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Making friends on the camino

Jawad

New Member
Time of past OR future Camino
May 2023
Hello,

So I will be starting in SJPDP on May 22. I am 20 years old and got the feeling that most pilgrims will be older than I am. I would love to learn from the experiences in the world and bond with them. However, I am afraid they will prefer to be with other old people. Have you experienced pilgrims of different age groups becoming friends on the camino? Also, will I see some young people around my age as well or is it just older people?

Thank you for sharing!
 
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My niece who was 21 went on Camino a few summers ago and met people her age from around the world. She's since been to weddings and celebrations with them in their home countries. Edit: it was precovid so I edited the time frame to reflect. How time flies.
 
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Most people will be older than you but that is not likely to be a problem in making friends. Most of the people I met on my last Camino were much younger than me and we seemed to get on fine. One young woman walked with me several times and I discovered she was the same age as my daughter. If you want to know the sort of age ranges to expect these are the figures from last May. One of the biggest changes I've seen on the Caminos has been the shift in ages of those walking. On my first Camino most pilgrims were students under 25 walking in July and August. These days we tend to be an older bunch and walk earlier or later in the year!

1678545033342.png
 
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Hello,

So I will be starting in SJPDP on May 22. I am 20 years old and got the feeling that most pilgrims will be older than I am. I would love to learn from the experiences in the world and bond with them. However, I am afraid they will prefer to be with other old people. Have you experienced pilgrims of different age groups becoming friends on the camino? Also, will I see some young people around my age as well or is it just older people?

Thank you for sharing!
What a fantastic thing to be doing at 20! And solo too! Kudos to you!

Yes, there will be young people all the way along.... and not just on pilgrimage. They'll be working in bars and cafes and shops and hostels all along the way. As you get closer to Santiago you might well see an increase in younger people, mainly Spanish, on the way. Connections don't have to be for days or weeks to be significant, valuable or worthwhile.

Some will say that age is just a number.... one of the "oldest" pilgrims I met was about your age.

Keep your head up, eyes open and a smile close to hand and there won't be a shortage of connections to be made. And that applies far away from any Camino too.

Buen Camino!
 
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Hello,

So I will be starting in SJPDP on May 22. I am 20 years old and got the feeling that most pilgrims will be older than I am. I would love to learn from the experiences in the world and bond with them. However, I am afraid they will prefer to be with other old people. Have you experienced pilgrims of different age groups becoming friends on the camino? Also, will I see some young people around my age as well or is it just older people?

Thank you for sharing!
I teach at a local college and have a 20 yr old daughter (I'm 48) and a 24 yr old daughter. I'd be welcome to talk to anyone. I'm sure you'll find plenty of people to be friends with regardless of age. I'll be in SJPDP on May 30th!
 
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My wife and I are in our mid-60s, and our two most memorable Camino friendships were with a 35 year old woman and a 25 year old woman. I tend to think age has little to do with friendships formed, while such things as common interests, coordinated hiking/talking/planning, and so forth have a lot more to do with it. I'm friendly, but not especially outgoing or talkative, so I really appreciate those who go out of their way to engage me. My advice is, be yourself and be open to friendships with anyone, and don't worry too much about the age differences.
 
It's hard to imagine but I agree that age has little relevance on the Camino. Just to give one example, this past summer I walked the last 10 days of the Norte with a group of various ages, me 66, an Argentinian of 50, a Slovenian couple in the 30's and a young Basque boy of 17. We actually had done the same stages since Bilbao but only connected during a communal meal in a donativo albergue way after.

I was the one who started off the earliest, the rest of the group an hour later but in the afternoon we all met up and made dinner together. Except for the last two days we didn't actually walk together (I like to get up and go and walk fast) but it was nice having the company at night.

