Booked, stressed and oh hey from Brisbane.

[ward4e]

So yeah, hello...

I've been reading the pages of this forum as a guest for a week or so now gaining information and help from all of you and I thought I really should introduce myself! Firstly to say thank you too all of you for sharing your experiences and journeys and secondly to start asking questions of my own... over in the right sections...

So anyway i'm hitting the way from an architects perspective with a camera going from SJPP to SDC on hopefully the 8th of April, 2012. So if you see a tall ginger auzzie with a green hat, massive sun / wind burn and a lost (happy) expression heading the wrong way please be kind and lend me some sunscreen!!!

cheers... wardy.

 

[miguel_gp]

Hi Wardy,

Welcome to the fold . No signs of stress in your post, you sound pretty laid back!

Plenty of people waiting to help you with any questions you have, so fire away when ready.....

Regards
Mig

 

[ward4e]

Hey Miguel,

Well its a strange, its a mental shift that happens with me when i actually commit to something. Never could figure it out. Before i commit to a project, trip, an ex, i am running around stressing saying "i'll do it" or "i'm going to do it" but never actually doing "it". Double and triple guessing myself and from when I press that "go" button and commit to doing it, pay airfares or take a stake... I'm really calm, its happening and there's nothing that can stop that feeling.

That and the fact I have till the 4th of April to get all my planning done is a luxury you don't get in the construction industry... a massive lead time!!!

Plus its really soothing making a decision with a beer in your hand. I'm not saying its the Australian way but by god it helps sometimes.

 

[jpflavin1]

Wardy:

There is plenty of beer along the Camino so I envision you having a soothing trip.

Ultreya mate,
Joe

 

[ward4e]

well that's one thing less to worry about I guess!

no i'm going around today to work to grab my calendar and start planning out my trip so I'll be asking questions today!

 

[miguel_gp]

There is plenty of beer along the Camino so I envision you having a soothing trip.

Yeah, you can knock that slab of VB off your packing list

 

[ward4e]

[vimeo][/vimeo]

There is plenty of beer along the Camino so I envision you having a soothing trip.

Yeah, you can knock that slab of VB off your packing list

vb, ich no... no i'll be dragging 12 slabs of boags draught behind me on a trolley. far more tasty and almost the same price!

 

[ward4e]

Might seem a little retarded to ask but, does anyone sew their national flag on their bag anymore? I haven't seen this for years and most of the couch surfers i host don't do it. But I was talking to my brothers their recommending it...

Anyone flying their flags? Its not like you can't pick out an Australian from a line up, or the accent..

 

[camino07]

I use a luggage label with the Aussie flag. You can buy them in most travel shops.
Good conversation starter.

 

[Sharni]

I'm from Brisbane as well, PM me if you want to catch up or have any questions, I walked the Camino Frances in April/May this year and loved it.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

I met a Scot who had a full size flag of Scotland (the "real" one, whatever that means in the England/Scotland dynamic tension) that he used as a stave. He was easy to find in the crowds of Praza do Obrdoiro.

 

[tyrrek]

Ha ha! You have a good idea about the nationality of pilgrims by the brand of backpack being carried! Deuter for Germans and Austrians, Quechua for French and Spanish etc.

I didn't carry a national flag and I wasn't sure what the message would have been. As a Scot, I think it might have been 'Don't call me English', which could be seen as a bit negative. The Latin Americans seemed keen on national flags, maybe to distinguish themselves from the Spanish/Portuguese. The Quebecois carried their own flag so as not to be mistaken for French or, possibly worse, Canadian. You Aussies no doubt want to be distinguished from us Poms!

Buen Camino!

Keith

 

[ward4e]

As a Scot, I think it might have been 'Don't call me English', which could be seen as a bit negative.

ahhaha you and my da should get along well! he's 64, 35 of them have been over here and he keeps complaining no one does any decent black pudding. I would have complained about the cost of the gallons of sunscreen we have to use because our "ginger issues"... but I guess thats Scottish too!

