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Search 69,459 Camino Questions

A growing concern.

andywild

Active Member
Time of past OR future Camino
CF april 18.. CP sep 18.. CF april 2020
So, it's roughly 4 weeks until I set off on my CF and I've noticed that I increasingly seem to be slipping it into conversations at an alarming rate.. it started by telling family and friends but now seem to be telling random strangers at any opportunity..

Barbers having a beard trim.. "going anywhere nice this year?.... Well, now you mention it..."
Walking the dog and bumping into other random dog walkers invariably ends up with a description of my coming adventure..
Am I becoming a Camino bore? Is it just me or has anyone else found themselves waffling on to old ladies at bus stops who are probably more interested in getting home in time to watch EastEnders on the telly?
I would have more questions to ask on this subject but I've just seen Marjorie from number 74 walk past and think I'll catch her up for a chat.
 
Ideal sleeping bag liner whether we want to add a thermal plus to our bag, or if we want to use it alone to sleep in shelters or hostels. Thanks to its mummy shape, it adapts perfectly to our body.

€46,-
Just wait until you return after your Camino. That's when the urge to go on and on is met with what could be described as "polite listening". So it's good that you are becoming habituated now. :)

Buen camino.

Tom
 
Technical backpack for day trips with backpack cover and internal compartment for the hydration bladder. Ideal daypack for excursions where we need a medium capacity backpack. The back with Air Flow System creates large air channels that will keep our back as cool as possible.

€83,-
Yesterday I spoke about my upcoming pilgrimage to the mother of the boyfriend of the women who is the daughter of the women my father married after divorcing my mother. In all fairness, she asked me about it..sort of.. Does that count?
What do you think.??;)
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
So, it's roughly 4 weeks until I set off on my CF and I've noticed that I increasingly seem to be slipping it into conversations at an alarming rate.. it started by telling family and friends but now seem to be telling random strangers at any opportunity..

Barbers having a beard trim.. "going anywhere nice this year?.... Well, now you mention it..."
Walking the dog and bumping into other random dog walkers invariably ends up with a description of my coming adventure..
Am I becoming a Camino bore? Is it just me or has anyone else found themselves waffling on to old ladies at bus stops who are probably more interested in getting home in time to watch EastEnders on the telly?
I would have more questions to ask on this subject but I've just seen Marjorie from number 74 walk past and think I'll catch her up for a chat.

Another one trapped.
 
Yesterday I spoke about my upcoming pilgrimage to the mother of the boyfriend of the women who is the daughter of the women my father married after divorcing my mother. In all fairness, she asked me about it..sort of.. Does that count?
I'd say she was a perfect candidate.. feel free to pass on her phone number and I'll update her on my progress too
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
I am planning the Camino del Norte in August 2018...I don't really tell anyone or talk about it...but I did have a friend that is Mexican-American mention...that I am increasingly speaking and writing in Spanish.
 
Last edited:
So, it's roughly 4 weeks until I set off on my CF and I've noticed that I increasingly seem to be slipping it into conversations at an alarming rate.. it started by telling family and friends but now seem to be telling random strangers at any opportunity..

Barbers having a beard trim.. "going anywhere nice this year?.... Well, now you mention it..."
Walking the dog and bumping into other random dog walkers invariably ends up with a description of my coming adventure..
Am I becoming a Camino bore? Is it just me or has anyone else found themselves waffling on to old ladies at bus stops who are probably more interested in getting home in time to watch EastEnders on the telly?
I would have more questions to ask on this subject but I've just seen Marjorie from number 74 walk past and think I'll catch her up for a chat.
Too funny - but definitely can relate!! I’m sure I’ve sure I even mentioned it to the garbage man.... you looked at me quizzically like I was a nut ! Penny
 
A selection of Camino Jewellery
I believe, contrary to popular belief, that this forum was set up by non-pilgrims in the vain hope that if we could talk to eachother about the Camino maybe we'd just leave them alone.

This plan however has backfired terribly and now the forum is just a source of new topics to annoy our nearest and dearest.
 
I’m trying to work out if you guys are for real or not! The only people I talk to are those who ask (and I have assisted a few now to make their own pilgrimages)....even my kids have limited interest. They put my Caminos in the same category as my parents’ cruises.
 
New Original Camino Gear Designed Especially with The Modern Peregrino In Mind!
I believe, contrary to popular belief, that this forum was set up by non-pilgrims in the vain hope that if we could talk to eachother about the Camino maybe we'd just leave them alone.

