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I was afraid much of the time, when I was walking the VdlP solo last fall. I did not find my situation either dramatic or fun. I suspect that that there have been other women who were in similar situations while walking a solo camino. I know that several veterans of this forum suggested that I should abandon my camino for safety's sake. I chose to continue, having evaluated the situation as best I could. I don't know if that was wise, but it certainly wasn't fun.But Lirsy! It's so much more dramatic and FUN to be afraid!
Oh dear, I am sorry to hear this and I think you were very brave to carry on then ... Well done.I was afraid much of the time, when I was walking the VdlP solo last fall. I did not find my situation either dramatic or fun. I suspect that that there have been other women who were in similar situations while walking a solo camino. I know that several veterans of this forum suggested that I should abandon my camino for safety's sake. I chose to continue, having evaluated the situation as best I could. I don't know if that was wise, but it certainly wasn't fun.
I agree that fear is not generally dramatic or fun. I walked alone a lot on the VdlP in March-April (especially after most people turned left on the Sanabres and I went to Astorga). I would describe my feelings as being alert to my surroundings and nervous at times, and I consider that those feelings were appropriate. After the fact, I take pleasure in having taken those "risks" (which are real but very low) and not only survived, but mostly enjoyed it! That is true wherever I walk alone (not just VdlP).I was afraid much of the time, when I was walking the VdlP solo last fall. I did not find my situation either dramatic or fun.
I agree that fear is not generally dramatic or fun. I walked alone a lot on the VdlP in March-April (especially after most people turned left on the Sanabres and I went to Astorga). I would describe my feelings as being alert to my surroundings and nervous at times, and I consider that those feelings were appropriate. After the fact, I take pleasure in having taken those "risks" (which are real but very low) and not only survived, but mostly enjoyed it! That is true wherever I walk alone (not just VdlP).
As one gains experience in different environments, one becomes more comfortable. I am curious how you would compare your fear on the VdlP with what you feel when you hike the back country. (I would be constantly afraid of bears behind the next tree.)
That's certainly what I assumed, but @Albertagirl 's point was valid!Well, that went off in an unintended direction.
That would have been very unpleasant, and perhaps have spoiled the whole experience for me.So I did not enjoy walking the VdlP after those encounters,
Yes, quite!Well, that went off in an unintended direction.
I am not making light of legitimate concerns. There surely are people out there with bad intentions, and everyone’s wise to listen to their gut. Albertagirl hung in there where I would’ve probably bailed out long before.
Wandering some camino sites and forums, there are those who declaim upon their phobias, and hope to find reassurance re their horror of bugs/cats/germs/dirt/snorers/what have you. The participants then gleefully begin listing all the possible threats and horrors that some pilgrim heard about happening somewhere to somebody. People pile on with sympathy and empathy and a few more scary details, until the discussion starts sounding like a scout troop telling ghost stories round the campfire...everybody’s scared half to death but having the time of their life. That is what I referred to in my initial post.
The times I've been scared on the Camino (or beforehand, about the Camino) were almost entirely a result of inner ghost stories that are both addictive and very dramatic, so I chuckled out loud at Rebekah's original post, taking it as meant.the discussion starts sounding like a scout troop telling ghost stories round the campfire...everybody’s scared half to death but having the time of their life.
Today I saw a story in the newspaper that surprised me a little:
Spain is the sixth country in the world with the lowest crime rate (after Singapore, Andorra, Liechtenstein, Ireland and Holland). - Data source: World Bank 2015.
If you add to that information that crime is largely concentrated in the larger cities, it is clear that the Camino is one of the safest places in the world.
Obviously, do not leave your luggage unattended (especially in airports, bus stations, etc.) ... the normal security measures you take everywhere!
Buen Camino & Ultreia!!!
Do you have a link for the story & in which newspaper did it appear? I'm curious to know what their definition of crime is.
Very interesting and detailed paper. Don’t see many articles with such depth back here at home.This is the article I read:
http://www.elmundo.es/papel/2018/01/12/5a577b2eca4741687c8b465b.html
Encounters with creepy people can and sometimes do occur. I'm glad @Albertagirl that you were able to finish your camino. Hats off to you, I'm not sure I would have stayed the course.My fear on the VdlP was a response to a particular problem with a male pilgrim:
On the Frances I have seen pretry young women getting more attention that they were comfortable with from some men. Luckily on the Frances there are lots and lots of people around and the women would either ask not be be left alone, or for people to keep an eye on things, or cowalkers who had noticed the siutation would do so automatically. Don’t be afraid to ask others to run interference, make sure you are never alone, or even tell the creepies to bugger off on your behalf.As a suggestion to others when you find yourself in step with someone annoying, unpleasant, or downright creepy, consider: 1) a rest day, 2) a side trip, 3) a bus ride ahead, 4) a bus ride back to a favorite spot, or 5) jump to another route. Any other suggestions?
I don’t beleive any of these suggestions were direxted at you and your sitation, nor a remark on what you should have done differently. It was a tangeant discussion off of your experience. Noone is claiming you dod not act appropriately. And in my post I was clear: “ on the Frances”.Friends,
I appreciate your suggestions and all would no doubt be relevant to other pilgrims in my situation.
.
What did work for me, to guarantee that we would not be sharing overnight accommodation, was that I noticed he was only staying in the cheapest albergues, so I stayed in hotels or pensions for the final days of my camino.
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