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Yes if something would change along the way! I will be walking from St Jean June 25 to Burgos July 9.
Thank you for sharing your experiences. I will only walking from June 25 - July 9. So I only had to plan two weeks. Since I have bad migraines I thought getting a private room most nights would help. Next year when I pick up where I leave off I may do it differently.I booked all the way from SJPP to Santiago and was glad I did since it was my first time. I might do it differently the next time but this worked out well for me. I was in the minority of people that did the walk but I would say about 30% booked the full trip ahead and no one I ran into complained about it. The downside is if you sustain an injury and you have to slow down or take a day off; but there are many ways to catch up if that happens.
I will for sure. I will not be taking a room/bed from a poor pilgrim so no worries on that.Just please be sure to call and cancel if you have changes in plans.
That way, some poor pilgrim won't be without a bed because they're holding it for you.
Enjoy I only have two weeks and this is my first experience of the or any Camino. I have done 50 mile trail runs so I am up for the miles. Since I am going alone and suffer from migraines private rooms most nights seemed like the best option. Also my husband felt more comfortable knowing where I will be staying and felt part of the planning. Next year maybe it will be different. But everyone has a different comfort level. Aren't we all just pilgrims searching for our thing ?I booked tonight standing in front of the albergue. I am on the Camino.
THAT is a real fear of commitment, I am afraid! A month of bookings is far beyond my ken.
Thank you so much I really needed that!Annalisa
Enjoy the comfort you will derive from knowing your accommodation is sorted. I think many people love the spontaneity that is possible on the camino and so they are eager to share that with you. But sometimes that can come across as "you are doing it the wrong way". By nature I'm a planner, but I love to release that when traveling - for you, this time, your decision sounds perfect!
Buen camino
Annalisa-- Stick to your plans-- it's far easier! I've walked various camino trails 6 times and a few years ago, pre-planned the whole Frances route from SJPDP to SDC. I was great to relax and not have to scramble for a bed. Buen camino to you!Yes if something would change along the way! I will be walking from St Jean June 25 to Burgos July 9.
It is a great relief knowing that there is a place waiting for you at the end of a day's walk. It makes for a more relaxing experience, in my view, and you can afford to stop at various places and take in the sights without worrying about getting a bed.
Thanks John that is what I am looking forward to. Knowing I can relax and enjoy each day taking it all in because I don't have to worry about finding a bed early. I have broken it up into a variety of distances and used his book as a reference in doing so. I am looking forward to staying at the different places I picked along The Way.I've been doing the Camino in stages over the last few years - I'm completing it this year when I walk from Léon to Sarria - and I have always pre-booked private accommodation (hostals, hotels) where possible. I've stayed in albergues too but I prefer a room of my own, thanks very much. It is a great relief knowing that there is a place waiting for you at the end of a day's walk. It makes for a more relaxing experience, in my view, and you can afford to stop at various places and take in the sights without worrying about getting a bed. Yes, you are restricted in that you have to stay at a particular destination but seeing as most people walk the daily stages recommended by John Brierley that is not a problem. I have never regretted not walking longer or shorter on any day.
My anxiety goes the other way. That is the only way I found I could relax about attempting it. Maybe it is the ultra runner in me. I know it isn't a race and God knows that is not what I am looking for in this journey it is all about healing. I don't see there will be a need for a taxi or bus. If I can cover 50 trail miles in 11 hours at home and hike 10 miles each day on an average. I feel that I should be able to cover the various stages I planned without issue. I do have from sun up to down no need to rush since I can check in up to 8pm if I want. Just a slow walk and enjoy the way. I would have loved to do the whole journey in one year but I can only get this amount off at one time so next year I plan to finish.Each to their own. Personally my anxiety goes the other way: I hate the idea of booking a bed and then feeling the pressure to make it to that particular destination come what may. My only personal hard-and-fast rule when walking is that I walk all the way. No skipping sections by bus or taxi. To be confident of reaching a fixed destination each day despite any routine mishaps I would have to book in stages much shorter than I would normally prefer to walk.
What do I do if it's pouring down rain? I dress accordingly and walk. Not a problem. Ain't gonna melt, y'know
I love the rainThere are many ways of looking at this problem and there is no right answer. It is a matter of what you can tolerate and how these things are perceived. First of all, I have started each camino by giving myself permission to fail. There are bus lines, taxis, etc, as has been mentioned. There are many "what if's," rain not being the most devastating-- there are physical injuries (much more serious than blisters) and illnesses to contend with. I served as a hospitalero twice in the past and saw pilgrims with cellulitis, broken bones, asthma not controlled with an inhaler, bronchitis, etc.
I've walked on the trails multiple times, with and without reservations, but always had a plan in mind. There are times when we don't have the luxury of walking as slowly (or as quickly) as we would like due to having to catch trains and planes to get back home (unless you could afford the luxury of having an open return ticket). If plans have to change, it's not the absolute end of the world, but can say that I know what my body can take and have stuck to my plans over all of my camino walks. I remember hiking during a cold November one year in torrential rain and was over 60 years old at the time. I had good gear and stayed reasonably well off because of it.