On the last day into Santiago the 17 year old asked me if I would join him and leave at 4.30 a.m. together. He really wanted to get into Santiago early in order to get his Compostela before the 12.00 pilgrim mass. I said sure. If I recall we arrived by 8.00, he invited me for breakfast and thanked me for joining him. It was cute to witness his call to his parents while we stood in line for a compostela. I was so impressed with him, he had walked from Irún and the previous year he walked SJPdP to Santiago by himself. When I asked him what his friends think about his pilgrimages he just shrugged and said that they would rather play football or go to the beach 😀.

Long story short. You'll meet all kinds of people of all ages. It's quite special cause that doesn't usually happen in our daily lives
 
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Hello,

So I will be starting in SJPDP on May 22. I am 20 years old and got the feeling that most pilgrims will be older than I am. I would love to learn from the experiences in the world and bond with them. However, I am afraid they will prefer to be with other old people. Have you experienced pilgrims of different age groups becoming friends on the camino? Also, will I see some young people around my age as well or is it just older people?

Thank you for sharing!
Hello
I did my first Camino 10 years ago when I was 60. On the second day I met a man in his late 20s from Korea. We walked together some times, we drifted apart, we met up again we ate and slept together at various times during our 33 days of walking.
On my 4th Camino at 66 I met a young Italian couple and saw them every other day and we had a great time.
Each time i have walked I have met and got along with people of all ages and am in touch with several Camino friends on a regular basis.
Just be open and talk to people and you will be fine,
Buen Camino
Vince
 
Hello,

So I will be starting in SJPDP on May 22. I am 20 years old and got the feeling that most pilgrims will be older than I am. I would love to learn from the experiences in the world and bond with them. However, I am afraid they will prefer to be with other old people. Have you experienced pilgrims of different age groups becoming friends on the camino? Also, will I see some young people around my age as well or is it just older people?

Thank you for sharing!
Is this a joke ! Must be very funny
 
I did the Camino last year with my 18 year old granddaughter and she met lots of people. Some were in their twenties but one of her best friends on the camino was in her fifties. One of the best parts of the camino is meeting people from all over the world. Both of us learned a lot from different cultures. Life on the camino is experiencing just the simple basics of life and it is a great equalizer so you will meet people you may not talk to in regular life.
 
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You will easily meet all sorts of others along your way. But I suggest that you do not set your heart on finding someone who walks at the same pace.

I met a few others and felt significant joy, but I never did walk with anyone.

For me, walking should be at an effortless cadence. Slowing or quickening my pace, or resting when I don't need to was something that I was not willing to do.

Still, it's a great, fun surprise to see friends unexpectedly, share a bottle of wine or a meal.
 
One of the Camino mysteries is learning how little age difference matters. When I reviewed whom I had met and walked with, I realized most were young men and I wondered what would draw them to a woman old enough to be their mother or grandmother. That said, if you really want to connect with a peer, consider the school year calendar. In the US high school and college students are free of school obligations between May and August and the European break is likely later - beginning perhaps June or July. German university students don’t resume classes until October. School breaks are when you are going to meet more young adults. But we older adults are often just as young at heart!
 
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Hello,

So I will be starting in SJPDP on May 22. I am 20 years old and got the feeling that most pilgrims will be older than I am. I would love to learn from the experiences in the world and bond with them. However, I am afraid they will prefer to be with other old people. Have you experienced pilgrims of different age groups becoming friends on the camino? Also, will I see some young people around my age as well or is it just older people?

Thank you for sharing!
I would certainly spend time with you and I'm "old", but I'm not starting the Camino until Aug 27th. I really don't think you have to worry at all!
 
Dear Jawad, have no fear. You will be very welcomed by all ages, while also finding plenty of folks your age.

Plus, who doesn't want to get to know Gen Z better, and learn from them? You guys have a unique and frankly fascinating perspective. You'll find many friends on the Camino de Santiago, from all generations.