This plan however has backfired terribly and now the forum is just a source of new topics to annoy our nearest and dearest.
I Love that belief !! I'm all for a backfiring plan
 
On Monday I will be putting up the BIG map of the caminos in Spain on my office wall so that I can show all the poor sods who walk past my office just where I will be walking this year and why I have to retire so I can walk all the really long caminos. My co-workers will only have to endure another two years of my obsession.

I talk to everyone about my trips - yes my hairdresser knows. I bought a new phone for the trip, so I had to mention it in the store - make sure that the phone was unlocked, since I will be going to Spain... I don't think a day goes by without talking to complete strangers about my trip in May.
 
Yesterday I spoke about my upcoming pilgrimage to the mother of the boyfriend of the women who is the daughter of the women my father married after divorcing my mother. In all fairness, she asked me about it..sort of.. Does that count?
That made me laugh out loud!! And I think that would count, absolutely!
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
Andy, we love you but you need to know that you are addicted and that is a good thing. And it will only get worse from here on. That means you will get even more of a good thing. If not all ready, you will likely transition from reading the Camino Forum once a week to at least once a day, so you do not miss anything.

You are chomping at the bit to get out there now, and this will worsen until you are actually there. At that point, you will experience a 35 to 50 day high, during and after completion. At 60 days, at a minimum, be prepared for the Camino Blues. They will set in for an extended period, until a return trip to another Camino can be planned and executed.

This is the roller coaster ride that will be the rest of your life, yes?
 
So, it's roughly 4 weeks until I set off on my CF and I've noticed that I increasingly seem to be slipping it into conversations at an alarming rate.. it started by telling family and friends but now seem to be telling random strangers at any opportunity..

Barbers having a beard trim.. "going anywhere nice this year?.... Well, now you mention it..."
Walking the dog and bumping into other random dog walkers invariably ends up with a description of my coming adventure..
Am I becoming a Camino bore? Is it just me or has anyone else found themselves waffling on to old ladies at bus stops who are probably more interested in getting home in time to watch EastEnders on the telly?
I would have more questions to ask on this subject but I've just seen Marjorie from number 74 walk past and think I'll catch her up for a chat.
love it! and I’m with ya. My poor husband hears about every gram that is bound for my backpack. He says it weighs heavily on his mind! Bien Camino
 
Technical backpack for day trips with backpack cover and internal compartment for the hydration bladder. Ideal daypack for excursions where we need a medium capacity backpack. The back with Air Flow System creates large air channels that will keep our back as cool as possible.

€83,-
Yup my hairdresser, man who mows the lawn, the staff at KFC drive through, the Thai restaurant, the checkout ladies at Countdown, Bivouac, Kathmandu, MacPac, Spark, ANZ staff, Zpack's Matt, all my tolerant neighbours (bless them) any unsuspecting soul on the Streets, tracks, bushes (not dodgy), paths of Cambridge that dare engage me in conversation - the Streets of Cambridge are no longer safe ....;) from a real 'talker' wearing her backpack ...
Awesome thread love, love, LOVE it.
Thank you @andywild.
Ohhh got to go the courier has just arrived!! I will invite her in for a coffee and a chat.
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
Thank you for this most entertaining and comforting post. I suffer from the same affliction, quietly worrying and thinking that my husband and others close to me are all of the mind that Camino planning had become my "post retirement new normal" and really is all I have to talk about when they arrive home at the end of the day and ask me what's new? I respond with "well I picked up these great sock liners that will surely help prevent blisters along the way and by the way "I found this great Ivar post and terrific YouTube video by this guy named Stephen Jones who is documenting his journey for others to enjoy, oh yes and Tide was on sale today at the grocery store." I take comfort in the fact, however, that my husband has now been sucked into the Camino vortex and is asking me if we can watch one more day of Stephen's pilgrimage before we turn in for the night. He tells me he is taking comfort in seeing that there are lots of friendly faces along the trail should I happen to get turned around or need help and can now understand why I think it is important to stay at some of the albergues along the way to get that true Camino experience.
So yes, I agree it's all consuming or should I say I've chosen to let it consume me. I make no apology for that. I do wonder, however, if I'm overdoing the research and should just let it happen but then I remind myself that I would miss the blog, miss the video posts and miss that kid like anticipation of something exciting about to unfold.
Thank you fellow Pilgrims!
 