Anyway I've settled on wearing the southern cross on my bag its Australian enough.. Also after watching that documentary over in the "french way" section I may just be adding "un paso más" patched underneath it.

ok i'm off to ask about bag sizes or not there's a ton of threads on this, using a hammock at hostels, and refuigo's in lieu of a bed, legality of bringing prescription meds / pain killers in france, spain, portugal... aaand oh yeah very important feeding my hungry camera! buying black & white film / camera supplies along the way... that may have to be asked to google... but you never know!

 

[ward4e]

err... i really hope "un paso mass" realy means ons step more and not "you dumb arse" or "stop asking me".

my Spanish is abysmal... oh well 5 months out i should be able to pick some up!!! i really shouldn't have ditched my Colombian girlfriend so early. :roll: oh well...

 

[tyrrek]

I think your Spanish is OK so far, but I'm not fluent by any means! Basic phrases, greetings, numbers, 'cafe con leche', 'habitacion/cama', and 'cerveza' etc are enough to show that you're not being disrespectful and people will tend to meet you half way.

The Southern Cross is a good badge. If you're into stars (or even if you're not) remember to enjoy the clear nights away from the city where the stars can be stunning.

I doubt you'll have problems with your medications etc. Others will advise on any paperwork necessary. As for hammocks... :lol:

Buen Camino!

 

[tyrrek]

Oh, and if you want to wind up your Dad, get him onto white pudding, instead of black! :lol:

 

[Deleted member 3000]

He should try Spain for his black pudding:

http://spanishfood.about.com/od/sausage ... aintro.htm

 

[tyrrek]

Falcon, you are spot on! It's like a black pudding but has the texture of white pudding or haggis (although with rice rather than oatmeal?). Gorgeous!

 

[camino07]

Hi ward4e
If you take the river path from Poblacion de Campos,not the senda,you will arrive back up at the main road just before Villalcazar. On your left there is a very atmospheric Cafe/albergue with hammocks in the garden. in May this year there were tepees in the field that people could sleep in also. Some of my younger Camino family stayed there. I enjoyed a cafe con leche and listened to the beautiful music before plodding on to Carrion de los Condes.
Burgos is famous for its black pudding,pity you can't take some home to dad . Being Scottish I love it . Yum!

 

[Debinq]

camino7
wha? ya mean black puddins dat is so black even de 'whaight' bits are black! (pace Monty Python)
happy trails

 

[ward4e]

THANKS! great! just great, now I'm hungry for balck pudding... and the only butcher worth his salt is closed till Saturday! White pudding is available on St Particks Day here at the Irish out reach center AKA the pub. The white pudding comes with more heart stopping madness than a tanker of bacon fat frosted in buttery sugar and if you listen really hard you can just make out the sobs of a vitamin crying in the corner of your plate because he is so so lonely... good food.

As for that spanish treat it looks amazing, i'm going to be food seeking while I'm over there! :wink:

ok now to go talk about booking places in april and is it necessarily required early on in the season.. :?:

 

[tyrrek]

Wardy

I started on 19th April this year and never booked anything in advance. I didn't have a clear schedule so wanted to keep as much flexibility as possible. In one or two places the accommodation was a bit limited, but I either continued to the next place or stayed in a cheap hostal rather than the albergue. You can sometimes share a twin/triple room with fellow peregrinos for not much more money than an albergue.

Buen Camino!

 

[Bernard duffy]

THANKS! great! just great, now I'm hungry for balck pudding... and the only butcher worth his salt is closed till Saturday! White pudding is available on St Particks Day here at the Irish out reach center AKA the pub. The white pudding comes with more heart stopping madness than a tanker of bacon fat frosted in buttery sugar and if you listen really hard you can just make out the sobs of a vitamin crying in the corner of your plate because he is so so lonely... good food.

As for that spanish treat it looks amazing, i'm going to be food seeking while I'm over there! :wink:

ok now to go talk about booking places in april and is it necessarily required early on in the season.. :?:

The IRISH KOALA shop in Windsor sells it

 

[ward4e]

Bernard for the win! looks like i'm off to Windsor. Thankyou!

So after the last round of questions it seems that hammocks are out, refugio camaraderie is in.

