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pretty sure i am leaving the camino after tomorrow

vagabondette

Active Member
I was really looking forward to walking the Camino and I have enjoyed it - especially some of the people I have met - but I am pretty sure I am leaving it after tomorrows walk to burgos because I am just bored with it all.

I am sick of packing and unpacking my crap every day (easily my least favorite part of travel, and why I generally stay in one spot for a few months at a time), the scenery - while pretty - is getting monotonous, I am sick of the food (so excited to be going to a Muslim country next where I won't have to see ham all the time!), I am tired of the endless discussions about blisters, stages, what aches (perhaps if most people weren't carrying an extra 10-15 lbs of useless crap the previous two wouldn't be an issue) and who is/n't going 'all the way'.

Who knows. I am going to get a private room for a night or two and I might feel differently when not stuffed in a room full of inconsiderate people who don't get the concept of packing in the hall so as to not wake those who don't want to walk at 5 am.
 
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vagabondette said:
I am sick of packing and unpacking my crap every day (perhaps if most people weren't carrying an extra 10-15 lbs of useless crap the previous two wouldn't be an issue) .

Moral of story - take less crap in future.....
 
Sojourner47 said:
vagabondette said:
I am sick of packing and unpacking my crap every day (perhaps if most people weren't carrying an extra 10-15 lbs of useless crap the previous two wouldn't be an issue) .

Moral of story - take less crap in future.....

Not sure if that was really directed to me since the two statements were combined from separate points. Are you suggesting I have too much crap? If so, you'd be wrong. My bag comes in at 12 lbs, skin-out, which includes 2 lbs of tech gear, snacks and water. I have, by far, one of the smallest bags (or, I should say least-full since it is 44l and half-empty, but I have seen smaller sizes stuffed full to bursting) I've seen on the Camino. The only frivolous thing I have is a dress I put on after showering and my long sleeve shirt that I have not needed to wear yet. I guess I could have left my 2nd walking shirt at home but there have been a couple times my shirt almost wasn't dry in the morning so having one to wear and one to wash has been good.
 
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It is not easy, and that is not just about the walking. Congratulations on what you have done. It is more about continuing than continuing without pause. Maybe a rest will help.
 
Well vaggy, you need to fit your Camino to who you are. You speak Spanish, are interested in people, and perhaps a bit beyond the youth hostal mentality.

I don't know what your financial constraints are, but it sounds like you would have more fun on a shorter trip where you seek out rooms in private residences, farm houses and the like, than a long cheap trip in those refugios with all the refugees. Get away from the discussions of packs and blisters and have more discussions on the harvest, the politics and the local news. And look around for interesting food. Find a goat to eat. Ask if the best pulpos are really the ones from the Canary Islands. Talk to some of the farmers, and the boring farms will become more interesting once you hear some details of what you are looking at.

Maybe pick up a bit more gear and sleep out under the stars a few times.....
 
The Camino devil has been sitting on your shoulder, whispering in your ear!

"Why are you doing this?"
"You don't have to do this!"
"You don't have to impress anybody. Why go on?"
"You've already walked 300km - isn't that enough?"
"Give up - go home."

There is something daunting about walking 300km knowing that you have to do it all over again. But, keep at it dear pilgrim!
The meseta is completely different from what you have walked through so far. Some people don't walk it at all because it can be monotonously flat!
After Leon, the scenery changes to glorious mountains and deep valleys.
And then in Galicia it is all green corridors, small farms with dry stone walls - very much like Yorkshire in England.

Don't give up. Stay in a few habitaciones - peace, quiet, no snoring, no rustling of packets at 4h30 in the morning.

Keep going!! You won't regret it.
 
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I am sorry to hear that you are not enjoying your camino as much as expected. I hope that a day or two in a hotel will help. I almost quit the second day of walking as I was so worried about getting a bed each night. I found a nice but fairly inexpensive hotel room for two nights and thought about what was happening and decided to keep going. I'm glad I did. That being said, the camino is not for everyone. I hope you do give it another try after resting up.
 
I was "stuck" with a Camino companion whom I just didn't like (come to think of it it happened twice).
I got out of the situation by pulling a "rest day" and met new faces.
It may be that the route isn't wrong for you but the people you are travelling with!!!!
 
If one considers the portion of the Camino leading to Burgos monotonous, what is to follow with the Meseta will likely be far worse. If Albergue life is annoying, including the inconsiderate 5 AM bag rustlers, the people sitting around comparing blisters and their plans for the next day's trek, the daily packing and unpacking of one's own gear, that won't change. The pilgrim's menu with the ham and fries variations will be repeated over and over again. If bothered by all of this it will only get worse as you continue.

We all see the world from different perspectives. And we all have different things that interest and stimulate our lives.There are some people, although they might be a small minority, for whom the Camino is not an enjoyable experience. Why continue only to become more irritated? Find a better place to spend your time and money.

I came, I saw, I didn't like, so I moved on. Makes complete sense.
 
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When I first read your OP, I worried that whatever I could share would only seem trite and superficial given your mood. But I see others have risen to the challenge.

When I was just beyond Burgos, I hurt my knee, which triggered a whole series of events. These resulted in me re-considering, like you are, whether to continue. If there had been an airport at Castrojeriz, I think I would have been on flight home the day after I got there.

So I took a short day, which almost made matters worse because of the company in the albergue that night, and decided to walk one more day. After a few 'one more day's' I realized my mood had lifted.

Like others on this forum, I have seen your posts as you have prepared yourself for this venture. I think it would disappoint us all to see you leave now - I know it would me. I hope you too can do enough 'one more day's' to lift your mood.

Regards
 
I thumbed through Paulo Coelho's book on the Camino while on the plane from Stansted London, to Biarritz/Bayonne. The detail that stands out for me is that he felt "Finished" once he arrived in O'Cebreiro, so he quit the camino and moved on to his regular life. Maybe you too are "Finished" in Burgos.

You don't seem to have any of the traditional "Camino Questions" that people mull over while they are walking. And you haven't got into conversation with anyone who has. It is amazing the things people will discuss with a total stranger.

Whether they like their job, their boss... or wish they could quit.
Their own personal celibacy, or promiscuity and everything in between.
Their degree of happiness in life with their significant other. Benefits / Risks of divorce / change.
Love or hate for dead family members and if they are OK with their feelings.

These are deeply personal conversations. Not just talking abstractly about the merits of divorce.

Whether you continue the Camino, or finish in Burgos, I wish you well, and hope you find your personal answers to life's questions.

And don't only eat Camino Food. Get into an upscale restaurant before you leave Spain and eat what the Spanish eat. It really is quite good.

I just re-read your post. You say you have met wonderful people. To me, that is the Camino. Challenging, satisfying, emotionally intimate but fleeting relationships. Cherish those memories, and I hope you have some email Id's. Touching base, once you get home is good too.

Buen Camino
David, Victoria, Canada.
 
