First time Hello

[Mahoney]

Hi, this is my first post. My wife, Barbara, and I plan to hike the Camino right after I finish school, approximately in 2017. We will be in our 60's but we do a lot of hiking and love it! We're starting to plan now so that we will be both physically and mentally ready. I look forward to hearing from others and how you all planned for this.

 

[Tia Valeria]

Welcome to the forum. We planned for many years too, reading books, joined the CSJ and finally the forum. That helped us to decide which of the Caminos was right for us. Our choices being the Norte/Primitivo and the Inglés.
Then there are the many on-line sites with distances and profiles, albergue lists etc. to add to all the help here.

Happy planning and dreaming and Buen Camino when it comes

 

[ilovelife]

Hi, this is my first post. My wife, Barbara, and I plan to hike the Camino right after I finish school, approximately in 2017. We will be in our 60's but we do a lot of hiking and love it! We're starting to plan now so that we will be both physically and mentally ready. I look forward to hearing from others and how you all planned for this.

Hi Mahoney.

Nice to see another newcomer to the forum such as myself.
Can I ask what exactly is your plan to get physically and mentally ready?

I too am in a position where I will need to prepare myself in those regards before setting out on this trek.

Cheers from Canada.
Noto.

 

[Mahoney]

Thanks for the responses! I'm not sure what I meant about being mentally prepared... Thinking about it now, it would be to set my goal of doing the Camino and never think for a second that I won't do it. I'm teaching myself some Spanish, taking notes on how to pack, and understanding the Euro.
My one concern is that my wife, Barbara wants to do the Camino as well and I would love for us to do it together. If during the Way, she feels like she needs to either stop or bus part of it, is that something others have done, or have a similar situation.
I believe if we paced it right she will do okay... But I feel we would need plan just in case.

 

[Tia Valeria]

Terry started this thread some time ago, it might help you with your thinking.
Walking with a Companion.
If you have a phone with you and can book ahead at least some nights then that could help, and there is no reason why your wife shouldn't bus/taxi ahead, or stay an extra day and then join you etc,.....however you feel is right for you.
The only important thing to remember is that if she does want a certificate/compostela then she will need to have actually walked the last 100kms, however slowly you cover that distance.
Buen Camino

 

[Mahoney]

Thanks Tia!

 

[reg2450]

Hi Mahoney & Barbara
My walking companion was my 10 year old daughter. I was keen to walk about 18 - 20 km a day. She liked the idea of walking 12 - 15. She won. The slowest always wins.

I am so glad. We walked at her pace for over 3 weeks. We saw things, we talked to people, we experienced a whole new world. People would come up from behind, walk for 10 minutes with us and bolt forward. We started at 7 or 8am, we stopped at 2 or 3pm, and we stopped EVERYWHERE inbetween: sometimes towns, sometimes nowhere, sometimes with people, sometimes alone... Once I let go of the need to 'get some kilometres under our belt' it was wonderful. I"m glad that moment came the first day, otherwise I could have made her walk with me across Spain a nightmare she'd rather forget. She helped me stop and smell the flowers.

Due to the slow pace, we did have to make up for lost time at around 400km. There was a moment after 4 days of some blistery wind chill factors where we finally decided to catch a bus to the next major town. Alone, I may have kept walking - but I can't say that for sure, but nothing makes your heart break like seeing your sweet girl who has walked 400km through rain, snow, sleet, hail, snow and now ice-cold, unforgiving, relentless and harsh wind........finally crack and say "I hate this".

A bus ride and a day in a major city looking at sights and being a tourist for a moment piped us both up. We were derided by some people, and laughed at by others, but we know what we did. And so does the one we walked for. We did our Camino, but I also did mine, and although I never intended for Georgia to suffer in the walk across Spain, so was prepared to stop, catch buses, leave early, give up - whatever - if she was really miserable, it never happened, and so... Georgia too, did her Camino, though some purests would rob her of that amazing feat. Just let go of your agenda and walk with your wife. You'll know when to do anything else. It's nobody else business what you do or how you do it. This forum is for information, but can offer far too many judgments too (of which, that was one right then, from me... sorry). It wont be easy, but it's not impossible, and you'll be very, very glad you did it together.

 

[Mahoney]

Thanks Reg2450!

Those are good words... You're right, it is your Camino and you did right for your daughter. Having quality time with her and helping her have a memorable experience is far more important than any thing else.
Thanks for sharing that!

Mahoney