Leave London Saturday 17th May to St Jean pied de port

[Jocelyn]

Hello there,
After 3 years of thinking of doing the Camino i am finally getting around to it.
I have a 10 month career break and thought what better way to kick it all off.
Just wondering if anybody else happens to be trudging off the same time from the UK so we can swap tips on what to pack/discuss any little recomendations we have come across whilst researching.
Many thanks/diolch yn fawr (Cardiff girl),
Jocelyn.

 

[pbucilla]

Hello there,
After 3 years of thinking of doing the Camino i am finally getting around to it.
I have a 10 month career break and thought what better way to kick it all off.
Just wondering if anybody else happens to be trudging off the same time from the UK so we can swap tips on what to pack/discuss any little recomendations we have come across whilst researching.
Many thanks/diolch yn fawr (Cardiff girl),
Jocelyn.

Hi Jocelyn, I arrive in SJPP on May 17th and start walking the next day. Are you staying at Orisson on the 18th? I'm sure I'll see you along the Way. Pennie

 

[Bernard duffy]

Hi Jocelyn, I arrive in SJPP on May 17th and start walking the next day. Are you staying at Orisson on the 18th? I'm sure I'll see you along the Way. Pennie

The night meal at Orisson is a wonderful experience,buen Camino.

 

[Jocelyn]

Hi Jocelyn, I arrive in SJPP on May 17th and start walking the next day. Are you staying at Orisson on the 18th? I'm sure I'll see you along the Way. Pennie

Hi Pennie - to be honest i don't even know where i am staying on the night of the 17th. I am kind of going for the rock up and see what happens approach. I figured that if i was going to do a complete back to basics excursion then even planning it may spoil the effect
Is booking in to the Orrison quite a common thing to do then?

 

[pbucilla]

Hi Pennie - to be honest i don't even know where i am staying on the night of the 17th. I am kind of going for the rock up and see what happens approach. I figured that if i was going to do a complete back to basics excursion then even planning it may spoil the effect
Is booking in to the Orrison quite a common thing to do then?

I understand and respect your choice not to do any planning. Planning is both fun and a necessity for me. Yes, I'm one of those personalities. lol A lot of people who feel like the first day might be too much for them physically, try to break up the day and stay at Orisson. I'm not in great shape and have done no training. For me this is not about going fast and hard, mostly because I just can't do it. lol If people do decide to stay at Orisson, they MUST make reservations. It is such a joy to be able to do the Camino exactly how you want to do it. I'm sure I'll get to meet you along the Way somewhere. I'm looking forward to it. Buen Camino. Pennie

 

[Stefania13/14]

Hello there,
After 3 years of thinking of doing the Camino i am finally getting around to it.
I have a 10 month career break and thought what better way to kick it all off.
Just wondering if anybody else happens to be trudging off the same time from the UK so we can swap tips on what to pack/discuss any little recomendations we have come across whilst researching.
Many thanks/diolch yn fawr (Cardiff girl),
Jocelyn.

Jocelyn,
I too am leaving SJPP on May 18th and am staying at Orisson (have my reservation). I hope to meet you along the way. Enjoy your carefree approach!
Stefania

 

[Jocelyn]

I understand and respect your choice not to do any planning. Planning is both fun and a necessity for me. Yes, I'm one of those personalities. lol A lot of people who feel like the first day might be too much for them physically, try to break up the day and stay at Orisson. I'm not in great shape and have done no training. For me this is not about going fast and hard, mostly because I just can't do it. lol If people do decide to stay at Orisson, they MUST make reservations. It is such a joy to be able to do the Camino exactly how you want to do it. I'm sure I'll get to meet you along the Way somewhere. I'm looking forward to it. Buen Camino. Pennie

Do you have a booking at St Jean pied de port then? I am guessing that my carefree approach should really book something there for when i arrive :-/
Also (i am asking in your context as a 'planner') if it really a simple case of turn up and walk?
I don't expect a brass band to see me off or anything, but is it really that simple.
I hope so
Also - are you walking it alone or with company?

 

[Jocelyn]

Jocelyn,
I too am leaving SJPP on May 18th and am staying at Orisson (have my reservation). I hope to meet you along the way. Enjoy your carefree approach!
Stefania

I am hoping that my carefree approach doesn't come back and bit me in the bum.
I have read that you just turn up and go.
The only research i have is a guide book that i will see as my Camino bible on route

 

[pbucilla]

Do you have a booking at St Jean pied de port then? I am guessing that my carefree approach should really book something there for when i arrive :-/
Also (i am asking in your context as a 'planner') if it really a simple case of turn up and walk?
I don't expect a brass band to see me off or anything, but is it really that simple.
I hope so
Also - are you walking it alone or with company?