I have not been a pilgrim on the Camino yet, but am planning to be next year. I appreciate your analysis very much and am struck by your honesty. If you have not undertaken a "pilgrimage" before, what you are experiencing may be related to understanding what such an experience truly is. I participated in a pilgrimage many years ago. I entered into it not knowing what a true pilgrimage entailed. I had expectations for a "vacation" of sorts and had to adjust my outlook, my disposition and my goals when someone (thankfully) explained the difference. Once you think you have made the distinction, I think your decision to continue or not will be better informed. I will say an extra prayer for you tonight knowing that you are probably at a difficult crossroad. If my opinion counts, I would encourage you to press on...maybe see how you might make another's Camino more meaningful. Sometimes when we shift the focus, we gain clarity on why we are in the midst of something a bit perplexing.
 
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Thanks everyone for your feedback. I am in burgos now and have decided to stop walking. The things that have rally bugged me aren't going to change and, while I will miss the people, I know I will meet more people as I continue traveling. I think my problem stems from interrupting my Camino for two weeks to attend a conference. Just asi had gotten into the rhythm I had to stop and when I came back my mind was just in a different place. The delay also put me off my original schedule so what I kept thinking was that if I finished the Camino - which I wasn't enjoying that much - I was going to be missing out on a bunch of other stuff I really wanted to see.

So, other you go. I am of mixed emotions, but I think once I am onto the next stage I will be OK. Today I gave my walking sticks to a fellow pilgrim who was having knee problems but couldn't afford sticks and my gloves to another who has been struggling with the cold. That was kind of my goodbye and, I think, a good note to end it on.

Tonight I will have a last round of drinks and goodbyes, tomorrow I am off to Santiago to pick up the stuff for my next leg, and the day after that I head to morocco via a few days in Portugal.

I may come back and finish the Camino some day, we'll see. If I do, I will make sure not to have that time be only for the Camino with no large gaps.

Good luck to everyone who walks!
 
Just by luck we had planned a rest day in Burgos thankfully as it turned out as I was at a low ebb physically by the time we got there. We also decided to splash out on a hotel-clean sheets clean dry towels a bath just one other person to share with was bliss. Knowing that I didn't have to get up or walk the next day seemed to revitalise me. In fact by about 11.30am of the next day I was getting sort of twitchy to start walking again but instead I just had to sit in cafe's drinking whatever took omy fancy, update my journal, sightsee in a leisurely fashion, have a siesta ON A BED and phone home :lol: . Crossing the Meseta had been one of my big fears on the CF but after this 'reboot' I loved that section of the journey (the landscape in April was just gorgeous and the walking fantastic) somehow I don't think I would have appreciated it half as much without having a bit of a 'dip' leading up to Burgos.
Be kind to yourself and take buses to cut down the journey time if that enables you to stay in pensions etc. Leon is lovely and the landscapes ahead of you are breathtaking. Whatever you decide journey well.
 
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Vagabondette, I decided pretty early on that I couldn't handle heat, crowds, snoring and a fast pace. My Caminos have been only in cool weather, and I've preferred single accommodation, late starts and many, many rest days. I've always said to people that I'm half a tourist, half a pilgrim. (Locals, by the way, find that quite flattering.) I use the TVs in private rooms to brush up on the language and local affairs. Why not? I like TV at night, unless its Portuguese, which is like Australian TV in 1956.

I've made an enormous number of friends and left an enormous number, since most want to leave earlier and go quicker than me. If I've been in extra good company and a gite or albergue doesn't look too busy, I might do the usual pilgrim things for a day or two. Then I go back to being a half-tourist, half-pilgrim - because that's me! I very much appreciate the classic type of pilgrim, but I don't try to be one. I don't join in discussions here about weight of pack, distances covered, efficient walking etc because those subjects, while being very useful and interesting, don't much apply to what I do.

I enjoyed reading your post, and thought I'd say what I've just said, just in case it chimes. Sometimes the answer is a simple decision to be oneself and nobody else. Maybe! I don't want to dish out any firm opinions because it may well be that the Camino is just not for you. The world is full of people who don't go on Camino and who are doing just fine.

On the other hand, I can't wait for my next one. Maybe Regordane Way to Arles then across France to Puente la Reina? Maybe even start at Cluny, like the KiwiNomad?

It's so good to have choice!
 
Well, as I have said before, this forum is a tiny sample of camino experience, and, as such could give newcomers a rosier view than reality. Many, if not most of the posts are positive, which is of course a good thing, but there can be a downside as well, as V ( and myself) have discovered.
For example, everyone here, in answer to an earlier question of mine, stated they started the walk alone, through choice, and met others along the way. Well, when I set out from St Jean last April, I encountered hardly any other singletons, and in fact apart from the first night at Roncevalles, spoke to no other lone pilgrim - everyone else was in couples or small groups, and was not interested in any discourse with a stranger.
Again, the endless discussion about which albergue is the best, or which one to avoid is largely meaningless, as the situation can change from day to day, depending on the owner/hospitalero/other pilgrims etc. One man's meat is another man's poison.
I had previously walked the Ingles, and part of the Madrid - entirely different from the Frances - on those walks I expected to be alone most of the time. The Frances was crowded, but my contact with other pilgrims was practically zero - had it been better I may well have rested my painful knee for a few days and carried on, instead of returning home from Najera.
Of course, it may well have been my fault - I am not an extrovert by any means- but I did attempt interaction. I just think the majority were settled in their little groups, and unwilling to engage with anyone else. And again, a day later or earlier could have been entirely different.
All I'm saying is perhaps the experiences related on this forum give a picture of the camino which will be entirely different for different people - just don't expect too much, then you may be pleasantly surprised...
Having said all this, I am returning to Najera next week for another 7 days at the Frances. :lol:
 
There are many parallels between the Camino and life itself. The road is not always smooth and we encounter many bumps in the road but if we keep our feet moving we generally get somewhere. But as my wife observes, many people have commitment problems. Whether it's a job or task, whatever it may be, many people just can't seem to commit fully. The OP seems typical of this. We just finished our Camino two weeks ago and it wasn't always easy and there were many frustrations but there were also great joys and rewards.....just like life. We just had to keep our feet moving.
 
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"Down" days and sections of "boring" terrain is not unique to the Camino Frances; the Le Puy route also has them. (It's the section between Auvillar and Navarrenx that I'm thinking of.) Personally, I hit a "down" day about once a week or so while walking -- a good rest and good meal are often the key to lifting my spirits.

As someone who most often travels solo, I have noticed a real difference in the travel experience. When I am with a travel companion, we are "in a bubble" - we converse with each other almost exclusively. But while solo, I have much more interaction with locals, with shopkeepers, at eateries, with other travelers. It's astonishing, really.

And, sometimes the Universe works on us in ways we're just not aware of until much later.
 
When other pilgrims irritate me, it usually is because they think the universe belongs to them and I think it belongs to me. Reminding myself that it belongs to us quite often helps me.
 
I find the OP and responses very interesting. I have decided to stay primarily in private accommodations (with a few stays in smaller albergues) for my camino next year in part because I don't think I could handle the amount of people contact involved in staying in albergues -- including perhaps the endless discussions of blisters, etc. that bored Vagabondette. I don't see myself as a tourist instead of a pilgrim because of my choice to stay in private accommodations, and I am not bothered by the fact that some pilgrims will disagree with me. I also don't feel that suffering, in and of itself, is essential for a pilgrimage.

I realize that private accommodations may result in less interaction with others, but I hope to make some friends on the Camino, as I am walking alone. But if not, I hope I will still enjoy the experience and I am bringing my Kindle because I have found that good books can also be wonderful companions.

