Left or right…?

[Shazenalan]

So slightly ‘tongue in cheek’ but are we the only people who forget which way to turn when leaving an Albergue in the morning?

What is your strategy for handling this micro-navigation?

 

[amparo]

So slightly ‘tongue in cheek’ but are we the only people who forget which way to turn when leaving an Albergue in the morning?

What is your strategy for handling this micro-navigation?

My solution is that each and every evening, I plan my next day's morning.

I may be too lazy for laundry, too tired for food, too exhausted for sociability; but I always always *always* have, at the very least, a morning plan for my clothes, and for my departure.


This enormously important evening departure planning includes four critical steps:
What is the next day's weather forecast? (for a clothing plan)
Where do I think I might go the next day? (for the next-morning's timing, breakfast strategy, and any possible side trip mapping plan)
c. How do I get out of town to get there? Sometimes, step c might require consultation with locals and my evening's host; and, occasionally, even walking out the door and taking a few steps to confirm the direction of my morning departure.
Then, d. (and I do this because my attention span is half of that of a goldfish's), I write that departure plan's basic directions down, and place that little paper in the pocket of the aforementioned clothes.


If I follow these steps with the same attention as that required for the plan of the invasion of Normandy, I begin each day with confidence, with scenic side trips available to me, and a general idea for where and when I will enjoy my first café con leche. Moreover, then I even look as if I know what I'm doing.

If I fail to do the all-important evening planning, then I bumble about, I forget the little scenic side trips, and I look so pathetic that even tiny children come to my aid.
Do not be that sad, lost, pitiful, whimpering Pilgrim.
Be the strong and confident Pilgrim who follows all four steps of the evening plan.

The rest of the day can be a bit of an iffy proposition for me; but starting the day strong is astonishingly wonderful.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

So slightly ‘tongue in cheek’ but ...

Here too.

... are we the only people who forget which way to turn when leaving an Albergue in the morning?

No. Watch The Way's 'Tom' as he sets out for his first day's walk.

 

[henrythedog]

Camino Frances?

Just walk away from the sun in the morning.

 

[Paul Wilson]

My mantra is look outside and if there is a hill head towards it because sure as fate the Camino will not take the easy route

 

[Former member 92300]

Look for arrows/shells and follow. If none are to be found, look for pilgrims and follow! If none are to be found, open my gps and follow until I find the arrows/shells and then - follow the arrows/shells! LOL

But hopefully the night before it was obvious which way to go before checking into the albergue or turning in for the night.

 

[RRat]

So slightly ‘tongue in cheek’ but are we the only people who forget which way to turn when leaving an Albergue in the morning?

What is your strategy for handling this micro-navigation?

In the afternoon, while waiting for clothes to dry and waiting for dinner, I would take a short walk to find the first few arrows out of town. Next morning first few steps were much more enjoyable that way.

 

[Michael Mark]

i was so lost on y first caminio having left at 5am - I like walking then and alone and whimpered aloud after circling near open farm land for what seemed an hour (it was shadowy) 'please show me the way!' - in the spotlight of my headlamp a bird landed then flitted away and I turned around and it was in the spotlight again and it led me to the right path - true, I promise

 

[Shazenalan]

Thank you all for your enlightening hints & tips One of our troubling early morning departures was when a group of Pilgrims followed US believing that WE knew what we were doing! Fortunately we were right on that occasion. Phew!

 

[MikeJS]

Thank you all for your enlightening hints & tips One of our troubling early morning departures was when a group of Pilgrims followed US believing that WE knew what we were doing! Fortunately we were right on that occasion. Phew!

I always walk the first 1km or so of the next days route so I am certain which way to go in the early morning!

 

[svanada]

I am somewhat concerned about the early mornings. I normally fall asleep very late at night and then need a good sleep in the morning. I really can’t understand why to start walking at 5 or even 6. What about concerns for other pilgrims? Just asking,

 

[cardifflad52]

Look for arrows/shells and follow. If none are to be found, look for pilgrims and follow! If none are to be found, open my gps and follow until I find the arrows/shells and then - follow the arrows/shells! LOL

But hopefully the night before it was obvious which way to go before checking into the albergue or turning in for the night.