Speaking here from Gen X, a 20-something pilgrim friend took one of our most cherished photos ever, my husband walking through morning fog in Galicia last summer. Age was definitely no barrier to their friendship. Wishing you the same multi-generational friendships, and a very buen Camino!

coming out of the fog.jpg
 
Totally agree about making friends - both those of your own age group and even us oldies. On my two caminos (the Frances 2015 and 2017) I travelled with two " young ones" (women) . I became their " camino granddad". I am still in contact with them - usually around Christmas.
Oh and don't worry if you take an extra days rest - Pamplona or Leon - you will soon find yourself " attached" to another group. Beun Camino.
 
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Hello,

So I will be starting in SJPDP on May 22. I am 20 years old and got the feeling that most pilgrims will be older than I am. I would love to learn from the experiences in the world and bond with them. However, I am afraid they will prefer to be with other old people. Have you experienced pilgrims of different age groups becoming friends on the camino? Also, will I see some young people around my age as well or is it just older people?

Thank you for sharing!
I will join those who say "Don't worry". The Camino is a pretty good leveler, mixing people of different countries, different faiths, different social classes, and different ages. I've seen lots of "Camino families" that spanned very different age groups.

There will be people around your age as well (far more than you are likely to find if you walked in September). Were you a bit younger, it would be a bit more challenging, but there are a fair number of college age folk who was as well as the retired contingent.
 
Hello,

So I will be starting in SJPDP on May 22. I am 20 years old and got the feeling that most pilgrims will be older than I am. I would love to learn from the experiences in the world and bond with them. However, I am afraid they will prefer to be with other old people. Have you experienced pilgrims of different age groups becoming friends on the camino? Also, will I see some young people around my age as well or is it just older people?

Thank you for sharing!
It won't be a problem, if you are open, and smile you'll make friends with folks of all ages, races, and religions, not to worry.
 
I am currently 67 (even though a few weeks back, I suggested that I was 68 - wow, aging has a way of forgetting how old you really are OR simply desiring you are younger - haha). Back in 2013, my wife and I met up with a group 8 students from Fairfield University somewhere past Leon. We ran into them off and on for several days during a coffee or lunch break. They actually decided to slow their pace down to walk with us on a few occasions. They were thoughtful and kind as they befriended us. We treated them to dinner in Palas de Rei and then invited us to a pizza dinner in SdC. We had also met a retired professor from Stanford University on that Camino - she also befriended these university students we learned when we grabbed a bite with her someplace around Trabedelo. In 2017, I had met a young Dutch gal who was in significant knee discomfort - I grabbed her some pain medication at a pharmacy and gave her some poles. She saw me as I entered SdC and she, along with her many friends invited me to join them for breakfast. It was also on this trip that I met a wonderfully compassionate Mexican gentleman of about 25 - Armando was his name. He always went out of his way to see how I was feeling - I saw him at least 15 days on this Camino. When I met him in SdC, we hugged and I simply asked him to continue to share himself with others as he did with me. These are my fondest of memories which goes to suggest that kindness on the Camino transcends age. You will do well as you walk your Camino!
 
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Our Atmospheric H30 poncho offers lightness and waterproofness. Easily compressible and made with our Waterproof fabric, its heat-sealed interior seams guarantee its waterproofness. Includes carrying bag.

€60,-
Every age group , every size , every shape and every nationality will be found on the Camino

First timers are often contemplating walking alone but to be honest, the chances of us walking alone are very slim unless that's what we want. I'm in my 50's and have often had youngsters tag along for a while until they get tired. We all end up fitting in and all try and get along no matter the age or ability

I have a feeling that now restrictions are being lifted and people start being less worried about travel, the Caminos will get as busy as they were pre covid
 
You'll meet all kinds of people of all ages. It's quite special cause that doesn't usually happen in our daily lives
This is so true. The Camino experience brings together people of all ages and many countries represented, with at least two things in common to have a chat about...walking and food, but probably many more. Age seems to be irrelevant so do not worry @Jawad; you will be in good company!
 
So I will be starting in SJPDP on May 22. I am 20 years old and got the feeling that most pilgrims will be older than I am. I would love to learn from the experiences in the world and bond with them. However, I am afraid they will prefer to be with other old people. Have you experienced pilgrims of different age groups becoming friends on the camino? Also, will I see some young people around my age as well or is it just older people?
When I was hospitalero, people of all ages (including infants and 95 years old) stayed with us. You'll have more in common with people who are fellow peregrinos than you will with people who only match you in age.
 
