First Camino next week!!

[Susanne Guthrie]

Hello!
Is there anyone starting the Camino on September 9th or around that date?
41 year mother of 3 trying to be brave!! On my own from England would love to hear from anyone who is starting it at a similar time.
Thank you!

 

[nidarosa]

Hi Susanne, don't worry, you have decided to go - that's the brave bit done! All you need to do now, is relax and enjoy. My mantra for the first days is: Walk. Breathe. Enjoy! And that really is all. You will meet lots of nice people, walk with them a while, lose some, find some others, sleep badly, sleep well, walk in sun and rain and probably get wet, cold, happy, amazed and tearful for some reason at some point. Try not to walk in anyone else's tempo, go where you want to go and stop when you need to. Look after yourself as you would your kids and you'll have a great time! I start from Astorga on the 17th so depending on where you start from we might meet or not. Have a buen camino though!

(Walk, breathe, enjoy - walk, breathe, enjoy - walk, breathe, enjoy ...)

 

[Robo]

You will have such a great time Susanne. I'm very envious.

Don't worry about trying to connect with people before you get there.

Within hours of arrival you will have found great friends, many of whom you might walk with for days...........

My first night in St Jean I had dinner with two lovely ladies from Australia whom I met up with quite by chance off and on over the next 5 weeks. The Camino is like that

In fact, as I think about it........... I walked very slowly due to injury, but even so, of those people I met in the first 24 hours, after arriving in St Jean, most I kept meeting.


A young couple from England I met on and off for about a month.
A couple from Australia I dinned with, walked with for 2 - 3 weeks.
A wonderful Priest from the USA I met up with over about 4 weeks.
A German guy I saw a dozen times more.
Of course the two Ozzie ladies above, whom I last saw in Portomarin.


And that was just the people I met in the first 24 hours.

Others I met later I walked with, dined with, laughed with, helped. and was helped by.....

I almost put all their names in the credits of my amateur 'movie' but didn't because I knew I would forget someone and possibly offend them.

Someone asked me how many people I met, and my very rough answer was............

Well over a hundred, maybe two hundred, I would 'recognise' on the road.
Probably close to a hundred, I would get to know by name.
And maybe 50 I would regularly join at breaks along the way for coffee, lunch, dinner, a glass of wine.

And given that I mostly walked alone, and stayed in private accommodation............. most Pilgrims probably get to know a lot more people!

So.......

Don't worry about arriving alone.............you won't be for long!

 

[Robo]

Try not to walk in anyone else's tempo, go where you want to go and stop when you need to.

Probably the best Camino advice that can be given IMHO.

I recall just outside Leon being caught up by a friend, and I tried to keep pace with him. Just for about 15 minutes.
But that small over extension in my stride to keep up with him was enough.........

It gave me shin splints on top of other injuries that I had to carry for the next 2 weeks to Santiago...........

You'll generally see people again. At the next stop.

I walked very slowly, but kept up with my 'Camino families' overall, because I was just walking an extra hour or two after they had stopped.

I probably went through two or three Camino 'Families', as people eventually pulled away from me due to my slow walking speed.
But that just gave me a chance to meet even more incredible people

 

[Julie H]

You will have such a great time Susanne. I'm very envious.

Don't worry about trying to connect with people before you get there.

Within hours of arrival you will have found great friends, many of whom you might walk with for days...........

My first night in St Jean I had dinner with two lovely ladies from Australia whom I met up with quite by chance off and on over the next 5 weeks. The Camino is like that

In fact, as I think about it........... I walked very slowly due to injury, but even so, of those people I met in the first 24 hours, after arriving in St Jean, most I kept meeting.


A young couple from England I met on and off for about a month.
A couple from Australia I dinned with, walked with for 2 - 3 weeks.
A wonderful Priest from the USA I met up with over about 4 weeks.
A German guy I saw a dozen times more.
Of course the two Ozzie ladies above, whom I last saw in Portomarin.


And that was just the people I met in the first 24 hours.

Others I met later I walked with, dined with, laughed with, helped. and was helped by.....

I almost put all their names in the credits of my amateur 'movie' but didn't because I knew I would forget someone and possibly offend them.

Someone asked me how many people I met, and my very rough answer was............

Well over a hundred, maybe two hundred, I would 'recognise' on the road.
Probably close to a hundred, I would get to know by name.
And maybe 50 I would regularly join at breaks along the way for coffee, lunch, dinner, a glass of wine.

And given that I mostly walked alone, and stayed in private accommodation............. most Pilgrims probably get to know a lot more people!

So.......

Don't worry about arriving alone.............you won't be for long!

And Robo your amateur movie was GREAT by the way! It got me all excited, I leave SJPDP on Sept.16

 

[Peter Fransiscus]

Hello!
Is there anyone starting the Camino on September 9th or around that date?
41 year mother of 3 trying to be brave!! On my own from England would love to hear from anyone who is starting it at a similar time.
Thank you!

Hi Susanne, the alone part don't take long. You will meet lots of other pilgrims and mabe more than you want.
That's the best part meeting people from all over the world.
Wish you a great journey and a Buen Camino, Peter.

 

[BShea]

I met people from over 36 countries and at least a couple dozen States! It is truly an amazing experience. Buen Camino!

 

[Griffin57]

Hello!
Is there anyone starting the Camino on September 9th or around that date?
41 year mother of 3 trying to be brave!! On my own from England would love to hear from anyone who is starting it at a similar time.
Thank you!

Hi Susanne, Welcome to the forum and the camino! If you look at the thread you will see the names of some of the forum members that are starting on your date. You can contact any of them there by replying to their post or using the 'start a conversation' function.
There will be many, many pilgrims starting at the same time as you, you won't be on your own for long.

