Camino France late April 2015

Sonja, Welcome to the Forum and the Class of 2015.
Could you do it in 18 days? Of, course...would you have a great experience...maybe...is starting from SJPDP a must...depends on you.
Many pilgrims will do only one Camino in a life time, so I'd imagine they would want it to be memorable.
Here's my suggestion: fly into Santiago, take the bus to Lugo. (It's right outside plek 3) in Lugo change bus to Sarria and walk up the hill to your first albergue...walking the Way. 7-8 days into SDC (2 days walking around) walk to Finisterre 5. Days, bus back to SDC fly out next morning...tired, happy, Compostela and Finisterre in hand.
Warning: you may think this is your only Camino...the Camino may have different plans.
Totsiens and Buen Camino.
Arn

Yeah, of course you will have a great time walking the Camino from SJPdP all the way to Santiago even if you do "leapfrog" a bit via bus, taxi or train. Besides, you are planning on walking the last 200 kilometers anyway, so plenty enough to get a compostela with. Lots of ways to do that with the bus system in Spain. www.alsa.es
Get a guidebook and plan your route with it and the bus system routes and schedules. Visit the cities like Pamplona, Logrono, Burgos, Leon. They are pretty cool and easy to reach by bus. Skip a few spots like some of the stretches of the meseta out of Burgos or Carrion de los Condes. Santiago is a very cool city. You might want to spend a couple of days there. Personally I think the whole going to Finisterre thing is overrated (I did it last summer) and would skip that on a first Camino where you don't have the time to walk the whole thing. Besides, if you end up really liking your Camino experience, you can always do it again sometime when you have more time. It is not going anywhere, and you don't have to have a "Camino family" for it to be a great Camino experience. I still keep in touch with people I met on both Caminos, but in neither did I have a "Camino family" I started and finished with.
I imagine if you are flying in from SA you will land at Madrid Barajas airport. You can fly back to that airport from Santiago, or take a bus or train to there.

Sonja Van Rhyn said:

Myself and my friend will be walking the Camino France end April/May 2015. We only have 19 days. We want to start from SJPDP and go all the way to the end. We will be walking the last 200km ongoing... My question is, can we walk a day or two and then get ahead by taxi or bus, for at least 3 days/few kilometers, and then walk again for a few days and so on.... and then stop at 200km and walk to the end? Will that be possible? Transport?
We thought of going to Leon and start walking from there and just do that piece, but the whole route looks so beautiful..... we don't want to miss out on scenery? Please give some advice.
We will come from SA via Madrid. Which Airport is best in Madrid?

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Sonja:

There is no bad way to walk your Camino. That said, one of the benefits, imo, of the Camino is the people you will meet along the way (Camino Family). The method you are proposing will somewhat negate that aspect. I would recommend you revisit the Leon option you had considered. This will provide a continuity to your walk. You will be eligible for a Compostela and should have time to spend in Santiago with new found friends or even walk on to Finistere.

Whatever decision you make, I am sure it will be the best one for you.

Ultreya,
Joe

Sonja Van Rhyn said:

Myself and my friend will be walking the Camino France end April/May 2015. We only have 19 days. We want to start from SJPDP and go all the way to the end. We will be walking the last 200km ongoing... My question is, can we walk a day or two and then get ahead by taxi or bus, for at least 3 days/few kilometers, and then walk again for a few days and so on.... and then stop at 200km and walk to the end? Will that be possible? Transport?
We thought of going to Leon and start walking from there and just do that piece, but the whole route looks so beautiful..... we don't want to miss out on scenery? Please give some advice....

Click to expand...

I hate to break that to you, but with that approach you will have a lot of heartache (losing new won friends/camino family) AND you will still miss out on a lot of things (the hard bits that you will be proud of to have managed for example).

You have only 19 days (non-negotiable?): Start closer Astorga or Ponferrada come to mind or Leon, if you are really fit. The one thing nearly all pilgrims value is the companionship on the road, by skipping ahead you will have to say so many good-byes. ...

Buen Camino, whatever you decide, SY