Is 18 Too Young To Go Alone?

smithie630 · Apr 9, 2017

I'm a 17-year-old American female planning to walk El Camino Frances in the fall. At that point I will be 18. I have two friends interested in going with me, but they may not be able to come, so I would be walking solo. This would be my first time ever leaving the country or doing anything like this. My parents are worried that I will not be safe hiking by myself. Should I try to find another pilgrim to walk with or is it okay for me to go it alone? Also, I have family in Barcelona if anything happens, and while I wouldn't consider myself fluent, I know a good deal of Spanish.

Thank you in advance! Buen Camino!

notion900 · Apr 9, 2017

I think you'll be fine. You are (or will be) legally an adult, and you speak Spanish. Absolutely no problem. I travelled alone when I was 18 and I loved it. Besides, you'll be alone for about 5 minutes before you meet people to walk with. I met someone on my first camino before I had even left the airport.

You could encourage your parents to join this forum if they are worried, they can ask any questions they have.

fostersail1 · Apr 9, 2017

The pilgrims on the Camino are like having an extended family. You will make friends quickly and you can choose when to walk alone and when to walk with others. You will be fine.

Mike Savage · Apr 9, 2017

Welcome smithie630!

I have lived quite a few places here in the states; places that are considered "very safe" I've always felt safer on the camino. I have also walked hundreds of mile on the Caminos with people just a year or two older than you and they did not seem to feel concerned for their safety.

Buen camino!

Theatregal · Apr 9, 2017

Hi smithie630,

Here is a thread from 2014 that you may find helpful.

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...-the-camino-at-17-to-young.30081/#post-255932

Saint Mike II · Apr 10, 2017

Hola @smithie630 - another welcome. Well to start with - you have already impressed me with your maturity. Asking questions of "those who know" is (nearly) always a good beginning. As was posted above your knowledge of Spanish and having family in-country are both big pluses.
Camino Safety: the Camino Frances is possibly one of the safest 800km / 500 miles of road and trail in Europe - the events of April 2015 not-withsatanding. Take a mobile/cell phone - get a Spanish sim card and put E20 credit and text your family the new number. That way they will be able to contact you most of the time. (Your mom will be worried about you from the moment you get on the plane until you get home - but them mom's are allowed to worry. )
I am not going to list any do's & don't's - your an adult. You will get more than exercise out of the Camino, its an opportunity to meet people from virtually all 190+ world countries and meet them as an equal. You will also get to meet a number of Spanish people your age and that is a real plus.

So keep up with the Spanish practice and keep up with the walking & physical training.
Buen Camino

Katie Brown · Apr 10, 2017

jesper K said:
Don´t worry too much - and let your parents read this thread. In Sep/Oct last year on camino frances I met two canadian women who had just turned 19 both of them. (Friends just graduated) I myself are a man 45 years old. We quickly became camino friends and I met them on a regular basis and had dinner with them several times and we often slept at the same albergues. But it´s like that on the camino. I would estimate that I met somewhere between 25-30 people that I met again and again and considered my camino friends or family as some call it. And don´t worry - you will meet plenty of people to walk with if you feel unsure or nervous - especially in the early mornings when it´s still dark. Don´t be afraid to talk to other pilgrims or to ask them if it´s okay that you walk with them. I actually had 5 experiences with women that asked me in the early mornings if they could walk with me. The best I have saved for last - people probably won´t leave you alone - in a good way. And forget about age. The youngest I met was 16 and the oldest 74 - people usually don´t care about age on the camino. Buen Camino - have an awesome adventure.

Jesper! Funny meeting you here . I am one of the Canadian girls Jesper is speaking of lol.

Do not worry one bit. Yes, I was able to go with a friend from home, but a lot of the times, she and I walked separately and wouldn't see each other for a few days. On the whole Camino, I never felt scared, or even lonely. You will meet people, and you will be so comfortable with them that it will feel like you've known them your whole life.

So my advice, is to just go. With, or without friends

Hutton24 · Apr 10, 2017

notion900 said:
I think you'll be fine. You are (or will be) legally an adult, and you speak Spanish. Absolutely no problem. I travelled alone when I was 18 and I loved it. Besides, you'll be alone for about 5 minutes before you meet people to walk with. I met someone on my first camino before I had even left the airport.