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Hello,

So I will be starting in SJPDP on May 22. I am 20 years old and got the feeling that most pilgrims will be older than I am. I would love to learn from the experiences in the world and bond with them. However, I am afraid they will prefer to be with other old people. Have you experienced pilgrims of different age groups becoming friends on the camino? Also, will I see some young people around my age as well or is it just older people?

Thank you for sharing!
We are all walkers/ pilgrims and there is generally great mixing and comraderie between all ages.and nationalities. I have been on many Camino paths and been helped and got on with all ages. People can be very honest and open with like minded strangers and some become genuine freinds. Be prepared to help others and swap emails etc. Buen Camino.
 
Hello,

So I will be starting in SJPDP on May 22. I am 20 years old and got the feeling that most pilgrims will be older than I am. I would love to learn from the experiences in the world and bond with them. However, I am afraid they will prefer to be with other old people. Have you experienced pilgrims of different age groups becoming friends on the camino? Also, will I see some young people around my age as well or is it just older people?

Thank you for sharing!
Two of my favorite members of our Camino family were Anders in his late 20s and Judith who had just turned 18 and graduated from high school. Both of them walked with my friend and I, each 59, and we share the greatest stories and wisdom back-and-forth. I think you will meet people of all ages and you’ll enjoy them all.
 
Down bag (90/10 duvet) of 700 fills with 180 g (6.34 ounces) of filling. Mummy-shaped structure, ideal when you are looking for lightness with great heating performance.

€149,-
Hello,

So I will be starting in SJPDP on May 22. I am 20 years old and got the feeling that most pilgrims will be older than I am. I would love to learn from the experiences in the world and bond with them. However, I am afraid they will prefer to be with other old people. Have you experienced pilgrims of different age groups becoming friends on the camino? Also, will I see some young people around my age as well or is it just older people?

Thank you for sharing!
1. You will meet younger people, do not worry
2. You will certainly meet old sods like me, who are eagerly fraternising with young people, eating dinner with them and enjoy conversations about life over a bottle of red. 🤓

No, putting the kidding aside, to me it felt there were not age boundaries really. Not while out walking and talking, not when arranging dinner together, not when solving the daily problems together. I remember many occasions when all ages from 18 to 85 where sitting at one large table and were chatting, discussing, eating and drinking happily.

The Camino will be as social as you let it happen to be. And when you are open-minded you will find many open minded people from all age groups and all walks of life.

I remember walking alone for many hours in the later afternoon with one very young girl, who wanted to find out how many miles she could actually do. Everyone else by then had found their place for the evening already, but we just kept walking and talking about theoretical physics for hours (I used to teach TP at university when I was younger, and she was just curious). Apparently Theoretical Physics is a god distraction from the pain in your feet and legs 🤣
 
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Hello,

So I will be starting in SJPDP on May 22. I am 20 years old and got the feeling that most pilgrims will be older than I am. I would love to learn from the experiences in the world and bond with them. However, I am afraid they will prefer to be with other old people. Have you experienced pilgrims of different age groups becoming friends on the camino? Also, will I see some young people around my age as well or is it just older people?

Thank you for sharing!
I think you will be surprised with how many young people do walk the Camino and you will most probably be surprised with the varying ages you will enjoy talking to.
You do meet lovely people on the Camino, I was 60 when I walked the Camino from Pamplona, I met a lot of people some I am still in touch with, I am Australian and 2 French sisters are still in touch with, a young Australian girl, a lovely Italian girl who was hoping to become an actress and was 18 I walked with her for half a day and many, 2 lovely young women from Switzerland, etc, etc. Not every one wants to keep walking with you for lots of reasons but most will say hello etc, I am walking the Portuguese Camino next year, so looking forward to another Camino.
 

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