Hi, I'm Sonia from Sydney, Australia

[TravellingSonn]

Hi Everyone,

I'm planning on walking the Camino in Sept/Oct this year. I'd love to hear any tips or stories anyone may want to share from how long it takes, how much $$$ I'll need each day, training beforehand (program), what the weathers like around that time of year, how safe is it for a female to be travelling alone etc etc etc...

Any and all replies are greatly appreciated

Buon camino

Many thanks from the land Down Under
Sonia

 

[sillydoll]

Sept/Oct camino

Hi Sonia,
Idf you email me at sillydoll@gmail.com I will send you my list of things to know about the camino.
I am walking from Roncesvalles on 24th August.
Pilgrim hugs,
Sil

 

[Debinq]

Hi Sonia
I assume you mean you intend to walk the camino Frances? From St Jean PdP or Roncevalles to S'Iago via Pamplona, Burgos, Leon etc?

I suggest you read up on the hints and descriptions on the Confraternity of St James (CSJ) website - I took the advice they extended last year when planning my camino, i.e. to walk other 'ways' instead of the c Frances because of overcrowding on the c Fra, especially in summer and autumn .... it would seem it was good advice. I also went in Sept/Oct and first selected the c Aragon (approx 190km) and then jumped to Salamanca on the Via de la Plata; the entire la Plata (from Seville) is approx 990km, from Salamanca it is approx 435km to S'Iago - it is pretty flat and featureless after S'manca until you get to Puebla de Sanabria, which is on the section of the La Plata via Ourense.

I didn't enjoy the flat stretches too much so after 2 days I 'skipped' along the la Plata to Puebla Sanabria, which marks the hilly part of the last 240km to Santiago - through Galicia (where it rains quite frequently so take good wet weather gear if you go there!)

Both caminos I followed were quite 'empty' - i.e. few pelegrinos on the way - I mainly met one or two Spanish or French pelegrinos every day and once only 2 fellow ozzies - who were bicycling the la Plata in reverse, having already done the c Fra - they confirmed that the c Fra was infinitely more crowded than the la Plata. Sometimes I was by myself in a 'refugio' - especially on the la Plata.

The c Aragon is exceptionally serene methinks - well worth the effort (it is quite steep in sections, being in the Pyrenees) Many beautiful villages, like Sta Cilia and Ruesta and the monastery at San Juan de la Pena

Did you go to the Oz Pilgrims gathering in Sydney last week? Check out the Oz page on the CSJ website

buen camino - b t w I am in sunny Qld

Peter