May 29th, Ivar walks the Camino. Want to come along?

[ivar]

On 12 Oct 2004 10:47 am I signed up as member number one of this forum and has since learned a lot about the camino from all you veterans out there. One thing that I mentioned in my first post was the fact that I have actually never walked the camino.

I think it is time that this changes, so on May 29th I am going to walk the camino from Sarria to Santiago de Compostela.

This as one of the activities I am doing with the Camino Travel Center this year, and I would like to invite anyone that would like to join me. I organize everything (except the flight to Santiago), transport to Sarria and lodging, breakfast, lunch and dinner, on every stage until Santiago. I will show you Santiago de Compostela and afterward we will go out and eat at the popular "O Dezaseis" restaurant.

You can find more information on the Sarria to Santiago walk here.

Saludos,
Ivar

 

[Timo]

Terve,
way to go!
-T-

 

[sillydoll]

Buen camino Ivar!
I hope you don't think I'm being mean but I hope you don't get toooo.... many people walking with you.
Large groups often take up the whole width of a path, take all the chairs at a pavement cafe-bar, they talk loudly and take all the beds in an albergue forcing the sole pilgrim to walk further to the next albergue.
You'll enjoy the experience much more if there are just a few of you.
Buen suerte,

 

[ivar]

take all the beds in an albergue forcing the sole pilgrim to walk further to the next albergue.
You'll enjoy the experience much more if there are just a few of you.

Thank you Sil!

Let's see how many we will be. We will be staying in pensions and smaller hotels so we will not take up any beds in albergues, but I see your point...

I am looking forward to it!

I am organizing a trip to Finisterre this Saturday with a group (leaving at 11.00), the first one! (There will be a lot of "firsts" in the next few days). I just came back from Santiago now and there are a lot of pilgrims in town.... just hope the weather gets better, it has been raining today.

Saludos from Santiago,
Ivar

 

[Anonymous]

Hi,

a lot of people think the camino starts a Sarria. And for those who come from Roncesvalles of from their home town in France, Belgium, Holland or Germany, the last 100 km are very disappointing. I saw lots of people jus walking those 100 km or even the bus and collecting stamps just to get the compostela.

Greeting

 

[Rose Louise]

Ivar,

100 km or 1,000 km, each camino is different and we all choose to walk our own camino. There are so many factors that influence your choice. I wish you well in your new business venture and on your first camino beginning at Sarria.

Rose Louise

 

[Minkey]

Oh Ivar! Start from Villafranca, I dare you!

(apologies for my absence by the way, have had a bit of a testing time over the last few months)

 

[sillydoll]

The camino starts wherever you want it to start!
I agree with Rose Louise. If you live on the outskirts of Santiago you don't have to travel 300km, 500km, 800km or all the way to France in order to walk back to the tomb of your patron saint! Millions of pilgrims visit his tomb each year, coming by planes, trains and automoblies and they too are pilgrims to St James. They don't receive the Compostela but they can receive indulgences.
The pilgrims of old had no option but to ride or walk to Santiago. With the advent of cycles and cars more people have been able to travel there.
Distance walked doesn't make one a more worthy pilgrim!

 

[xpatpilgrim]

Great invitation . . . since i'm a first-time pilgrim on the camino i hope we meet up along the way enroute to Santiago. I will be leaving Pamplona on my camino the 21st of May. Perhaps i can connect with you in Santiago if we can't do it before then -- i will have my cell phone so i can text home every now and then. If this sounds ok with you i will give you my number and you can text me when you arrive in Santiago.

Buen viaje,

Adele

 

[ivar]

Great invitation . . . since i'm a first-time pilgrim on the camino i hope we meet up along the way enroute to Santiago. I will be leaving Pamplona on my camino the 21st of May. Perhaps i can connect with you in Santiago if we can't do it before then -- i will have my cell phone so i can text home every now and then. If this sounds ok with you i will give you my number and you can text me when you arrive in Santiago.

Buen viaje,

Adele

Welcome to the forum Adele! Sounds like a plan... I have sent you a PM.

Saludos,
Ivar

 

[Javier Martin]

All the times I read about pilgrims walking, hundreds of butterflies come to my stomach and my mind begins to think of how can I do to walk there ... and now the answer is really easy ... not arriving to Compostela!! because I only have a weekend, this weekend, to walk with you. So, my only problem is, where on friday very late evening and when, and how to return there on sunday afternoon ... it depends on your planning for this weekend.

By the way, when will you go to Finisterre? Because I'm planning to be there about the 6th-7th July.

Ivar, Buen Camino,

Javier Martin
Madrid, Spain.

 

[Anniesantiago]

Great news, Ivar!
Buen Camino!

 

[Ribeirasacra]

Sorry I cannot make this but I want to wish you all a great time.

 

[ivar]

As you may have noticed I have not publicized this walk much in the last few weeks. The reason is that I might have an opportunity for a job, and the decisions will be made during the dates of this walk. (This new opportunity will not affect the Camino Travel Center).

So all in all, I think I will walk another time.

Saludos,
Ivar

 

[Bridget and Peter]

The reason is that I might have an opportunity for a job, and the decisions will be made during the dates of this walk. (This new opportunity will not affect the Camino Travel Center).

Good luck Ivar. I am sure you can prove all sorts of skills and competencies from your experience of running this forum.

 

[Susanna]

Well Done Ivar best wishes for "walk" may it be all you wish for and more!!!!
Susanna

 

[Melanie Shah]

Hello Ivar,

Myself and a friend also plan to start our camino in Sarria on 30th May, so we may see you on the way! Do you know what is the best way to get to SArria from Santiago- do we need to get bus tickets in advance? Also, where can we get the 'pilgrim passports'?

Thanks
Melanie

 

[ivar]

Hello Ivar,

Myself and a friend also plan to start our camino in Sarria on 30th May, so we may see you on the way! Do you know what is the best way to get to SArria from Santiago- do we need to get bus tickets in advance? Also, where can we get the 'pilgrim passports'?

Thanks
Melanie

Hi there,

There is a direct bus to Sarria from Santiago weekdays at 18.00 from the bus station. If yu would like to go earlier, you can take the bus to Lugo and change for Sarria there. These tickets can not be booked in advance through any agency, but if get to the bus station 30-40 minutes early you can get it at the ticket counter. You could also take a taxi or I could get you a car, but that cost a bit more.

The pilgrims passport can be picked up at the "albergue de peregrinos" in Sarria.

Saludos,
Ivar

 

[BobM]

Good luck with everything, Ivar.

I love this website and always make return visits on the anniversary of my camino. It was the best I found when I was planning my own camino in 2007.

There are so many experienced and helpful people posting to this forum. It is a privilege to have their advice.

So I hope the forum endures as long as there are pilgrims to go on pilgrimages.

Bob M