Family "Vacation" Ideas

[hokiebobwise]

Hello all.

I finished my first camino back in July 2023 and ever since I have missed being on the path. I have already purchased two more guide books and have been contemplating the Ingles, but walking less than 15km/day so as to soak in every moment, or the Portuguese. I walked 11 days (from Astorga) and feel 11 days of walking to be the right amount, at least while I am still actively working.

My challenge is this......I have a wife and daughter who are not interested in walking and weren't thrilled that I, along with my oldest son, were gone for 17 days in Spain, while they stayed back home in Virginia. So, my brilliant idea is that we travel to Spain/Portugal, as a family. I would "drop them off" at a beach resort, or other type of "vacation" place. While they vacation/tour I will walk my camino. We will meet up in Santiago, hopefully they will be in the square to greet me, at which point we enjoy a day or two in Santiago before heading back to the states.

Has anyone done this with family, or even friends, who support you but aren't interested in walking? Any thoughts, musings, warnings, etc. are welcome.

Buen Camino

Bob

 

[K_Lynn]

I met two people when I walked whose partners were 1) touring Africa and 2) driving about Spain and meeting up with their peregrina every few days.

There are tons of places to see and things to do in Spain and some of them should fit their interests. Museums, art galleries, historic sites, nature preserves, shopping, beach resorts etc. Madrid and Barcelona are beautiful cities with lots of shopping and museums and galleries. Bilbao of course has the Guggenheim and is not far from the coast for day trips. Toledo, Sevilla, Cordoba, Granada, and Ronda are all amazing with the combined Jewish/Islamic/Christian architecture and historic areas. Likewise Portugal if you are walking from there, Lisbon, Porto, Sintra etc etc, beach resorts in Faro...

Ask them what sort of holiday they want and then have them meet you in Santiago at the end or you can meet up with them wherever for your reunion and debrief.

 

[Jarrad]

Hello all.

I finished my first camino back in July 2023 and ever since I have missed being on the path. I have already purchased two more guide books and have been contemplating the Ingles, but walking less than 15km/day so as to soak in every moment, or the Portuguese. I walked 11 days (from Astorga) and feel 11 days of walking to be the right amount, at least while I am still actively working.

My challenge is this......I have a wife and daughter who are not interested in walking and weren't thrilled that I, along with my oldest son, were gone for 17 days in Spain, while they stayed back home in Virginia. So, my brilliant idea is that we travel to Spain/Portugal, as a family. I would "drop them off" at a beach resort, or other type of "vacation" place. While they vacation/tour I will walk my camino. We will meet up in Santiago, hopefully they will be in the square to greet me, at which point we enjoy a day or two in Santiago before heading back to the states.

Has anyone done this with family, or even friends, who support you but aren't interested in walking? Any thoughts, musings, warnings, etc. are welcome.

Buen Camino

Bob

Yikes. You just finished this past July, the family did not love your absence, and now you're looking to do more of same, only this time they will be somewhere else in Spain or Portugal? I cannot judge your situation but, IMHO, sounds like a recipe for domestic discord. Others have likely had more success with such a plan, so take the advice of this one stranger on the internet with the appropriate grain of salt. That said, based on what little you've shared, I humbly suggest making a family vacation a family vacation (not family vacation minus one or maybe two).

Note that I admire your zeal for the Camino and desire to have your family share in that experience, even if in a small way. I totally get it. I contemplated a somewhat similar plan a few years ago. My brilliant idea was to deposit Mrs. Jarrad with some of our family who live in the vicinity of Santiago while I wandered about. To my dismay, my proposal (and several subsequent variations on that theme) was not met with applause from Mrs. Jarrad. Of course, YMMV.

 

[TravellingMan22]

Hello all.

I finished my first camino back in July 2023 and ever since I have missed being on the path. I have already purchased two more guide books and have been contemplating the Ingles, but walking less than 15km/day so as to soak in every moment, or the Portuguese. I walked 11 days (from Astorga) and feel 11 days of walking to be the right amount, at least while I am still actively working.

My challenge is this......I have a wife and daughter who are not interested in walking and weren't thrilled that I, along with my oldest son, were gone for 17 days in Spain, while they stayed back home in Virginia. So, my brilliant idea is that we travel to Spain/Portugal, as a family. I would "drop them off" at a beach resort, or other type of "vacation" place. While they vacation/tour I will walk my camino. We will meet up in Santiago, hopefully they will be in the square to greet me, at which point we enjoy a day or two in Santiago before heading back to the states.

Has anyone done this with family, or even friends, who support you but aren't interested in walking? Any thoughts, musings, warnings, etc. are welcome.

Buen Camino

Bob

Great idea and I think you are spoilt for choice. 17 or so days is a long time as trains / buses are good in Spain.

Hard to know where to recommend. Maybe southern Portugal, over the border into Seville, Cordoba, Malaga. Still nice and warm. Depends on their interests I guess.

 

[Robo]

Yep, been there done that.
On my first Camino, Pat went to Thailand to visit family, and I came back via Thailand post Camino and we had some time together there.

On my second, we walked a 10 day Camino together, and travelled in Europe a bit together after.

Another we did a long Camino together and bit of travel.

This year she stayed home as I picked a long remote route
There were commitments at home that kept her there.

Next one, we'll walk 2 weeks together followed by a holiday in Europe.

It's all a question of give and take.

But I'm not sure I'll get to go on my own for 3 months again

 

[dbier]

A little more to the point, hokie....*why* were they unhappy? And how do you all as a family normally handle something that interests one spouse, but not both?

