Hi, I'm Overwhelmed.

[AngelOfOutlaws]

Hi, my name is Haley. I've been wanting to do the Camino since I was a senior in high school. I'm 20 now and plan on doing it this summer, but where do I start with the planning?

I think I want to do the Camino Frances, but I'm also torn because I heard it has become touristy and cliche and I really don't want to spend thousands of dollars feeling like I'm sucked in a tourist trap. If not the Camino Frances, then I will probably try the Camino del Norte.

What I'm asking for is help and advice on which Camino (it can be one that is not the Frances or Norte, those are just the two I know the most about.)

Some things to help make my decision:

I've never been to Europe before, but I will not be going alone my first time. Either my father or boyfriend will be coming with me.

I want the "Camino Spirit," not just a pretty hiking trail.

I want to experience the real Spain, with the culture and little villages, not just a tourist trap.

I can speak Spanish conversationally, or at the very least, enough to get my point across.

I want a Compostela.

Being 20, I am pretty physically fit, so a slightly tougher Camino won't be to harsh on me.

I want to take some days off to explore some cities or villages, so being near some interesting ones would be nice.

I am so confused and overwhelmed. After I pick my route, what is the next step?

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

I heard it has become touristy and cliche and I really don't want to spend thousands of dollars feeling like I'm sucked in a tourist trap.

It depends what you mean by "touristy," but almost all of the walk is very rural. Fortunately, commerce supporting pilgrims has increased as the number of pilgrims increased, so there is food and accommodation in sufficient supply. If you mean a lot of people make the pilgrimage, then, yes, it is touristy. It is too late to be a pioneer on the Camino; you would have had to walk it a couple of decades ago for that status (Shirley MacLaine did it in 1994).

You can detect a bit of resentment in some Forum Member comments because the experience really is not "unique" anymore. With nearly a quarter of a million pilgrims getting Compostelas this year, the uniqueness will have to be internal. Little kids and old men can, and do, walk it. Grab a unicycle, though, and you might be special.

If you ignore what others say about it (or say in movies about it), the Camino Frances is great. It is enjoyed best without expectations, but with vino tinto.

Buen camino.

 

[Tia Valeria]

Hola and welcome. There are many options which you can explore.

You can start on the Norte and then go through Oviedo and onto the Primitivo, or continue on the Norte. These options are less crowded than the Francés and Spanish is an advantage.

You can start on the Francés and then from Leon walk the Salvador to Oviedo and then continue on either the Primitivo or the Norte.

You can walk the Francés or any of the other more southerly Spanish routes and so long as you walk at least the final 100kms into Santiago you will earn your Compostela.
(Note this is the final 100+, not a total of 100 or 100 early on and then only the final few into Santiago. Some folk feel this is unfair but it is the rule.)

Personally we have walked part of the Norte and then the Primitivo and also the Inglés (which qualifies at 127kms from Ferrol - not the shorter route from Coruna) but never the Francés as we feel it is too crowded for us.

Choices, choices. However as you search the forum and other sources (blogs etc) you will probably find that one route really calls to you more than the others - then go for it. Check out expectations and talk with your companions to make the pilgrimage what is right for all/both of you.

Once you have decided your route you will need your credencial and tickets to Spain. Deciding how long you need is easiest done by thinking distances back from Santiago and calculating either days needed, or days available and therefore where to start. Remember to build in some rest days - one per week is a good aim. Good if you want to see more of places, in case of bad days, or other hold ups. Enjoy your planning and you will become less confused.

Buen Camino

 

[JohnMcM]

Hello Hayley,
Welcome to the forum and to a long list of people from all over the world who are now, or once were like you and feeling "confused and overwhelmed", take comfort in knowing you are not alone.

Your immediate question of: After I pick my route, what is the next step?
A simple answer that might help you Hayley is to remind you that at the top of this page there is the 'Search Forums' link which has the potential of helping you pick the brains of past and present pilgrims. Can I suggest you have a little play with that link to get a feel for it.

You'll also find a link called Camino Resources on the forum homepage that offers a great selection of information the people tend to have common questions about.

It's always ok to ask questions here and you'll be amazed at how helpful and generous the folks on here can be with their time and knowledge. Many of us have been in your position at one time and many of us have learned from each other, now it's your turn.

Buen Camino.

