Trevor Johnson
New Member
- Time of past OR future Camino
- Trying to plan a trip.
Hello,
This is my first post. Sorry for the long introduction, but let me paint a picture for you of my motivations. Maybe somebody with familiarity of the Camino will be kind enough to read this all and offer me advice from experience.
We are an American family currently living among a jungle tribe in Papua, Indonesia (the left side of the island of New Guinea). I am a Protestant pastor and we've helped open a school and health clinic in our region.
We will return to the USA via Europe next summer to visit (and rest, this life is very difficult).
I would like to hike the Camino during our three weeks in Europe on the way home. I speak no Spanish at all.
Since we live remotely in a difficult setting I don't really want to "rough it" in Europe. I'd like to hike the Camino, as far as possible. I enjoy hiking and jogging. During the days I'd like to hike and jog the Camino. But at nights I want to spend time with my family and not sleep in a place with a bunch of strangers.
My reasons for hiking the Camino are:
(1) I am a fan of music from Medieval Europe, in particular the pilgrim songs, such as the Llibre Vermell di Montserrat (The Red Book of Montseerat), the pilgrim songs.
(2) I love to hike and love nature and want to do it for health.
(3) I would an official pilgrim certificate if I am able to do so as a Protestant.
(4) I want some quiet time walking with good views of nature (mountains, etc).
(5) I'd like to spend some time hiking with my son.
(6) We also want a relaxing family vacation.
Here are my preferences:
(1) I'd like a route that is not on roads much. I don't want to hear cars. I do not want to be in a big modern city.
(2) I want to introspect and not chat or see lots of people.
(3) My son will be 14 and I'd like him to hike some of the way with me.
(4) But, I'd also like to jog some sections alone.
(5) I am Protestant, but I'd like my son to get a "Pilgrim document"? Proof that we hiked. But I heard one has to do confession with a priest to do that? Is there an option for Protestants?
(6) I think the Camino Primitivo might be best for me if it is quietest and least developed and most rural and woody. Am I right?
But the Camino Catalan looks liek it is in the mountains and near Montserrat?
(7) Is there a way to put my wife and younger kids up at a nice hotel while my son and I hike?
(8) Is it possible to hear performances of the pilgrim chants? If I visit the monastery at Montserrat, do they still sing those songs for tourists?
(9). We will be traveling with luggage, so I need a home base or luggage service.
(10) I'd like to spend some nights back with my other family members. My wife can hike, too, but we have an 11 year old daughter, a 7 year old daughter and a 2 year old boy (4 kids in all). I'd love to hike short-distances with them.
(11) If my whole family wants to hike for a day or two, are there places to rent jogging strollers for the littlest ones?
I do not need my pilgrimage to terminate at the Cathedral of Saint John. I could end it at the Monastary of Montserrat as well, which might be more meaningful to me.
Maybe I should stay at Montserrat for a week in a hotel and use that as a base to hike? I think I can devote 10 days for the Camino if there is something for my younger kids to do back at the hotel. Are there hotels in Montserrat near the Monastery that is okay for kids?
I need help customizing a trip. I was thinking that I could jog the trail hard for 2 days and then have my son dropped with me for the 3rd and 4th day. I could cover 40 kilometers a day by myself and 20 with my son maybe and I could alternate those days. Is there a way to take a taxi back to my hotel each night or to find hotels along the way to meet my family there at night?
This all sounds complicated, I know, but I am torn between trying to make this a good family vacation at night with my kids and spending the days hiking alone. I can spend 2 or 3 nights away, but would like to hike all day but play with my kids and sleep next to my wife at nights as much as possible.
Please help advise me.
Thanks.
This is my first post. Sorry for the long introduction, but let me paint a picture for you of my motivations. Maybe somebody with familiarity of the Camino will be kind enough to read this all and offer me advice from experience.
We are an American family currently living among a jungle tribe in Papua, Indonesia (the left side of the island of New Guinea). I am a Protestant pastor and we've helped open a school and health clinic in our region.
We will return to the USA via Europe next summer to visit (and rest, this life is very difficult).
I would like to hike the Camino during our three weeks in Europe on the way home. I speak no Spanish at all.
Since we live remotely in a difficult setting I don't really want to "rough it" in Europe. I'd like to hike the Camino, as far as possible. I enjoy hiking and jogging. During the days I'd like to hike and jog the Camino. But at nights I want to spend time with my family and not sleep in a place with a bunch of strangers.
My reasons for hiking the Camino are:
(1) I am a fan of music from Medieval Europe, in particular the pilgrim songs, such as the Llibre Vermell di Montserrat (The Red Book of Montseerat), the pilgrim songs.
(2) I love to hike and love nature and want to do it for health.
(3) I would an official pilgrim certificate if I am able to do so as a Protestant.
(4) I want some quiet time walking with good views of nature (mountains, etc).
(5) I'd like to spend some time hiking with my son.
(6) We also want a relaxing family vacation.
Here are my preferences:
(1) I'd like a route that is not on roads much. I don't want to hear cars. I do not want to be in a big modern city.
(2) I want to introspect and not chat or see lots of people.
(3) My son will be 14 and I'd like him to hike some of the way with me.
(4) But, I'd also like to jog some sections alone.
(5) I am Protestant, but I'd like my son to get a "Pilgrim document"? Proof that we hiked. But I heard one has to do confession with a priest to do that? Is there an option for Protestants?
(6) I think the Camino Primitivo might be best for me if it is quietest and least developed and most rural and woody. Am I right?
But the Camino Catalan looks liek it is in the mountains and near Montserrat?
(7) Is there a way to put my wife and younger kids up at a nice hotel while my son and I hike?
(8) Is it possible to hear performances of the pilgrim chants? If I visit the monastery at Montserrat, do they still sing those songs for tourists?
(9). We will be traveling with luggage, so I need a home base or luggage service.
(10) I'd like to spend some nights back with my other family members. My wife can hike, too, but we have an 11 year old daughter, a 7 year old daughter and a 2 year old boy (4 kids in all). I'd love to hike short-distances with them.
(11) If my whole family wants to hike for a day or two, are there places to rent jogging strollers for the littlest ones?
I do not need my pilgrimage to terminate at the Cathedral of Saint John. I could end it at the Monastary of Montserrat as well, which might be more meaningful to me.
Maybe I should stay at Montserrat for a week in a hotel and use that as a base to hike? I think I can devote 10 days for the Camino if there is something for my younger kids to do back at the hotel. Are there hotels in Montserrat near the Monastery that is okay for kids?
I need help customizing a trip. I was thinking that I could jog the trail hard for 2 days and then have my son dropped with me for the 3rd and 4th day. I could cover 40 kilometers a day by myself and 20 with my son maybe and I could alternate those days. Is there a way to take a taxi back to my hotel each night or to find hotels along the way to meet my family there at night?
This all sounds complicated, I know, but I am torn between trying to make this a good family vacation at night with my kids and spending the days hiking alone. I can spend 2 or 3 nights away, but would like to hike all day but play with my kids and sleep next to my wife at nights as much as possible.
Please help advise me.
Thanks.