Were they unhappy because you and your son were enjoying yourselves in Spain, and they were " stuck at home?" In that case, if you and your family do the legwork to plan an outing that appeals to each member and that each member has time and money for, then you might be able to get away with a split trip.

If, on the other hand, they didn't like being apart from you and your son - period - then no amount of parallel planning will make them happy.

Only you know which is the case.

By way of reference, I took my husband ( our boys are full grown, and one is married) from Sarria to Santiago in 2021. And I plan to take him on the Ingles in 2025, and to Finisterre afterwards ( with a bus to Muxia, if we have time).

I did NOT take him with me on the Primitivo last month. I was gone for 23 days total.

The only reason this works at all for us is that, over 36 years of marriage, we've been geographically separate for at least five years, lumping it all together.

Offered for your contemplation.

 

[hokiebobwise]

Thanks for the responses. They weren't happy because we were off "enjoying" ourselves while they dealt with house things and nowhere to go - their choice. I think they realized that the walk was what I needed and they do support me going again, but maybe not realizing I'd like to go this summer. But, next summer my 2nd child will be graduating high school and he, along with a buddy, are saving up money to travel around Italy, France and Germany, do a month or so. Thus, I think if I offer them a European trip they will be happy. In years past, they would take a mother/daughter trip, but that didn't happen this year because of the money spent by "the boys."

Again, thank you for the suggestions. I am thought/dreamed for 10 years before taking my first walk, so I am willing to accept that it may be 5 or more years before my second.

Bob

 

[Roland49]

I'm bringing in the south of Spain / Portugal (Algarve (Pt) or Andalusia (Es)).
Lot's to see and do, especially in Andalusia.

I've got no personal experience, but I met a german couple on my CF in 2019, who's kids and grandkids were on vacation in Spain and they met on the Praza d'Obradoiro as their (great-)parents walked in.
It's possible, if you plan early ahead, to synchronize your vacation schedules.

Hope it will work out for you!

 

[pjacobi]

If you are walking the Camino and the rest of the family is at the beach, then you are missing out on the family vacation! I suggest separate trips for a family vacation (with all the family) and the Camino.

If you have limited time and money, I believe family responsibilities are more important than the Camino. As kids get older, you may have more time for personal interests, such as the Camino. You may need to put your personal plans on-hold for the good of the family.


-Paul

 

[TravellingMan22]

Hello all.

I finished my first camino back in July 2023 and ever since I have missed being on the path. I have already purchased two more guide books and have been contemplating the Ingles, but walking less than 15km/day so as to soak in every moment, or the Portuguese. I walked 11 days (from Astorga) and feel 11 days of walking to be the right amount, at least while I am still actively working.

My challenge is this......I have a wife and daughter who are not interested in walking and weren't thrilled that I, along with my oldest son, were gone for 17 days in Spain, while they stayed back home in Virginia. So, my brilliant idea is that we travel to Spain/Portugal, as a family. I would "drop them off" at a beach resort, or other type of "vacation" place. While they vacation/tour I will walk my camino. We will meet up in Santiago, hopefully they will be in the square to greet me, at which point we enjoy a day or two in Santiago before heading back to the states.

Has anyone done this with family, or even friends, who support you but aren't interested in walking? Any thoughts, musings, warnings, etc. are welcome.

Buen Camino

Bob

I guess the other obvious thing is for them to look at ‘shadowing’ your trip. So if you places you are stopping at are of significant interest to them maybe they could build an itinerary around that. So for example pick three or four places you are stopping at and meet them. They can catch the bus or train. Of course it depends on what they want and I would only do this if they were keen and not as a compromise. Don’t forget ‘compromise’ mean no one getting what they want! And to be honest a mother and daughter trip away ‘from the men’ may be very attractive for them not that anyone admits it. They may well be hugely relishing the thought! Sign of a healthy relationship of you spend time away for each other.

So when I do the VDLP in April, my partner will probably fly out from UK to Seville, then Salamanca and then SDC. I have not mentioned the 18 Deb dorm yet!! She has plenty to be getting on with the rest of the time!

 

[Silencio Por Favor]

As others have said, a plan where you occasionally meet them sounds good. Depends what they prefer, if it is beaches, the Rota Vincentina could be a good option perhaps. Good luck.

 

[Kiwi-family]

Please do tell us what your family says!

 

[TashH]

I understand your dilemma, I have just completed my first Camino and can’t wait to do another. But I also have family to consider. Family time is precious and wonderful memories are made on family holidays. Do a holiday together then plan you next Camino.
I’m not sure you would be able to really immerse yourself in the full Camino experience when trying to meet up with family every couple of days. It would be a distraction.

 

[henrythedog]

Figure out what your other family members want to do first, then look for where in Spain, Portugal or France they can do it.

 

[hokiebobwise]

Your family vacation idea is brilliant! While you walk your camino, your wife and daughter can enjoy a relaxing beach resort or explore other vacation spots. Meeting up in Santiago would be such a special moment, and then you can all enjoy a couple of days in the city before heading back home. I haven't personally done this with my family, but I've heard of others who have done similar trips. It's a great way to combine your passion for walking with quality family time. Just make sure to communicate and plan everything in advance to ensure a smooth experience for everyone. By the way, if you're looking for other vacation ideas, have you considered Costa Rica? It's an amazing destination with stunning beaches, lush rainforests, and incredible wildlife. I recommend checking out Costa Rica Focus (costaricafocus.com) for some travel inspiration. They have tons of valuable information and tips for exploring the country.

Thanks