I don't think Vagabondette's decision demonstrates a lack of "commitment" as one poster opined. I think she knows herself, what she likes and doesn't like, and has decided to act on it. Buena suerte con tus viajes, Vagabondette.
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
Hi Vagabondette
You know I did wonder if this was going to happen. You came onto the forum a while back and rolled up your sleeves and really got involved in the discussions. Pulled out and processed all the useful information like a good project manager and often passed it on to others, joining up many of the discussions in the posts in a really helpful way. But I did wonder when you defended so strongly (assertively?) your need to be IT connected the whole time to manage your life and career. Then there's been the conference thing. At times it all seemed like an opportunity to maximise your work time in Spain - happening to fit in a camino along the way. That's all fine, it's just that it gives you too many options when the low times hit, as almost invariably they do - and the hardest are often not the physical challenges but the mental ones. The thing is that if you don't have a plan B or C, when the hard times and the doubt arrives, you usually just have to soldier on and get through it perhaps adopting one of the excellent strategies proposed above - but with no Scottie to beam you up and away. But I feel you've got a great series of safety nets that make it now all seem so logical just to move on to the next thing.
Don't get me wrong, you've been a great asset here and put in a real shift for the forum. But just consider for a second that there may be another way to get this thing done. Come back some day (how ever far away that is) when you can give the camino your full undivided attention and your only goal is to reach Santiago or Finisterre - and see what happens. Take care and best wishes, tom
 
Sojourner47 said:
Well, as I have said before, this forum is a tiny sample of camino experience, and, as such could give newcomers a rosier view than reality.

I totally agree with this statement. As a "present" pilgrim, I can attest to that! After my excitement of finding the fabulous Forum and becoming an avid reader of all the daily info and more, I thought I had a clue to what the Camino is. Boy, was I mistaken! First, I had on my rose colored glasses, and was armed with everything I needed to be a pilgrim...have this incredible spiritual experience. Then I arrived in Spain. I navigated through my first day...going from Madrid airport to Pamplona by bus. It took almost as long to go by bus as it did to fly from the US to Madrid! But, hey...that was sort of okay, even though I'd have to stay in Pamplona that night because the only 2 buses out of town are at 2pm and 5! Of course, neither times fell within my schedule. I flew standby and well, it didn't work out! So next day, I'm on my way by bus to SJPP. I'm biting at the bit to get there, get accommodations and start up the mountain! I had purposefully not booked a room prior to get the full on experience of being free to be. I ended up struggling to make it up the hill to the Camino headqtrs...oh, no! And I haven't even started the real walking!!! I kept telling myself it would be okay. It must be the altitude! Not only did I stay the night at the loca Maddy's place next to the Camino headqtrs, my clothese didn't dry overnight as it started to rain. For the next 2 hellish days I thought I'd made a huge mistake! The torrential rain, the nightmare winds...my obvious lack of training in mountain 'hiking' - all made for a horrible beginning. No one really talks about how darn hard it is...and I'd trained! I'd lost 20 pounds! I was on a spiritual journey!
All this being said, this vegan (yes, I know) has reverted back to being a vegetarian until I finish in 10 days. I knew eating would be a challenge, but didn't believe how hard! I dreamed about kale and bok choy, tofu and nutritionally rich foods only to wake up with a growling stomach. I was convinced that Spaniards think jamon and tuna are condiments! :)
I hated the Camino! I was so sick from the 1st two days and hungry for real food! The Pyrenees nearly killed me...and even the big hills were a challenge. I wanted to quit, but every day I put on my boots and walked. Pretty soon I stopped thinking of ways to catch a bus or get a taxi. I just kept walking! I stopped staying in alberques and stay in pensions with a private bath or even treat myself to a $40 euro night some places. I try to find good food outside the pilgrim meals as much as I can. I walk by myself mostly (it suits my slower pace, but also gives me time to think) and have lots of interaction in the evenings.
I turned a corner one day last week. I made it "my Camino." I was stuck on " the rules" and I no longer am. I want to walk. I want to see this through...not because I'm not a quitter, but because I'm learning a lot about myself. I came here thinking I wanted to walk closer with God...and realize God is close all the time. It's me that I'm deepening my relationship with. Now, how cool is that!
I am sharing this because we are all on our own Camino...eeting some very incredible people who walk by us each day, wishing us a Buen Camino. The lovely people who rush out of their homes to put us back on the Way when we've missed our turn. This is what life should be and is...on the Camino. People who make time for each other because we're on the path together. Pilgrims seeking God or a personal best or for whatever reason we think we're here. Trust me, you'll learn something you never even thought about.
So, Buen Camino, pilgrims. It's your experience. It's your Camino.
 
Bozzie said:
I hated the Camino! I was so sick from the 1st two days and hungry for real food! The Pyrenees nearly killed me...and even the big hills were a challenge. I wanted to quit, but every day I put on my boots and walked. Pretty soon I stopped thinking of ways to catch a bus or get a taxi. I just kept walking! I stopped staying in alberques and stay in pensions with a private bath or even treat myself to a $40 euro night some places. I try to find good food outside the pilgrim meals as much as I can. I walk by myself mostly (it suits my slower pace, but also gives me time to think) and have lots of interaction in the evenings.
I turned a corner one day last week. I made it "my Camino." I was stuck on " the rules" and I no longer am. I want to walk. I want to see this through...not because I'm not a quitter, but because I'm learning a lot about myself. I came here thinking I wanted to walk closer with God...and realize God is close all the time. It's me that I'm deepening my relationship with. Now, how cool is that!
I am sharing this because we are all on our own Camino...eeting some very incredible people who walk by us each day, wishing us a Buen Camino. The lovely people who rush out of their homes to put us back on the Way when we've missed our turn. This is what life should be and is...on the Camino. People who make time for each other because we're on the path together. Pilgrims seeking God or a personal best or for whatever reason we think we're here. Trust me, you'll learn something you never even thought about.
So, Buen Camino, pilgrims. It's your experience. It's your Camino.

So you have made it "your camino". Now you can enjoy the joys and struggles of your camino. I think people get to set on things based on what they read on message boards, books, etc. Information is good, but not the final word. I like to think about the shell that everyone wears on their packs. All the lines lead to one point...for me that point would be GOD and the lines.ridges to the point are the journeys of many different people on the way to GOD. We all do it a little differently..not wrong, but we are all given different situations/obstacles to overcome, so our "way" looks different than another.
*The food thing was hard for us and we will eat just about anything.
*I remember about 5 nights in getting a pension room..and being so thankful for clean sheets, a real towel, etc. then back to albergues
Buen camnio, Joan
 
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peregrino_tom said:
Hi Vagabondette
You know I did wonder if this was going to happen. You came onto the forum a while back and rolled up your sleeves and really got involved in the discussions. Pulled out and processed all the useful information like a good project manager and often passed it on to others, joining up many of the discussions in the posts in a really helpful way. But I did wonder when you defended so strongly (assertively?) your need to be IT connected the whole time to manage your life and career. Then there's been the conference thing. At times it all seemed like an opportunity to maximise your work time in Spain - happening to fit in a camino along the way. That's all fine, it's just that it gives you too many options when the low times hit, as almost invariably they do - and the hardest are often not the physical challenges but the mental ones. The thing is that if you don't have a plan B or C, when the hard times and the doubt arrives, you usually just have to soldier on and get through it perhaps adopting one of the excellent strategies proposed above - but with no Scottie to beam you up and away. But I feel you've got a great series of safety nets that make it now all seem so logical just to move on to the next thing.
Don't get me wrong, you've been a great asset here and put in a real shift for the forum. But just consider for a second that there may be another way to get this thing done. Come back some day (how ever far away that is) when you can give the camino your full undivided attention and your only goal is to reach Santiago or Finisterre - and see what happens. Take care and best wishes, tom

I defended my need to have technology on the Camino (which really should need to be defended at all because it is generally only judgmental people who use phrases like "real pilgrim" who get their panties in a bunch about people with technology and since they don't have to carry it, why should they care?) because it was a requirement, not an option and I was sick of people being jerks about it. Had you read some of the rude and insulting PMs I got about me taking tech you might have felt strongly about it too. I stopped posting for a while because of the nasty messages I kept getting from members who didn't agree with my motivations and plans.

