Too find and get in touch with pilgrims

[HollyCara]

Hi I myself am not walking the Camino but my boyfriend is and as proud I am of him I am also nervous!
He is walking the route from Vezelay, he should be in La Reole now or maybe a bit further.
Anyway the point is I havnt heard from him in a few days and I am sure he is fine but its quite stressful knowing your loved one is walking and you have know idea where they are and if they are okay ect.
Really I looking for some comfort!
He does not have a phone so I have no way of contacting him.
Anyway I just want to know how safe the walk is, is their anyway of me finding him or contacting him or finding a list of refugios along the way that I could call.
And if anyone has Bumped into him his name is Alex Lashlie,
So send some comfort and information my way!
Thanks
Holly

 

[Canuck]

Hi Holly,

Don't worry! I'm sure your boyfriend is in good state. I walk in that area (I slep in La Reole) not too long ago along the Canal du Midi and I can tell you that Internet places are not easy to find in rural France.
The area is very secure and people helpful.

My wife was in the same situation you are now a little while back when I was on the Camino Del Norte. After four days without news, she blew it and called the Canadian Embassy in Madrid. Wrong thing to do!!!!

Also, men being what they are, don't always see the necessity of being in contact so often (I guess I'm looking for an excuse for my lack of consideration for my wife in that particular case).

Cheer up,
Jean-Marc

 

[jl]

Hi Holly, just reinforcing Jean-Marc's comment. I was on the same path last year and someimes it was a week before I could get to an open internet. Sometimes they are few and far between, and even if an internet is available, there were numerous times when they weren't open, which added to the time gap between emails for me. When you do eventually hear from him let him know that the bibliotecques (libraries) are a really good place to use the interent - but again it does depend on whether they are open as some of the small ones have very limitied opening hours. Keep calm - he will be in touch eventually, regards, Janet

 

[HollyCara]

Thanks so much guys your advice is a huge help, helps settles the sick feeling in my stomach!
If you dont mind i have a few more questions:
How long did it take you guys to walk from Vezelay to Santiago?
I am meant to meet my boyfriend at his last stop and I am just wondering when I should be planning to leave, he has been walking for about 18days.
In his last email he said he thought he would be in St Jean Pied de Port in about a week so how long from there??

I am actually so jelous of him,his journey and the adventure of it all, we had been travelling around europe together for three months and when he did the walk I decided to come to london because I thought if I did the walk with him Id hold him up as I am not as fit as him and I have bad feet but now I truly want to do it. So the question is how fit should I be before the camino? Or do I just do it and see if I can make it!

well this was a long post,thanks for being so kind and helpful!

 

[Tia Valeria]

Hi Holly,
I didn't walk with Terry for similar reasons when he walked last year (Norte and Primitivo) and it is hard staying behind isn't it. I joined him in Santiago. We estimated when he would arrive and booked a hotel room for that time. He actually arrived early and had already collected his Compostela and been to his Pilgrim's Mass when I arrived. We went again together next day.
I am sure that folk here will be able to give some idea of the length of time Alex will need and then you can make your bookings.
We plan to walk the Camino Inglés next year, as being manageable for me. Had you thought about doing something similar if you have time, or even joing Alex for the last 100+ km this year.

Hope you hear from Alex soon, relying on the internet is difficult. Terry carried a small very basic mobile phone and just sent brief texts; kms walked, place he was in. I could also text that things were OK with me. (Talking would be too expensive) Got a signal most days he needed (Orange/Movistar). Also meant he could check ahead when needed for accomodation.
Blessings,
Tia Valeria

 

[HollyCara]

Thanks Tia'
It is hard staying behind isnt it!!They go through such a journey while I watch Tv haha.
I have been thinking about meeting up with him for the last few kms but I dont
want to intrude you know he has been walking alone and its his journey he may want the end for himself but when I net hear from him I will talk to him about it!

How did you get to Santiago? Is it easy to fly or catch transport??

