gittiharre
Veteran Member
- Time of past OR future Camino
- 2022 Camino Portuguese and Primitivo
Just walked Geneva to Le Puy starting 21 August. I last walked this route in 2010, before I was diagnosed with cancer.
This time it seemed so much harder. There was a heatwave on with Temps to 40 C a lot of the time. No rain at all.
On day one I got lost and instead of 16 km out of Geneva in the afternoon I walked 26 and arrived at 8 pm on the skin of my teeth before closed doors at the gite I had booked...long story...on top of this my newish orthotics caused a grave inflammatory response and I ended up with plantar fasciitis, extensor tendonitis and black toenails on day one.
I had forgotten how challenging the trails were. Washed out, full of loose stones and rocks and very steep.
A lot of days there is 1000 or more meters of elevation difference.
My foot was swollen and extremely painful. I hitchhiked a couple of times, but then just kept on going.
Should have worn boots rather than hiking shoes too.
The landscape is fabulous and I loved staying in Accueil St Jacques, interspersed with a couple of gite d'etapes, communal gites and chambre d'hotes. It was a very rich experience and I would not have missed it. Budget wise I averaged Euro 45 per day all up. ( This included a large beer a day at € 4.50 ). A lot of the Accueil St Jacques now suggest a minimum amount...they are officially by donation only but have got a bit fed up with the number of people leaving 5 or so Euros after sleeping in fresh sheets, having a 4 course dinner with wine and breakfast in the morning....often they say these are people who can obviously afford to pay and it has left a bit of a mark.
This time it seemed so much harder. There was a heatwave on with Temps to 40 C a lot of the time. No rain at all.
On day one I got lost and instead of 16 km out of Geneva in the afternoon I walked 26 and arrived at 8 pm on the skin of my teeth before closed doors at the gite I had booked...long story...on top of this my newish orthotics caused a grave inflammatory response and I ended up with plantar fasciitis, extensor tendonitis and black toenails on day one.
I had forgotten how challenging the trails were. Washed out, full of loose stones and rocks and very steep.
A lot of days there is 1000 or more meters of elevation difference.
My foot was swollen and extremely painful. I hitchhiked a couple of times, but then just kept on going.
Should have worn boots rather than hiking shoes too.
The landscape is fabulous and I loved staying in Accueil St Jacques, interspersed with a couple of gite d'etapes, communal gites and chambre d'hotes. It was a very rich experience and I would not have missed it. Budget wise I averaged Euro 45 per day all up. ( This included a large beer a day at € 4.50 ). A lot of the Accueil St Jacques now suggest a minimum amount...they are officially by donation only but have got a bit fed up with the number of people leaving 5 or so Euros after sleeping in fresh sheets, having a 4 course dinner with wine and breakfast in the morning....often they say these are people who can obviously afford to pay and it has left a bit of a mark.
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