So, it's roughly 4 weeks until I set off on my CF and I've noticed that I increasingly seem to be slipping it into conversations at an alarming rate.. it started by telling family and friends but now seem to be telling random strangers at any opportunity..

Barbers having a beard trim.. "going anywhere nice this year?.... Well, now you mention it..."
Walking the dog and bumping into other random dog walkers invariably ends up with a description of my coming adventure..
Am I becoming a Camino bore? Is it just me or has anyone else found themselves waffling on to old ladies at bus stops who are probably more interested in getting home in time to watch EastEnders on the telly?
I would have more questions to ask on this subject but I've just seen Marjorie from number 74 walk past and think I'll catch her up for a chat.

:) You're just enthusiastic, that's all.
 
Join our full-service guided tour and let us convert you into a Pampered Pilgrim!
Just wait until you return after your Camino. That's when the urge to go on and on is met with what could be described as "polite listening". So it's good that you are becoming habituated now. :)

Buen camino.

Tom

EXACTLY!! Every conversation starts, “when I was on the Camino....” LOL!!

Buen Camino!!
 
The first edition came out in 2003 and has become the go-to-guide for many pilgrims over the years. It is shipping with a Pilgrim Passport (Credential) from the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela.
I've had to sketch a few picture to try and follow this one. :oops:
Me too.
You plucked the words out of my mouth.
Mine too.
Ohhh got to go the courier has just arrived!! I will invite her in for a coffee and a chat.
Hahahahahaha! I can just see it. Well, Carmen, if you have run out of victims, you could always go down the road to the botanical gardens in Hamilton. There are plenty of folks walking there, even this time of year. Put a shell on your pack and you never know - you might stumble across someone else in the same boat as you!
 
yes my hairdresser knows.
When i walk in, my hairdresser asks "Will this be a regular cut or a going-away (short) cut?"
you will likely transition from reading the Camino Forum once a week to at least once a day, so you do not miss anything
I have no doubt that he is well beyond once a day already!
 
Ideal sleeping bag liner whether we want to add a thermal plus to our bag, or if we want to use it alone to sleep in shelters or hostels. Thanks to its mummy shape, it adapts perfectly to our body.

€46,-
Me too.

Mine too.

Hahahahahaha! I can just see it. Well, Carmen, if you have run out of victims, you could always go down the road to the botanical gardens in Hamilton. There are plenty of folks walking there, even this time of year. Put a shell on your pack and you never know - you might stumble across someone else in the same boat as you!
Ohhhhh Hamilton you say ...... Fresh meat me thinks .....;)
 
I'd go after Marjorie from 74 right now :)

My sister in law who lives in another city sent me a whatsapp message yesterday saying "Flight Centre has specials for Spain. I don't remember when you are going again, but you surely are going again, right?"

In terms of chatting, I'm lucky of hitting camino jackpot: married a guy ho loves to travel, walk and is so excited about talking Camino-stuff as I am :D
 
Get a spanish phone number with Airalo. eSim, so no physical SIM card. Easy to use app to add more funds if needed.
A few days ago on a group walk, I noticed one of the ladies wearing shell earrings. OF COURSE I asked if she'd walked the Camino. She said she hadn't, but I was the 3rd person who'd asked her. Then she said "Maybe I need to start planning a trip to Spain!" :D:D Can't wait to see her this week -- wonder how much she's paying for airfare and what kind of pack she's gotten and how is she getting to Saint Jean... Maybe she needs some suggestions about the best albergues, and where to get the best huevos y jamón for 2nd breakfast... :D:D

GREAT thread!!!!
 
Me too.

Mine too.

Hahahahahaha! I can just see it. Well, Carmen, if you have run out of victims, you could always go down the road to the botanical gardens in Hamilton. There are plenty of folks walking there, even this time of year. Put a shell on your pack and you never know - you might stumble across someone else in the same boat as you!
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Down bag (90/10 duvet) of 700 fills with 180 g (6.34 ounces) of filling. Mummy-shaped structure, ideal when you are looking for lightness with great heating performance.