Also are you doing any training for your camino?

And how was Terry after the camino?Did he have a wonderful experience?

Also Alex did have a phone ut its not working its movistar but i cant text or call might get him to purchase another cheap one in a bigger town. You know I just waant to know he is safe and well, like Terry txting you it just settles your heart.

 

[Tia Valeria]

Hi Holly,
Terry had a wonderful experience. He says it might have been difficult if I had joined him near the end because he was walking well and fast and aiming for Santiago and the end of the journey. I know I would have slowed him down at that stage badly. Walking from Ferrol after his own Camino would have been fine if it had been right for me then. He would have done it easily and been able to help me.

Yes I am preparing by walking as much as possible and longer distances carrying my rucksack. We actually walked some parts of the Camino this year to see how I managed. Now we are home training again.

I went to Santander by ferry as a friend of ours offered to take her car to fetch Terry home and we shared the driving. Others wil have better advice re getting to Santiago from near London by air.

Hope you hear from Alex soon. Even mobile phones are not 100% reliable, but at least texts will get there once it is turned on, but sometimes slow after the line is open.
God bless,
Tia Valeria

 

[AJ]

How long did it take you guys to walk from Vezelay to Santiago?

I walked from Vezelay to Santiago this year, via Leon and Oviedo and it took 70 days. If I had continued along the Frances from Leon instead of going to Oviedo and walking the Primitivo, it would probably have been about 5 days less.

From Vezelay to St Jean took 34 days. That was the Northern route via Bourges.

I took a mobile phone and found that text messages sometimes took a few days to reach me! No idea why.

 

[HollyCara]

Well alexs phone isnt working at all!! It has now been a week since I last heard from him via email so Im a little nervous although there is such a network of pilgrims that Im sure he is okay just be nice to hear from him!!

Is there anyway to get lost along the route?

And does anyone know of anyway to get in touch with a place a refugios that can help you with locating pilgrims?

How long did any of you go without contacting home?

Thanks so much for all the advice and help I no longer feel alone!

 

[HollyCara]

Hey guys just wanted to let you know that alex called me today!!! All is well and he is being looked after by wonderful people so I am very happy!

I have yet another question this is about the shengen agreement
we have heard so many different things, mostly we have heard that the rules have changed and you are only allowed 90 days in the shengen over 6 months.
Now we are almost over the 90 day mark, we are from Australia so I want to know if anyone knows if this rule applies to everyone? does anyone have more information or a place I could find more??

Thanks for all the help

 

[jl]

Hello again Holly, I too am Australian and the schengen rules for us are that we can only stay in the schengen states (google it - there are a lot of them, France and Sapin included) for 90 days within a 6 month period. Last year I left Spain on day 89 (just in case Ryanair didn't fly on that day I had a spare day up my sleeve) and as I still had a week left of my holidays I went to London for a week as England is not in the schengen states. I doubt that anyone would have a clue if you were to overstay, but the danger occurs when you leave the country as you could be flagged as an overstayer and therfore jeopardise any further travel for a while. It is also possible that some schengen countries can impose a fine for overstaying too.

I walked the northern route of the Vezelay path last year and then the Camino del Norte and the Primitivo and I took 86 days. Mind you, I was so fit when I got to the end I walked from melide to Monte de Goza in one day (around 50kms - dpending which book you look at) and so backing up Valerie comment about joining someone on the end of the journey might mean that they would really have to slow down.

Glad you heard from Alex. Cheers, Janet

 

[Canuck]

Hey guys just wanted to let you know that alex called me today!!! All is well and he is being looked after by wonderful people so I am very happy!

Sigh! :wink:

As for the Schengen agreement, Janet has said it all.

