Just Returned! Thoughts...

[vegoodrich]

Hello everyone,

After enjoying the wonderful help provided by this forum when planning my Camino trip I thought the least I could do was post a few of my thoughts on returning last Wednesday from walking the Camino France's from StJPdP to Santiago in 16 days. Before anyone starts thinking I'm crazy, that pace was what felt good and right to me (the meaning of a very personal pilgrimage) as I had planned for the whole month of October if needed.

Here are some pictures from the trip (scroll to first ones to start at the beginning):
https://instagram.com/vegoodrich/

And without further waiting a few thoughts:
- It was overall a wonderful journey and I was reminded time and time again that people are beautiful and wonderful
- As wonderful as the very popular guide books are, I really enjoyed my stays in the smaller towns and less popular albergues more than the popular stopping points.
- October was a beautiful time for walking, not too hot and not too cold. I did enjoy spectacular weather for most of the journey. It was not too busy in the least.
- Learn some Spanish before you go. I have some basic Spanish down and can understand a lot more and I thought it was critical to me having a really nice, relaxed, time. If for no other reason than to learn more from the locals and ask questions!!
- If you need any special accomodations (dietary/sleeping/etc), please learn to ask for these things in Spanish. On more than one occassion I, with my passable but not great Spanish, stepped in to help pilgrims who were concerned about something that they could not communicate to someone at a restaurant or albergue.
- Don't worry too much about the details (where are you going to stop/sleep/eat/etc). Overall the Camino frances is very easy to find things on and you are rarely far from these things. There are a few exceptions and be aware of those.
- Walk your own journey, not someone else's
- Enjoy the company of different people every day from all over the world. While getting in with a 'group' that is on the same 'schedule' as you can be wonderful I enjoyed meeting amazing people every day because I didn't have a group I was primarily socializing with. It was wonderful. A lot of us called them one day 'Camino friends'. People who can hear your life story in one day and become your best friend for that same day.
- Sunrise, sunrise, sunrise...sigh, it is what I miss the most
- It can really be a very affordable trip with just a little bit of thought.
- Pack light - simple is better and if you really end up needing something, Pamplona is a big town stop in the first few days
- I saw a crazy amount of hiking boots strapped to backpacks
- I am a runner and mountain hiker and am not sure I would walk the Camino France's again but It was perfect one time and I am so glad that I did it. It has made me think about other long walks that I think would be wonderful too.

Let me know if there are any questions!

Buen Camino,
Val

 

[fraluchi]

[...]- I am a runner and mountain hiker and am not sure I would walk the Camino France's again but It was perfect one time and I am so glad that I did it. It has made me think about other long walks that I think would be wonderful too.[...]Val

Congratulations! Running the CF in 16 days, which adds up to an average of 50 kms a day, is not every one's cup of tea. However, your general remarks of the journey are remarkably valid: thanks!

 

[vegoodrich]

Congratulations! Running the CF in 16 days, which adds up to an average of 50 kms a day, is not every one's cup of tea. However, your general remarks of the journey are remarkably valid: thanks!

Thanks! I should clarify that I didn't actually run. I walked the whole way, the nice weather and my personal preferences just allowed me to walk the whole day which averaged to about 50km/day. I never actually planned a distance, just did what felt right!! It is an amazing journey.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

I am always amased by those who can walk such distances with as much easy as I walk my first 4km. Always seem to meet one lr two on each walk.mof course they have much longer legs, and therefor a longer strike than I do. Glad you had a good walk.

 

[NualaOC]

Impressive pace Val, well done. Thanks for sharing your photos - they brought back lots of memories. I especially liked the sunrise ones.

 

[vegoodrich]

Impressive pace Val, well done. Thanks for sharing your photos - they brought back lots of memories. I especially liked the sunrise ones.

Sunrise was indeed the best. I kept stopping and turning around every 5 minutes and it was like the painting had changed. Beautiful. It is funny that my family at first thought I was getting up really early until I explained that sunrise was later than at home in New England

 

[vegoodrich]

I am always amased by those who can walk such distances with as much easy as I walk my first 4km. Always seem to meet one lr two on each walk.mof course they have much longer legs, and therefor a longer strike than I do. Glad you had a good walk.

I do have exceptionally long legs!!! I always say that some people are naturally gifted with art or writing, I was just born with a natural gift for walking

 

[wayfarer]

Congratulations Val. Thank you for sharing your beautiful photos, they brought back some great memories.

