Ian-on-a-stick
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- Time of past OR future Camino
- Future (2018)
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Hi, Ian,I've dithering quite a bit. I'm struggling to make the final commitment to walk the Camino Frances beginning third week of September (probably 18th to fly out). It's nerves. It's such a big thing. I'm aiming to fly from the UK to Biarritz and start at SJPP. I am late-ish 50's with reasonable fitness, a modest prescription pill regime and a few extra pounds. I've the time and the money and I've been preparing a while as though the decision has already been made by updating my gear and shoes and hitting the inclined treadmill at the gym. I'm torn between missing my family for so long and looking forward to a break from them! And them me, I'm sure! I've done long distance walks in the UK before, but I was so much older then. I'm conflicted and haven't done an act to fully commit myself (ie. Flight & initial accommodation bookings). Is this sort vacillation perfectly understandable and all part of the journey?
Ian.
It is perfectly normal.
To help with longing, remember there is wifi and you can message/skype your family often.
And you dont have to start in SJPP, that is a very arbitrary point. Maybe Pamplona? You wont be away for so long and start in a very easy to reach, travellung friendly city.
Whatever you decide, make it your camino and enjoy it, peregrino!
It’s all,part of the process.
I was much the same way but as soon as I booked the international flights I was in. Sure I could have cancelled but it was just the right catalyst to get on with the rest of the planning.
Hi, Ian,
You really don't need to do this to yourself. Just go. UK is still in EU and there are no phone roaming fees. If you have done LDWs before (I guess you were so much younger, not older, hahaha) I guess you were in contact with your family every day. It will be the same in Spain. And there will be plenty of other pilgrims, some with no experience, complete first-timers that were sitting behind the desks their whole life and some will be very experienced. That's kinda first aid. And then there you have hospitaleros who are dealing with pilgrims every day and can help you.
There are all sorts of pilgrims and you will definitely not be the one sticking out.
Go out and just do it!!!
Ultreia!
Just Go, you know you want to. Trust me. 95% chance you will love it. If the unlucky 5% at least you will have tried and not be wondering.
I start tomorrow on my third in a year. Only regret is that I waited so long before I did it.
That would be me in 2001! You must know the old tag about only regretting things you didn't do?
GO. If you don't like it you can always come home - as Lissie says it's not so far.
Off for my daily walk now (only 8km) or should I stay home?
Don't forget to keep us updated!
On my winter walk this year, I did not feel like walking one day, so took the bus to Bilbao for a day. There really are no rules unless you want there to be!!Thank you Nomad. "you know you want to".....this is very true!
I've dithering quite a bit. I'm struggling to make the final commitment to walk the Camino Frances beginning third week of September (probably 18th to fly out). It's nerves. It's such a big thing. I'm aiming to fly from the UK to Biarritz and start at SJPP. I am late-ish 50's with reasonable fitness, a modest prescription pill regime and a few extra pounds. I've the time and the money and I've been preparing a while as though the decision has already been made by updating my gear and shoes and hitting the inclined treadmill at the gym. I'm torn between missing my family for so long and looking forward to a break from them! And them me, I'm sure! I've done long distance walks in the UK before, but I was so much older then. I'm conflicted and haven't done an act to fully commit myself (ie. Flight & initial accommodation bookings). Is this sort vacillation perfectly understandable and all part of the journey?
Ian.
I think it is part of the journey. My husband and I walked from St. Jean to Santiago in June and we are in our mid 60’s. It was quite a challenge but worth it for us. I am glad we did it. At least walk to Pamplona and see how you feel. Poco a Poco. One step at a time.I've dithering quite a bit. I'm struggling to make the final commitment to walk the Camino Frances beginning third week of September (probably 18th to fly out). It's nerves. It's such a big thing. I'm aiming to fly from the UK to Biarritz and start at SJPP. I am late-ish 50's with reasonable fitness, a modest prescription pill regime and a few extra pounds. I've the time and the money and I've been preparing a while as though the decision has already been made by updating my gear and shoes and hitting the inclined treadmill at the gym. I'm torn between missing my family for so long and looking forward to a break from them! And them me, I'm sure! I've done long distance walks in the UK before, but I was so much older then. I'm conflicted and haven't done an act to fully commit myself (ie. Flight & initial accommodation bookings). Is this sort vacillation perfectly understandable and all part of the journey?
Ian.
So very normal. You’re about ready to embark on a life-changing journey! My advice is to purchase your plane ticket!I'm struggling to make the final commitment to walk the Camino Frances
The hardest part of any journey is the decision to do it.