The Camino wasn't added on to my trip to spain, it was the reason I came to Spain, but not my reason for traveling in general. In retrospect, the conference was the problem. It was the thing that was tacked on since I happened to be here and I gained a lot of great contacts from it. However, it did totally throw my Camino out of whack. I was in the right mindset pre-conference but spending so much time talking about my upcoming stuff got me out of my Camino head space. I was looking forward to getting back to the Camino but I just couldn't get my head into the right space.If I had it to do over, I would either not go to the conference, or I would not try to return to the Camino afterwards. Based on past experience, I should have predicted this. It also didnt help that two days before returning I hurt my back which precluded me from walking long distances or with a pack.

What's ironic is that while I appreciated the first week of the Camino more, I definitely liked the people better during my second week. The first week was full of "real pilgrims" who were very judgmental and full of opinions of what I MUST do and what I definitely cannot do and were overly upset when told them I can really do anything I want and there is no reason that I MUST follow a random guide some random guy wrote which contains random stages that don't really have to be followed. My second week has been full of people who walk between stages, stop for beer/wine picnics along the route, and could care less about any of the so-called rules associated with being a "real pilgrim".

PS: thank god I had my tablet with me because the third day of the Camino one of my older sites was hacked and resource-hungry code inserted which resulted in my entire network being taken down. 2 hours of code cleaning and 1 hour of tech support later I was back up and running so my sites were down for less than 12 hours. Had I not had my tablet, I would not have had a business to return to.
 
Bozzie said:
I turned a corner one day last week. I made it "my Camino." I was stuck on " the rules" and I no longer am. I want to walk. I want to see this through...not because I'm not a quitter, but because I'm learning a lot about myself. I came here thinking I wanted to walk closer with God...and realize God is close all the time. It's me that I'm deepening my relationship with. Now, how cool is that!
That's why so many of us say it's the best thing we've ever done. The psychological/spiritual discoveries are so much more important than the difficulty or otherwise of the walk.

What's even better is that the deepening relationship with yourself doesn't stop when you reach Santiago. Six years and a few top-up pilgrimages later, the Camino is still delivering its lessons.
 
Hi,
I am on the Camino presently and my journey so far has been vastly different from my expectations. It has changed completely from expecting to do the whole thing (and spending all 2012 researching/planning this) to walking 10 days simply from SJPP to Los Arcos, spending 2 days in Logrono resting a leg injury and processing the realisation that breakfast/walk-toil/eat&drink/bed was like the last 13 years of working life (where I had no time off) and not what my soul needed - bussing it to Leon, spending 3 days in Leon unexpectedly experiencing the sacredness I had hoped for in the Cathedral and museums, and then bussing it to Sarria where I am walking now; being fed by the green beauty of Galicia. I found peace in dropping all plans, being in the moment and honouring my feelings. I avoid the whole ´kilometre´ conversation because it´s so superficial. There are plenty of not-particularly contemplative pilgrims pounding away at the whole thing and Im sure as many interesting, good, intelligent people getting buses and taxis. Judgement is really a lack of self-love by those who judge. I plan now to walk to Santiago, and if my leg permits and my soul needs, walk to Finistere/Muxia. Or get a bus.
Enjoy life. Be kind to yourself. Be kind to others. That´s it really.
 
St James' Way - Self-guided 4-7 day Walking Packages, Reading to Southampton, 110 kms
There are a lot of subtexts to the early, banal conversations - insecurity, fear, timidity toward strangers, adjusting to community living, etc. I feel I owe it to fellow pilgrims to cut them a lot of slack. After we have walked in the shoes of others (which we sort of do on the Camino), we empathize better, and see that the boor/ bore may be a lot more like us than we were thinking.
 
I have read a number of memoirs of people who have walked the Camino. And my overall impression is that there are some different pictures presented that what I have read on this Forum. For example, in almost every story, people report getting lost for short periods of time even if they have a written guide. And yet, on this Forum I have read more than one person say you won't get lost, just follow the arrows and other pilgrims. Of course, there are stretches where there are no other pilgrims in front of you. Also, I think what must happen is that people may get tired or be daydreaming (something I do a lot) and miss the arrows. Or in some cases, people reported they come to a point where there are 2 or more choices in the path and not a single arrow in sight.

It seems that blisters and tendonitis are very common in the stories I have read. I think there are ways to either prevent or successfully treat blisters. I am hoping to avoid tendonitis by keeping my pack weight to 10% of my body weight and limiting my daily walks to a range of 10 km to 20 km per day. I will take six weeks to walk the Camino and may take buses in and out of Leon and Burgos. As I mentioned before, I will stay primarily in private accommodations for my mental health and to provide more solitude for spiritual practices (e.g., early morning journal writing, meditation).

Another thing I have read is how hungry people can get waiting for the restaurants to open at night for dinner. I live in Mexico and we have our main meal of the day (comida) between 2 pm to 4 or 5 pm. With my relatively short distances of daily walks, I hope to stop walking for the day by 2 p.m. and enjoy a nice comida, and then be able to enjoy a light supper of salads or tapas at night, hopefully with other pilgrims.

I do some consulting for a company in Los Angeles via email, and have thought about whether I would try to do a little on my Camino -- not because I want to earn the money, but because the client will want it. After hearing about Vagabondette's experience, I am going to try very hard to avoid that.

As a 65-year old woman who will walk alone, I am a tad nervous about how difficult the walk will be. I am very active, however (hiking, dance, weight training), so my brain tells me I should do okay.

I also realize that all these plans I have to create a positive Camino experience for myself could be thrown out the window and that my actual Camino experience will be different than what I had expected. That seems to be more common than not. I suspect that after feeling that I am being smart about how to create a good experience for myself, the Camino will humble me in God-knows-what fashions.
 
In June of this year, my son, grandaughter and I walked the Ingles. The first day was cold, wet and windy. It was pretty miserable. At one point, my 18 year-old grandaughter had tears streaming down her face and was questioning what we had gotten her into... but, she persevered.