 

[cherrys]

Hi Haley - welcome, and as others have said above, there is a ton of advice on here. While you are deciding on a route you need to start to figure out gear options - shoes/boots, and pack being the two most important, and your body needs to be comfortable with both long before you leave. Also time of year - winter requires sturdier boots and more clothing, summer you can get away with less, and fall and spring are obviously in between. So don't be overwhelmed - just take it bit by bit. I initially thought to do the Norte, but then decided on the Frances as I was doing it alone. I had a wonderful time, walking most of it totally by myself. I would not call it touristy by any means. The scenery is at times magnificent, at other times less so, but always changing, changing, changing. Look at all the pictures and blogs available via this forum, then see where you want to go. Enjoy your planning, and then enjoy your trip. Buen camino

 

[marbuck]

Go and walk the Frances, you will love it. Sure it can be touristy, but the whole world is like that now. You will only feel like a tourist if you allow yourself to feel like one. It is a walk you will never forget.

 

[Dutch]

Cliche? Why is it cliche? Bevause you weren't among the first to walk it? Maybe your aproaching it wrong. Try to see the Frances as the most social camino of all.
You get to meet, hang, talk, eat, walk and have fun with people from all corners of the world. More then on any other camino. To me, that is the true camino spirit, the camino magic.

What is your reason for walking? Religion? Then maybe you should walk the primitivo, seeing as this is the "original" camino.

The frances is just a route you can walk, nothing more. It is not Disneyland. You walk 800km from one end of the country to the other. Your gonna see everything there, from touristy places to small town rural Spain, there is no way of avoiding either, on any route probably, but here's the beauty: if you don't like it, just walk on. Chances are that 5km onwards is a village with a different vibe/feeling.

What do you do once you decided the route? Book your flight, your first nights accomodation and go.

If you still need to buy gear, only two things are really important that deserve your attention:
The all time nr one: shoes/boots
And nr 2: your backpack
all the rest is, in theory, unimportant compared to those two and not worth your worries. Anything you forget, you can buy there and anything that is to mich, ypu can leave behind, send ahead to SdC amd pick up there or just send home.
For both items (footwear and backpack) the keyword is: comfortable....for YOU. Especially for shoes. Don't listen to much to the salesman in a shop, forummembers here, your friends who hiked the i-dont-know-what trail in Timbuktoe. All you van do is listen to the experiences of others, but thats just what it is, an experience from someone else.
Whatever combo of shoes/boots and socks worked for them, might very well be a living hell for you. Find the combination of shoes or boots and socks that you are comfortable with, be it a simple runningshoe, a lightweight trailrunner or boots with double layer wool socks.

Further more, try to stay under 8-9kg ex water and food and you will be fine. Yes, some folks here live and die by a made up max 10% of your bodyweight rule, but really, if your young and fit, an extra kg wont kill you.

You can plan and think everything thru and thru for months and sometimes years on end, but the simple fact is that a whole lot of people don't, and they also get from point A to point B just like the ones that do plan every step, packed item, ounce ect ect...

Oh yes...enjoy it!!!

 

[Arn]

The Dr is IN:
Haley, reread your initial entry: "I want...I want...I think,", finally room for what the Camino may have in store for you.
Dutch can come across as "too direct, too opinionated, but usually very right."
All Forum members are ready and willing to assist you in covering the important "initial" pitfalls, but in the end most come down to you and the Camino traveling together and being open to what lays ahead.
Enjoy the planning. Enjoy the packing and repacking. Meet each new day as exactly that a New Day.
It's often said, "There is No "I" in team!"
You, the Forum members and the Camino are now a team.
Enjoy and Buen Camino.
Arn

 

[Cejanus]

Hello AngelOfOutlaws,
I believe that there is a question you need to ask yourself here before anything else comes into play. Why do I want to take this "journey." Now there may not be an answer that jumps out as the answer. (For me it was a yearning, a searching, a thanksgiving and a time for solitude.) Does your father and boyfriend want to take the journey? Do they need to come with you? I really wanted my wife to come with me as we had been through violent traumatic times. She chose not to and I was bitterly disappointed as I thought the Camino was something we would really share. SO i went alone and I have no regrets about doing so. For many the journey is for oneself.
From what you say it is something you have wanted to do for a long time - so the "pull" of the Camino is there. Go for it, and do it for yourself. Yes it is great to have company, security etc. There is plenty of that on the Camino Frances. There is time for yourself, time for others and time for finding that something within yourself (whatever that may be.)
Plan well, enjoy all of the experiences. It is your Camino.
Your journey has commenced and I wish you well.
On a lighter note there is Oh so much to see, to take in and to visit. Plan to take a break in the larger towns and cities for rest days, but to also explore the vast history of Espana, along this pilgrim route (if that's the way you chose to go.)
PS You have a great advantage in being able to speak reasonable Spanish. I always found that the Spanish people were delighted to have a conversation even though my language skills were "horrible."
Buen camino

 

[Kitsambler]

You think the first question is the route. Since you can make major last-minute changes in the route, that really isn't your first decision. Rather, when to go, and how long a time is available? Then latch on to your air tickets. There are many routes in Spain, and many variations therein -- so there's really no wrong answer on route selection. This is only your first trip to Europe, and your first pilgrimage walk.