€149,-
Did you like the Pied Piper story when you were small, andywild? Look at what you started! Pity Monty Python was last century...
I've obviously stumbled onto a very common side effect of Camino walking.. I'm glad it's not just me though.. do you think having cards printed with a link to my blog would be a step too far? Or maybe print some t shirts? Balloons!!! Everybody loves balloons
 
I would say I am not talking so much about my Camino. Well, more or less all of my friends and relatives and some of the neighbours know it... but my chatting-enthusiasm is lessened if I see that the person is not as excited as I am... and it is really weird, most of the time that is the case if the person does not plan a camino or has not already done a camino.

... If not all ready, you will likely transition from reading the Camino Forum once a week to at least once a day, so you do not miss anything...

Only once a week or once a day?
You are kidding, aren't you?
Ok, at least once a day can mean many times a day as well...

Oh, this forum is really great, I think!
So many persons who are as excited as I am!
 
New Original Camino Gear Designed Especially with The Modern Peregrino In Mind!
So, it's roughly 4 weeks until I set off on my CF and I've noticed that I increasingly seem to be slipping it into conversations at an alarming rate.. it started by telling family and friends but now seem to be telling random strangers at any opportunity..

Barbers having a beard trim.. "going anywhere nice this year?.... Well, now you mention it..."
Walking the dog and bumping into other random dog walkers invariably ends up with a description of my coming adventure..
Am I becoming a Camino bore? Is it just me or has anyone else found themselves waffling on to old ladies at bus stops who are probably more interested in getting home in time to watch EastEnders on the telly?
I would have more questions to ask on this subject but I've just seen Marjorie from number 74 walk past and think I'll catch her up for a chat.
Good for you. I started to tell more and more people the closer I got to leaving I am on day eleven now and because of a heart problem am taking it slowly and all the better for it. I told my vicar just before I left, he asked me if I was doing it all on my own. Of course not, I said, God will be with me! I left St Jean on the first anniversary of my husband’s death on 11th March and I am now in Los Arcos and it is snowing!
Tell the world it is the most healing and meaningful thing you may ever do in your life, Susan x
 
So, it's roughly 4 weeks until I set off on my CF and I've noticed that I increasingly seem to be slipping it into conversations at an alarming rate.. it started by telling family and friends but now seem to be telling random strangers at any opportunity..

Barbers having a beard trim.. "going anywhere nice this year?.... Well, now you mention it..."
Walking the dog and bumping into other random dog walkers invariably ends up with a description of my coming adventure..
Am I becoming a Camino bore? Is it just me or has anyone else found themselves waffling on to old ladies at bus stops who are probably more interested in getting home in time to watch EastEnders on the telly?
I would have more questions to ask on this subject but I've just seen Marjorie from number 74 walk past and think I'll catch her up for a chat.
Thank you Andy so much for posting this! Now I finally feel quasi normal after reading and laughing so hard at this post and associated replies! Damn I thought I was the only one who did this. Causing the glazed over eyes, the walking slowly backwards out of a room, constant checking of the watch, frequent attempts at others to change the topic..but wait I reply, I haven't yet told you of my 10 th day of walking the Camino last year or have some more wine while I tell you of my upcoming newest Camino. Just wait till you hear this........
 
A selection of Camino Jewellery
I’m trying to work out if you guys are for real or not! The only people I talk to are those who ask (and I have assisted a few now to make their own pilgrimages)....even my kids have limited interest. They put my Caminos in the same category as my parents’ cruises.

I must say that I am in the same camp as @Kiwi-family. If someone asks then there's no stopping me but unless I'm talking with Camino veteran friends I rarely bring the topic up myself.

Years ago my kids stopped asking me where I was going on vacation, instead conversation went along the lines of "so what route are you taking this time around?"
It was nice though when my daughter decided to walk a week (Via de la Plata in January!) and wanted to have advice. That experience provided her some insight into my addiction:D
 
My name is Sharon, and I am a Camino addict. I have found the best way to avoid the glazed look from family is to take them with me. My 19 year old granddaughter went with me May last year and wants to go again. My daughter would not even look at my on line photo album until she walked with me September last year now she asks for pictures. It is getting a little expensive taking family so I might have to take out a loan to take my work buddies too. Mmm the forum is looking better....and cheaper for Camino talk by the way did I tell you I am walking leaving May 8 to walk the Camino Francis, a 72 year old woman, alone. My life has already begun changing just planning the Camino as I face past hurt... I can go on .....
........ forever... expect updates
 
A selection of Camino Jewellery
So I put up the big map of Spain in my office this morning and told my co-workers to come and see my decoration. I found out that they were more interested in the camino once I explained that I go through lots of towns every day - it was almost like eating my way across Spain. What with breakfast, 2nd breakfast, tea, lunch, tea, afternoon snack and dinner I was never far from restaurants. I must work on tailoring my camino talk to the audience... must find pictures of food and wine...
 