My grandaughter is now a freshman at the University of Tulsa and is part of their women's Rowing Team. This last Sunday, I received the following text from her: "Yesterday we rowed in 39 degree weather with rain and hail, but because of Spain I knew I could do it! Thanks for that wonderful experience:)"

Sometimes, the benefits of an adventure arrive after the trip is complete...
Crane
 
A selection of Camino Jewellery
PingHansen said:
Anyway, common for all of the references that I have seen, is the stated, implied, or hinted at religious/spiritual purpose - which coincides nicely with the common perception of a pilgrim.
The word has its roots in the notion of leaving one's home or country, and originally referred to a traveller or sojourner. The religious connotation came later, and while it might be the general tendency to think of pilgrimage being undertaken for a special purpose, that purpose might not necessarily be religious in any conventional sense.

PingHansen said:
When people clearly state that their walk has neither a religious, nor a spiritual purpose, but that their only reason is that they want to enjoy the walk itself, should they then, in view of the definition of the word, claim to be pilgrims?
They can rely on two things. First that the word pilgrim can just mean one who travels. Second, that whatever their publicly stated purpose, they alone can tell what their internal motivations might be. (I am discounting the venal purpose of merely using the name to gain a credencial and through that use albergues, etc.)

PingHansen said:
I think that's lessening those who are walking for a "higher purpose". In the old days, such people were called false pilgrims - and considered a problem.
I think one is on incredibly thin ice to suggest that we can judge who is walking for a higher purpose. I know it harks back to the notion that spirituality and through it, religion, is the search for a higher purpose. However, I don't think that someone who walks for spiritual or religious reasons can be said to walk for a higher purpose merely because of that.

Having met someone recently on St Olav's Way whom I have since considered a tourist, I know a little of the effects on others when someone walks without a spiritual purpose. That said, I didn't think any the less of their physical achievements, but perhaps thought that they might have achieved more otherwise.
 
Hola Vagabondette
I'm very sorry to hear you received insulting PMs. That's really disappointing. it defies my ability to understand - that people who know the camino do that kind of thing. I'm glad you were able to save your business though, but the more you describe the more it seems to me this was the wrong time for you. Having said that, so much is just plain fate - I set out on Saturday and I know a few bad throws of the dice mean I could feel I've had enough after a few days. We'll see. cheers, tom
 
PingHansen said:
their only reason is that they want to enjoy the walk itself, should they then, in view of the definition of the word, claim to be pilgrims?

Personally, I think not. I think that's lessening those who are walking for a "higher purpose". In the old days, such people were called false pilgrims - and considered a problem.

Now, you may want to go look up the definition of tourist.

Edit: perhaps I should state that I don't have a problem with non-pilgrims walking the Camino. I just happen to think that they shouldn't call themselves pilgrims.


I've got nothing against God - it's some of the fan-clubs I can't stand..

Just out of curiosity, would these "true pilgrims" on their higher purpose be one of God's fan-clubs?
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
I wrote a little fictitious blog about someone who becomes a pilgrim in the worst and most dishonest circumstances. It was meant, loosely, to deal with the issue of "true" pilgrimage. I don't expect anybody to dwell for long on my amateur efforts, but I think it sums up my feeling that the Way frames us, we don't frame the Way. Motive or purpose may not matter so much to James. He just wants us on his track!

http://withtwist.wordpress.com/2012/08/ ... int-faith/
 
Hola Vagabondette

Just as the decision to make a pilgrimage is valid so is the decision to discontinue it. We don't know how many people give up having started or the variety if personal reasons they have for so doing. Similarly we don't know how many of them return another day. I had the pleasure of meeting a forum member in Santiago recently who had given up when he first walked the Camino. This time he was in a different place and he duly arrived in Santiago bursting with pride at his achievement.

Very best wishes to you for the future - the Camino will continue to wait for you, for all of us. Maybe one day we will meet in the shadow of the cathedral.

Meantime if you revisit the idea, forum members will be here to support and advise you - in our usual helpful and non judgemental way of course! :wink:

Best regards

John
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
Hi Vagabondette - you certainly have hit the wall -

It is a little like seeing the world as a fairground .. our first experiences, as children, and it is all enthralling, lights, games, rides, throngs of excited people - all seems so wonderful. Later in our lives we visit it again and see it as it is - tawdry, littered, people wasting their money, games that are set to take your money from you, unpleasant people, dirty, bulbs missing, a great disappointment, so you leave the fairground.

Our first Camino is seen as a child sees the fairground, but if we return again and are only looking outward, never even noticing the inward, then we can become so used to it that we can sometimes focus only on the tawdry or unpleasant aspects of it - if so then it is time to leave the Camino .... or ....

Vagabondette, the Camino hasn't changed, you have changed .. if you had an inner purpose for 'getting to Santiago' then you would not be concerned by any of the things that now upset you ... so .. this is your wall, this is the turning point in your life perhaps - it may be time now to find the Real Camino, the one inside you, to focus on that journey,
perhaps ...... instead of thinking about the scenery and how boring it is, or the packing and unpacking and how boring it is or the unpleasant people you meet why not reverse it 180 degrees?
Why not try not thinking about yourself and how you feel but focus on the other pilgrims and how they feel - offer help, be kind, bandage their feet, give sympathy, tell a joke, open your heart to their needs, not yours - you may be surprised by what happens.


All is well, all is well.

Buen Camino :wink:
 
As someone new to caminos I started following this forum. I read your comments along with those of others before I did my caminos. while I was doing so I quickly realised that there are many and conflicting opinions about everything. So I was selective about which advice to take on board. The helpful comments many made helped me enjoy my caminos and changed me. I was fortunate in my experiences and the camino has got me "hooked". Not everyone is as fortunate, for many reasons. Good luck with your life Vagabonette. Ignore criticism and feel the support you are getting.
Abrazos y buen vida.
Allan
 
I love that since I didn't do what you did and what you think i should do, i must be "superficial and possessed by the desire for external delights". Jeez. What rubbish. Must be lovely to be as wonderful as you are David. :roll:

With that, I am gone.
 
St James' Way - Self-guided 4-7 day Walking Packages, Reading to Southampton, 110 kms
Nope, with this you are gone (sadly):

I am new to the forum, having registered yesterday after having lurked in the background for many months, so I know of the contributions you have made to this forum and to others along the Camino. You don't deserve the judgmental words from some others here and frankly, David's little analogy can be turned around and one could ask him why it bothers him so much what you do. His thinking is like that child who wants friends to play a game but only if they follow his rules. Isn't this journey all about what we have discovered as a result of the journey and not the path that we take to get there? If the path is so important, then why not have one set route for the Camino?

I haven't yet done a Camino. Does that make me any less worthy to be giving advice? Is my conviction less real? I'm also not Catholic and am doing the Camino for health reasons, both physical and mental. Does that preclude me from being "a pilgrim"?

I believe that a pilgrim is, according to Wikipedia, a traveller who is on a journey to a holy place and Oxford Dictionary of English a pilgrimage is a journey to a place of particular interest or significance.

Vagabondette, don't let the words of others detract you from what you believe. Do what you, and you alone, feel is right for this moment in your life. I feel saddened by your leaving and by the knowledge that your helpful advice will no longer help guide other pilgrims along their Way. Good luck in the rest of your present journey and in your future! Deus Juvat!
 
Oh dear .. please .. I was not being judgmental at all, I don't 'do' judgmental .. what I was doing was mentioning the two ways we live in this world - external sensual gratification, the world as a fairground, and from an inner perspective where the world is what we inhabit but is not what is important. We have to live it but we don't have to be attached to it.