I do believe that you can just show up. I'm coming overseas and wanted to try to plan for a bit of jetlag. Spain is 7 hours ahead, so it's going to take a little adjustment, and I might not be functioning cognitively as well as usual. lol I do have a reservation in St Jean because I was trying to make things easy for myself and reduce any stress for those first couple of days. I understand that if you don't have a reservation that the Pilgrim's Office will help you find a place to stay, so I don't think you need to worry. I am walking alone. I didn't want the pressure of having to keep up to anyone else's pace. I wanted to just be able to walk as fast or slow as I wanted and start and stop when I wanted. I think too that going alone, I'm more likely to meet other people. Pennie

 

[David]

It really is turn up and walk! Your Camino, in the footsteps of over a thousand years of pilgrims ...

If you go to the pilgrim office in St Jean, halfway up the old cobbled narrow street where most of the refugios are and is the Camino route out of town, and get your first sello in your passport - or buy a passport if you don't already have one - they will also give you info on refugios.

Buen Camino!!

 

[Jocelyn]

I do believe that you can just show up. I'm coming overseas and wanted to try to plan for a bit of jetlag. Spain is 7 hours ahead, so it's going to take a little adjustment, and I might not be functioning cognitively as well as usual. lol I do have a reservation in St Jean because I was trying to make things easy for myself and reduce any stress for those first couple of days. I understand that if you don't have a reservation that the Pilgrim's Office will help you find a place to stay, so I don't think you need to worry. I am walking alone. I didn't want the pressure of having to keep up to anyone else's pace. I wanted to just be able to walk as fast or slow as I wanted and start and stop when I wanted. I think too that going alone, I'm more likely to meet other people. Pennie

Oh yes, I forget about the jetlag. I am flying from London so luckily that's not an issue for me.
I am walking alone too. I have friends that wanted to join me for sections of the walk but I said no.
It is something I want to do for myself and I don't want to feel I have to keep another person's pace. The whole point of the camino is that it is a personal journey so I just want it to be me thing. That said - I am a very sociable person so am sure I will find people to talk to along the way.
What time do you arrive in St Jean?

 

[Jocelyn]

It really is turn up and walk! Your Camino, in the footsteps of over a thousand years of pilgrims ...

If you go to the pilgrim office in St Jean, halfway up the old cobbled narrow street where most of the refugios are and is the Camino route out of town, and get your first sello in your passport - or buy a passport if you don't already have one - they will also give you info on refugios.

Buen Camino!!

Thanks David. Do you know how much the passport is please?

 

[David]

No, sorry, I think it is 50 euro cents .. they may have raised price but it will be under 2 euros. Buen Camino!

 

[RachUK]

Hi Jocelyn,
I've just been reading this thread and I wanted to share that it has taken me about three years to make this walk a reality, just when I thought I might never do it, things happened and the time was just right, so I went for it! Like you I haven't really planned much apart from getting to the start and accommodation for the first and last night, I felt it would be too restrictive and may prevent me from getting the full camino experience if I over-planned. Despite my last-minute jitters and panicking I think I've made the right choice! I'm starting from SJPDP on the 17th, maybe we'll cross paths at some point. Good luck and Buen Camino!

Rachel

 

[Jocelyn]

Hi Rachel,
Well you are one step ahead of me.
I haven't even sorted accommodation for the first night :-/
I think after the structured monotony of work/sleep/work/sleep . . . I just wanted to throw myself completely in to the unknown.
I am really really looking forward to meeting all the people along the way and hearing their stories. I have no flight booked home yet as I didn't want to have to stick to any kind of timetable of the mileage I needed to walk each day.
Only two days until I fly . . . I am super excited.
Shame you start the day before me. We could have started our first bit of trudging together. Have a wonderful walk and maybe see you on route x

 

[RachUK]

I'm

Hi Rachel,
Well you are one step ahead of me.
I haven't even sorted accommodation for the first night :-/
I think after the structured monotony of work/sleep/work/sleep . . . I just wanted to throw myself completely in to the unknown.
I am really really looking forward to meeting all the people along the way and hearing their stories. I have no flight booked home yet as I didn't want to have to stick to any kind of timetable of the mileage I needed to walk each day.
Only two days until I fly . . . I am super excited.
Shame you start the day before me. We could have started our first bit of trudging together. Have a wonderful walk and maybe see you on route x

I'm staying in Bayonne tonight and I saw so many other pilgrims getting off the train, it has made me even more excited! I would love to do it your way with no time restrictions but I am unfortunately on a bit of a shoestring budget! Just go straight to the pilgrim office in sjpp they should be able to help with accommodation, good luck! X