The July experience of Camino Portuges, Coastal

Ella_leah said:

Hi Laurie,
After a number of life challenges, I booked my flights a couple of weeks ago for my daughter and myself. Unfortunately my husband is no longer able to come. We will be leaving from Porto on the 8th Oct at this stage! I don't know if perhaps you have already gone, but if not please get in touch if you are planning on being there around the same time. If not, I would love to hear about your trip! I did consider because I am now going with my daughter that perhaps we should stick with the central route, but we talked about it today and decided to stick to my orginal plan!

Planning will kick into high gear now!! Any more information on this route from anyone would be most welcome!

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nwlaurieb said:

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Hello Ella. I'm so sorry about your husband not being able to go with you as planned. I hope that he's okay.

So sorry to be delayed in responding. I just now logged in and saw your post! Wouldn't it be fun to walk together? I should be completed by Oct 8, however. I will begin my walk about two weeks from this Wednesday. I hope you do stick to the coastal route. I think it will be the most rewarding. I'm going to do it as best as I can as well.

I'm a bit confused as last night I began to think that 10 days is just not long enough, so perhaps I would do the whole Portuguese route. But 3 weeks is too long! If I could find a two-week route, that sounds perfect for a first-timer. So then I thought on switching to the French route and start somewhere a couple of weeks out. BUT, that places most of my time in Galacia, which I understand is the rainy party of Spain. Yikes.

I know it sounds crazy that I would be second-guessing what I've planned, but that's so like me. So I decided on this...I'll walk the Porto-Santiago, and if I just have to have more, I'll travel to some other place on one of the Caminos and walk more (Not likely, though. I believe I'll be ready to rest!)

Are you staying visiting in Europe after the walk or going home? I'm staying on to visit a little. That means I also have to figure out how to get the rest of my things which I'm bringing but not carrying along the Camino to Santiago.

I need a travel agent!!

Laurie

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stevenjarvis said:

nwlaurieb
Ella_leah

I haven't walked the Portugese coast but have walked from Tui to Santiago de Compostela ( July 2004 and June 2013). From this limited experience I would suggest that accommodation should not be a problem, and I found the private Villa San Clemente in Tui excellent, we would have stayed in the municiapl Albergue but it was full.
Albergue in O Porrino is wonderful, as were those in Redondela, Pontevedra, and Teo.
I look forward to your updates and wish you ( a slightly envious..) Bom Camihno !

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Ella_leah said:

Hi Laurie
Good luck! We have planned 14 days of walking at this stage and today started booking accommodation for the part of the trip before we leave - the 9th now it seems. We decided to have an extra day in Porto before we leave. I know what you mean about second guessing though! We have been wondering if we should change back to the central route, but decided again today to stick with the coastal route. We have also been wondering if we should book accommodation for the walk or just take info on places to stay and go with the flow...

We will be spending another week and a half in Spain and will have a couple of days on Paris before we fly home! We spent the day going through our gear - trying to work out what of our normal hiking gear to take and what different things we will need. We are also trying to work out if we should hike with all our gear or send some ahead. At this stage we are thinking of just keeping it light and maybe doing a little shopping when we finish walking!

You must be getting excited now... We are now! I hope you have a great trip and if you get a chance to send any updates along the way they would be appreciated!

Good luck and let us know how it goes!

Cheers
Ella

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mspath said:

...."I also have to figure out how to get the rest of my things which I'm bringing but not carrying along the Camino to Santiago."

Laurie,

As a possible solution to your luggage problem check out this useful Forum thread describing Ivar's holding service in Santiago. >>http://www.caminodesantiago.me/luggage-storage-in-santiago-de-compostela/

Bom Caminho,

Margaret Meredith

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Ella_leah said:

Hi everyone, Thanks so much for the information on this thread. My daughter and I are in Porto and will start walking the Coastal route tomorrow. We are really looking forward to pulling on the boots and heading out! I am blogging the trip here in case anyone is interested www.ellaleah.wordpress.com . Johnny Walker if there is anything in particular you would like us to get information for your guide let me know!

cheers
Ella

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