Now, that is not judgmental - if anyone feels that because they are one side of that perspective they feel they are being judged I cannot do anything about that - the world is as it is, not as we want it to be.

If you read my post again you will not find judgment, only observation, you will find a supportive suggestion of how to perceive the problem in a different way and you will also see that I say that if a new experience - a new fairground - is what she wants then she should go and do that.

All is well :wink:
 
David said:
If you read my post again you will not find judgment, only observation, you will find a supportive suggestion of how to perceive the problem in a different way
Well, David, I did read it again. If you really believe what I have quoted here, you might wish to check to see who was ghost writing the earlier post on your behalf. It is far from observational - it contains unsubstantiated judgements and is redolent with criticism of the OP in what I think was a quite unnecessary and un-supportive way.
 
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David said:
Oh dear .. please .. I was not being judgmental at all, I don't 'do' judgmental .. what I was doing was mentioning the two ways we live in this world - external sensual gratification, the world as a fairground, and from an inner perspective where the world is what we inhabit but is not what is important. We have to live it but we don't have to be attached to it.

Now, that is not judgmental - if anyone feels that because they are one side of that perspective they feel they are being judged I cannot do anything about that - the world is as it is, not as we want it to be.

If you read my post again you will not find judgment, only observation, you will find a supportive suggestion of how to perceive the problem in a different way and you will also see that I say that if a new experience - a new fairground - is what she wants then she should go and do that.

All is well :wink:


Agreed, David and I hope I didn't come across as too critical. That was not my intention. :)
 
]

Honestly David, I think that comment is a step too far.
Only V knows what her inner purpose was/is, and I see no evidence in her posts that it was "superficial and possessed by the desire for external delights...."
The fairground analogy can only go so far - I think you have stretched it beyond belief.
 
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But I have to say that this thread has become one of the most interesting ones on this forum. :D
 
David, I, too, felt that your comments about Vagabondette's decision was unnecessarily judgmental and critical. Don't know how the majority of readers reacted....
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
I do apologise, I wasn't trying to set up a 'you are right/you are wrong' argument here, only responding to Vagabondette's post - she is fed up, feels fed up, the external world has palled for her - well, certainly her external Camino world, .. and I hope that she welcomes all input .. her answer is to leave, to go to another country where she will experience fresh and new experiences - this is the fairground thought process ... and if that is what she wants to do she is right to do it.

I think she is great, honest and thoughtful - But, she didn't put that post up for folk to just agree with her, otherwise she would have just left ... so . I responded

The thing is, for as far back in time you can go religious philosophers have written of these two ways of experiencing the world - superficial sensual gratification or a deeper inner journey ... I say nothing new - this is how it is.
Switch a television on and watch any program or any advert - they are ALL about superficial sensual gratification ... about living in the fairground where we can avoid really living, being awake, think of package holidays - exactly the same - and then we die - what a waste, don't you think? :|

As for my idea of forgetting thinking about oneself so much and instead focusing on thinking about others and how that might feel quite different ... well, all I can say is try it and see.

Gautama Buddha once said
"Strive for personal happiness
Result - misery
Strive for happiness for others
Result - happiness"

Do you see a problem with that statement? Well then.

Big silent hugs to you all. All is well

Buen Camino
 
David said:
- But, she didn't put that post up for folk to just agree with her, otherwise she would have just left ... so . I responded
Of course - that is what makes this forum such an interesting and compelling experience.
It would indeed be boring if we all agreed with each other all the time :D
 
The Camino is completely optional, as Bill Bryson noted about the Appalachian Trail. That said, it does take someone special and exceptional to do it! There is a bit of false modesty being tossed around here. The Camino is not easy, not for everyone, and probably superfluous. But we chosen few are justifiably proud of what we have done, not because others are lesser beings, but because we have achieved and attained a high goal for whatever motive. It is not hubris or false pride, but honest, personal achievement.

No one need feel badly if you are not one of us, but don't denigrate what we did because you do not want to do, or cannot do, what we did. Be fair in your attitude!
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
David said:
I do apologise, . her answer is to leave, to go to another country where she will experience fresh and new experiences - this is the fairground thought process ... and if that is what she wants to do she is right to do it.


Switch a television on and watch any program or any advert - they are ALL about superficial sensual gratification ... about living in the fairground where we can avoid really living, being awake, think of package holidays - exactly the same - and then we die - what a waste, don't you think? :|

As for my idea of forgetting thinking about oneself so much and instead focusing on thinking about others and how that might feel quite different ...

Buen Camino

i'd say you are just making it worse. I don't think you care for others by calling their existance superficial, you do that by granting respect. One can become a happy, fulfilled and respectful person many ways. You don't need to go walk some trail to get there.
 
There’s a poem from the 13th Century that says:
La puerta del Camiño se abre a todos,
Enfermos y sanos,
No sólo a católicos, sino aún a paganos,
A judios, hereges, ociosos y vanos,
Y más brevemente, a buenos y profanos.


The translation is more or less this:
"The door of the Camino is open to all,
Sick and healthy,
Not only Catholics, but even pagans
Jews, heretics, idle and vain,
And in short, the good and the profane
."

So, IMHO the discussion about Pilgrims vs non-pilgrims vs modern Pilgrims vs tourists = nonsense. All are welcome at the Camino.
Nevertheless the Camino is tough. For most of us, accustomed to modern comfort the task requires both physical and mental preparation. Who neglect it will surely fail.
 
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Actually, I don't find this thread boring (sorry, Rebekah). As someone who has not done a camino yet (trying to decide on whether to go May/June '13 or Sept/Oct '13), it has not soured me on doing this camino, but to take the rosy glasses off, as there may be days I might want to put my head in the sand and cry. But I'm hoping that my purpose will carry me forward and to make it my camino. It is kind of daunting, as this will be the most ambitious thing I'll even undertake. All I can say is I'm looking forward to the journey in its entirety.

CaminoKris2013
 
I must admit, this is one of my biggest fears. Spending a bunch of money on travel and gear and the possibility of having to give up a good job only to find myself somewhere in Spain saying, "This sucks."
 
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Jeffnd -
This is what being alive is all about. There are few guarantees in life, we make good and bad decisions all the time. Sometimes we make them based on good information and advice, sometimes we just make them.

I appreciate my opportunity to decide what I do, what I chose to invest my time and resources in. Finally it is my decision and I wear the consequences.

At the end of the day I will probably be more aware of myself and my limitations. I am thankful of this freedom, a freedom that others may not be able to exercise.

If I am disappointed next April on the CF - so be it!! No-one else will have to wear it and I will return to my family a little humbled.

Rob@Melbourne
 
Well, I just finished my 9th Camino walk. The last two were leading groups of 15 and 16 pilgrims, and that experience gave me a much greater opportunity to observe up close and personal how different people respond to the Camino experience, including myself.

The differences between personalities was incredible! Some folks walked with grace, finding joy in the experience and in helping others, even when their own bodies were weary and broken. Some folks acted more like spoiled children, being disrespectful to waiters, taxi drivers, property owners, or throwing tantrums when the experience didn't match their expectations. Some kept to themselves. Some needed to be WITH someone at all times. Some intentionally bred a sense of community; others intentionally bred disharmony. Some were very confident, others very dependent. Some transformed and found themselves. Others refused to be pliable. Each one was unique, and each one had "their" own Camino experience.