People are having a hard time grasping the concept of film cameras? I'm worried that i'm getting old when people can't grasp the use of film. it has to be a joke right? I like happy mistakes film gives you & the struggle of finding the best shot.... eh oh well, i will be taking a digital camera & a couple of sd cards as well as my film camera. I know which will fail me first.

the best thing everyone has mentioned is accommodation in april seems to be a non issue! so I don't have to worry about that which is a relief.

ok 3 things left to stress and research about...
1; getting from Bayonne to SJPdP, Bus...
2; day to day breakup of the walk... I think i saw an elevation over distance map in another thread.
3; best way to get to madrid... fly, train, bus, donkey... I will either have no time or days to travel.

ok off to research some more.. Thanks people!

 

[tyrrek]

Hey.

I still like film cameras, or at least I did until last year when I staggered up the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem in 90 degree heat to take some pictures. You can guess the rest - the film hadn't wound on and I was left with nothing, nic, nada!

Bayonne to SJPP by train is a good plan. It's just one of these little trains and you'll probably meet other pilgrims on it, which makes for a good evening in SJPP before you start walking.

For the day to day breakup of the walk you can get a guide such as John Brierley's, which has suggested stages. However it should be seen as that - suggested. For example, JB suggests walking beyond Pamplona rather than staying in it, but for me was one of the places I most looked forward to. (Maybe he wants to keep us pilgrims away from the temptations of the big city, and he probably has a point.)

Re. Madrid. Do you mean at the end of your Camino?

Buen Camino!

 

[Abbeydore]

......... speaking of the black stuff(or/& other colours)
bbc with Nigel Slater has just done a lovely 'sausage roll' video, hope you can see it aussie
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0 ... Wonderful/
You'll have too be quick!
Looking forward to some "Morcilla de Burgos "

 

[ward4e]

Re. Madrid. Do you mean at the end of your Camino?

Buen Camino!

Yeah, i have to fly from Madrid to Dubai & then on to home.. So i've done some google research and there are flights from the airport most days to Madrid.... but flying isn't experiencing.

well i will see how much layover time i have at the end of the way I have to do my planner!

 

[Abbeydore]

Re. Madrid. Do you mean at the end of your Camino?

Buen Camino!

Yeah, i have to fly from Madrid to Dubai & then on to home.. So i've done some google research and there are flights from the airport most days to Madrid.... but flying isn't experiencing.

well i will see how much layover time i have at the end of the way I have to do my planner!

'Ryanair', ............the owner has a taxi so he can drive around dublin more easily in the taxi/bus lanes........a necessary evil, my first flight in several years!

 

[ward4e]

work!!! urrgh work!!! I ask myself can I keep doing this the rest of my life? Its always a yes.. but filling out the annual leave forms makes things a little better! er by my calcs I may still have to take some time as leave without pay. Eh... Oh well Pay rent in advance! come over a little poor ad be a true barefoot pilgrim!

So I've worked out my dates as best I can at the moment! I still have to wait to find out about TGV, Buss rides & ryanair but it seems that from the dates I have plugged into Google calendar I start out on Monday the 9th! Easter Monday kickoff! and finish up on the 14th! giving me fingers crossed fair weather on the trail for 36 days!

man i really need to fly out either late on 15th or early on the 16th to catch my flight I hope ryanair is up to the challenge!

 

[camino-david]

Well, you certainly started a wide ranging discussion.
Re travel to St Jean from Biarritz if you arrive by Ryanair from London, the normal bus + train takes about 3 hours because of the 2 hour wait in Bayonne. An alternative is Bourricot, which is a private mini bus service used mainly by tour companies, but often there are a few spare seats for 15 to 22 euros (http://www.expressbourricot.com). You will need to book this service.
There are numerous buses from Santiago to Madrid (http://www.alsa.es) but I have found that flights are often as cheap and of course much quicker. I found Vueling the cheapest (http://www.vueling.com) but also check Spanair (http://www.spanair.com).
There is no need to book accomodation during April.
Buen Camino

 

[tyrrek]

I've used Vueling and Spanair in the past but not on the SdC-Madrid route. As far as I can see you'd have to connect somewhere, and Ryanair/Iberia are the only 2 direct carriers. Ryanair are certainly cheaper if booked in advance, but remember to mentally double the quoted fare by the time they've charged you for your pack, admin fees etc! Booking via Expedia should include baggage charges, but at the moment the cheapest quote sends you to Madrid via Mallorca on Air Berlin, which is slightly bizarre.