Cheers,
Jean-Marc

 

[HollyCara]

Hey thanks Janet,
yeah what you said is what I thought and I found on google I technically have around 10 days left as I went to Morocco, I wonder how they work it all out?
I am currently in london now waiting to meet alex in santiago.
Is this shengen rule a new one because out travel agent did not tell us about it and alot of people i have met have no idea about it!
90 days for europe is not enough!
Alex has now overstayed his 90 days hopefully if he shows them his pilgrim pass they will understand, but do you or anyone know of the penalty of overstaying??

 

[jl]

Hi Holly, as far as I know this rule has been in since the schengen states formed. The problem is some of the travel agents don't know themselves - one of my local agents tried to tell me it was OK "everyone stays as long as they want", but if you check out all the details that is not the case at all. Young people have opportunities to get extended visas for a years work etc / gap year voluntary things and so on, but older people like myself really have to chase things to stay longer. You are safe in London because Engalnd is not in the schengen states, but can't answer for Alex's overstaying. There was a post on the lonely planet website about it I noticed - and I am not sure how Spain is with regard to this. My understaniding is that some countries are perhaps more forgiving than others - I will hope that Spain is for Alex. Good luck, Janet

 

[KiwiNomad06]

Now we are almost over the 90 day mark, we are from Australia so I want to know if anyone knows if this rule applies to everyone? does anyone have more information or a place I could find more??
Thanks for all the help

New Zealand has bilateral agreements with some European countries for a 90 day stay. So as a Kiwi it is possible to stay 3 months in France, and 3 months in Spain. Australia tends to enforce stronger visa regulations on those from European countries than NZ does, so gets stronger regulations in return.

This is from the NZ Govt website: http://www.safetravel.govt.nz/destinations/europetips.shtml
"Visa-free access for New Zealand visitors to Europe

New Zealand passport holders are able to spend up to three months visa-free in most European countries, and up to six months visa-free in the United Kingdom. The only European countries that require New Zealand passport holders to have a visa for a stay of less than three months are Belarus, Moldova, Russia and Ukraine.

Visa-free access for New Zealand passport holders intending to stay for more than 3 months in the Schengen area is complicated.

Schengen area countries permit most holders of passports from outside the Schengen area to stay visa-free in the Schengen area as a whole, regardless of the particular country or countries, for no more than 3 months out of a 6-month period. (This is sometimes expressed as 90 days out of a 180-day period.)

However, New Zealand has bilateral visa waiver agreements with many of the individual countries in the Schengen area. These visa waiver agreements allow New Zealanders to spend up to three months in the relevant country, without reference to time spent in other Schengen area countries. The European Commission has confirmed that these agreements continue to be valid. These agreements thus effectively override the Schengen area restriction (which would otherwise be imposed on New Zealand passport holders) of no more than 3 months out of a 6-month period in the Schengen area as a whole.

The countries with which New Zealand has bilateral visa waiver agreements are:
Austria Belgium Czech Republic
Denmark Finland France
Germany Greece Iceland
Italy Luxembourg The Netherlands
Norway Portugal Spain
Sweden Switzerland

You can, therefore, move visa-free among the above countries for periods of up to 3 months in each country. If, however, you move to other countries in the Schengen area, the restriction of no more than 3 months out of a 6-month period in the Schengen area as a whole applies. If you have already spent 3 months in one or more of the above countries, your presence in a Schengen area country with which New Zealand does not have a bilateral visa waiver agreement may be challenged by local police or other authorities. You may also be accused of being an overstayer when you leave the Schengen area, or when you enter another country outside the Schengen area."
There is more info on this website.
Margaret

 

[HollyCara]

Hey me again
And a little worried again! I havnt heard from Alex in 10 days now and Im sure hes fine but It dies make the heart flutter a bit!
I know he was on his was to Burgos weather he has passed through yet Im not sure I assume he hasnt as thats a city he could have made contact in.
Anyway, to anyone who has done the route can you please let me know if there is anyway for him to contact me or me find him?
Again Im sure hes okay there must be quite a few pilhrims walking aswell but I am a bit nervous!