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/2015-september-pilgrims.34666/

Buen camino Susanne
Sarah

 

[Galuh]

Buen Camino!

 

[Susanne Guthrie]

Probably the best Camino advice that can be given IMHO.

I recall just outside Leon being caught up by a friend, and I tried to keep pace with him. Just for about 15 minutes.
But that small over extension in my stride to keep up with him was enough.........

It gave me shin splints on top of other injuries that I had to carry for the next 2 weeks to Santiago...........

You'll generally see people again. At the next stop.

I walked very slowly, but kept up with my 'Camino families' overall, because I was just walking an extra hour or two after they had stopped.

I probably went through two or three Camino 'Families', as people eventually pulled away from me due to my slow walking speed.
But that just gave me a chance to meet even more incredible people

Thank you!!

 

[Susanne Guthrie]

Thank you everyone!! Feel more confident. Really looking forward to it. It's all new and exciting. I am sure I will bump into lots of people, but have really never done anything on my own! But hey! Life begins at 40!!

 

[Robo]

Thank you everyone!! Feel more confident. Really looking forward to it. It's all new and exciting. I am sure I will bump into lots of people, but have really never done anything on my own! But hey! Life begins at 40!!

You'll have the time of your life!

 

[foyleview]

And Robo your amateur movie was GREAT by the way! It got me all excited, I leave SJPDP on Sept.16

Julie H, me and my son will also be leaving SJPDP ON THE 16TH, we arrive on the 15th and will spend the day there,leave for first stage on the 16th,we have booked to stay at orrison but may go on depending on how we feel, hope to meet you some time on the way Pat

 

[Robert Corcoran]

Hello!
Is there anyone starting the Camino on September 9th or around that date?
41 year mother of 3 trying to be brave!! On my own from England would love to hear from anyone who is starting it at a similar time.
Thank you!

Hi Susanne. I am starting on the 10th and hope to be in SJPP at noon on the 9th and staying there overnight. I am guessing that it should be teaming with pilgrims. See you then. Bob

 

[Introibo]

Hi Suzanne.
You won'the be on your own for long. On the train down to London I sat next to a
lovely lady called Jane......who it turned out had also been to Santiago. This was
before I'd got 50 miles from home ! I remembered Jane throughout my walk and
prayed for her as I'm sure Jane did for me.
As an obsessive worrier I can say that once I'd got started I was as relaxed and as carefree
as I've ever been. Cold, wet, tired, hungry at times. But stress free.
I'm starting again on the 26th September, from Porto this time. Again the nerves and jitters
are kicking in. I guess we all get nervous before big events. If we didn't they wouldn't be big
events. I can't bring myself to use the phrase "feel the fear, but do it anyway" but it does neatly
Sum things up.

Buen Camino

 

[AllanHG]

You will have such a great time Susanne. I'm very envious.

Don't worry about trying to connect with people before you get there.

Within hours of arrival you will have found great friends, many of whom you might walk with for days...........

My first night in St Jean I had dinner with two lovely ladies from Australia whom I met up with quite by chance off and on over the next 5 weeks. The Camino is like that

In fact, as I think about it........... I walked very slowly due to injury, but even so, of those people I met in the first 24 hours, after arriving in St Jean, most I kept meeting.


A young couple from England I met on and off for about a month.
A couple from Australia I dinned with, walked with for 2 - 3 weeks.
A wonderful Priest from the USA I met up with over about 4 weeks.
A German guy I saw a dozen times more.
Of course the two Ozzie ladies above, whom I last saw in Portomarin.


And that was just the people I met in the first 24 hours.

Others I met later I walked with, dined with, laughed with, helped. and was helped by.....

I almost put all their names in the credits of my amateur 'movie' but didn't because I knew I would forget someone and possibly offend them.

Someone asked me how many people I met, and my very rough answer was............

Well over a hundred, maybe two hundred, I would 'recognise' on the road.
Probably close to a hundred, I would get to know by name.
And maybe 50 I would regularly join at breaks along the way for coffee, lunch, dinner, a glass of wine.

And given that I mostly walked alone, and stayed in private accommodation............. most Pilgrims probably get to know a lot more people!

So.......

Don't worry about arriving alone.............you won't be for long!

I really appreciated reading your reply and curious about staying in private accomodations. We are starting our first camino next week and my wife would like to stay in private accomodations when available. Wondering - did you reserve those in advance (we are likely too late for that) or was there any difficulty finding private hotels/hostels when you arrived in towns?
Thanks,

 

[Robo]

I really appreciated reading your reply and curious about staying in private accomodations. We are starting our first camino next week and my wife would like to stay in private accomodations when available. Wondering - did you reserve those in advance (we are likely too late for that) or was there any difficulty finding private hotels/hostels when you arrived in towns?
Thanks,

I tended to book one day ahead. Never really had a problem.

 

[Peter Fransiscus]

Thank you everyone!! Feel more confident. Really looking forward to it. It's all new and exciting. I am sure I will bump into lots of people, but have really never done anything on my own! But hey! Life begins at 40!!

Hi Susanne, you are not alone don't worry about that. There are more people than you mabe want. Wish you all the best and a Buen Camino, Peter.

 

[Kimberly Helen]

Hello!
Is there anyone starting the Camino on September 9th or around that date?
41 year mother of 3 trying to be brave!! On my own from England would love to hear from anyone who is starting it at a similar time.
Thank you!

Hi, Susanne, I'll be arriving in SJPP on the 10th! If our paths cross, I'd be happy to have a coffee and a chat