 

[Rebekah Scott]

Wardy
Doona stress. Make sure to stop by The Peaceable in Moratinos when you come through the Meseta. We got your black puddings here, both Burgos (with white bits innit) and Leon (all loose and nasty and rich.) Usually. Specially if you are hauling slabs. We´ll see your lager and raise you a Ribera del Duero.

Reb

 

[tyrrek]

Two types of black pudding. Really? I want to do the Camino again. Properly, this time!

 

[ward4e]

Well, you certainly started a wide ranging discussion.

some of my friends say its because of my charming personality... some of my ex's say its all my personalities trying to get a say. Meh... you either enjoy it or hate it and frankly your suggestions rock... i will be definatley looking in to flying spanish air or any other carrier.

Ryanair nearly swayed me with the er "hook" advertising and I almost distracted enough to book my flights without thinking too hard (maybe thats the bulk clientele they want, the hard of thinking?) from SDC to Madrid but i read the additional fees and charges and my wallet tried to choke me.

As Tyrrek said double the flight cost and I would go as far as saying add an additional 20% in hidden costs... I gave up trying to make sense of the additional costs sheet.

Madrid via Mallorca on Air Berlin

no... i have to see this.. I could visit the last resting place of a spineless thief.

 

[ward4e]

Leon (all loose and nasty and rich.)

mmmn so that doesn't appear on the official city guide website but who am i to complain hey...

Two types of black pudding. Really? I want to do the Camino again. Properly, this time!

i was thinking at least twice... once french.. once north.. toss a coin? Either way i'll be eating alot!

 

[tyrrek]

Wardy

I'd say to expect 100 Euros (if Euros still exist by next year) between Santiago and Madrid by air. That may take you directly, or on a small tour of Spain and/or her islands. You may get some change from that, but best to play safe.

Buen Camino.

 

[Alan Pearce]

Wardy

I'd say to expect 100 Euros (if Euros still exist by next year) between Santiago and Madrid by air. That may take you directly, or on a small tour of Spain and/or her islands. You may get some change from that, but best to play safe.

Buen Camino.

Arrrgh!!! I have 1100 euros on a debit card with which to pay for my next camino. I sincerely hope that the euro does exist next year!!!

Alan.

Be brave. Life is joyous.

 

[ward4e]

Wardy

I'd say to expect 100 Euros (if Euros still exist by next year) between Santiago and Madrid by air. That may take you directly, or on a small tour of Spain and/or her islands. You may get some change from that, but best to play safe.

Buen Camino.

Arrrgh!!! I have 1100 euros on a debit card with which to pay for my next camino. I sincerely hope that the euro does exist next year!!!

Alan.

Be brave. Life is joyous.

Ach 2 people now! I am holding all my money in a second account till the very last moment! once in country I will only be exchanging Chunks at a time into Euro. I'm not going to start a political debate and i'm not commenting on single European currency however the fear that is going around globally is palpable. My travel agent suggested a little while ago when i booked my flights that that I don't take advantage of the current exchange rate and wait. :|

thats a sign of faith... or lack there of!

Once things are set in stone I can play and be free. But finances are not something to be played with and setting my budget in stone is important for me. It could all be hype, propaganda etc... i sincerely hope it is...

 

[tyrrek]

Sorry! I didn't mean to cause panic or be political either. The truth is that nobody really knows what's going on, but you'd hope that if some countries do revert to their previous currencies it will be done in an orderly way. :|

 

[ward4e]

so on a lighter note I've begun breaking up the trip into KM a day... I'm going to try and average 25km so roughly 4-5 k an hour for 5-6 hours a day. But thats just maths not an actual plan! nor is it places as some villages may not have a decent albergue or refugio so thats where people and experences help out.