Join our full-service guided tour and let us convert you into a Pampered Pilgrim!
I don't say a lot because most people just don't get it. The idea of the Camino either grabs hold of you or it doesn't. And for many, it's not something they can comprehend.

Here in suburban US we don't walk to our mailboxes at the end of the drive, never mind across an entire country. I tell people I walked 200 miles across northern Spain and they say, oh. And I'm going back to walk the final 300 miles. Oh. :confused:

On the other hand, a local trail club does an annual walk across the state of Delaware -- 15 miles along a (flat) canal path, with porta-potties and tables full of snacks and drinks mid-way through. Friends are in AWE that I've walked across Delaware. Twice. All the way across Delaware. Can you believe it!?! She walked across Delaware! Wow! Hey, do you know that she.... :rolleyes:

Go figure.

Then there's my 99-year-old Dad, who couldn't resist a good chuckle when I told him about the Camino. "You have to go all the way to Spain to take a walk?"

Thanks, Dad! ;)
 
Large Camino map on office wall is fine;
It will tell you who is a patient and true friend;

I take my Camino ramblings as a sweet revenge/karma on the other half of civilisation who believes in football should fill one´s whole life!!
I abhorr anything with football and query the use of knowing all the players in the Club Finals.
But we know all the stops from SJPdP to CdS - Right !!
 
Down bag (90/10 duvet) of 700 fills with 180 g (6.34 ounces) of filling. Mummy-shaped structure, ideal when you are looking for lightness with great heating performance.

€149,-
Good for you. I started to tell more and more people the closer I got to leaving I am on day eleven now and because of a heart problem am taking it slowly and all the better for it. I told my vicar just before I left, he asked me if I was doing it all on my own. Of course not, I said, God will be with me! I left St Jean on the first anniversary of my husband’s death on 11th March and I am now in Los Arcos and it is snowing!
Tell the world it is the most healing and meaningful thing you may ever do in your life, Susan x
Susan, keep posting, let us know how it goes for you.
 
Oh yes, the final diagnosis of Caminoitis is confirmed when your nearest and dearest develop selective deafness and just nod and hmm at appropriate intervals, whilst watching TV, reading, driving in the car etc when another Camino anecdote slips out. Sometimes they have that special 1,000 yard stare when they know they can't escape...

When you are out shopping, you aren't interested in style but in weight. Your nearest and dearest can only pretend to be interested when you find the perfect (i.e. near weightless) soap holder or quick-drying T-shirt, even though it is hideous orange that would make a tangerine feel ill...

And you don't take the hint that they aren't the least interested in you practicing your schoolboy Spanish as you look at a menu and wonder if the salad is 'sin etun'....

At least they get a 2 / 4 / 6/ 8 week break before it all starts again, complete with a thousand new photographs, observations, stories. and enthusiasm for the next trip o_Oo_Oo_O
 
Ideal sleeping bag liner whether we want to add a thermal plus to our bag, or if we want to use it alone to sleep in shelters or hostels. Thanks to its mummy shape, it adapts perfectly to our body.

€46,-
Leaving in two weeks......... That is funny, I have recently noticed approaching acquaintances hurriedly cross the street ahead when they see me coming. More of my calls to others go to voice mail. Now I know why. Wish I still had a dog.......
 
Very light, comfortable and compressible poncho. Specially designed for protection against water for any activity.

Our Atmospheric H30 poncho offers lightness and waterproofness. Easily compressible and made with our Waterproof fabric, its heat-sealed interior seams guarantee its waterproofness. Includes carrying bag.

€60,-
So, it's roughly 4 weeks until I set off on my CF and I've noticed that I increasingly seem to be slipping it into conversations at an alarming rate.. it started by telling family and friends but now seem to be telling random strangers at any opportunity..

Barbers having a beard trim.. "going anywhere nice this year?.... Well, now you mention it..."
Walking the dog and bumping into other random dog walkers invariably ends up with a description of my coming adventure..
Am I becoming a Camino bore? Is it just me or has anyone else found themselves waffling on to old ladies at bus stops who are probably more interested in getting home in time to watch EastEnders on the telly?
I would have more questions to ask on this subject but I've just seen Marjorie from number 74 walk past and think I'll catch her up for a chat.