 

[Dutch]

The Dr is IN:

Dutch can come across as "too direct, too opinionated, but usually very right."

Direct, yes, but i don't know about "too". Maybe, sometimes. I guess it is what your used to. Probably also a cultural thing, plus i rarely drown my words in honey before saying something. Sometimes it is what it is and then not beating around the bush is a good option.

Opinionated, yes, but again, "too"? I dont know. I have my opinions and i have no problem saying them, how different they may be from the majority, but i also respect other opinions. I will never say that my opinion is the only way to go, it is not. I often also say, this is just an opinion, my opinion, but you don't have to agree.
I guess in some cases being opinionated and being direct go hand in hand. Everything i say, i say with best intentions, but like i said, i don't sweeten the words first. Some may feel that that comes across harsh. I say its just me.

 

[jdpiguet]

Hi Haley,

First, welcome to the forum!

You will find here a lot of people ready to give their opinion, to provide information and sometimes ready to inflame a conversation.
You will find a lot of information too, see the "Search" box and the "Resources" menu at the top of the page.

As already mentioned before, try to ask yourself a few questions before starting to ask around you, this will be YOUR Camino, so try to make it as much enjoyable as you can.
For myself, the first questions are "How long can I take off?" and "When can I start?", because the answers will set conditions on all others:

• Which Camino?
• Alone?
• With whom?
• What equipment?
• ...

And enjoy planning and preparation, because it's a good part of the pleasure.

Buen camino,
Jacques-D.

 

[nidarosa]

Hi Haley and welcome to the forum!

I have to say my first reaction to your post was a lot like Dutch's and Arn's; you used the word 'want' a lot, like it was a shopping list of an expected outcome, though I realise you were probably just making bullet points. Example: "I want the Camino Spirit." I find this a very strange request - what exactly is it and who exactly should provide it? Try to turn it on its head and think about how you can contribute to the Camino spirit and community along the way. It can be a hard learning curve but it is so worth it.

I am also unsure about the mention of either of two people coming with you - to help? Chaperone? Guide? Are they interchangeable? Do they want to do it for themselves? If you are planning walk it with them, what do they think about the choice of route? There are several threads in this forum about bringing others who are not really committed to the Camino experience. You could be doing both of you a disservice if you are and they are not. Lots of young women and men travel over to Europe to walk the Camino alone, maybe your first decision should be whether or not to do it on your own.

I also don't know where you got it from that the Francés is a cliché or a tourist trap - I don't think anyone on this forum would call it that. Maybe some people who have walked it have become disenchanted with it, maybe they expected too much, maybe they thought they could just show up and be handed a life-changing and profound experience (yes, there are people who expect it to be like the film etc). It's not that simple. You have to go with an open mind and discover what the Camino has in store for you. It might not be what you wanted or expected or imagined, but if you put the effort in it can be a whole lot better!

My personal tip, or at least an option you might want to consider, is to not spend thousands of dollars going somewhere to do something you want with someone who doesn't particularly want to. Consider going to Europe on your own to follow the Camino your own way, and choose the Francés where you are never alone, have more options on accommodation and get to meet people from all over the world and all walks of life. I doubt very much you will find it a cliché. Also: Pack as light as you can and carry your own backpack. It gives you a flexibility and freedom you would not want to miss.

This forum is full of lovely people who will help you with the questions you have, either through searching the site or asking about specifics. I'm sure by the time you get on the plane you will have most of it sorted out - the rest will just have to fall into place.
Buen Camino and happy planning!

 

[whariwharangi]

There are three epochs in Spain ... the arches that indicate the years of Arab occupation with Mosques such as the famous one in Cordoba ... the years where Catholicism held sway as indicated by the arches that are supporting the grand cathedrals in places like Santiago ... and the modern commercial epoch as indicated by golden arches.

If it is any help with concerns about things going touristy ... I saw only one sign with golden arches along the entire camino from SJPdP to Finisterre ... most of the camino avoids the large modern Spanish cities where people have migrated so you will experience the villages of historic Spain. The restaurants serve local fare with traditional hospitality unique to each region that you pass through. The siesta is observed. People take pride in maintaining their culture.

Regardless of the camino upon which you choose to walk ... you won't feel that you are in a tourist trap.

First step is deciding to go.

Then you decide on which camino.

Then you decide on how much time you will have.