Some links first, free guides I found / robbed er borrowed and or pillage for information

http://www.godesalco.com/plan/frances
basically a start here and end there planner but with a weather feature & a sunrise / sunset weather averager... not bad but using it is like looking at a year book with no faces. you have the names of the places you can pass through but nothing to judge them on. I guess thats why google maps has street view.

http://maps.peterrobins.co.uk/corridors.html
and
http://maps.peterrobins.co.uk/routes.html

main GR map very computer intensive but it has most of the camino ways mapped out and if you zoom in and click you will be shown zee little embedded camino wiki page with locations and map planner and a GPS programmer... pretty neat but it takes all of the fun out of the planning! GPS KML & TRACKERS? Ach no. very dry no life to the page.

And this pdf thing i dug up... which is an elevation map over km a day... Day 1 from SJPdP is harsh 200m to 1400m!!! I will see if that is hosted somewhere.

I'll add a rough plan later i have to get back to work! and maybe some questions on unmissable places.

 

[letendre]

so on a lighter note I've begun breaking up the trip into KM a day... I'm going to try and average 25km so roughly 4-5 k an hour for 5-6 hours a day. But thats just maths not an actual plan! nor is it places as some villages may not have a decent albergue or refugio so thats where people and experences help out.

Some links first, free guides I found / robbed er borrowed and or pillage for information

http://www.godesalco.com/plan/frances
basically a start here and end there planner but with a weather feature & a sunrise / sunset weather averager... not bad but using it is like looking at a year book with no faces. you have the names of the places you can pass through but nothing to judge them on. I guess thats why google maps has street view.

http://maps.peterrobins.co.uk/corridors.html
and
http://maps.peterrobins.co.uk/routes.html

main GR map very computer intensive but it has most of the camino ways mapped out and if you zoom in and click you will be shown zee little embedded camino wiki page with locations and map planner and a GPS programmer... pretty neat but it takes all of the fun out of the planning! GPS KML & TRACKERS? Ach no. very dry no life to the page.

And this pdf thing i dug up... which is an elevation map over km a day... Day 1 from SJPdP is harsh 200m to 1400m!!! I will see if that is hosted somewhere.

I'll add a rough plan later i have to get back to work! and maybe some questions on unmissable places.

Hello,
You should not stress before you start to walk from St-Jean-Pied-de-Port to Santiago .
You do not need to prepare your steps because there are albergues every 10 km.
At the office of pilgrims in the main street of St-Jean-Pied-de-Port to Santiago, some one will give you two sheets of paper, the most important documents you will need .
- A list of steps http://www.aucoeurduchemin.org/spip/IMG/pdf/profil_d_etapes_voir.pdf
- A list of accommodation.

 

[ward4e]

YEW! so thank you very much to an awesome camino walker for meeting for breakfast! Its not hard to spot someone in red... especially when it says "camino" on your shirt!

Anyway reading is great but discussing is more important as it leads to insight. Discussing her tips for trips over the books (all of which are recomended on this site!) was so informative and I have to admit after slaying a few issues on foot ware, gear, costs etc I felt more at ease with the whole project!

So the planning is out, walking the way my way is in... however a rough day schedule would probably suit as there was a map of Albergue's in the front of a book that made so much sense. I will have to get it just in case.

OK I need to go back to work... I have to work on my sunday but its ok work is cringing on letting me leave for 6 weeks!

I may have to setup a blog & associated Picas albums for the trip and digital camera shots.

I'm guessing most large towns have internet cafe's? I have to get on to sending postcards & stamps man i can't believe i'm worried bout buying stamps! :roll:

Ok off to plott & scheme while drafting & editing a clients project.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

The cities may have internet cafes, but you will find internet connections at most albergues, and WiFi is popping up in quite a few places. It is generally locked, so you will have to ask for the password -- contrasena in Spain, mot de passe/securite in France.