 

[spursfan]

"I am a runner and mountain hiker and am not sure I would walk the Camino France's again but It was perfect one time and I am so glad that I did it. It has made me think about other long walks that I think would be wonderful too."

I'd suggest doing the Camino Norte next

 

[Kanga]

The Norte, or from Le Puy to SJPDP

 

[Annette london]

"I am a runner and mountain hiker and am not sure I would walk the Camino France's again but It was perfect one time and I am so glad that I did it. It has made me think about other long walks that I think would be wonderful too."

I'd suggest doing the Camino Norte next

Or rhe Via de la Plata from Seville, a lovely varied walk. More remote and some long distances between albergues or hostels. Beautiful cities. So many to do now that you have caught the bug!!!

 

[vegoodrich]

Thanks To all for the suggestions. I did walk with someone for a day who had done the Norte and highly recommended it. I'll keep them all on the list and hope for more funds for plane flights!

 

[Kirby]

Love your instagram, a great photo diary. Thank you for sharing your insights too.

 

[KinkyOne]

Thanks To all for the suggestions. I did walk with someone for a day who had done the Norte and highly recommended it. I'll keep them all on the list and hope for more funds for plane flights!

Tako a look at the map with the most Caminos I've seen on internet:
http://www.rayyrosa.com/loscaminos
Plenty to chose from

Most of the hilly Caminos are north of CF, except for those to the south that runs (or parts of them) through Galicia, over the Pyreenes and maybe also in Catalonia.

Ultreia!

 

[jefferyonthecamino]

Hello everyone,

After enjoying the wonderful help provided by this forum when planning my Camino trip I thought the least I could do was post a few of my thoughts on returning last Wednesday from walking the Camino France's from StJPdP to Santiago in 16 days. Before anyone starts thinking I'm crazy, that pace was what felt good and right to me (the meaning of a very personal pilgrimage) as I had planned for the whole month of October if needed.

Here are some pictures from the trip (scroll to first ones to start at the beginning):
https://instagram.com/vegoodrich/

And without further waiting a few thoughts:
- It was overall a wonderful journey and I was reminded time and time again that people are beautiful and wonderful
- As wonderful as the very popular guide books are, I really enjoyed my stays in the smaller towns and less popular albergues more than the popular stopping points.
- October was a beautiful time for walking, not too hot and not too cold. I did enjoy spectacular weather for most of the journey. It was not too busy in the least.
- Learn some Spanish before you go. I have some basic Spanish down and can understand a lot more and I thought it was critical to me having a really nice, relaxed, time. If for no other reason than to learn more from the locals and ask questions!!
- If you need any special accomodations (dietary/sleeping/etc), please learn to ask for these things in Spanish. On more than one occassion I, with my passable but not great Spanish, stepped in to help pilgrims who were concerned about something that they could not communicate to someone at a restaurant or albergue.
- Don't worry too much about the details (where are you going to stop/sleep/eat/etc). Overall the Camino frances is very easy to find things on and you are rarely far from these things. There are a few exceptions and be aware of those.
- Walk your own journey, not someone else's
- Enjoy the company of different people every day from all over the world. While getting in with a 'group' that is on the same 'schedule' as you can be wonderful I enjoyed meeting amazing people every day because I didn't have a group I was primarily socializing with. It was wonderful. A lot of us called them one day 'Camino friends'. People who can hear your life story in one day and become your best friend for that same day.
- Sunrise, sunrise, sunrise...sigh, it is what I miss the most
- It can really be a very affordable trip with just a little bit of thought.
- Pack light - simple is better and if you really end up needing something, Pamplona is a big town stop in the first few days
- I saw a crazy amount of hiking boots strapped to backpacks
- I am a runner and mountain hiker and am not sure I would walk the Camino France's again but It was perfect one time and I am so glad that I did it. It has made me think about other long walks that I think would be wonderful too.

Let me know if there are any questions!