You could encourage your parents to join this forum if they are worried, they can ask any questions they have.

Good suggestions Notion

jeannick · Apr 10, 2017

Hutton24 said:
Good suggestions Notion

There was a 17 year old Brazilian girl , she was everyone little sister ,
except every night when her worried mother phoned her , blisfully unaware of the time difference
from the bunks screams of ....DAISY !!! were answered by "sorry, It's mum "

Yossi Fuchs · Apr 10, 2017

smithie630 said:
I'm a 17-year-old American female planning to walk El Camino Frances in the fall. At that point I will be 18. I have two friends interested in going with me, but they may not be able to come, so I would be walking solo. This would be my first time ever leaving the country or doing anything like this. My parents are worried that I will not be safe hiking by myself. Should I try to find another pilgrim to walk with or is it okay for me to go it alone? Also, I have family in Barcelona if anything happens, and while I wouldn't consider myself fluent, I know a good deal of Spanish.

Thank you in advance! Buen Camino!

You are never alone on the Camino... Enjoy!

november_moon · Apr 10, 2017

Go! And yes, of course your parents will worry - that's their job. As others have said, this is not an unsafe thing to do, and you won't be alone - you'll be in an amazing community of people. We walked last summer and there were a lot of "kids" on the Camino - plenty of university students on summer break, young adults in transition and trying to figure out what is next for them, etc. And they all seemed to he having a really good time.

When I was 18, I only had the most basic inkling of this sort of travel - I knew that kids "backpacked" in Europe and other places, but it always seemed that this kind of thing was for other people. The idea of taking off for some period of time and traveling seemed so out of reach that I never really pursued the idea. You have the means and opportunity, so I say "go for it". Don't let the opportunity pass you by.

Katie Brown · Apr 11, 2017

jesper K said:
LOL - Hi Katie - Hilarious. Never thought I would meet anyone else from my camino time in here.
Have you gotten rid of the camino fever? I haven´t - I have decided to go again at around the same time.

The fever has not gone away lol.

and me too!!! I am thinking Camino Portuguese in October. How about you?

Katie Brown · Apr 12, 2017

jesper K said:
Me too - I walked it May 2014 - but I have only kind of bad memories from the stretch from Lisbon to Porto so I need to do it again. It was horribly warm. Between 34 to 42 degrees celsius. Way to hot for someone from Denmark and I guess Canada too. It hit 40 the first day and in 2014 you had to walk 37 km the first day. After 15 km I took a 1 hour break and when I began again I found another pilgrim sitting out in the sun - and she was so weak and dehydrated and didn´t respond to questions - I had to call police and ambulance. The police actually offered to drive me to nearest town. The third day I returned til Lisbon for 3 days and then tried again. I got through it - but hell. Not fun at all. Thats why I have decided to walk in the fall. Like we did last year.

omg! That does sound horrible. I'm hoping it will be just like the weather that we had then lol.

When will you be walking? Right now, my plan is to fly to Lisbon on the 4th of October, and then spend a week or so in the Algarve, then make my way up to Lisbon and start walking on possibly the 12th or 13th. That is the plan as of right now, but who knows lol.

newfydog · Apr 15, 2017

I met a couple of teenage women backpacking around Europe whose parents were so worried about them that they booked them into a whole string of fancy hotels. They were subjected to numerous improper advances by businessmen their parent's age. You'll be much better off on the Camino.

Lisa HS · Apr 15, 2017

I love all the advice you are getting here. You are going to be just fine. One thing I want to add is listen to your gut...if you feel you might be in a situation that could become uncomfortable then don't feel obligated in ANY way to stay in that situation. As young women we are taught to be polite and nice. Sometimes is ok not to be polite and nice. Also, if you meet and hang out with some of us older folks (I love the mixing of ages on the Camino), listen to them as well. I'm 60 and mother of 2 grown sons. I'd have been happy to provide cover (or just perspective) for any young woman who wasn't completely comfortable with her situation. Buen Camino!

Katie Brown · Apr 25, 2017

jesper K said:
Well - I am planning to walk at around the same time. But instead of algarve I am going to spend 3-4 days in lisbon. But nothing is 100% sure yet. Would be great to meet up again. Very easy for me to get to Lisbon - so it´s definitely a possibility.

yes, would be very great to see you again.

speak to you later

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Is 18 Too Young To Go Alone?

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