Then you decide how much of the camino you can reasonably walk in the time available.

Then you figure out how to get there and back.

Then you pack up and go.

 

[amorfati1]

The Dr is IN:
Haley, reread your initial entry: "I want...I want...I think,", finally room for what the Camino may have in store for you.
Dutch can come across as "too direct, too opinionated, but usually very right."
All Forum members are ready and willing to assist you in covering the important "initial" pitfalls, but in the end most come down to you and the Camino traveling together and being open to what lays ahead.
Enjoy the planning. Enjoy the packing and repacking. Meet each new day as exactly that a New Day.
It's often said, "There is No "I" in team!"
You, the Forum members and the Camino are now a team.
Enjoy and Buen Camino.
Arn

Thank you Thank you Thank you Arn and Dutch and Nidarosa to phrase to well what struck me to about the OP.

Hayley - i truly hope - whichever route and time frame is chosen - that you are able to discern what Arn, Dutch and Nidarosa stated very clearly and well and so much more kindly that i probably could/would.
From the camino one can benefit greatly (immensely?) if one manages to leave that 'I Want' Blowtorch at home.
Perhaps you have heard of the saying: "A tourist demands. A pilgrim is grateful." ?
Much wisdom in those simple words. They will get you far .... and not just kilometer wise ...
very best wishes and bom caminho!

 

[Mark Lee]

Don't think too much about it. Just do it. It's all what you make it to be.
The biggest mistake is reading too many opinions on the Camino and how it should be done. When I walked it the first time I did it totally unprepared. Knew very little about the Camino and did not know what to expect. No opinions or advice from anybody, whether in a forum or in a book. It was great. I loved it.

 

[Saint Mike II]

Hola Hayley - as you have now found - your extended family just grew by about a factor of 10. Your new aunts/uncles/cousins/sisters/brothers will be here to (metaphorically) hold your hand. But (and it is a big BUT) only you can decide what you want from your Camino. I think Nidarosa somed it up very well, especially the bit about your possible companions. The Camino will both pick you up and pull you down - make you cry; make you laugh and sometimes its great to have someone with whom you can share the days' adventures.
So maybe walk on your own and have your boyfriend/father join you for the last week - last 115 km (65 miles) to be able to celebrate with you your success in Santiago. Buen Camino

 

[nidarosa]

Haley, I have been thinking about you and worried that we shot you down or drove you away as you don't seem to have posted any more messages or responded to this thread. I hope you are still here and that you are reading the forum and researching the topics you were asking about. Sometimes real communication can be difficult when you can't see people's faces as you speak to them, and we risk our words coming across differently than we intended. Rest assured we didn't mean to put you off pilgrims or the Camino and I sincerely hope we haven't. You could take the reactions you got as a first taste of a pilgrim attitude you will encounter along the way and maybe in time embrace yourself as the 'pilgrim spirit' you asked for. It is food for thought for all of us. Walk with us and you will get to know us - and maybe even yourself - a little bit better and understand why we said what we did.

Buen Camino, Haley, wherever you are and whatever you choose to do.

 

[KerrySA]

Hi Haley, I just finished the Frances. It was magnificent. Met a few pilgrims today who did the del Norte and felt the same. Your inner Camino will tell you which way. Go and enjoy it. I will be back. Perhaps even for the Frances again. Buen Camino!

 

[AngelOfOutlaws]

Sorry for being gone so long! No, I wasn't scared away, but I am a college student so I am incredibly busy.

Believe me, I wish I could walk by myself, however, I can't do that to my mother. She about lost her head (in worry, not anger) when I told her I planned to walk alone. She said if I didn't have a person going with me, she would go herself. My mom, love her to death, but she hates camping and the outdoors. She would be miserable and make me miserable. I really would love to go with my father, he and I have the same sense of wanderlust. He never had a deep burning desire to do the Camino, but he loves traveling and seeing the world so he would be a great partner. Sadly, he two Pulmonary Embolisms recently so it doesn't look like he'll be in any state to do that much walking.

My boyfriend loves hiking, but he doesn't see what I see is so wonderful about the Camino, but he'll still be better than my mother.

I'm doing a study abroad in London this summer, I think I may just change my ticket for three weeks later and get my dad to talk to my mother. My father doesn't want me to go by myself either, but he realizes I'm an adult and I'm going to do what I want and I need to make my own choices.

I wouldn't mind planning to meet up with some people on a forum like this, but I doubt my mother would find that any better...

Back to the being confused:
I'm doing the Camino Francis and I'm beginning to collect my hiking items, but...I don't know. What do I do when I get there? Where do I buy the maps?
I don't know, I guess I'm just scared that I'll get there and get lost on the first night from not being able to find a hostel.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

I'm just scared that I'll get there and get lost on the first night from not being able to find a hostel.

