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LIVE from the Camino I injured myself coming into Pamplona a few days ago...

Chicago Seeker

New Member
Time of past OR future Camino
Winter Camino Frances (2018)
I just arrived in Navarette after battling through a leg injury for a few days now. At a minimum, I think I need to take a week-long break from the Camino. Does anyone have a recommendation on where I might do so? I would be particularly interested in doing a retreat at a monestary if anyone has some information about that. Thanks!
 
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I just arrived in Navarette after battling through a leg injury for a few days now. At a minimum, I think I need to take a week-long break from the Camino. Does anyone have a recommendation on where I might do so? I would be particularly interested in doing a retreat at a monestary if anyone has some information about that. Thanks!

Hi, Chicago Seeker (I’m down in Champaign),

So sorry to hear about your injury. Some monastery ideas nearby:

San Millán de Cogolla http://monasteriodesanmillan.com. About 30 km away. They do have a hotel complex, but I am not sure if they have simple retreat facilities.

Here is a list of all monasteries in the Rioja Province, so maybe a little sleuthing will uncover some options.

http://www.todalarioja.com/turismo/conventosmonasterios/la-rioja

This article lists four monasteries in Rioja that offer hospedería — it’s in Spanish, but you can see the names and numbers. https://www.larioja.com/culturas/20...gimiento-espiritualidad-20160110003317-v.html

Good luck with this, hope you can continue your camino injury-free after a good recovery.

Buen camino, Laurie
 
Hi, Chicago Seeker (I’m down in Champaign),

So sorry to hear about your injury. Some monastery ideas nearby:

San Millán de Cogolla http://monasteriodesanmillan.com. About 30 km away. They do have a hotel complex, but I am not sure if they have simple retreat facilities.

Here is a list of all monasteries in the Rioja Province, so maybe a little sleuthing will uncover some options.

http://www.todalarioja.com/turismo/conventosmonasterios/la-rioja

This article lists four monasteries in Rioja that offer hospedería — it’s in Spanish, but you can see the names and numbers. https://www.larioja.com/culturas/20...gimiento-espiritualidad-20160110003317-v.html

Good luck with this, hope you can continue your camino injury-free after a good recovery.

Buen camino, Laurie
Hey Laurie,

Many thanks for the leads. Hopefully, I am able to keep on my journey even though I won't be walking.

All my best,

Nick
 
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I'll be honest here. The pain from losing friends and being forced to stop hurts more than my leg. I am really not feeling the Camino spirit anymore. People I've met along the way aren't responding to my messages. My family and friends back home just don't get it. One abbot got back to me saying that it was not possible for me to come to his monestary and that he was unaware of how I might do what I am proposing. I don't think I've ever felt more alone in my life. I am trying to accept that things are the way they are despite my preferences, but that is a hard pill to swallow.
 
I had the exact same situation and found a small room on Airbnb for about €22/night. Ended up staying 6 nights in central Pamplona before resuming the Camino. I prepared my meals in a kitchenette, so it was fairly thrifty. Perhaps that would help …
 
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Don't give up just yet, Chicago Seeker. Perhaps a few days of enforced rest to help the leg to heal would leave you in a much better frame of mind. I have to admit marylynn's idea appealed to me as it's a wonderful way of being around friends you thought you'd not see again, and getting some much-needed friendly company. Then once you feel more like your old self you can think of resuming with your quest. If you give up and go home right now, you may always regret it.

May I quote some wise words one of my granddaughters messaged me when I was half-way to Santiago and ready to give up:

You can’t give up now, you’ve reached your halfway mark. Please don’t give up, you can do this. Just because the temptation is pulling you away, doesn’t mean you have to give up!

Her encouragement was all I needed to battle through painful knees, a nasty strained muscle and so much more and I had her to thank for my completing my camino. Much more so than what my son said, which was "Don't be such a wimp" 🤣.
 
I'll be honest here. The pain from losing friends and being forced to stop hurts more than my leg.

I totally understand. I injured my leg last year and had to stop walking the Norte when I was about 100 km from Santiago.
It's great that you bonded with people the short time that you were walking before you got hurt, and I guarantee that there will be more great people to be friends with when you start walking again.
Pilgrim loneliness is part of the pkg we’re all dealt while on camino.
Yup, I'm feeling a little lonely tonight in a small albergue with no one who speaks my language, or even Spanish which I can get by with. But tomorrow will bring new opportunities to meet people.
 
Get a spanish phone number with Airalo. eSim, so no physical SIM card. Easy to use app to add more funds if needed.
This is a very special spot in nearby Ventosa.

Over past years I have often stayed in the
small village of Ventosa. Read more here--

Good luck, good heath and happy rest!
 
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I totally understand. I injured my leg last year and had to stop walking the Norte when I was about 100 km from Santiago.
It's great that you bonded with people the short time that you were walking before you got hurt, and I guarantee that there will be more great people to be friends with when you start walking again.

Yup, I'm feeling a little lonely tonight in a small albergue with no one who speaks my language, or even Spanish which I can get by with. But tomorrow will bring new opportunities to meet people.
I love your attitude, trecile. All the best for tomorrow. Sometimes you can feel alone in the midst of company... tonight I just crept away from the crowd as I needed not to be with others... on a different kind of journey! To give me oomph enough for tomorrow and the day after, full of meetings!
 
Yup, I'm feeling a little lonely tonight in a small albergue with no one who speaks my language, or even Spanish which I can get by with. But tomorrow will bring new opportunities to meet people.