Learn and speak Spanish and you will be ok. I am from ireland and speak my native language Gailge so when cranky I use to pilgrims. 33 days on Norte once and everybody guesssed I was from Bulgaria. Met no English speaker in 33 days but did you hear about the universal Camino language. Works every time
 
My name is Sharon, and I am a Camino addict. I have found the best way to avoid the glazed look from family is to take them with me. My 19 year old granddaughter went with me May last year and wants to go again. My daughter would not even look at my on line photo album until she walked with me September last year now she asks for pictures. It is getting a little expensive taking family so I might have to take out a loan to take my work buddies too. Mmm the forum is looking better....and cheaper for Camino talk by the way did I tell you I am walking leaving May 8 to walk the Camino Francis, a 72 year old woman, alone. My life has already begun changing just planning the Camino as I face past hurt... I can go on .....
........ forever... expect updates
Also a "Camino Addict" here. I am a 67 year old woman setting off on my own from SJPdP on May 8th as well. Maybe we'll see each other there! Buen Camino!
 
"Laugh out Loud" - I am literally sitting here laughing at all of the above comments on this thread as it is the funniest thread I have ever read on this site. !!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks to all of you.

(I now have to walk into my bosses office and ask for 6 weeks vacation leave!)
 
Technical backpack for day trips with backpack cover and internal compartment for the hydration bladder. Ideal daypack for excursions where we need a medium capacity backpack. The back with Air Flow System creates large air channels that will keep our back as cool as possible.

€83,-
Down bag (90/10 duvet) of 700 fills with 180 g (6.34 ounces) of filling. Mummy-shaped structure, ideal when you are looking for lightness with great heating performance.

€149,-
I had to ask my boss for 8 months unpaid leave. Still can't believe she said yes, and let me come back in january 2019 :)
I wish you good luck talking to yours!
Now maybe I'm the suspicious type but if an employee asked for 8 months off the first thing I would think of would be prison... I'd make sure you show them some photos when you get back. Or even do a full PowerPoint presentation!! I'll come and help out!
 
Join our full-service guided tour and let us convert you into a Pampered Pilgrim!
.....He heard I was coming and left the building for lunch.....Should I be concerned??????
Simply explain that it needs to be done and that you will fill them in with every detail (before, during and after) of every tiny fact involved.. the odds are you'll definitely get invited round for a meal and maybe even get a promotion
 
Very light, comfortable and compressible poncho. Specially designed for protection against water for any activity.

Our Atmospheric H30 poncho offers lightness and waterproofness. Easily compressible and made with our Waterproof fabric, its heat-sealed interior seams guarantee its waterproofness. Includes carrying bag.

€60,-
May dog always listened no matter what....

Just wait a few more weeks. My cat is already meowing in Spanish.


I'm seriously beginning to wish I was walking with you lot on this thread..

If you are writing on a blog, you will have internet access and can find most of us here anytime! :D Keep posting here, or maybe on the Live from The Camino area and keep the laughs loud! :D
 
yes this is me down to a tea! This is not my first long hike but it’s my first Camino! I’m super excited, I start on 27th May in SJPdP and my bag has been packed for weeks already!!! And yes... EVERYBODY is hearing about my upcoming Camino
 
Ideal sleeping bag liner whether we want to add a thermal plus to our bag, or if we want to use it alone to sleep in shelters or hostels. Thanks to its mummy shape, it adapts perfectly to our body.

€46,-
I'm seriously beginning to wish I was walking with you lot on this thread..

The great thing about the camino is that it's full of likeminded people. If we're not a distant memory of a far off world by the end of week one you're doing it wrong.
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
Today I caught myself showing someone a photo of my rucksack on my phone...

Normal person getting phone out.."here's a photo of my kids"...

Me wrestling phone from pocket... "Wait til you see this rucksack.."...
 
yes this is me down to a tea! This is not my first long hike but it’s my first Camino! I’m super excited, I start on 27th May in SJPdP and my bag has been packed for weeks already!!! And yes... EVERYBODY is hearing about my upcoming Camino

Just wait until you get home................This "disease" gets worse ! (Buen Camino)
 
Get a spanish phone number with Airalo. eSim, so no physical SIM card. Easy to use app to add more funds if needed.
So, it's roughly 4 weeks until I set off on my CF and I've noticed that I increasingly seem to be slipping it into conversations at an alarming rate.. it started by telling family and friends but now seem to be telling random strangers at any opportunity..