My Back Pages - One of my favourite Dylan songs. Those particular lyrics '...I'm younger than that now'. have always struck me. Recognised them straight away as I read your post. Mr Tambourine Man is my absolute favourite - once again it's all in his lyrics. I was 12 yrs old at the time when these came out - and feel privileged to have grown up in an era that gave us such fantastic music.Thank you K1. Lots of good sense in your post. And the older/younger thing.....I was quoting Dylan (My Back Pages)! The UK summer is starting to wane and so maybe, a relocation further south would be a good idea
Hi Ian - I was in that place last week - hesitating to book my air and then I just did! And once I did, felt great and knew it was the right decision. I start walking on Sept 24th.
You are slightly younger than I was when I started my journey. I'm still on it. I did the same training, but I'm only moderately fit, and I started from Le Puy, which is harder going than the CF, even the Napoleon route over the Pyrenees. (Do that if you possibly can, you won't regret it. Hell, you'll remember it for the rest of your life!)
There is no law that says you have to do a whole Camino in one bite. If you get injured/ill/homesick or just fed up, step off, come home and take up where you left off at a later date. I promise you won't want for company, and, as others have pointed out, communicating with home is easy and cheap. (Too easy - on my last walk, my wife rang me to say she'd had a car accident - in my car!)
The CF isn't the retreat from Moscow - much of it is easy walking in pleasant countryside between picturesque towns, with the prospect of a good meal and (usually) a comfortable bed. I've met 16-year-olds walking it. And an 84-year old.
Go - and let us know how you get on. Buen Camino!
As Nike says....”just do it”. So many times in life I get stuck on the I’m going to do it stage...totally normal. Mandela says it not what we can’t do that scares us but what we can do....im heading over Sept 5th and will start walking about the 7th or 8th...get you bag packed and I’ll meet you there!!! Cheers a Linda
So very normal. You’re about ready to embark on a life-changing journey! My advice is to purchase your plane ticket!
The adventure has begun.
Buen Camino.
All you have to fear is fear itself.
Go.
Live.
Dream.
Santiago and the Milky Way will guide you.
Buen camino a million times over!
My Back Pages - One of my favourite Dylan songs. Those particular lyrics '...I'm younger than that now'. have always struck me. Recognised them straight away as I read your post. Mr Tambourine Man is my absolute favourite - once again it's all in his lyrics. I was 12 yrs old at the time when these came out - and feel privileged to have grown up in an era that gave us such fantastic music.
I'm commencing the Camino Frances from SJPP on Sat 22 Sept. I'm travelling from the UK too - but via ferry! I just got fed up looking at the list of restrictions that you have to comply with if you fly added to which was the small but finite risk of the rucksack (too big to go as cabin luggage) ending up in Adelaide or wherever. French rail strikes put me off the idea of any kind of transit through France. I live just 3 miles from Portsmouth so it's Brittany Ferries for me. A leisurely 25 hr crossing to Santander, arrive 18:15 local time which should allow me to sort out a Spanish SIM card before the Vodafone shop closes at 20:00, then stay overnight. Then on Thurs 20 Sept take bus to Pamplona, stay overnight and continue to SJPP on Friday 21 Sept arriving 12:30. Plenty of time to soak up the atmosphere of the place prior to the Big Off next day Saturday 22 Sept.
I've given quite a lot of thought to opening up a communication channel between myself and relatives as being away fro 5-6 weeks is quite some time. Also being from the 'older generation' smartphone technology has been slowly passing me by. So I've coopted my daughter as technical expert on such matters and I'm the proud possessor of the Samsung phone that she used prior to the one she currently uses. I'm now more aware of WiFi, Whatsapp, Data usage, Phone chargers etc than I was at the start of the year. Obtaining a Spanish SIM card is the first objective/obstacle upon arrival in Santander. Very luckily I'm reasonably fluent in Spanish. Having said that I find the problem is the rapidity with which they speak back to you if they decide to continue the conversation in Spanish. Additionally there are many local dialects in Spain and it sometimes takes a little while to 'tune in' the ears adjust to how it varies from the grammar book Spanish. I'm hopeful that this first encounter at the Vodafone shop doesn't prove too embarrassing.
In contrast to the preparations for getting out there I have nothing at all planned for getting back, other than the expectation that I'll be coming back at some stage in the first week of November (I'm intending to do the final bit to Finisterre). I'll play it by ear as I go along.
I hope you make your decision to go as given your timings we may well bump into each other at some stage.
Buen Camino peregrino!Thank you to everyone for the kind encouragement and supportive words. I am now booked on to a flight arriving in Biarritz on Sept 17th and have accommodation booked as far as Zubiri. From there, I'll wing it day by day!
I've dithering quite a bit. . .
(I guess you were so much younger, not older, hahaha)
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