For me, it was mostly exhausting, and I learned that IF I do this again, I need to take a much smaller group. I learned I'm fairly flexible when it comes to circumstances in my own life, but that I have a lot of anxiety when things aren't perfect for those I'm leading. It was valuable information.

That said, I understand EXACTLY how you feel, Vagabondette!

I think your post was a great contribution to this forum!
It's good for people to have their rose colored glasses removed.

I've met folks who have read all the books, watched the movie, read the forum posts, think they know ALL about the Camino, and then cry, "This is NOT what I expected!" I think having any expectations at all, except to not HAVE any expectations at all, is what gets a lot of people into trouble on the Camino. The Way serves you up as it wishes. You are only in control of how you respond. If the current changes direction mid-stream, will the water choke you or will it roll off your back? That's a legitimate question I've had to answer.

You state you have enjoyed your experience, especially the people you've met, but you're just bored with it now. I hear you! The monotony can be healing for some personalities, but yes, it can also be extremely boring!

It does get old, having to pack and unpack the same clothes, every... single... day.
It also gets old having to wash those same clothes... every ... single ... day.

The scenery,well, I actually enjoy the scenery, but it's true that one village just blends into another after a while. Ask 10 pilgrims to list the villages they walked through the past week, and the majority will say, "I can't remember..."

Although I love the Spanish food in general (it reminds me of my Portuguese grandmother's cooking), I can remember looking at the Pilgrim Menu in each town, and thinking, "Oh my gosh, it's the same as last night." The first 20 times I eat this menu, I love it. The 21st time, I just want to find a good thick steak and a baked potato! Of course, a person doesn't have to eat the Pilgrim menu... but I had one waiter tell me that was my ONLY choice and that I could NOT order a la carte because I was a pilgrim. Figure that one out! :lol:

I think the food that I get MOST tired of is the bocadillo. Bocadillos for breakfast. Bocadillos for lunch. Bocadillos for dinner. Bodadillos for snacks. How can a person keep regular with all that BREAD! :oops: The first thing I had when I got home was a big breakfast of bacon, eggs, and biscuits. Eating a bocadillo or a slice of tortilla for breakfast for 90 days straight can get to a person... although I LOVED the fresh squeezed OJ!

You are right about the topics of discussion, there isn't great variety. But then those are the topics at hand; the blisters, the injuries, where you are walking tomorrow, and how many kilometers you walked today.

Some obviously got bored and tried to spice up the conversation. It was entertaining to see how much enjoyment some of us got from watching one fellow, (who had a forum patch) and who had followed in our group's footsteps on 20-25 kilometer stages, impressing pilgrims at cafes with how he walked an amazing average of 40-45 kilometers per day, knowing he was lying and wondering why he was lying? It made me realize how we choose sometimes to allow other people's lives to impact our own lives unnecessarily. What he told others had absolutely no bearing on my own life, except that I was busy-body enough to MAKE it a part of my life.

For what it's worth, I've come home hating the Camino almost each time I've walked.
For all the reasons you list, plus the bedbugs, I say, "That's it! I'm never going back to Spain!"
Then... within a week or two, I'm planning my next Camino.
For me, the good outweighs the bad when I get back to "the real world" and begin analyzing it all.
Coming home is more of a wake-up than walking The Way.

For me, I realize it's nice not having to make so many decisions.
It's not not having to think about what I'll wear,what I'll eat, or where I'll go tomorrow.
It's nice not having to make decisions about what I'll do - I know I"m going to walk.
It's nice not having to wonder what day or time it is.
It's nice not even having to wonder where the heck I am!
All I know is "I'm going to Santiago" and sooner or later I'll get there!

I have walked without electronics and with them.
My own experience has been that when I'm COMPLETELY disconnected from the phone or computer, I enjoy the Camino much more. Having the iPhone and the internet are distracting for me. NOT having the iPhone and Internet seemed to allow me to immerse myself more completely in my pilgrimage. That may or may not be the same for other folks.

Having the option of booking private accommodation made a huge difference the last two walks. Knowing I had a bed each night took a lot of pressure off on one hand, but it also took away a bit of the sense of adventure on the other. I sort of enjoyed the occasional night under the stars or under the stairway. I think a healthy mixture of albergues and private lodging would work best for me in the future. (See? I've been home 3 days and I'm already planning the future walk!)

Having my bags transferred this time made a HUGE HUGE HUGE difference. All other times I've carried my pack. For me, not having to carry the pack gave me a lot more freedom, fewer aches and pains, and less exhaustion. I remember my first Camino, seeing people carrying those tiny daypacks and making the judgement that they weren't "real pilgrims!" Boy, did that attitude change! I felt no less a pilgrim; I just felt less damaged!

Being a pilgrim does not require suffering - it doesn't require manners - it doesn't require disconnection - it doesn't require following anyone else's rules at all.

Being a pilgrim is an adventure where you find yourself.
Sounds like you found YOU.
To me, that's a successful Camino!

I appreciate your insight and honesty.
 
The first edition came out in 2003 and has become the go-to-guide for many pilgrims over the years. It is shipping with a Pilgrim Passport (Credential) from the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela.
Annie, that is a brilliant post. Truly observational, experiental and not in any way judgemental.

Bravo!

p.s. of course you will be back!!

Buen Camino :wink:
 
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Annie,

I also would like to thank you for your epic post. You have summed up the Camino experience brilliantly. This will be my "go to" response when queried about life on the Camino. Well done and welcome home.

John
 
What a wonderful summary Annie.
It describes what everyone has endured when you return to the Ways to Santiago.
 
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Perhaps its time to desist from publicly voicing judgements on Vagabondette. She appears to have left the Camino for now. I hope she finds the courage to return if that is what she wants, and should she need support, I hope she gets it.

In the meantime, Annie has provided a beautiful post for us to reflect upon. Can we?

Regards,
 
dougfitz said:
Perhaps its time to desist from publicly voicing judgements on Vagabondette. She appears to have left the Camino for now. I hope she finds the courage to return if that is what she wants, and should she need support, I hope she gets it.

In the meantime, Annie has provided a beautiful post for us to reflect upon. Can we?
Regards,

A good reminder to keep the personal remarks concerning other forum members out of the forum.
 
Thanks Annie, Thanks for a lovely wisdom-filled post.

I have been away and this morning am home and just catching up on the forum. As I read through this thread I kept thinking, "How can people be so sure "?

The older I get the less sure I am of anything ,and the more aware I am that people see things from completely differently points of view.

I don't understand an awful lot of people. When they talk "technical talk" I think they are speaking English but I don't understand it. When they seem to me to think they are "entitled" or "worth it", I wonder how they have come to this conclusion.

I was feeling confused by the whole thread and uneasy in myself. Then Annie came with her gentle words of understanding and poured oil on troubled waters and I feel at peace again.

Thank you Annie.
 
A selection of Camino Jewellery
curious indeed - does one ever really leave, finish, end or complete the camino? I would say not, personally. All sincere experiences inform us and broaden our understanding - in that way the expereince gained is worthwhile if neither satisfying or expected. She may well return in time.
The Machado poem comes to mind - caminando son tus huellas and all of that.
 
