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It will be a good start for re-entry to your life back at home and work. You will find that no one cares much about your experience, but your spouse will care more than anyone else. You will be in shape and enthusiastic, so will need to pull way back to his pace. Share with him, but don't be a bore. As he gets into the rhythm of walking and seeing things one step at a time, he will come to understand what you have experienced. You will really enjoy walking to the coast, though I hope you will have had enough fun that it does not "rescue" your pilgrimage, but is more of a dessert.Did you resent the intrusion, even by a loved one, or were you excited to share the actual walking with him/her?
Hello, when I may say this it's your Camino so I think you have to decide where to begin.Hello to all! Many thanks for all the joy I receive when reading your questions and answers. Here are mine:
1. I currently plan to start in Roncevalles, but I am wondering if I will be missing a lot by not starting in SJPdP. Was this segment a "peak" part of the journey for you? (And yes, I am being a little "punny.") Should I add this on? Extra time is not really a factor. I think I was more worried about starting in such a difficult place and the added arrangements of actually getting there. I will be coming from either Madrid or Bilbao.
2. I am walking solo, and my husband will join me in Santiago to spend another two weeks in Spain together. He had expressed some mild interest in walking the last few stages with me, but perhaps a better option is to walk together to Finisterre. But I wonder what it is like to have someone join you when you have developed your own rhythm over so many weeks? Did you resent the intrusion, even by a loved one, or were you excited to share the actual walking with him/her? Also, I've read the thread about how walking to Finisterre "saved" one family's Camino. If you've done it, are you really glad you did?
Thank you!
If you have the time, SJPdP is a delightful town.
Share with him, but don't be a bore. As he gets into the rhythm of walking and seeing things one step at a time, he will come to understand what you have experienced.
If time is not really a factor, a solution would be to start before SJPP on the "Voie du Puy" or on the "Voie de Vézelay"...
I was really happy to walk to Fisterra, even if my Camino family wasn't.
it felt great to see her after 37 day's
Flying from Paris to Biarritz can be a good alternative, making SJPP easy to start from.
I have started in St. Palais on the LePuy Camino
Hello to all! Many thanks for all the joy I receive when reading your questions and answers. Here are mine:
1. I currently plan to start in Roncevalles, but I am wondering if I will be missing a lot by not starting in SJPdP. Was this segment a "peak" part of the journey for you? (And yes, I am being a little "punny.") Should I add this on? Extra time is not really a factor. I think I was more worried about starting in such a difficult place and the added arrangements of actually getting there. I will be coming from either Madrid or Bilbao.
2. I am walking solo, and my husband will join me in Santiago to spend another two weeks in Spain together. He had expressed some mild interest in walking the last few stages with me, but perhaps a better option is to walk together to Finisterre. But I wonder what it is like to have someone join you when you have developed your own rhythm over so many weeks? Did you resent the intrusion, even by a loved one, or were you excited to share the actual walking with him/her? Also, I've read the thread about how walking to Finisterre "saved" one family's Camino. If you've done it, are you really glad you did?
Thank you!
Hi Seabird,Hello to all! Many thanks for all the joy I receive when reading your questions and answers. Here are mine:
1. I currently plan to start in Roncevalles, but I am wondering if I will be missing a lot by not starting in SJPdP. Was this segment a "peak" part of the journey for you? (And yes, I am being a little "punny.") Should I add this on? Extra time is not really a factor. I think I was more worried about starting in such a difficult place and the added arrangements of actually getting there. I will be coming from either Madrid or Bilbao.
2. I am walking solo, and my husband will join me in Santiago to spend another two weeks in Spain together. He had expressed some mild interest in walking the last few stages with me, but perhaps a better option is to walk together to Finisterre. But I wonder what it is like to have someone join you when you have developed your own rhythm over so many weeks? Did you resent the intrusion, even by a loved one, or were you excited to share the actual walking with him/her? Also, I've read the thread about how walking to Finisterre "saved" one family's Camino. If you've done it, are you really glad you did?
Thank you!
agreed, Fisterra is something on a Camino check list, not a moment in life. Muxia is. And I had never heard of it until Camino 3, and then headed to MuxiaI wasn't able to get out to Finisterre as I had planned. I haven't regretted that for a single moment.
Originally, I had planned to start at St. Jean Pied de Port.
While scouting the Camino Francés area (by car) before starting, I heard that the first day from SJPdeP was the toughest day many experienced. My family members suggested I prepare given my couch potato condition or start in Pamplona. I started in Roncesvalles with little or no preparation and used the first 100 miles or so for my training. I saw many injured peregrinos who had started in SJPdeP or farther away who were injured (black toes, delays to see doctors, etc.). My Camino Francés starting at Roncesvalles was sufficiently challenging, and I reached Santiago de Compostela (walking slowly) with no blisters and a belt with 5 new punched holes to prevent my pants from dragging on the trail.
I do not know what would have happened if I had started in SJPdeP, but after completing three Caminos this year I have no regrets starting in Roncesvalles rather than SJPdeP.
Thank you, very helpful. Buen Camino SeaHorse from Seabird!I started in SJPDP. Not much training before, just arrived and walked Napoleon route. Orisson first day, wasn't bad. Next day Roncesvalles took me 17h. I went slow and stopped a lot. Roncesvalles - Zubiri was 19h. Tired like a dog. If I ever repeat Camino, I would do exactly the same again. If I can't do the whole Camino then maybe just till Pamplona. Too beautiful to miss.
