Group tour? Looking for recommendations

[Rasika]

Hello pilgrims!

I have an urgent question. I've been planning to walk the Camino Frances starting in St jean pied de port early September, but my parents are very worried for me to walk it alone as a woman. It will be my first time and even though I am positive I can do it safely by myself they are urging me to find a group to walk with, at least for a little bit (even a few days or a week ). I'm fine to walk by myself and I know there will be lots of people, but they want to see something constructive like an organization or anything that proves I will have the protection of a group for a bit. Do you have any suggestions or recommendations?

With love,

Rasika

 

[Deleted member 3000]

It is presumptuous to say, but ignore your parents! A tour group just adds to the expense and perhaps the difficulty (you will have to walk their stages). You will find dozens of like-minded and like-motivated pilgrims every day, and virtually all of them will be open to walking with you. Try not to walk at their pace, but you will meet up at every coffee spot and albergue, so they will be around even if you are not in lock step. Buen camino.

 

[Rasika]

It is presumptive to say, but ignore your parents! A tour group just adds to the expense and perhaps the difficulty (you will have to walk their stages). You will find dozens of like-minded and like-motivated pilgrims every day, and virtually all of them will be open to walking with you. Try not to walk at their pace, but you will meet up at every coffee spot and albergue, so they will be around even if you are not in lock step. Buen camino.

Haha thank you. I have faith in this as well, but by "urging" I basically mean that I can't go unless there is somewhat of proof that I'm not alone, at least at first.

 

[Robo]

I'm not sure how walking with a 'commercial planned' group v an impromptu group really makes any difference. You are still walking with strangers, at least to start with.

Tell them you are walking with a Group.

The 'group' will be about 200-300 strong as you depart St Jean! Within a couple of hours you will likely have found some people you 'want' to walk with, rather than 'have' to walk with........

I found on my Caminos that the 'oldies' tended to keep an eye out for the younger Pilgrims too. In a nice way, not an intrusive way. And a young woman walking on her own will not be short of a few Aunties to hang out with if required.

An example here: Check out 1/2 way down the page. 'Saving Pilgrim Susan'

You are really part of a large 'community' moving along the route, and you'll get to know dozens of people during your walk. If you need help with anything, there is always another Pilgrim nearby to assist.

 

[Robo]

Haha thank you. I have faith in this as well, but by "urging" I basically mean that I can't go unless there is somewhat of proof that I'm not alone, at least at first.

Bummer. Guess you'll need to book the shortest one you can to start with then. Are your parents paying ?

 

[Anemone del Camino]

It will be less expensive for one of them to join you for a week and experience it for themselves before they let you continue on your own.

 

[Robo]

It will be less expensive for one of them to join you for a week and experience it for themselves before they let you continue on your own.

Now that's a much better idea! Though they might enjoy it so much you'll never get rid of them.

 

[Rasika]

Bummer. Guess you'll need to book the shortest one you can to start with then. Are your parents paying ?

Exactly my thought as well, something preferably starting at st jean pied de port. Yes they offered, as long as it's not crazy expensive. Hence the need for recommendations

 

[Rasika]

It will be less expensive for one of them to join you for a week and experience it for themselves before they let you continue on your own.

Thank you for this suggestion I did ask them to come with me but they refused. They actually have walked a part the Camino and one of my parents ended up in the hospital because of exhaustion. So now they are super worried for me! Really hope to find something. I appreciate everyone's support here!

 

[Robo]

Lots of members here have used Group Tours and some even run Group Tours, so I'm sure you'll get some recommendations. And I'm sure it will be fun, hanging out with a bunch of over 60s for a while

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, Rasika,
Welcome to the forum. There are some threads here dealing with similar issues, I will try to find them and maybe you could let your parents read them. But if they remain steadfast in their opposition to your starting out alone, I know there are two forum members, @nreyn12 and @Anniesantiago, who do something like what you seem to be looking for -- start with a group leader, who shows you the ropes for the first few days, and then push you out of the nest. Here is Annie's page -- http://anniecarvalho.weebly.com/

Good luck with this, buen camino, Laurie

 

[Rasika]

I'm not sure how walking with a 'commercial planned' group v an impromptu group really makes any difference. You are still walking with strangers, at least to start with.

Tell them you are walking with a Group.

The 'group' will be about 200-300 strong as you depart St Jean! Within a couple of hours you will likely have found some people you 'want' to walk with, rather than 'have' to walk with........

I found on my Caminos that the 'oldies' tended to keep an eye out for the younger Pilgrims too. In a nice way, not an intrusive way. And a young woman walking on her own will not be short of a few Aunties to hang out with if required.