I use the camino Ninja app , it's yet to let me down touch wood but nothing is perfect even me lol

 

[cardifflad52]

My mantra is look outside and if there is a hill head towards it because sure as fate the Camino will not take the easy route

That reminds me that a few routes following the arrow I find it's like a couple of extra kms detour when there is no need for it especially going through some villages when there is nothing open lol I mean not a sausage lol

 

[Owensr23]

I and my two sons always go the opposite direction my wife walks. I am not being sexist…she has no sense of direction. I try to say east and west and she only wants left and right. I can’t tell you how many times we have had the discussion that east is always east and left depends on the way you are walking,

 

[Anamiri]

So slightly ‘tongue in cheek’ but are we the only people who forget which way to turn when leaving an Albergue in the morning?

What is your strategy for handling this micro-navigation?

I learnt to do a 'recce' the night before.

 

[Former member 92300]

I and my two sons always go the opposite direction my wife walks. I am not being sexist…she has no sense of direction. I try to say east and west and she only wants left and right. I can’t tell you how many times we have had the discussion that east is always east and left depends on the way you are walking,

LOL... I can do East/West - if I am already oriented to which is East and West! Kind of hard when you step out of the albergue-barely awake, and it is still dark though... otherwise - better just give me a left or right.

 

[Anamiri]

I am somewhat concerned about the early mornings. I normally fall asleep very late at night and then need a good sleep in the morning. I really can’t understand why to start walking at 5 or even 6. What about concerns for other pilgrims? Just asking,

I found that in hot months most people walked early, If I left at 6am, there were many others walking out too. Often when I left the place would be nearly empty.
Its a matter of being able to walk in the cooler hours, I'm not built to walk in that heat.
Falling asleep is never an issue for me, I was tired enough to fall straight asleep most nights.
The daily routine often changes a lot whilst on Camino.

 

[Former member 92300]

I am somewhat concerned about the early mornings. I normally fall asleep very late at night and then need a good sleep in the morning. I really can’t understand why to start walking at 5 or even 6. What about concerns for other pilgrims? Just asking,

You may find that you are pretty tired by 10pm - making it easier to sleep and wake at 5 or 6. Also - most albergues lock doors by 10 - and pilgrims are expected to go to sleep around then (or at least be very quiet. But if this becomes a problem - you might need to get private rooms that allow you to sleep later. Most albergues kick you out by 8am. As for walking at 5 or 6 - that is totally optional. In June/July I was one of the few who got up at 6 and was walking by 6:30. But then again - it was much cooler than normal. When it is hot though - getting out early really helps prevent heat exhaustion later in the day. As for concerns for other pilgrims - the goal for most early birds is to get up and pack as quickly and quietly as possible. Unfortunately - not all pilgrims are quiet. But the same can be said about those arriving in the dorms late. Most try to come in quietly - and some just show no regard to those already asleep. Anyhow - bring a lot of patience and tolerance if you plan to sleep in dorm rooms! And when you are just too exhausted - get the occasional private room to catch up on sleep!

 

[dougfitz]

I can’t tell you how many times we have had the discussion that east is always east and left depends on the way you are walking,

I might just be with your wife on this. I have learnt that I orient myself with the sun, and as someone from the southern hemisphere, it takes me a few days to remember that you folks in the northern hemisphere have badly misplaced the sun so that it is in the south!! That plays havoc with my sense of east and west for several days at the start any longer walk in Spain, etc.

 

[André Walker]

What is your strategy for handling this micro-navigation?

My stategy? I just start to walk in any direction, waiting for a local hanging out of a window to shout ‘ola’ in a loud voice while pointing me in the right direction with wild gestures.

Happened to me more than once.

 

[wisepilgrim]

I follow the tried and true method waiting for someone else to leave and then I simply follow them. Not foolproof, but when if fails it fails so spectacularly that I make a friend in the process.

 

[Owensr23]

I follow the tried and true method waiting for someone else to leave and then I simply follow them. Not foolproof, but when if fails it fails so spectacularly that I make a friend in the process.

I used this method one early morning before first light. I saw these two German ladies with headlamps briskly walking away. I settled in about 100 meters behind them.

After about a half an hour they stopped and I caught up with them. I was greeted by them "Buen Camino! Do you know where we are?"

I got out my phone to check the GPS, and we were 1 km south of the Camino. They were very happy I correct them and I got a free cafe con leche out of the deal.

 

[gerardcarey]

I always walk the first 1km or so of the next days route so I am certain which way to go in the early morning!

I'm with Mike.
After arrival I,
1. Take a shower.
2. Do the washing.
3. Have a snooze or rest with maybe some reading.
4. Go for a walk to stretch the legs again and find the way out of town for the next morning's departure.
5. I also check one and all to find a suitable dinner venue.
Regards
Gerard

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

LOL... I can do East/West - if I am already oriented to which is East and West! Kind of hard when you step out of the albergue-barely awake, and it is still dark though... otherwise - better just give me a left or right.

