One of the best pieces of advice I received came from the host of a small inn near the beginning of my walk on the
Camino Frances. He said, “It is better to start as an old person, going slowly, in order to arrive in Santiago as a young person, rather than starting like a young person, going quickly, and arriving in Santiago as an old person, barely able to walk.” So I would agree with others, who have advised you to give yourself plenty of time.
I am 67 and was regularly walking 12 miles in prepping for my Camino and figured I was in good shape. However, I was not prepared for the physical (and mental) toll of walking that same distance day after day after day. It came as a surprise to find how wearing the cumulative tiredness became, even as I registered that I no longer breathed heavily going uphill!
I do advise you to learn as much of the language as you can. Although you can get by without it, I found that being able to converse with local people added a delightful dimension and color to my walk and, often, led to really interesting bits of information or interactions—on numerous occasions, these exchanges led to mutual hugs, invitations, or information about the area through which I was walking—and when I think about my walk (all the time!), those interactions are what I treasure the most.
Use good judgment in regards to your own capabilities and the actual day-to-day conditions you encounter while you’re walking. For example, I got caught in very heavy rain and local people warned me that the Camino was flooding in places and that a specific descent on my next day’s trek was really treacherous. I ended up heeding their advice and took a bus around it, figuring I couldn’t afford to risk serious injury (several peregrinos did fall in the section I skipped, including a new Camino friend I had met the night before, who decided to walk and broke her wrist).
Also, the motto of the Boy Scouts is a good one: Be prepared! I carried first aid supplies and ended up giving a lot of them away to fellow peregrinos who were struggling with injuries, blisters, or pain (and also used a few myself!). My biggest challenge was with the heat. I found that getting up very early and reaching my destination by noon was necessary.
I did have my bag shipped each day and had prearranged accommodations and found that worked well for me, although, as others have commented, that meant a commitment to walking to a specific destination each night. In a way this was fortunate because I couldn’t quit or otherwise jump ship—and there were a few of those very, very hot days when I just wanted to abandon the whole idea of the Camino and head to the beach!
But I guess my most heartfelt piece of advice is to not compare yourself with others, to do what works for you, and to try to avoid expectations. I was told many times, by kindly locals, “Tranquila, Peregrina,” and soon this became my personal mantra, and one that I still repeat frequently to myself: “Be tranquil, what will be, will be.”
when added if heading to a restaurant for dinner.