An example here: Check out 1/2 way down the page. 'Saving Pilgrim Susan'

You are really part of a large 'community' moving along the route, and you'll get to know dozens of people during your walk. If you need help with anything, there is always another Pilgrim nearby to assist.

The saving Susan story is awesome Love it. Yes can't wait to join the community! Still searching, wish me luck

 

[Robo]

The saving Susan story is awesome Love it. Yes can't wait to join the community! Still searching, wish me luck

You'll have the time of your life! Can't wait for our next one. April

Buen Camino.

 

[C clearly]

There is a Facebook group that you could look into: https://www.facebook.com/groups/CaminoBuddySystemForWomen/
Some of the forum members are members of this group.

 

[trecile]

There is a Facebook group that you could look into: https://www.facebook.com/groups/CaminoBuddySystemForWomen/
Some of the forum members are members of this group.

Yes, definitely join the Camigas group on Facebook. It's possible that you can find another woman or two starting at the same time that you can arrange to walk with at the beginning. Hopefully, that will allay your parents' fears.
There is also a Calendar right here on the forum where people put in their start dates. Perhaps a forum member or two will be starting the same day as you.
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/calendar/

 

[trecile]

If your parents want to buy me a plane ticket I'd be happy to fly over and walk with you for a few days. I just returned home, but my gear is still packed and ready.

 

[AbbyDee]

I guess your parents are concerned for your safety. Are they afraid because you are a young woman walking alone? Well, I am a woman (though hardy young) embarking on my camino solo as well. I know that while I am leaving alone (My husband has promised faithfully he will accompany me to the airport) I know full well that I will not be walking alone. One thing about the Camino Frances, is that there will always be someone ahead of you, and someone coming up behind. I also am convinced that the Camino is probably one of the safest places in the world to walk.

Get a mobile, if you don't already have one, promise faithfully to txt or email your parents every day. WiFi abounds on the Camino.

I've read the account of one woman's pilgrimage where she made plans to travel with a group of woman, and indeed started out with them. However. after a week, the group dynamics were such that she got up waaaaaay early in the morning, and started out 2 hours ahead of everyone else and never looked back.

Buen Camino and Excelsor!

 

[Julie C Thacker]

I'm starting in Leon Sept 15. female 66 yo, red large brimmed hat, small fuchia back pack if you spot me say hello and i'll send your parents a message on my cellphone that you're fine. My daughter is worried about me: fortunatly i can ignore that behavior. Also ignoring her and my friends comments about how many underwears etc. i need. They'd have my backpack loaded down with extras. Likely won't be keeping up your pace - a few sore spots.

 

[linda piso]

Do caminoways.com for the first stage or macsadventure.com its going to be a little pricey bit you are Mom and Dads life so do it for them.

 

[MTtoCamino]

Have a wonderful Camino whatever you decide.
Keith

 

[JillGat]

When I was 17 (in 1972, mind you), the only way my parents would allow me to go to Spain alone (and they would help with the airfare) was if I went with a student group. So I flew over to Madrid with a student group and soon realized that, while we were sitting in a classroom memorizing "estoy, estas, esta, estando," everybody outside was just speaking Spanish and I wanted to talk to them instead. One evening I met a group of Spanish college students my age in a bar who were about to head out on a road trip around the south and to Ibiza (which in those days was not that developed). I informed the instructor that I was leaving the next day and would come back and meet the class before they were due to fly out at the end of the summer. (Of course I told them my parents were fully aware of this, which they weren't.) I went and had a great summer with my Spanish friends! When I came back in a month and a half, I was speaking Spanish fluently and my language school friends were still struggling with verb conjugations.

If you need help with any lies, I can write a totally convincing letter posing as the leader of a youth tour group on the Camino.

 

[linda piso]

JillGate why in the world would you joke about such a thing! I too was a young one traveling around Europe in 1972-a time when it was much safer and most parents were more strict. And I too had the time of my life. But lying was not apart of it.

Times have changed. Don't help Rasika learn to lie! Jeez this is a Catholic Pilgrimage. Rasika, honor thou Mother and Father and consider it a great blessing that A) they are allowing you to go at all, B) they will help pay for it, C) that they love you so much that they want to ensure your safety while you take your first steps out on your own. They are asking you to do this with training wheels and when you get out there and feel you can ride it on your own, they will let go. Go with a tour for the first week as your parents have asked - respect them and cherish them as they are doing for you. Really you want your parents to trust you, when it starts out as a lie? Don't start lying - if something were to happen to you (Lord I hope not) it's not JillGat that will suffer for the rest of her life as your parents will. They love you girl, love them back. After one week, there will be plenty of time to be on your own!