A friend joined the last 200km. I.e. after my 600km. The first day was hot and she could walk only 15km, really struggling. I realised I wasn't walking any more, I was gliding over the Earth's surface. We walked as she could, not as the already well trained me could.
We took bus to Finisterre and bus to Muxia and bus back to Santiago. Was good, relaxing.
If possible the going from or through SJDdP is a must inmo. The later in spring the better weather wise. So much history, scenery, challenge, and a proud "yes" to all who will ask along the way. The transatlantic flights to Dublin does link up nicely (timewise) with a flight to Biarritz and so to SJdP in the afternoon as an option. Good luck in the choice and enjoy all the planning. Buen caminoHello to all! Many thanks for all the joy I receive when reading your questions and answers. Here are mine:
1. I currently plan to start in Roncevalles, but I am wondering if I will be missing a lot by not starting in SJPdP. Was this segment a "peak" part of the journey for you? (And yes, I am being a little "punny.") Should I add this on? Extra time is not really a factor. I think I was more worried about starting in such a difficult place and the added arrangements of actually getting there. I will be coming from either Madrid or Bilbao.
2. I am walking solo, and my husband will join me in Santiago to spend another two weeks in Spain together. He had expressed some mild interest in walking the last few stages with me, but perhaps a better option is to walk together to Finisterre. But I wonder what it is like to have someone join you when you have developed your own rhythm over so many weeks? Did you resent the intrusion, even by a loved one, or were you excited to share the actual walking with him/her? Also, I've read the thread about how walking to Finisterre "saved" one family's Camino. If you've done it, are you really glad you did?
Thank you!
Hello to all! Many thanks for all the joy I receive when reading your questions and answers. Here are mine:
1. I currently plan to start in Roncevalles, but I am wondering if I will be missing a lot by not starting in SJPdP. Was this segment a "peak" part of the journey for you? (And yes, I am being a little "punny.") Should I add this on? Extra time is not really a factor. I think I was more worried about starting in such a difficult place and the added arrangements of actually getting there. I will be coming from either Madrid or Bilbao.
I differ a bit from everyone else.
If possible the going from or through SJDdP is a must inmo.
it will be a wonderful introduction to the Camino experience.
I agree with DurhamParish. Sure, the Pyrenees were great, but day 1 will be thrilling wherever it starts. (I am in the group of party-poopers who say the vistas are undeniably lovely, but your life can still be complete without them. Similarly, though, I'm also in the group that says that route is not as terrible as some accounts suggest.) The important part of the camino comes in the day-after-day-after-day walking and encountering other pilgrims.I differ a bit from everyone else. I did start in St. Jean, but if I do it again, I may just start from Roncevalles and skip the going over the mountain. It was an interesting climb, and I'm glad that I did it, but I wouldn't miss it at all if I walk the camino again and start from Roncevalles.
Amen to that. However another most important experience may be sensing solitary peace.I agree with DurhamParish. Sure, the Pyrenees were great, but day 1 will be thrilling wherever it starts. (I am in the group of party-poopers who say the vistas are undeniably lovely, but your life can still be complete without them. Similarly, though, I'm also in the group that says that route is not as terrible as some accounts suggest.) The important part of the camino comes in the day-after-day-after-day walking and encountering other pilgrims.
Hi Karen, wish you both a wonderful journey and a Buen Camino, Peter.Hi Seabird,
My daughter and I will also be walking our 1st Camino in April/May.
We are flying out of Los Angeles 4/6 and have decided to fly to Pamplona via Madrid. I checked into flying into Paris and other airports but the price was better and I preferred flying into a smaller
airports. I thought it would be easier that dealing with finding transportation from Paris or Madrid. Might check into it.
This forum is great, isn't it?
I did not find that solitary in Santiago was that great. After one to two days, everyone you met on the Camino is pretty much gone! It is a poor place to find new Camino friends, so you are more solitary than you ever were on the pilgrimage. I can become a lot of solitary dining if you stay too long! It can be great, but be prepared for your pilgrimage to be really over. I think that is why walking on to Fisterra has become so popular; it extends the fellowship a bit long.
day 1 will be thrilling wherever it starts.
I think it helps the decision making process to sort out priorities.
Happily for me while tramping along and alone I often sense that special moment when everything 'clicks' realizing that this is, indeed, MY way and that all is and will be good.
It can be great, but be prepared for your pilgrimage to be really over. I think that is why walking on to Fisterra has become so popular; it extends the fellowship a bit longer.
on the fourth day we felt like we were strangers in a strange land and knew we had stayed too long.
I'm really glad I finished my first Camino as a solo walker.
Beautiful plan.So, I have made my decisions for the Start and the Finish. I will begin in St. Palais, France, for two days walking to SJPdP. I did not want to begin with the Pyrenees, and I love France, so this seemed like the best solution. I will fly into the city of Pau, arriving April 12, then take a 2-hour bus ride to St. Palais. So, I start walking on April 13!
For my Finish, my husband will join me in Santiago on May 30. So, I am allowing plenty of time to enjoy my time on the Camino. We will walk either to Finisterre, or bus part-way and then walk to Finisterre and then on to Muxia. I am resolved to "hang back," so to speak, to allow him his own experience during this time walking together.
Thanks again to all who took the time to write. It was really helpful.
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