Visualize how you would deal with that. Think of the worst thing that would happen. Sleep in the street? That may not be the most satisfactory outcome, but could you survive that? Do the same analysis to everything that causes you anxiety, and you will see that you are capable of dealing with any situation, and your fear will disappear. The same applies to your parents' fears. Identify what scares them, and see if there is not a solution that addresses those fears.

 

[AngelOfOutlaws]

My mother is scared I'll get robbed, attacked, or worse. I'm not really sure how I can help her get over that fear.

 

[naplesdon]

Buy a Michelin or Brierley Guide. Pack according to the advice on this Forum. I'd suggest walking the Camino Frances if you are looking for lots of support and camaraderie, it will happen automatically. Don't start until the winter is over, i.e. wait until late May. Start in St. Jean Pied de Port or Pamplona and pace yourself the first week. Exercise and condition your feet, blisters end more Caminos than any other maladies. You will not get lost and you will make many new friends along the Way.

 

[nidarosa]

Hi, so glad you are still planning your Camino! How about letting your mother read parts of this forum, particularly threads by young women like yourself who have walked it? Or maybe a blog by someone like yourself? Plus obviously don't wear expensive jewellery that can be lost or stolen, that is just good common sense. I would also second choosing the Francés as you will never be alone unless you want to be. Book the first couple of nights' accommodation and let your mother know where these places are - if starting from St Jean Pied de Port I would suggest booking a hostel with lots of people in a dorm for the first night, because you'll probably make new friends in the first five minutes, at least someone to go out and eat with, and for the second night Orrison is always a good choice. In Roncesvalles the hostel is huge so very little chance you'll go without a bed there! That's the first two or three nights sorted out and by that time you'll have found your pilgrim feet and be much more relaxed (and you should ring your mother and tell her that!) and with a guide book and some essentials you'll be fine. Buen Camino!

 

[Deleted member 3000]

My mother is scared I'll get robbed, attacked, or worse. I'm not really sure how I can help her get over that fear.

No offense, but those are not reasonable fears for the Camino. They apply to life every day and everywhere. I suspect they are a pretext for her real fears. It is those real fears that need to be discussed and analyzed.

 

[MichaelSG]

My mother is scared I'll get robbed, attacked, or worse. I'm not really sure how I can help her get over that fear.

For my son, I was more worried that he would not be independent, matured or he would be afraid to live his life.

Regarding walking, the French route can be "touristy" by comparison other routes but on a scale of 1 to 100 (with 100 being Disney Land), IMHO the French route can be between a 5 and a 10, depending on what you want and choose. I've only walked the French and Portuguese Caminos so my experience is limited but my advice to almost everyone is to do the French route first. If you can only go in June to August, I may change that advice to the Portuguese route. Walking / being with some people when you want to is a huge part of the Camino. IMHO.

 

[Jellycat]

Hi,

I waked the Camino Frances in March 4 years ago as a woman, on my own (although considerably older than you!). My parents thoughts I was mad, my friend said 'you'll never do it, you're not fit enough' - I ignored all the doubters because I knew it was the right thing for me. It was without doubt the best thing I have ever done and was totally different to what I was expecting. I cried some days and laughed and sang others. It's hard but incredibly rewarding.
If you do the Camino Frances you will be with lovely helpful supportive people from the minute you get to your starting point - sometimes you will find it hard to find solitude if you want it so don;t worry about facing any challenges on your own! I'm sure the Camino Norte is the same, although slightly less social perhaps. I think you probably mean 'crowds' when you use the word 'touristy' - the walk is absolutely not touristy - it is wild and beautiful in parts, on other days you can wander round incredible cities and cathedrals. Northern Spain is one of the least touristy places I have ever been in Europe. If you do want to avoid the busier times though (as I do) consider starting in March - a quiet month although more prone to rain. Having said that when I walked it 4 years ago we had beautiful weather and it only rained twice. There were 20 of us leaving St Jean when I started my Camino, we were like a family. We lost some and met others along the way. Some of whom I now consider my closest friends.
Be brave, follow your heart, don't worry too much about your family's fears - they may just be symptomatic of other more deep seated fears within themselves or regret for never having had the courage to take the path you are choosing.
Good luck and Buen Camino!

 

[SYates]

The Camino is what you make out of it, it really is that simple. I personally would put time /season choice before route choice. July / August isn't, f.e., the ideal time to be on the Camino Frances. December / January is not recommended for walking the Camino de Norte. So, looking at your own time frame might actually help you to make a final decision, SY