Gracias

[auldies]

After several months of devouring all the wonderfully helpful information on this amazing forum I have finally become a donating member, mainly to say thank you to Ivar and all the members who have helped me so much. My husband and I will be taking our first step on the Camino Frances on 22nd April this year and the excitement is building. Whenever I have a question I go straight to the forum and search - the answer is invariably there!! And now I can bookmark all my favourite posts.
I have already ordered our credentials from Ivar's store and eagerly await their arrival.
Only 86 more sleeps!!!!!!!
Buen Camino

 

[Peter Fransiscus]

After several months of devouring all the wonderfully helpful information on this amazing forum I have finally become a donating member, mainly to say thank you to Ivar and all the members who have helped me so much. My husband and I will be taking our first step on the Camino Frances on 22nd April this year and the excitement is building. Whenever I have a question I go straight to the forum and search - the answer is invariably there!! And now I can bookmark all my favourite posts.
I have already ordered our credentials from Ivar's store and eagerly await their arrival.
Only 86 more sleeps!!!!!!!
Buen Camino

Hello, I find it a great time of the year to walk.
Wish you both a wonderful journey and a Buen Camino, Peter.

 

[NualaOC]

Buen Camino to you both - enjoy the countdown!

 

[wayfarer]

Welcome to you both, April is indeed a lovely time to walk, not as crowded or hot as later but getting warmer. It can be cold and maybe wet at times but I'm sure you are well prepared. Everything will be green and fresh and the flowers will be starting to bloom along the way.
Have a safe and wonderful Camino.
Buen Camino.

 

[SYates]

Have a great Camino and enjoy every step! SY

 

[marbuck]

We are almost your neighbour. We started our CF on the 20th April 2014. A great time to do the Camino. It may be cold and you will get rain but that is just part of walking a Camino. So take warm gear and wet weather gear. You will love the walk and I will be surprised if you wont be back for more. We leave SJPDP for our third Camino on the 10th April this year.

 

[Seabird]

How exciting it is to be planning our first Camino! I will be a little ahead of you, relishing every step. Buen Camino!

 

[movinmaggie]

Joining this forum made all the difference for me as well, as I was planning my first journey from StJdP. Sept/Oct was also a lovely time to walk. Not many flowers, but plenty of Autmn leaves; always my favourite Tim of year. Wish you Buen Camino. Maggie

 

[Peregrina 2013]

Buen Camino! You will never forget your journey! And if you think that once you accomplish your Camino you can X it off your "things to do" in life, well, it's not so! The Camino calls you back, you'll see

Ultreïa!

Mary

 

[Magwood]

I will be starting the same day, but along a different Camino - el Norte. Our paths may well cross in Santiago. Be prepared for more caminos to come - I only walked the first time at the request of my daughter to join her along the Frances, and have walked every year since - my fourth Camino coming up.

 

[Christian Hiriart]

Hope this adventure is all you have hoped it would be and more.

Buen Camino

 

[auldies]

Hello, I find it a great time of the year to walk.
Wish you both a wonderful journey and a Buen Camino, Peter.

Thank you so much for your good wishes Peter.
My one regret is that my dad is not alive to follow this journey with us.
He would find it totally incredulous that someone from the Netherlands is wishing us well.
As you are the first person I have replied to, I'm not even sure that I have it right, but I'll soon see.
Carol

 

[auldies]

We are almost your neighbour. We started our CF on the 20th April 2014. A great time to do the Camino. It may be cold and you will get rain but that is just part of walking a Camino. So take warm gear and wet weather gear. You will love the walk and I will be surprised if you wont be back for more. We leave SJPDP for our third Camino on the 10th April this year.

Wow!! It's very hard to think about a 3rd Camino atm, but from what we have heard and read, you may well be right.
It is comforting to know that others will be leaving earlier than us in April, as we were a little concerned about the timing.
Buen Camino

 

[auldies]

Hope this adventure is all you have hoped it would be and more.

Buen Camino

Thank you so much Christian. I think I'm definitely more excited than our 5 yr old grandson who is starting his first day of school this week and that's saying something!
Carol

 

[auldies]

I will be starting the same day, but along a different Camino - el Norte. Our paths may well cross in Santiago. Be prepared for more caminos to come - I only walked the first time at the request of my daughter to join her along the Frances, and have walked every year since - my fourth Camino coming up.

Fourth Camino is amazing Magwood!
We will definitely look out for you in SJDP.
We should be easy to spot - the ones with all brand new equipment and looking lost or just looking!!
Carol

 

[auldies]

Joining this forum made all the difference for me as well, as I was planning my first journey from StJdP. Sept/Oct was also a lovely time to walk. Not many flowers, but plenty of Autmn leaves; always my favourite Tim of year. Wish you Buen Camino. Maggie

Thank you Maggie.
Our initial plan was to walk in Sept/Oct last year but it didn't work out for us, so we thought spring should be a lovely to walk.

