shoe at some point.

 

[Teez]

Agreed about doing it my way. The first time doing the Frances I encountered a tour group that had stopped for a picnic lunch & then were going to walk a distance before reboarding their bus. They were French. I knew a few words & gave a greeting. Immediately, I had people flock around me talking a mile a minute, question upon question, like I was some hero. What I got out of it was they wanted to know what it was like backpacking the whole Camino. It almost seemed like they were not confident they could actually do it, but didn’t want to miss an opportunity to go. They ranged predominantly in their 60s unless well preserved, because of their good French wine. When I gave them my goodbye & “Buon Camino,” they responded the same & gave me a big cheer, lots of pats & well wishes. After that, I viewed doing the Camino that way completely differently & nearly wished to run into them again to see how they were doing. I tried to indicate to them that backpacking it had its own spiritual side because of all the time involved that they might miss with such a large group of ever present people. A few seemed to understand & the word quickly spread by mouth as if interpreting this bit of information. My hope is that there were some who took it to heart & at a later date decided to give it a try. They really were a beautiful group of people who felt they were missing something & I might be the key. Hopefully, they treasure the parts they walked.

 

[Teez]

We are two who tried a very short escorted ‘taster’ Camino in 2018. My husband was unsure about the whole idea and at 73 and 79, we decided to be cautious. The week was so successful that the next year I did the Camino Portuguese from Baiona on my own, and we did the Frances from Pamplona to Santiago later in the year. In 2022 after an enforced interval due to Covid we walked from Logrono to Santiago again. Next April, we hope to walk again. (We do need to have bag transport though due to back issues and other health complications.)

 

[alexwalker]

We are two who tried a very short escorted ‘taster’ Camino in 2018. My husband was unsure about the whole idea and at 73 and 79, we decided to be cautious. The week was so successful that the next year I did the Camino Portuguese from Baiona on my own, and we did the Frances from Pamplona to Santiago later in the year. In 2022 after an enforced interval due to Covid we walked from Logrono to Santiago again. Next April, we hope to walk again. (We do need to have bag transport though due to back issues and other health complications.)

Very happy for you! Backpack transport will make it much easier for you. Good idea. I plan to start from Pamplona Apr.1 2024, and hoping to join with my daughter from Burgos and onwards. CU.

 

[Robo]

Personally I was happy to be walking in the rain. It would have been so cramped noisy and steamy on those busses! Just felt the sun shinning for 10 minutes now we have arrived in Santiago and had a little time to dry off. In the end I guess it’s only water

Walking in the rain is only surpassed by singing in the rain
With the right gear, walking in the rain is a wonderful refreshing experience I find.
Rain + Wind + Cold........not so great.

 

[Henry1953]

Coming from the Wet Coast of Canada I’ve been hitting my stride with this Atlantic storm battering Spain. I’m used to being wet and having wet docks, shoes, feet. I started in SJPP on September 20 and I just want to be done do I’ve done 2 x 28 km wet days in a row.

Have been sharing the Camino with tour operators since Puente la Reina. Not usually the same tour companies. Theres a lot with different agendas.

I stopped for breakfast about 3km from Palas de Rey and then went to the table to get my stamp. There were 2 people there. But the man clutching the stamp kept opening credential after credential to stamp them all. And when done passed it to the woman who also had an armload of credentials to stamp. I don’t know why neither put the stamp down in between opening the next credential so pilgrims like myself with one credential to stamp could get it done. And then I saw the blue mini bus that I’ve seen a few times since Sarria. First of 3 sightings today. I guess those two drew the short straws and had to put on rain ponchos and take all their bus companions credentials out to stamp.

And then I saw another tour group I haven’t seen before at Boente. Three mini buses. The tour operator provided them all with red raincoats with the company logo snd yellow umbrellas. They were hanging around for everyone to get the rain gear on and some of them decided it would be prudent to block the Camino marker to make it difficult for others on the Camino to know to turn there. I got around them but they were soon on the way singing the praises of the Camino. So high visibility in more ways than one, though that was fine with me. They’re happy. I was only annoyed about blocking the marker. Then the rain really bucketed down which dampened the singing and I lost sight and earshot of them. About 30 minutes later when I was off the trail and on the road, their buses were waiting. Kind of a neat concept. Bus a little. Walk a little. And you might not even need to get off the bus to get a stamp in your credential.

Some great observations

 

[Linda693]

Coming from the Wet Coast of Canada I’ve been hitting my stride with this Atlantic storm battering Spain. I’m used to being wet and having wet docks, shoes, feet. I started in SJPP on September 20 and I just want to be done do I’ve done 2 x 28 km wet days in a row.