Keep and touch with us and let us know how it works out!

 

[JulieandPeter]

If your parents want to buy me a plane ticket I'd be happy to fly over and walk with you for a few days. I just returned home, but my gear is still packed and ready.

Me too, now we have a group of three.

All kidding aside, as a parent of adventurous children I understand your parents' concerns. Most of the time this June, my husband and I were alone on the Camino. We rarely saw other walkers during the day (until Sarria), and I often thought how I would not be able to enjoy it as much if I were walking alone and feeling anxious that no one was around.

Of course, that is simply how I felt, and as many people on this forum have said repeatedly, walking alone is what they love about the Camino and/or they had no problem finding people to walk with. When we did come across a group of walkers, they were usually all single walkers initially who met a day or two earlier and would part a day or two later; a dynamic unique to the Camino I think.

I hope you find an initial walking group that suits your parents' requirements and have a wonderful time. Buen Camino.

 

[rappahannock_rev]

I suggest that you see if anniewalkers can help. I can recommend them from personal experience.

 

[Happy Wanders QLD]

Hi Rasika,

I understand your parents concerns, we have a 20 year old son who loves too spread his wings and explore what this great planet has to offer.

My wife, her close friend and I will be leaving SJPdP between 7-9th Sept. You are very welcome to join our small group for as long as is required, if that helps your situation and relieves some parental stress.
Please feel free to send a Private Conversation to discuss further.

Helen & Kym

 

[JillGat]

JillGate why in the world would you joke about such a thing! I too was a young one traveling around Europe in 1972-a time when it was much safer...

Your counter-argument is noted, however I disagree with this statement. Europe was no more unsafe (or safe) in 1972 than it is today. And walking the Camino, along with many other pilgrims along the way, is - in my opinion - safer than many other kinds of travel adventures a young person might have.

I'm glad others here have offered to meet or accompany Rasika for the first week. I think this would be a better option than joining a tour group. Just my opinion (as the parent of a 25 year old daughter as well).

 

[HedaP]

I had a cunning plan for my first camino. I had arranged for one of m

Hi Rasika,

I understand your parents concerns, we have a 20 year old son who loves too spread his wings and explore what this great planet has to offer.

My wife, her close friend and I will be leaving SJPdP between 7-9th Sept. You are very welcome to join our small group for as long as is required, if that helps your situation and relieves some parental stress.
Please feel free to send a Private Conversation to discuss further.

Helen & Kym

That's a great offer. We had an 18 year old peregrina from Chile who chose to walk with my sister, brother in law and me, all of us in 50s and 60s. Worked just fine. We had a great time.
PS I enjoy this forum because it is made up of folks weilding sissors to cut apron strings and other folks weaving cords to reinforce apron strings which does of course leave the final decision firmly in the hands of the young person.

 

[notion900]

I don't see the logic of starting off with a group, only to leave them part way. It doesn't make you safer after you have left the group, in fact I would say you would be less safe, because the group will buffer you from having to make any decisions for yourself, then suddenly you will be cut adrift.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

Rasika, this new thread may have information that you will find useful.

Guarda civil on all the Camino routes in Spain
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...ivil-on-all-the-camino-routes-in-spain.50406/

 

[gypsy9]

Hello Rasika,
Yes, your parents' concern is understandable given they have not walked the Camino trail...They love and care about you...

Perhaps book into an albergue that is known for making new pilgrims feel welcomed. I have not stayed here, but understand Beilari albergue in St Jean Pied du Port makes an effort to connect pilgrims (a communal dinner with personal introductions etc). I have heard very positive reports and that it has a friendly vibe. You could give the details/phone number/host name to your parents to assuage their concerns. It is your first Camino group and there will be a bond. Wishing you a wonderful Camino..
http://www.beilari.info/fr
Albergue Beilari

 

[Rui Portugal Ribeiro]

Hello pilgrims!

I have an urgent question. I've been planning to walk the Camino Frances starting in St jean pied de port early September, but my parents are very worried for me to walk it alone as a woman. It will be my first time and even though I am positive I can do it safely by myself they are urging me to find a group to walk with, at least for a little bit (even a few days or a week ). I'm fine to walk by myself and I know there will be lots of people, but they want to see something constructive like an organization or anything that proves I will have the protection of a group for a bit. Do you have any suggestions or recommendations?

With love,

Rasika

 

[Rui Portugal Ribeiro]

Hello, Rasika!
Have you heard about Nancy Reynolds and thecaminoexperience.com?
Nancy does exactly what you need, walking for the first 4/5 days with a group, sharing her experience with them and the most important advising about the Camino.
It might be what you need...
Ultreia,
Rui