Campagnano di Roma to La Giustiniana

[Bob from L.A. !]

Out the door in the darkness with lots of clouds and high temperatures and humidity already rising.
By 9 A.M. it had already reach 91F/33C with no end in sight.
Throughout today's trek I walked through endless olive groves and numerous plum tree groves. I found several small plums on the ground which I sample and while small, were quite sweet.
I finally reached La Giustiniana about noon and immediately drank 2 liters of ice cold water, showered and took a 2 hour nap.
Tomorrow I am getting up early and walking my final stage to Rome. This journey has long been on my "bucket list" and it will be great to have completed it in one go, injury free and on time!
Stay tuned!

 

[Tassie Kaz]

Yikes...don't put the mozz on yourself now Bob!
In all seriousness though, your careful planning, experience, self knowledge/awareness & adaptability to current conditions have served you well. Absolutely hats off to you!
Not to bring the moment down but...what's the rubbish situation now? When I walked, it was piled up everywhere (but no strike) from just before CdR to Roma.

Enjoy your last day...a truly momentus occasion...

 

[Camino Chrissy]

It has been a pleasure following your pilgrimage of the entire Via Francigena, Bob. I will miss seeing your daily posts and pictures after you finish tomorrow.
How many days will you spend in Rome before flying home?

 

[Rex]

Out the door in the darkness with lots of clouds and high temperatures and humidity already rising.
By 9 A.M. it had already reach 91F/33C with no end in sight.
Throughout today's trek I walked through endless olive groves and numerous plum tree groves. I found several small plums on the ground which I sample and while small, were quite sweet.
I finally reached La Giustiniana about noon and immediately drank 2 liters of ice cold water, showered and took a 2 hour nap.
Tomorrow I am getting up early and walking my final stage to Rome. This journey has long been on my "bucket list" and it will be great to have completed it in one go, injury free and on time!
Stay tuned!

SWEEEET!! Enjoy the final miles. Been a great inspiration to read your posts and know I'm going to be on that route in three weeks... Hope the post-camino recovery is swift and your next one is on the planning board already. Buon cammino!

 

[Bob from L.A. !]

@Camino Chrissy - I just arrived. I will take a Vatican tour tomorrow, then be on a flight Friday morning just to be sure I don't go over my 90 days.

 

[Bob from L.A. !]

@Tassie Kaz - Unfortunately, the problem still exists.
Through the numerous times I've been to Rome the eyesore has never gone away. A real shame for a city rich with history.

 

[Bradypus]

@Tassie Kaz - Unfortunately, the problem still exists.
Through the numerous times I've been to Rome the eyesore has never gone away. A real shame for a city rich with history.

There was a lot of rubbish by the roadside in summer 2015 too. A long term problem.

 

[Bob from L.A. !]

I can't understand it.

 

[mspath]

Bob from L.A.!,

What wonderful news your arrival is! Félicitations !
It is a pleasure for those of us who followed your journey to share your pleasure now. Thank you for sharing your daily thoughts and wonderful photos here on the forum.
May the sunset tonight over Rome and your day tomorrow at the Vatican be splendid. Carpe diem.

 

[mla1]

Wow - what an amazing trip -- such excellent planning!!!! Congratulations! I hope you have a good celebration in Rome (whatever that would look like for you!).

 

[Tassie Kaz]

I can't understand it.

Me either.

 

[grayland]

Congratulations Bob.
I enjoyed following along.
I will be interested to hearing how the plans you shared with me before you left actually worked out in reality.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Bob, did you have a "favorite section" you walked of the "whole nine yards" if you were asked the question?...eliminating the heat you endured of course.
Edit- and how about you, Kaz?

 

[Bob from L.A. !]

@grayland - I don't want to jinx myself with 48 more hours to go, but I will say EVERYTHING worked out to the LETTER on my itinerary.

 

[Bob from L.A. !]

@Camino Chrissy - That's an easy one.
As many before me have said; Tuscany is picture postcard perfect.
In my opinion you have Tuscany, then you have the rest of Italy.

 

[Rick Davidson]

Out the door in the darkness with lots of clouds and high temperatures and humidity already rising.
By 9 A.M. it had already reach 91F/33C with no end in sight.
Throughout today's trek I walked through endless olive groves and numerous plum tree groves. I found several small plums on the ground which I sample and while small, were quite sweet.
I finally reached La Giustiniana about noon and immediately drank 2 liters of ice cold water, showered and took a 2 hour nap.
Tomorrow I am getting up early and walking my final stage to Rome. This journey has long been on my "bucket list" and it will be great to have completed it in one go, injury free and on time!
Stay tuned!

We struggled a bit to find the place to get our certificate. Go through St. Peters security. Better early AM or in the afternoon. Then go through the arch on the right side. Walk straight in. Look for a bag and coat cloak room desk on the right. The guy working that desk will stamp your passport and give you the certificate. Pretty simple process. We filled in the certificate ourselves.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

@Camino Chrissy - That's an easy one.
As many before me have said; Tuscany is picture postcard perfect.
In my opinion you have Tuscany, then you have the rest of Italy.

Good to hear then, since I have already done the best last fall...Tuscany!
I assume then that going through France and a small portion of Switzerland were not quite as enticing.

 

[Bob from L.A. !]

Switzerland, yes.
France, not so much

 

[Bob from L.A. !]

@Rick Davidson - When the security people saw me with a large backpack, they asked if I was a pilgrim seeking a Testimonium.
They then were overwhelmingly helpful and actually walked me passed the long line and to the area you described.
I was in and out within 10 minutes.