Barbers having a beard trim.. "going anywhere nice this year?.... Well, now you mention it..."
Walking the dog and bumping into other random dog walkers invariably ends up with a description of my coming adventure..
Am I becoming a Camino bore? Is it just me or has anyone else found themselves waffling on to old ladies at bus stops who are probably more interested in getting home in time to watch EastEnders on the telly?
I would have more questions to ask on this subject but I've just seen Marjorie from number 74 walk past and think I'll catch her up for a chat.
I am the same! It is good to hear you are doing this. I think people are mostly being really nice to me though - they keep saying they are envious and would like to come too. Others look at me as if I'm insane. I went on a short cruise ship trip last week and one woman was telling me she only does cruise ship holidays as she likes to have everything on hand without having to walk anywhere or have any uncertainty or risk with food she might not like. She asked me what I was doing for my time off this year. After my reply the conversation didn't go far.... I'm starting 28 April. Will look out for you.
 
So, it's roughly 4 weeks until I set off on my CF and I've noticed that I increasingly seem to be slipping it into conversations at an alarming rate.. it started by telling family and friends but now seem to be telling random strangers at any opportunity..

Barbers having a beard trim.. "going anywhere nice this year?.... Well, now you mention it..."
Walking the dog and bumping into other random dog walkers invariably ends up with a description of my coming adventure..
Am I becoming a Camino bore? Is it just me or has anyone else found themselves waffling on to old ladies at bus stops who are probably more interested in getting home in time to watch EastEnders on the telly?
I would have more questions to ask on this subject but I've just seen Marjorie from number 74 walk past and think I'll catch her up for a chat.


Ha.. I feel the same telling friends about the walk and watching their expression in awe!!
We should feel great just thinking about the walk!!
 
St James' Way - Self-guided 4-7 day Walking Packages, Reading to Southampton, 110 kms
Thanks to everyone for a bit of light relief. After tossing and turning at 3 am , lists everywhere and trying to get in some walking it was good to have a laugh. And yes guilty . Its amazing how it just slips into every conversation.
 
Agreed! @andywild Thank you for the comic relief during this posting.
After reading through it it appears many of us get the same looks and reactions from our friends, family and sometimes even strangers when we even mention the word Camino.
It's amazing how this can become permeated into one's life!
 
So, it's roughly 4 weeks until I set off on my CF and I've noticed that I increasingly seem to be slipping it into conversations at an alarming rate.. it started by telling family and friends but now seem to be telling random strangers at any opportunity..

Barbers having a beard trim.. "going anywhere nice this year?.... Well, now you mention it..."
Walking the dog and bumping into other random dog walkers invariably ends up with a description of my coming adventure..
Am I becoming a Camino bore? Is it just me or has anyone else found themselves waffling on to old ladies at bus stops who are probably more interested in getting home in time to watch EastEnders on the telly?
I would have more questions to ask on this subject but I've just seen Marjorie from number 74 walk past and think I'll catch her up for a chat.
I have two months to go and I feel people are avoiding me.....
 
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Andy, I've just spoken to Marjorie from number 74, she was very abrupt saying 'not another conversation about the Camino, isn't it enough the BBC are covering it?' I told her of my adventures and said I had used a 50 litre ruck-sack, Marjorie said apparently you Camino people really do believe size matters. Maybe drop in on Marjorie and over a cup of tea you can tell her your story, and if she isn't listening, then please do come back here, because we do want to hear how it is going, how it is gone, and especially how you have changed from the beautiful experience. Oh, if it helps here is a photo of my kit, before I packed it last year.IMG_3785.JPGIMG_3785.JPG
 
Get used to it...it's not going to get better. Wait until you return and want to tell everyone about your Camino--you will eventually learn to stop when you see a certain degree of glazedness in the eyes of your friends and the lady at the bus stop.

Marylynn, I blame you; the first person I encountered on Camino, back in 2014, who shocked me when you said you were on your #...Camino. Kidding...people do this more than once? Love sandi, heading out on # 4 , Francis/San Salvidor/Primitivo , May/18. Chance of seeing you?
 