I’ve been reading your posts for sometime now.

I admire your strength and intrepid nature.

Santiago will provide companions sooner or later.

Buen camino.🙏🏽
 
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Dear Chicago Seeker, perhaps better friends are on their way, and will join you when you are ready to walk again. In the meantime, don't rush your recovery, and when you can start to walk again, do so very, very slowly. Like, to the next village slowly.
 
I just arrived in Navarette after battling through a leg injury for a few days now. At a minimum, I think I need to take a week-long break from the Camino. Does anyone have a recommendation on where I might do so? I would be particularly interested in doing a retreat at a monastary if anyone has some information about that. Thanks!

I'll be honest here. The pain from losing friends and being forced to stop hurts more than my leg. I am really not feeling the Camino spirit anymore. People I've met along the way aren't responding to my messages. My family and friends back home just don't get it. One abbot got back to me saying that it was not possible for me to come to his monastary and that he was unaware of how I might do what I am proposing. I don't think I've ever felt more alone in my life. I am trying to accept that things are the way they are despite my preferences, but that is a hard pill to swallow.

From one seeker to another you could accept the situation and recognise it as temporary resistance until you find your flow gain. An injury happens to us all eventually and this can be interpreted as a positive opportunity to take time out, be alone and open yourself to the opportunity that it presents. Sometimes you can't change the things around you but you can change your attitude towards them and remember you are master of your own destiny and its a self fulfilling prophecy so ask, believe it will happen and it will, especially where you have stopped. In my experience its a particularly magical stage of the camino, your in the right place, at the right time, doing the right thing. Use this time to process the lessons that you have received so far and I guarantee you that your camino will be all the more rewarding and you will look back at this day as the catalyst for the abundance of opportunities that are around the next corner. Sometimes bad things have to happen before good things can.” “Bad things can happen, and often do--but they only take up a few pages of your story; and anyone can survive a few pages.” “No man is broken because bad things happen to him. He's broken because he doesn't keep going after those things happen! Buen Camino Seeker and know that this community has your back ;)
 
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This is a very special spot in nearby Ventosa.

Over past years I have often stayed in the
small village of Ventosa. Read more here--

Good luck, good heath and happy rest!
I've stayed at Albergue San Saturnino twice and love this place! It is lovely with attention to detail and feels more like a bnb, but with bunk beds!
 
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On the Norte we were depressed to realize we lost our friends by staying 3 nights in Llanes. When we started again it seemed everyone was a stranger and had their own groups but.....just like the Camino we started meeting new and really special people who.we ended up walking into Santiago with. We became "team Norte". If you dont argue with what is happening, the very best may be yet to come!!!
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
Chicago Seeker... I hope this message finds you on the Camino after resting your leg injury. I hope you have picked up your spirits and rekindled your motivation to resume your Camino... If you are still feeling alone and missing friends, just remember all the yearning, zeal, motivation and great desires you experienced in committing and planning your Camino... Stick with your original plans and you will be rewarded since it's common to feel discouraged while one is on "The Way" to Santiago but your arrival in Santiago, entering the Cathedral, getting your Compostela will be and will always remain with you as one of the most significant memory and accomplishment of your 'Camino de Vida.'
Please tell us how you are since there are many here that are cheering for you to progress and interested in how you are/have been doing.
 
Hey Laurie,

Many thanks for the leads. Hopefully, I am able to keep on my journey even though I won't be walking.

All my best,

Nick
So sorry Nick. I'm also injured and going today to San Sebastian to rest for a few days. Hope you feel better soon.
 
Hey all, thanks for your love, well wishes, and prayers. After a few days of rest, I continued on my journey and arrived successfully in Santiago on June 15th. I then continued on with some new and old friends alike to Finisterre and Muxia. I just got back to Chicago after a few days of downtime in Portugal. Ultreia!
 
St James' Way - Self-guided 4-7 day Walking Packages, Reading to Southampton, 110 kms
Hey all, thanks for your love, well wishes, and prayers. After a few days of rest, I continued on my journey and arrived successfully in Santiago on June 15th. I then continued on with some new and old friends alike to Finisterre and Muxia. I just got back to Chicago after a few days of downtime in Portugal. Ultreia!
Wonderful! thank you for your follow up post with happy outcome!
 
Hey all, thanks for your love, well wishes, and prayers. After a few days of rest, I continued on my journey and arrived successfully in Santiago on June 15th. I then continued on with some new and old friends alike to Finisterre and Muxia. I just got back to Chicago after a few days of downtime in Portugal. Ultreia!

Congratulations.

Now, the real pilgrimage begins.
 
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I'll be honest here. The pain from losing friends and being forced to stop hurts more than my leg. I am really not feeling the Camino spirit anymore. People I've met along the way aren't responding to my messages. My family and friends back home just don't get it. One abbot got back to me saying that it was not possible for me to come to his monestary and that he was unaware of how I might do what I am proposing. I don't think I've ever felt more alone in my life. I am trying to accept that things are the way they are despite my preferences, but that is a hard pill to swallow.

Hola @ChicagoSeeker - when you meet a group of fellow pilgrims, or come with long term friends it is oftena wrench to be parted from them. With the advantage of hindsight you might have been better off spending a day or two in Pamplona letter the injury heal (being a major city it has the necessary medical facilities). From where you are now the alternatives are as Laurie suggested (taxi or bus - not walking), or maybe return to Logrono to get it checked out, it may be a bit more serious than three days rest. Best of luck
 

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