You may like to read about these people who don't have a left and right, just cardinal directions.

Does the language we speak shape the way we think?

If we have no word for the color blue, it’s not that we cannot see it, but that we are very focused on talking about red.

www.altalang.com

 

[Jeff Crawley]

After four Caminos Frances, while I'm not saying I know it like the back of my hand

Agggh!

I'm pretty well au fait with the next day's route though I have unwittingly lead others astray :

In 2001 the area of apartment blocks by the subway as you leave Logrono was still a muddy building site and because we were talking too much three of us went off piste until we realised there were no footprints in the mud ahead of us and cut across the muddy slope to get back on track. Unfortunately several others coming up behind followed our tracks . . . "I see many pilgrims going into the building site but none coming out!"

There is, as @André Walker says, often a local hanging out of a window - usually wearing a vest and having their first cigarette of the day - to put you right.

Failing that . . . .

"Second to the right, and straight on till morning."

will see you through.

 

[David and Theresa]

My solution is that each and every evening, I plan my next day's morning.

I may be too lazy for laundry, too tired for food, too exhausted for sociability; but I always always *always* have, at the very least, a morning plan for my clothes, and for my departure.


This enormously important evening departure planning includes four critical steps:
What is the next day's weather forecast? (for a clothing plan)
Where do I think I might go the next day? (for the next-morning's timing, breakfast strategy, and any possible side trip mapping plan)
c. How do I get out of town to get there? Sometimes, step c might require consultation with locals and my evening's host; and, occasionally, even walking out the door and taking a few steps to confirm the direction of my morning departure.
Then, d. (and I do this because my attention span is half of that of a goldfish's), I write that departure plan's basic directions down, and place that little paper in the pocket of the aforementioned clothes.


If I follow these steps with the same attention as that required for the plan of the invasion of Normandy, I begin each day with confidence, with scenic side trips available to me, and a general idea for where and when I will enjoy my first café con leche. Moreover, then I even look as if I know what I'm doing.

If I fail to do the all-important evening planning, then I bumble about, I forget the little scenic side trips, and I look so pathetic that even tiny children come to my aid.
Do not be that sad, lost, pitiful, whimpering Pilgrim.
Be the strong and confident Pilgrim who follows all four steps of the evening plan.

The rest of the day can be a bit of an iffy proposition for me; but starting the day strong is astonishingly wonderful.

I think you missed the point of the question

 

[David and Theresa]

So slightly ‘tongue in cheek’ but are we the only people who forget which way to turn when leaving an Albergue in the morning?

What is your strategy for handling this micro-navigation?

Yep done that, until I saw an arrow and turned around lol

 

[WGroleau]

Problems I had with arrows:

A place west of Estella where the arrow is at least fifty meters AFTER the fork in the path.

A place between Villamayor de Monjardín where the arrow is in the ditch, and on two different days, someone had parked a car in front of it.

Going backward, the arrow tells you where you came from (which you already know) but doesn't help choose which of the paths feeding into it.

These happened my first time in northern Spain (as hospitalero), going back and forth on days off.

 

[Former member 92300]

You may like to read about these people who don't have a left and right, just cardinal directions.

Does the language we speak shape the way we think?

If we have no word for the color blue, it’s not that we cannot see it, but that we are very focused on talking about red.

www.altalang.com

Yes - and when I give directions - I almost use north/south/east/west. But I always throw in the left/right too. For example - I might say "head south on I-19, exit the freeway at Sahuarita Road and turn East/Left to... "

My only point was to the previous posters comments about his wife and directions - that when we are already disoriented first thing in the morning without the sun/moon visible - we may still need the "left" or "right" directions! Can't follow a "head east" direction if you don't know which way is east yet! Obviously his wife lives somewhere where Left and Right do exist and are used as directional guides. As do I.

Like I said - I am usually pretty good with the cardinal directions - ONCE IF FIGURE OUT which way is North! haha Sometimes it is easy for me. Sometimes - not so much! Especially when in foreign countries where the sun and moon don't hang out in the same places as they do at home.

 

[David Tallan]

Camino Frances?

Just walk away from the sun in the morning.

That's assuming there is sun when you leave the albergue.

 

[Peter Fransiscus]

Camino Frances?

Just walk away from the sun in the morning.

You will have a problem when it's dark or raining in short when there is no sun.