Thoughts on my next camino

[Sojourner47]

As I plan the next leg of my Camino Frances (pick up at Najera next week for another 7 days walking), I muse on the reasons I felt so deprived of human contact last time. As I have posted, very few others were walking alone, and the majority of couples/small groups tended to keep to themselves, largely sidelining the singleton. Apart from not being the world's greatest extrovert (lol), I think that as at the time I was somewhat short of funds, hoping to reach Santiago on a small amount of money, I missed out on some nightly outings for a menu dal dia, settling instead for bread and cheese from the local shop, in isolation, rather than perhaps joining a group heading for the local bar, and maybe good conversation and good times. This worked OK on the Ingles, where there were very few others walking, so I didn't feel "left out" as I did on the Frances.
Next week I am fortunately not so skint,and will be able to indulge a little, so it will be interesting to see if my theory holds out.
I post this merely as a subjective experience, which will probably be of no use to anyone else - but maybe it's better to do a shorter walk with a bit more money, than try to do too much with too little.

 

[Al the optimist]

Have a vino tinto on me!
Maybe most people will probably be very welcoming if you can bring yourself to just ask "What are you doing for food/drink? Mind if I join you"
Buen Camino from an envious someone stuck at home

 

[AJ]

As I have posted, very few others were walking alone, and the majority of couples/small groups tended to keep to themselves, largely sidelining the singleton.

I always start out walking alone and have very rarely felt sidelined by couples or small groups. Very often the small groups have turned out to be composed of people who started out walking alone and sometimes I join the group.

 

[alipilgrim]

i think that's a very good idea. My first camino I ate most meals at the albergue; the next one I ate out often and had fun every meal. AND I felt that it wasn't really that much more expensive than shopping for one person...

 

[gittiharre]

I found a lot of groups incredibly inclusive, they would welcome me into their midst....

 

[julie]

I also tend to be on the introverted side, at least until I'm comfortable with people. However, I have never felt isolated on pilgrimage. It seems easier to strike up a conversation with pilgrims than it does in "normal" life and I say hello, hola or bonjour (depending on where I am) to everyone I come across. It's such a simple thing but people respond to it and, before you know it, you're having a conversation - sometimes a very limited one because of language difficulties but at least you're connecting on some level.