 

[auldies]

Buen Camino! You will never forget your journey! And if you think that once you accomplish your Camino you can X it off your "things to do" in life, well, it's not so! The Camino calls you back, you'll see

Ultreïa!

Mary

Thank you Mary.
This definitely seems to be a common warning.
Our friends who walked in June/July last year are already saying the Camino is drawing them back once again.
Carol

 

[auldies]

Buen Camino to you both - enjoy the countdown!

Thank you NualaOC.
I'm already finding making a connection with the forum and it's members is adding immensely to the excitement.
So many things still to do to be totally ready!
Carol

 

[auldies]

Welcome to you both, April is indeed a lovely time to walk, not as crowded or hot as later but getting warmer. It can be cold and maybe wet at times but I'm sure you are well prepared. Everything will be green and fresh and the flowers will be starting to bloom along the way.
Have a safe and wonderful Camino.
Buen Camino.

Thank you for the welcome and good wishes Wayfarer.
Just reading your post makes me want to leave tomorrow!

 

[auldies]

Have a great Camino and enjoy every step! SY

Thank you SYates.
I see you have another Camino planned for Feb/March.
Buen Camino.
Carol

 

[auldies]

How exciting it is to be planning our first Camino! I will be a little ahead of you, relishing every step. Buen Camino!

Indeed!
Buen Camino to you too.

 

[domigee]

Fourth Camino is amazing Magwood!
We will definitely look out for you in SJDP.
We should be easy to spot - the ones with all brand new equipment and looking lost or just looking!!
Carol

By the time you reach Santiago your equipment won't look that new and you'll feel like 'seasoned' pilgrims
Buen camino!

 

[vgen5122]

Have a great, great journey. I am leaving late August through September of this year. Second time around for me and this time with my son (his first time). Buen Camino.

 

[Peter Fransiscus]

Thank you so much for your good wishes Peter.
My one regret is that my dad is not alive to follow this journey with us.
He would find it totally incredulous that someone from the Netherlands is wishing us well.
As you are the first person I have replied to, I'm not even sure that I have it right, but I'll soon see.
Carol

Hi Carol, you have it right. I have a question for you, was your father from the Netherlands .
Wish you well, Peter.

 

[auldies]

Have a great, great journey. I am leaving late August through September of this year. Second time around for me and this time with my son (his first time). Buen Camino.

Thank you so much for your good wishes vgen5122. How wonderful that you get to share such an amazing experience with your son! May your journey together be all that you hope for and more.
Buen Camino

 

[auldies]

Hi Carol, you have it right. I have a question for you, was your father from the Netherlands .
Wish you well, Peter.

Not from the Netherlands Peter, but I just know he would have been fascinated how technology has truly made the world smaller. Even if he was alive perhaps he may be too old to embrace the change.
Carol

 

[Lifeofdelight]

I'll be setting off same day as you so I look forward to saying hi. I've booked first night at Orrison 22/4/16 as I'm concerned about my pack weight which currently is 10 kilos and want to ease myself into the experience.

 

[auldies]

I'll be setting off same day as you so I look forward to saying hi. I've booked first night at Orrison 22/4/16 as I'm concerned about my pack weight which currently is 10 kilos and want to ease myself into the experience.

Wow! How exciting for you. We have been debating to stop or not at Orrison but have made the decision to try and make it to Roncesvalles the first day. We may live to regret it but will be guided by the weather conditions when we depart on the 22nd. Hopefully we will see you along the way. We haven't weighed our packs yet!! That could also be a surprise.....
Buen Camino

 

[Kanga]

The reason to stop at Orisson is not usually the weather, but the long constant uphill, followed by a slipery descent, with a pack.

 

[Seabird]

Buen Camino @Lifeofdelight! I hope you can get your pack weight down. Mine's down to under 7 kilos, plus a small waist pack. I am truly trying to follow the constant drumbeat of advice on this forum: less is better.

 

[auldies]

The reason to stop at Orisson is not usually the weather, but the long constant uphill, followed by a slipery descent, with a pack.

Thank you Kanga for your sage advice.
Feeling a little apprehensive about our decision, so perhaps we should reconsider...........

 

[peregrina2000]

Thank you Kanga for your sage advice.
Feeling a little apprehensive about our decision, so perhaps we should reconsider...........

The other reason to stop in Orisson is the chance to spend an afternoon wandering around the top of a mountain and breathing shockingly clean and crisp air and enjoying the views. The camaraderie is also quite something, you will meet people there who will be with you all the way off and on. It's a place where the only people you will meet, other than people working to serve you, are people who are embarking on the same incredible journey you are. It's a moment to savor. I have done this "both ways" and though I can physically get from SJPP to Roncesvalles, I think I prefer the luxury of stopping. But either way is wonderful, auldies! Buen camino, Laurie