Have been sharing the Camino with tour operators since Puente la Reina. Not usually the same tour companies. Theres a lot with different agendas.

I stopped for breakfast about 3km from Palas de Rey and then went to the table to get my stamp. There were 2 people there. But the man clutching the stamp kept opening credential after credential to stamp them all. And when done passed it to the woman who also had an armload of credentials to stamp. I don’t know why neither put the stamp down in between opening the next credential so pilgrims like myself with one credential to stamp could get it done. And then I saw the blue mini bus that I’ve seen a few times since Sarria. First of 3 sightings today. I guess those two drew the short straws and had to put on rain ponchos and take all their bus companions credentials out to stamp.

And then I saw another tour group I haven’t seen before at Boente. Three mini buses. The tour operator provided them all with red raincoats with the company logo snd yellow umbrellas. They were hanging around for everyone to get the rain gear on and some of them decided it would be prudent to block the Camino marker to make it difficult for others on the Camino to know to turn there. I got around them but they were soon on the way singing the praises of the Camino. So high visibility in more ways than one, though that was fine with me. They’re happy. I was only annoyed about blocking the marker. Then the rain really bucketed down which dampened the singing and I lost sight and earshot of them. About 30 minutes later when I was off the trail and on the road, their buses were waiting. Kind of a neat concept. Bus a little. Walk a little. And you might not even need to get off the bus to get a stamp in your credential.

Same happened to me in Barbadelo: waiting for my first cup of coffee at my Albergue that also had a restaurant and a tour opera in front of me was ordering coffee and breakfast for 25 people and didn’t have the grace to let me order mine until he was finished!

 

[VNwalking]

Word to the wise:
When there's a gale blowing from the side (or even from a 45° angle), be very careful with your lightweight walking poles. They can blow sideways in front of you and become a tripping hazard. I nearly faceplanted a few times on the way into Atapuerca in 2015 because of that - it felt very lucky that I stayed on my feet.

 

[John Crawford Howell]

Responding to PeteD. As a child, I loved splashing in puddles in the rain. As a teen & adult, I tried to avoid puddles. When I had children, I loved watching my own boys splash in puddles. On the Camino, I became a child again & thoroughly enjoyed the rain & splashed through the puddles, slid in the mud & laughed when I fell in the mud. I decided then I love everything that day brings.

In Hontanas, I washed all my clothes. It rained most of the night with thunder and lightning. The next morning, scarcely a kilometer out of town, I slipped in the mud and down I went, sliding for about 5 meters. When I got up, I was caked in mud from head to toe. What to do? Heidelberg man laughed, so I did, too. On we went . . .

 

[Keith H]

Yikes John! At least it was restricted to damage to the ego and more washing

 

[henrythedog]

I did once encounter a tour group whose conduct I could (just about) reconcile myself to. A dozen Mallorcans with a big van full of food and luggage, one of whom took turns to drive the van each day. At (pretty much) every road crossing the van was waiting with refreshments which they were inviting every passing Peregrino to share.

Technically 4 or 5 of them may have transgressed in the last 100k, but for their generosity I don’t think anyone would have complained

 

[John Crawford Howell]

Yikes John! At least it was restricted to damage to the ego and more washing

I was waiting for the Peregrina who watched me fold my freshly laundered clothes to pass me on the trail the next morning and say something like, "well, that didn't take long . . . " On the Camino, one learns to ditch the ego soon into the journey. Still, . . .

 

[Robo]

I feel fortunate I did not encounter these tour groups at any time even though I knew they were out there. I, therefore, avoided placing myself in a position to judge others who sheltered in their buses while I trudged on in the wind and rain. I'm glad I did it my way.

On my first Camino I encountered a group from the US. About 40 of them, led by an 80 year old Nun, who followed them up in the support bus (coach), with drinks, snacks and encouragement.

I was walking with an injury and by Sarria, was down to 10-12 kms a day, with any friends I had made along the way, now in Santiago or flying home.

So I decided to chat with all the 'new' Pilgrims, who had joined at Sarria.

I walked quite a way with the 'gang' from the bus........
They were lovely people and having an amazing Camino

 

[Trekker One]

I use to do long distance motorcycle touring with my father. Riding all day in the rain, you end up wet regardless of how good your riding suit is.
My dad liked to grin and say, 'You don't always have to be comfortable to be having fun.'
I remembered that when we were in a driving snow storm leaving O' Cebreio in March of 2019.
Fortunately being from northern Alberta, walking in a blizzard is old hat.