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This thread is so hilarious I'm snorting. Thanks all for the smile you put on my face today. I don't know anyone else in Athens, OH who has walked a Camino so forums are my place to feel at home. Leaving in 2 weeks to walk The Way of St Francis in Italy, to Devon and Ireland to walk pilgrimage routes in August for a month, and already planning for the Portugues next spring. At least it's a healthy addiction:)
 
It’s been almost a year since I started my 3rd Camino, EFI. Not a day goes by without me thinking of some aspect of my experiences. I have set a goal of doing it again in 2022 when I’m 80.

I’m not sure I can wait that long. No doubt when I read these posts my longing intensifies.
 
I'm surprised, a bit, that many have missed the plague that I experience. Soon after ... well, sort of soon after... I incessantly talk about my Camino experience and offer pictorial proof, I'm changing the subject to my upcoming Camino experience in, well, x or xx number of months or years! If you believe that describing your experience is boring to family and friends, try talking to people about the difference between "doing" Portuguese Interior and "the Coastal Route....":eek:
 
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Andy, I've just spoken to Marjorie from number 74, she was very abrupt saying 'not another conversation about the Camino, isn't it enough the BBC are covering it?' I told her of my adventures and said I had used a 50 litre ruck-sack, Marjorie said apparently you Camino people really do believe size matters. Maybe drop in on Marjorie and over a cup of tea you can tell her your story, and if she isn't listening, then please do come back here, because we do want to hear how it is going, how it is gone, and especially how you have changed from the beautiful experience. Oh, if it helps here is a photo of my kit, before I packed it last year.View attachment 40506View attachment 40506
The husband who had carried his wife's hair dryer in his rucksack received a round of "True Love" applause in the albergue. And then the wife was advised to ditch it.
 
So, it's roughly 4 weeks until I set off on my CF and I've noticed that I increasingly seem to be slipping it into conversations at an alarming rate.. it started by telling family and friends but now seem to be telling random strangers at any opportunity..

Barbers having a beard trim.. "going anywhere nice this year?.... Well, now you mention it..."
Walking the dog and bumping into other random dog walkers invariably ends up with a description of my coming adventure..
Am I becoming a Camino bore? Is it just me or has anyone else found themselves waffling on to old ladies at bus stops who are probably more interested in getting home in time to watch EastEnders on the telly?
I would have more questions to ask on this subject but I've just seen Marjorie from number 74 walk past and think I'll catch her up for a chat.
Andy welcome to the Camino I walked in Aug, last year and am about to go again in two weeks.You are passionate and normal just like I am You are about to have your life changed if like some of my friends, your friends cant see that then thats their problem.
I am now for possibly, the first time in my life (I am 69) so very proud of myself.
Keep spreading the word.I have managed to influence my son in law into coming with me this time and the changes he has made to his physical state will save his life.
So keep talking you will change your life and you may save some one else,s life as well . Good luck and God bless.
 
Good for you. I leave in 23 weeks. I am sharing my journey already. I have my friends checking out my backpack and every ounce going in it. Lol.

I think I like my backpack more than my children. It actually cost more than my first car!
My son asked where I was walking to today and suggested the outdoor store ( MEC) so that I might be able to interact with other crazies.
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
This thread is so hilarious I'm snorting. Thanks all for the smile you put on my face today. I don't know anyone else in Athens, OH who has walked a Camino so forums are my place to feel at home. Leaving in 2 weeks to walk The Way of St Francis in Italy, to Devon and Ireland to walk pilgrimage routes in August for a month, and already planning for the Portugues next spring. At least it's a healthy addiction:)

You watch now.....you will be the one spreading the Camino love all over Ohio. Next year the forum will be filled with folks. They will all be blaming you.
 
Andy, we love you but you need to know that you are addicted and that is a good thing. And it will only get worse from here on. That means you will get even more of a good thing. If not all ready, you will likely transition from reading the Camino Forum once a week to at least once a day, so you do not miss anything.

You are chomping at the bit to get out there now, and this will worsen until you are actually there. At that point, you will experience a 35 to 50 day high, during and after completion. At 60 days, at a minimum, be prepared for the Camino Blues. They will set in for an extended period, until a return trip to another Camino can be planned and executed.

This is the roller coaster ride that will be the rest of your life, yes?
Try to live every Camino minute along the way. Buen Camino!
 
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Thank you for these awesome posts. I liken it to Close Encounters of a Third Kind. Those who have been through it or want to go through it truly understand. We have a local chapter now in South Bend, IN of American Pilgrims on the Camino. That has been a huge help.
 

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