JustJack
Active Member
- Time of past OR future Camino
- CF: May/June 2023
VDLP: April/May 2024
I first heard about the camino about 3 years ago, just as the pandemic hit. As I’ve posted here previously, I spent an inordinate number of hours over the past three years watching youtube videos and reading blogs and books about the camino. I obsessed over all of the minutia – partly because I have a slight obsessive-compulsive disorder, and partly because I love planning trips.
So despite many comments from others warning me of the dangers of having my expectations set by watching the experiences of other pilgrims, I continued to do so, on an almost daily basis.
Now that I’ve walked the CF and returned home about a week ago, do I regret the excessive planning and research that I did?
No, and yes.
Watching youtube videos and reading blogs helped carry me though a difficult time during the pandemic. Walking a camino became the light at the end of the tunnel for me. It was what I’d think about as I got ready for work in the morning, and when I went to sleep at night. So in that respect I don’t regret all the time I spent vicariously walking caminos with others, because those were happy hours. And planning became my hobby, as did going for long training hikes, so that was positive.
That said, if I’m honest with myself I’d have to admit that, despite my efforts to avoid doing so, expectations were inevitably set before I left home. I read too many comments – on this site and others – about the various ups and downs pilgrims encounter, and in particular about the emotional aspects of walking a camino. And although I did my best to block those thoughts out, they were there in the background, causing me to sometimes question my own journey, and how I was dealing with things, and whether or not I was “failing” at my camino…
One example of this was at the Cruz de Ferro. Because so much has been published about this iconic stop along the CF I ended up consuming way too much information before leaving home. As a result, when the day came that I found myself at the foot of Cruz de Ferro I ended up spending about half an hour there watching the pilgrims, and then leaving with my stone still in my pocket. Not sure why, but the whole experience just felt too prescriptive, like there was a specific set of things I was supposed to do there, and a specific way I should be feeling, and it didn’t feel authentic to me at that moment. I ended up placing my rock many days later at a time and place that felt appropriate to me.
So did I learn any lessons about over-preparing to walk a camino? I hope so. And when I walk the next one I’m going to make a concerted effort to not research it to death before I leave. That’s going to be difficult, because as I said I love the planning and anticipation.
My advice to others planning their first camino – spend time planning which backpack and shoes are best for you, and of course how to get to SJPDP (), but that’s all. Let everything be a surprise, and most importantly don't bring any expectations. Don’t expect the good, the bad or the ugly. Let everything be a surprise, and then deal with those surprises authentically.
So despite many comments from others warning me of the dangers of having my expectations set by watching the experiences of other pilgrims, I continued to do so, on an almost daily basis.
Now that I’ve walked the CF and returned home about a week ago, do I regret the excessive planning and research that I did?
No, and yes.
Watching youtube videos and reading blogs helped carry me though a difficult time during the pandemic. Walking a camino became the light at the end of the tunnel for me. It was what I’d think about as I got ready for work in the morning, and when I went to sleep at night. So in that respect I don’t regret all the time I spent vicariously walking caminos with others, because those were happy hours. And planning became my hobby, as did going for long training hikes, so that was positive.
That said, if I’m honest with myself I’d have to admit that, despite my efforts to avoid doing so, expectations were inevitably set before I left home. I read too many comments – on this site and others – about the various ups and downs pilgrims encounter, and in particular about the emotional aspects of walking a camino. And although I did my best to block those thoughts out, they were there in the background, causing me to sometimes question my own journey, and how I was dealing with things, and whether or not I was “failing” at my camino…
One example of this was at the Cruz de Ferro. Because so much has been published about this iconic stop along the CF I ended up consuming way too much information before leaving home. As a result, when the day came that I found myself at the foot of Cruz de Ferro I ended up spending about half an hour there watching the pilgrims, and then leaving with my stone still in my pocket. Not sure why, but the whole experience just felt too prescriptive, like there was a specific set of things I was supposed to do there, and a specific way I should be feeling, and it didn’t feel authentic to me at that moment. I ended up placing my rock many days later at a time and place that felt appropriate to me.
So did I learn any lessons about over-preparing to walk a camino? I hope so. And when I walk the next one I’m going to make a concerted effort to not research it to death before I leave. That’s going to be difficult, because as I said I love the planning and anticipation.
My advice to others planning their first camino – spend time planning which backpack and shoes are best for you, and of course how to get to SJPDP (), but that’s all. Let everything be a surprise, and most importantly don't bring any expectations. Don’t expect the good, the bad or the ugly. Let everything be a surprise, and then deal with those surprises authentically.
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