 

[Lydia Gillen]

Wardy,
Welcome to the forum.
You have received most of the advice you have requested. so just a couple of things
Alsa bus S.de C. to Baracas airport in Madrid Tem 4, costs €61.00 for a daytime trip lasting 8 and half hours leaving 7.00 am. arr. 15.30. The overnight journey costs €43.00.
Ryanair flight at 13.50 arr.17.20 starts at €32.99. then including everything plus ruck in hold costs €55.99. However, I'm a bit puzzled by the length of time the flight takes!!!

Regarding postage stamps. CORREOS is the name for the post office . It is usually in yellow as are the mail boxes. Plenty of mail boxes around. Not so many Post Offices. http://www.googlemaps will show you where to find them. Then buy lots of postage stamps in the first post office. they are not heavy!!

I have not traveled from Bayonne yet but have been told if you look out for other pilgrims you may be able to share a taxi and thus reach S.J.P.Du P. earlier than the next train.You might even be able to join up with some others on the forum closer to the date

Keep up learning the Spanish. it is not only useful but so enriching to be able to converse with local people and to read notices on walls etc. Got me a bed at times I might have not got one.!!

Buen Camino.

Lydia

 

[Lydia Gillen]

Am really puzzled. went on Ryanair website again. Now there are three flight available on May 15th. each taking just over an hour. That sounds more like it

Buen Camino

 

[ward4e]

Yay an Irish rose with some sound advise! Thankyou Lydia..

I'll be on the TGV form Paris to Bayonne and hopping the train up to SJPdP... After breakfast with Sharni it makes sense to train hop as they all seem to be scheduled consecutively and flow to the rally point.

correos, cool i will keep that in mind when I get into Spain and buy a ton of stamps...

As for ryanair... my IT guy at work has filtered the site because of their uniform standards, or lack of on their front page. But I will definatley be flying out to Madrid on the 15th or very very early on the 16th.

ok I'm off to look at boots catch you all soon.

 

[ward4e]

oooooh... oooh nooo. Black pudding, running, late nights and more running! ach my head, gut and legs!

So I did a quick run on friday night it was about 5k not much just through the roads to a river near my house mostly hill work and it felt great! so to celebrate i smashed some black pudding watch a few movies and with mates drinking and well a casual Friday night at home! Unfortunately i forgot that i had booked in to do a 6k fun run!!! yep. no funny. Phone rings at 5am, My PT (she who wields the whip) says that she can't wait to see me at the starting line and that she is leaving her place to go! stupid me i mentioned that i should do extra exercise for this camino.

eh.. its raining, 5:45am, i'm simultaneously trying to remember the last time I brushed my teeth and drank a glass of water whilst standing in the rain surrounded by the fittest people i have seen outside of a glossy magazine... I may be fat, semi hungover and carting a black pudding baby but at least i remembered to wear contacts.

So i will spare you details of the run needles to say i was on fire, considering the typhoon hovering over the Brisbane river... I channeled my inner water skier over a few manholes, forged a few puddles i think one was called Bass Straight and swam my way up hill to a semi respectable time of 41:20. Yep i nearly ran a 6k race in my 10k time... :roll: 8 more minutes...

So My official title is Mr Retard Lord of Gut Pains holder of the "slowest 6km time of my life with neck cramps and twisted ankle of doom" award for running a 6k fun run. Yay me. But it would seem that it was fast enough to get a trophy of some description! Maybe I took out "top ginger" award again, 30 years running its getting embarrassing. Oh yeah if your wondering being a ginger in Australia is like being a strip of bacon under a grill, frying sound is oh so similar being this close to the sun. My PT has it in her bag she liberated it for me at the diner, er that i slept though.

but the question you have to ask or i do isn't "am i fit enough to walk 750km?" its really what kind of PC orgainiser / sadist thought it would be a great idea in miss direction to put the words "fun" and "run" in the same sentence?

oh yeah so hiking boots are boring hey... I think i will see if my budget can stretch to a pair of five fingers.