 

[Tassie Kaz]

Bob, did you have a "favorite section" you walked of the "whole nine yards" if you were asked the question?...eliminating the heat you endured of course.
Edit- and how about you, Kaz?

Thanks for asking Chrissy!
For me it was hands down the Aosta Valley...I loved every minute starting on the Swiss side all the way 'til the mountains disappeared in my rear view mirror ...& I did lots of looking back over my shoulder so sad was I to leave it behind...

That's an easy one.
As many before me have said; Tuscany is picture postcard perfect.
In my opinion you have Tuscany, then you have the rest of Italy.

Tuscany...hmm...not so for me & some others walking the same time. Don't get me wrong...I liked it but didn't love it. Apart from rampant & untameable hayfever (which may have been an influence) I found the countryside scenery perhaps a bit similar to Aus...it was only the villas which brought me back to where I actually was! Having said that, I did love the towns..even the busy touristy ones although I felt a tad out of place in my, by now, well worn grubby gear & clothes

Switzerland, yes.
France, not so much

Yep, agree...but France had it's merits; wide open spaces, the horror of the war cemeteries, walking the canals & the sight of pylons & wind turbines marching to the horizon will stay with me forever. I personally would not feel I had walked the VF without doing France...& the feeling of accomplishment walking across an entire country was a bonus.
No offence at all to anyone who has/will walk a shorter version...but I would encourage you to 'fill the gap' with other sections when/if you can.

 

[Bradypus]

I personally would not feel I had walked the VF without doing France...& the feeling of accomplishment walking across an entire country was a bonus.

I feel the same. I do have something of an obsession about walking a pilgrimage route from start to finish. I did relax my personal rule slightly by taking a P&O ferry from Dover rather than swimming the Channel. I'm not quite arrogant enough to have tried walking it either.... I was quite glad in retrospect to have walked into Piacenza along the river bank rather than taking Danilo's ferry. For me the emotional highlight of the journey was not arriving in Rome. In school I had read John Hillaby's book about walking from the English Channel to the Mediterranean. It had left a deep impression on me that I was not fully aware of at the time. Oddly the book had not crossed my mind until I reached the shoreline near Massa. Then I realised that like John Hillaby I had just crossed the continent on foot from sea to sea. Something my teenage self would never have thought of doing.

 

[Tassie Kaz]

I feel the same. I do have something of an obsession about walking a pilgrimage route from start to finish. I did relax my personal rule slightly by taking a P&O ferry from Dover rather than swimming the Channel. I'm not quite arrogant enough to have tried walking it either....

Bradypus, you are indeed a treasure!

For me the emotional highlight of the journey was not arriving in Rome...

Oddly the book had not crossed my mind until I reached the shoreline near Massa. Then I realised that like John Hillaby I had just crossed the continent on foot from sea to sea. Something my teenage self would never have thought of doing.

Yep, I haven't read the book you mention (l will now seek it out) but it was Marina di Massa that did it for me too.
Although I no longer live by the sea, I'm still a coastal girl at heart. I could barely contain myself when the ocean came into view; I bolted for the waters edge, discarding shoes & socks mid-stride...realising how long it had been & how far I'd come since I last saw it. Brings a tear to my eyes to this day.
Roland.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Thanks for asking Chrissy!
For me it was hands down the Aosta Valley...I loved every minute starting on the Swiss side all the way 'til the mountains disappeared in my rear view mirror ...& I did lots of looking back over my shoulder so sad was I to leave it behind...

Tuscany...hmm...not so for me & some others walking the same time. Don't get me wrong...I liked it but didn't love it. Apart from rampant & untameable hayfever (which may have been an influence) I found the countryside scenery perhaps a bit similar to Aus...it was only the villas which brought me back to where I actually was! Having said that, I did love the towns..even the busy touristy ones although I felt a tad out of place in my, by now, well worn grubby gear & clothes

Yep, agree...but France had it's merits; wide open spaces, the horror of the war cemeteries, walking the canals & the sight of pylons & wind turbines marching to the horizon will stay with me forever. I personally would not feel I had walked the VF without doing France...& the feeling of accomplishment walking across an entire country was a bonus.
No offence at all to anyone who has/will walk a shorter version...but I would encourage you to 'fill the gap' with other sections when/if you can.

Well, beauty is definitely in the eye of the beholder, isn't it? Thanks for sharing your personal insights, Kaz! I'm glad I asked.

 

[Tassie Kaz]

Well, beauty is definitely in the eye of the beholder, isn't it? Thanks for sharing your personal insights, Kaz! I'm glad I asked.

Yes...& it takes different forms too. An example; I love wind turbines but others think they're a blight on the landscape.

But wouldn't it be dull if we were all the same? I love discovering what pops the cork or burns the toast of others...brings a different perspective to what I see.

 

[BarbC]

@Camino Chrissy - That's an easy one.
As many before me have said; Tuscany is picture postcard perfect.
In my opinion you have Tuscany, then you have the rest of Italy.

We haven't done our first Camino yet - it's coming this Sept. Vigo to Santiago. But I'm planning for the next one already - husband wants to do Tuscany - I assume you recommend that portion based on your posts.

 

[Bob from L.A. !]

@BarbC - Take a look at Milan to Pavia to Siena.
I did this as part of a longer trip to Rome 3 years ago.
It goes through Tuscany, but includes larger cities as well

 

[Camino Chrissy]

We haven't done our first Camino yet - it's coming this Sept. Vigo to Santiago. But I'm planning for the next one already - husband wants to do Tuscany - I assume you recommend that portion based on your posts.

I started in Lucca and on to Rome. I loved all of that section and highly recommend it, but can not speak to the whole Via Francigena from Canterbury. Post #20 has a differing opinion and there is nothing wrong with that.