Buen Camino,
Val

16 days from SJDP? I am flabbergasted

 

[vegoodrich]

Haha, I had a few flabbergasted looks. I got to where I kind of danced around the subject in the albergues or at dinner with other peregrinos if they were asking where people had come from that day because I didn't want it to become the center of conversation. One person asked to see my stamps, in a funny way

 

[Saint Mike II]

Val, 1 - congratulations on completing "your" Camino. Yes the photos are great (I am not on instagram - but those little brick buildings were used to store grain etc at the end of each years harvest. They are now heritage listed in Galicia). Put the one Euro in any worthy charity box.
Agree about the VDLP - your 50 km per day would work well with that Camino's long stages. Mike

 

[MTtoCamino]

I do have exceptionally long legs!!! I always say that some people are naturally gifted with art or writing, I was just born with a natural gift for walking

I met 4 people a Canadian, a Welshman & a couple from Italy, all did 50k days. Simply amazing walkers. Any thoughts of walking Rome to Santiago?

 

[vegoodrich]

Val, 1 - congratulations on completing "your" Camino. Yes the photos are great (I am not on instagram - but those little brick buildings were used to store grain etc at the end of each years harvest. They are now heritage listed in Galicia). Put the one Euro in any worthy charity box.
Agree about the VDLP - your 50 km per day would work well with that Camino's long stages. Mike

Ha, I actually knew what they were and was challenging my kids back home to figure them out. They got close with thinking maybe some type of composting system. I think they are quite beautiful. 10 euro to Red Cross on you Saint Mike II !!!

 

[vegoodrich]

I met 4 people a Canadian, a Welshman & a couple from Italy, all did 50k days. Simply amazing walkers. Any thoughts of walking Rome to Santiago?

Hmmm...Rome to Santiago...that would just be a few days, haha I've got my eyes on too many walks now. One fellow pilgrim recommended the Annapurna Circuit in Nepal, another the West Highland Way in Scotland, the list is too long!

 

[MTtoCamino]

Hmmm...Rome to Santiago...that would just be a few days, haha I've got my eyes on too many walks now. One fellow pilgrim recommended the Annapurna Circuit in Nepal, another the West Highland Way in Scotland, the list is too long!

It is interesting how we want to keep you moving Depending where one lives & budget are a bit more realistic. Until I retire I will keep walking the continental divide trail. But the luxury of a bed is so much nicer!

 

[Christian Hiriart]

Congrats Val, well done.

 

[Saint Mike II]

Ha, I actually knew what they were and was challenging my kids back home to figure them out. They got close with thinking maybe some type of composting system. I think they are quite beautiful. 10 euro to Red Cross on you Saint Mike II !!!

Ok will donate the Aussie dollar equivalent - say $20 AUD. Mike

 

[HeidiL]

There's a very long Japanese pilgrimage... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shikoku_Pilgrimage

 

[Elllie]

Thanks for sharing the pics it brought back lots of nice memories for me. I did the camino in June and not a day goes by without me remembering how wonderful the experience was.

 

[clearskiescamino]

Well done! I'm very impressed.
I have met someone who walked the Camino Frances in 20 days and wrote a book about it.
I love the photos by the way.

 

[vegoodrich]

There's a very long Japanese pilgrimage... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shikoku_Pilgrimage

Thanks for mentioning this one! I was walking with a man from South Korea and we spent much of the morning talking about this one...I had forgotten about it until I saw your post. Thanks!!!! Now...if only plane tickets were inexpensive....

 

[waveprof]

Any thoughts of walking Rome to Santiago?

I met a man walking Lisbon-->Santiago-->Le Puy-->Rome-->Jerusulum (hopefully by Christmas).

He had a wife walking with him and carried a small dog in a bag. The dog had already filled up 3 pilgrim's passports. Not kidding.

 

[waveprof]

There's a very long Japanese pilgrimage... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shikoku_Pilgrimage

A japanese member of our camino family had previously done that pilgrimage

 

[HeidiL]

Waveprof, can you get him/her to tell us a bit about it?

 

[waveprof]

Waveprof, can you get him/her to tell us a bit about it?

The man spoke very little english. We talked to him every day, have exchanged Christmas cards, and he took about a zillion pictures of our son who was with us------but we've been unable to accomplish detailed communication via email. In person was a TAD easier. He was able to explain that he'd done it, and gave me a paper memento from his pilgrimage that he'd been carrying with him on the Camino (apparently at each leg in Japan, you get a piece of paper with some type of saying or prayer....it was one of those). That's about all I've got for you. Sorry!

Oh, and he made it sound like it did a full loop around the island of Japan, and lots of good opportunities for eating seafood.

 

[SYates]

You did your Camino, that is what matters! Well done and Buen Camino de la vida! SY