 

[Sharni]

Sounds like you are having fun training

 

[ward4e]

Sounds like you are having fun training

oh god... please make it stop!!! I love my family sharni but I have probably eaten my weight in Christmas food and picked up my losses!!! er maybe with interest i have to find some scales :roll:

I'm down in Tasmania with extended family trying to find the healthiest option on every menu and at every diner but its kind of hard to justify eatting well er everything including the tempura scallops and mushrooms and dry white when your not at the gym and you've forgotten you running shoes in brisbane!!

urrrgh... Yay...

so... I will aim to loose 5kg a month till i leave... that should cover it

 

[ward4e]

so... its 70 days to go! for some people thats an eternity but trust me when your used to the building game that's a heart beat. Practically 3 site meetings away.

Things i need to do...
stop wasting money on beer here in AU. :cry:
stop buying camino books and actually read them :roll:
stop wasting money on lamb for Australia day
and do a lit of things i actually need.

Oh just on that the "walk far carry less" book is a top read... yes i've actually read part of it well up to 106 where it says take a whisle? for scaring dogs? really? I guess the sight of me isn't enough.

Anyway will post a list of my assembled kit later on this week. I have to do a list of garbage i will be hauling across europe.

Plus once i get my first film developed i will post an image from my new swing lense cam...

 

[Deleted member 3000]

take a whistle?

In an emergency, you can yell for a few minutes. You can blow a whistle for hours. It is hard to get lost on the Camino, but some do so. A whistle can be pretty essential at that point. For an ounce of weight, it is worth taking. As for dogs, half will think you are calling them, half will go the other way. I suspect the mean ones will think you are calling.

 

[davidinaus]

Wardy - this thread is a cracker, Enjoying it immensely.
Am planning on a September deprture - but just need to ask for the 7 weeks leave .....
Cheers
David [Melbourne]

 

[David]

Has anyone actually met a stressed Aussie on the Camino? I haven't. All the ones that I have met have had such a good attitude ... casual, sunny, unstressed .... and just appearing to amble along but actually eating up the miles ..... pretty cool -

you'll be fine - start off easy and build up, rather than trying to equally proportion the distances over the days .. :wink:

watch out for the wine in Rioca, it is rather nice...

 

[camino-david]

Hi Wardy,
What an interesting discussion you have started. I am enjoying reading it.
But don't stress. After all, it is only a walk, and few people I have met along the way think of 800kms. It's only about this day, where you are going to eat, to sleep and who you have met. It's a very simple life, and that's the beauty of the Camino.
The worst thing to do is be absolutely dead set on daily distances. Some days you will feel tired, so take it easy, and the next you will feel revitalised and have a big day. Last year I met a man who had a target of exactly 33 kms per day, come hell or high water, but he was hobbling with blisters and in tears because he was so stressed. Most people have a certain non negotiable time, for work or other reasons, and if you find you are dropping too much behind, take a bus. No one will think any the less of you, and disappointment is only in YOUR mind.
Buen Camino from a fellow Aussie in Sydney. David
PS. Seem to be lots of David's on this topic.

 

[hieronimus]

Hey Wardy, there is a good chance we will see each other on the Camino, we going day after you, so who knows. We will have aussie flag on our backpacks. Same as last time. Hope your preparation are compleeted. We booked allready everything trains, planes, and automobiles +plus i hotel in Paris. Buen Camino.

 

[ward4e]

Hi! not dead... busy.. big post coming later tonight when i get home.. ok back to it..

 

[Alan Pearce]

Has anyone actually met a stressed Aussie on the Camino? I haven't. All the ones that I have met have had such a good attitude ... casual, sunny, unstressed .... and just appearing to amble along but actually eating up the miles ..... pretty cool -

you'll be fine - start off easy and build up, rather than trying to equally proportion the distances over the days .. :wink:

watch out for the wine in Rioca, it is rather nice...

I stayed in a little 18 bed albergue in Burgos. The hospitalero told me that one day he was going to visit Australia - he wanted to find out what it was that made Australians so happy.

This hospitalero would not accept pilgrims who sent their luggage ahead or who caught a bus to reach Burgos.

Alan

Be brave. Life is joyous.

 

[methodist.pilgrim.98]

Wardy, you think you've got problems?

I am about to set off with an Aussie friend who is 9 years older than me, is super fit and thinks that leaping out of bed at 6.00am to be walking at 6.10 is the waste of a morning. We should have been up by 5.30!