I have followed Camino forums since 2004. I have been fortunate to include 3 Caminos during my 15 years of travel. I love everything about the Camino. For me, everyday is a great day for a walk in Spain. For me.

I love how Annie has finished another "Camino walk" and gives such clear insight. No "bells and whistles". I can understand such things.

As I have reviewed this thread a few times, I think to myself, "How has this become so complicated?"

The OP did something I wouldn't want to do, but perhaps on another walk I will feel the same. If my spirit isn't fulfilled, I am happy to find another course. Good on her for being honest and feeling this was the right forum to share with us.

I have been asked several times if I would consider being a guide for small groups. I always think the same, "What good would I do?" My guiding would include: Wake up. Walk that way. When you reach the ocean, stop walking.

Not meaning to offend the seriousness of this post, but I recall a funny movie "Best in Show". One character is about to set off on a journey. His simple minded friend gives the best advice as the RV is about to pull away, "If you get thirsty, drink. If you get hungry, eat. If you get tired, sleep." This comes to mind when I am on the Camino.

I thank you all for your input here. I always learn something new.

Keep a smile,
Simeon
 
I have enjoyed this thread!
Good insight and honesty.

Got a good chuckle from Simeon.
We are asked everyday on the camino, "Where are you walking to today?"
My response was always the same..."West!"
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
After I poured water from my boots after a long day in heavy rain, I thought how much more helpful were the words from those who told how they were able to do it, than the words from those who could not. Their is insight in knowing what stops some folks, but there is real wisdom in knowing how to carry on!
 
The camino, from what I learned, I just returned, is an experience. Maybe it's not your vacation but it isn't a vacation. It's a full time job and its life. You wake up, pack, go, eat, unpack, sleep. If you wanted a vacation I would say Hawaii would be good for you. My advice is you should have less stuff in order to have to pack and unpack less. Organize your things into, clothing bag, toiletries bag, sleeping bag, and misc. bag. Plastic bags are light but irritating and loud. I chose small light pillow cases. Pack at night so when you wake up you can grab your pack, sleeping bag, and boots then finish packing away from other pilgrims. This whole process takes all of 5 minutes and give you a chance to leave early and not disturb others as well as a couple hours to walk alone under the stars! Don't give up. That is the balance of life on the camino! The better days will only be that much better after the terrible days! Yen and yang my friend and Buen Camino! Take a salt bath in your hotel. Half a kilo of sea salt from the mercado and some hot water does you great!
 
St James' Way - Self-guided 4-7 day Walking Packages, Reading to Southampton, 110 kms
npak907 said:
The camino, from what I learned, I just returned, is an experience. Maybe it's not your vacation but it isn't a vacation. It's a full time job and its life. You wake up, pack, go, eat, unpack, sleep. If you wanted a vacation I would say Hawaii would be good for you.


I'm amazed how many people are bored or miserable but keep going. I have never been bored miserable longer than a few hours on any Camino or trek. I have never seen it as a job. I tried a vacation in Hawaii once and the only thing good out there was a few long hikes.

I love having only a few clothes. I love finding a different place each night. I have never come home hating a single Camino.

I hear, to be politically correct, mentally challenged people don't get bored. Perhaps that is my secret, but I can say quite truthfully that misery and boredom has not been part of it, and if it were, I'd find something else to do.
 
npak907 wrote:
Organize your things into, clothing bag, toiletries bag, sleeping bag, and misc. bag. Plastic bags are light but irritating and loud. I chose small light pillow cases.

This is such great advice.
You could also use nylon bags, mesh bags, ziploc bags, stuff sacs, recyclable shopping bags, etc. The point being if you are organized you can pack up very quickly and not disturb those around you.

You may enjoy buying custom mesh bags from http://www.collinscottage.com/.
They are super affordable. You can choose a different bag (size or color) or unique draw string color to organize different items.

Have fun!
 
Very light, comfortable and compressible poncho. Specially designed for protection against water for any activity.

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,-
Love the thread. I´m on the camino now, and it made me laugh and cry and think. Bless you all...
The inner landscape is much harder to master than the outer landscape here.

I read on a hermitage wall, something to the effect:

The important thing is not to arrive,
The important thing is who arrives.

I just love that. And I love-hate the Camino, just as I do life!

Bon Chemin!
 
Remember, weird as it may sound if you don't understand this view...

"God in you, as you" - ponder that .... :wink:

Buen Camino!
 
falcon269 said:
After I poured water from my boots after a long day in heavy rain, I thought how much more helpful were the words from those who told how they were able to do it, than the words from those who could not. Their is insight in knowing what stops some folks, but there is real wisdom in knowing how to carry on!

Yes.
 
St James' Way - Self-guided 4-7 day Walking Packages, Reading to Southampton, 110 kms
I absolutely loved the Camino. I think the best thing about it was meeting all the people, who must have been very different from the people you met because they grew to be some very good friends and we still keep in contact.

I do sympathize with wanting to quit. There were some days when I was ill, but still had to walk 17 miles. There were days when by sun burn was unbearable. There were days when I had lost some items and I had to walk 4 miles back to get them back.

But at the end of all that...it was the greatest experience of my life so far. I hope you did choose to carry on. But if not, then good luck in your future travels :D
 
Another thread worth lifting up.

and buen camino to all those on the camino right now and to all those who are planning for the camino.
 
St James' Way - Self-guided 4-7 day Walking Packages, Reading to Southampton, 110 kms
Just the thread I needed to read, 2 years after the last post, right here, right now, in Oviedo as I teeter on the edge of starting the Primitivo.

Thank you all for sharing your personal experiences, reflections, and insights. I've been sitting here judging myself regarding my second Camino experience, which has already involved multiple starts and stops, Camino-hopping, closure on some things from last year's Camino, and a door unexpectedly opening that I was certain was closed to me, creating a challenging life decision that has the potential to affect everyone close to me.

Will I or won't I? Oddly enough, sitting on the floor of this hotel room I have absolutely no idea.
 
I was really looking forward to walking the Camino and I have enjoyed it - especially some of the people I have met - but I am pretty sure I am leaving it after tomorrows walk to burgos because I am just bored with it all.

I am sick of packing and unpacking my crap every day (easily my least favorite part of travel, and why I generally stay in one spot for a few months at a time), the scenery - while pretty - is getting monotonous, I am sick of the food (so excited to be going to a Muslim country next where I won't have to see ham all the time!), I am tired of the endless discussions about blisters, stages, what aches (perhaps if most people weren't carrying an extra 10-15 lbs of useless crap the previous two wouldn't be an issue) and who is/n't going 'all the way'.

Who knows. I am going to get a private room for a night or two and I might feel differently when not stuffed in a room full of inconsiderate people who don't get the concept of packing in the hall so as to not wake those who don't want to walk at 5 am.
i so understand you!
let it go, you may just return and continue where you left off (or not)
and if you decide to continue, Buen Camino!
 
Vagabondette last visited the Forum on Oct. 12, 2012, so she probably has decided not to continue.

As a general rule on the Forum, it is a good idea to determine if an old thread like this one has any current relevance! ;)
 
Get a spanish phone number with Airalo. eSim, so no physical SIM card. Easy to use app to add more funds if needed.
Alyssa, you have peaked my interest. Guess I will be following your blog now.
 

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