He's got a great sense of humour - at 6.00 in the morning do I really need that? - he carries a rucksack half the weight of mine - I'm beginning to hate him already - he walks twice as fast as I do - all those blo+dy rabbits he eats in Australia - and is so optimistic he is already talking about doing 30km a day - when we'd previously absolutelyagreed that 20km was our limit. :shock:

I just know that we will now meet a forum member on the Camino who will relay all this perfectly observational material to Norm and I will be in the dog house.

Keep the training going. Norm told me that he hasn't done any training for this Camino and then casually mentions that he was out running with a friends dog at 7.00 this morning but only managed an hour. :evil:

 

[ward4e]

so... yeah.

work turned around and have said that they need me to stay.

I told them I am going for 6 weeks and we can talk about this when i come back.

this is sounding like every breakup i think i've ever had :roll:

yes i am drinking... best way to deal with women, voices in your head and work heat. Also hight in the top 5 of things to do here in Australia.

Anyway I'll post my packing stuff i list when i sober up tomorrow?

 

[ward4e]

WOW... Just wow, where did that week go? anyway I have 2 Weeks and 2 Days till I ship out to dubai! and then jaunt to Paris for the inevitable train ride to Bayonne...

So just starting to feel a bit tense with the enormity of it all. I'm having a few doubts and moments where I cant help but think "errr.... I can't go, I have so much to do here!" and I get quite worried. I'm not pacing but I have that pre-fight tension gouging behind my sternum.

Anyway my usual coping mechanisms of planning more and worrying less are gone. This trip is more about winging it than counting match sticks and making sure i have all my daily meals sorted... Bit stressful and a tad unorthodox for me. I can ad-lib and makeshift a travel plan if given 6 months notice!

So In the spirit of adventure... I haven't booked hotels in Dubai. It appears that the entire place is one gigantic sea of hotels and consumerism. I haven't booked my train ticket from Paris to Bayonne, nor my shuttle train from Bayonne to SJPdP. I guess this is a coping mechanism I am going alone but as frequently pointed out here on the forum pilgrims are never alone on the Camino. So I guess mentally I've "forgotten" to pre book incase I see or meet other pilgrims and want to say "buen camino". Being flexible plans can easily go awry if you meet someone or people.

As for dates of being in places I've never lived by keeping times I have a feeling that rules like "i absolutley have to be here or I will never forgive myself" or "i won't make it unless I am here by this date" just add to the frustration of walking. 4 weeks of day walks in France & Spain, walking at night under stars its kind of hard to miss the romanticism of the idea and i would hate to sully it with the frustration of key dates!

I have only two set dates Start on the 8th of April and Finish / Fly from Santiago to Madrid on the 16th of May... Unfathomably i'm not allowed to bring my ex's broom stick on international flights so I have to meet up with emirates in Madrid.

urrgh... Yeah so I'm at work posting this on a sunday! Two weeks out from leaving trying to spend as little cash as possible i go and kill my laptop. The hard drive is dead. On it was my packing list, my to buy list and some handy pdf's and a really awesome Photoshop-ed exposure meter I had made up for my film camera.

Which reminds me I have to scan those negatives I developed last night and post a few images of Brisbane for you all. Nome are way over exposed some are very thin on negative but yeah we all have a learning curve mine is just longer than most. So all images are Captured in Glorious Black and White Analogue Chemical Emulsion, no encoding, all life flesh. Digital? they have apps and instagram overlays to allow "happy accidents" and "chemical errors" that result in an human analogue processes being overlaid over a digital substrate??? umn... no sorry, I'd rather rock a lomo and sip a g&t while developing film... Thankyou. Yes I realise I will have to encode the scans to an image file for you all to see... I may have to do a kickstarter to get the book out.

So tomorrow... I will resurect a packing list!!! Next week maybe Wednesday I will do a test pack with my 55l back pack and then my 40l back pack. I'd much rather take the 40l it feels like half the weight of the 55l and has twice the small pocket storage. Anyway photo's will ensue... some items will have to be culled like the water bed and espresso maker. I think i need a donkey.

Catch you all soon.