I think the approach to doing a camino is very individual and what suits one person might not work at all for someone else.
The original poster is walking for two weeks, not a month.I booked tonight standing in front of the albergue. I am on the Camino.
THAT is a real fear of commitment, I am afraid! A month of bookings is far beyond my ken.
Still... tje question/reasonong applies.The original poster is walking for two weeks, not a month.
Thank you Mike I am sure there will be plenty of unknowns I am looking forward to.Annalisa, I'm sure prebooking will take off a lot of pressure!
You are going to have a wonderful time.
Buen Camino!
Mike
Good hope you enjoy
i walked unbooked the whole way...freedom and circumstance be my guide....slept on the floor once...sept/oct...37 days including two rest daysI booked all the way from SJPP to Santiago and was glad I did since it was my first time. I might do it differently the next time but this worked out well for me. I was in the minority of people that did the walk but I would say about 30% booked the full trip ahead and no one I ran into complained about it. The downside is if you sustain an injury and you have to slow down or take a day off; but there are many ways to catch up if that happens.
Thanks for your comments. All the places I have booked are on the map in the guide book so I hope I will be able to find them. A few dives here and there make us appreciate the gems!We pre-book a few nights, but generally only at the beginning and end stages.
Hopefully your sense of direction is better than ours as often we spent considerable time actually finding the places we had pre-booked. Unless your Spanish is pretty good, it is hard to ask for directions.
One issue is that your flexibility is gone as you may find a place you wish to stay other than what you have booked and possibly in another town/village altogether.
We kind of like the adventure of finding a place most nights. Also, we always look at our rooms before laying our money down. This has allowed us to pass on a few real dives along the way.
Thank youWe have walked free of bookings; booking one night ahead on a daily basis and also booking right through. Each has been a different experience, but the 'booked' camino would not have been possible without the pre-booking. Peace of mind over a bed gave us freedom to experience the day's walking, and we had planned our 'stages' to suit our needs and ability. It worked
Buen Camino @Annalisa
i walked unbooked the whole way...freedom and circumstance be my guide....slept on the floor once...sept/oct...37 days including two rest days[/QUOTE. I am glad you were able to do that. I would not be able to enjoy my day and get in my own head space. If I had to worry about were to sleep each night. Yes I also could sleep on the floor if I knew I was going to have my own space. I am a real loner not by choice but by comfort level.
Thank you - I have learned already that I am going to be fine. Also no one along the way needs to know your story unless you choose to share it. This is my journey to take by myself and there are deeper reasons behind why I needed a set plan. All in all it is going to be amazing.Life is a Lesson ..... do it your way and see what you learn from it ..... I have many observations on this topic from my own personal experience and also from watching others.
BUT in the end just do what you think and then see what you learn...
Your story is cute and I am sure there are a lot almost like that one. There are several differences in my journey and that story. Here are a few. I am only going for two weeks. I have no intention on getting hooked up with a Camino family that is something that would cause me way to much anxiety. There has not been endless hours of planning and book reading. I also will be living in the moment since I have from sun up to down to travel each day if I want. Everyone has an unique story and it's their chapters that make it a book!I have told this story from time to time on this Forum and I think it worth repeating.
On my second Camino, I met a very skilled surgeon from the United States who was a complete and total perfectionist. In planning his Camino, he read hundreds of books, consulted maps, poured over elevation charts, and looked up historical weather data. He left nothing to chance. The invasion of Normandy in 1944 took less planning. He was so precise that he booked a room for every night along the way to Santiago--some 40 carefully planned out reservations. In all, he spent almost a thousand hours planning out the perfect Camino. The most absolutely glorious, never been done before, perfect Camino. It was a piece of art work that rivaled the David or Mona Lisa.
Then his Camino started.
On the first day he fell in with a Camino family. He loved his Camino family and they loved him. But there was only one problem. His Camino family was being spontaneous. They were living in the moment. As a result, they would not decide on where to stop for the night until mid-afternoon each day. Rarely did his Camino family stop where he had a reservation.
His solution? He would stop where they stopped, have a beer with them, grab a taxi, rush forward/backward to the village where he had a room, check in, shower, change clothes, grab a taxi back to his Camino family, have dinner with them, grab a taxi back to his room, sleep, get up, grab a taxi back to his Camino family, and resume walking with them. I observed this odd behavior all the way from SJPP to Leon.
Finally one day I asked him, "Why don't you just cancel the remainder of your reservations and stay in the same town as your Camino family?" Before he responded, he look left, then right, and then leaned in toward me to make sure no one could over hear his answer. In a hushed voice he quietly said, "I don't want to admit that being a perfectionist about my Camino was a complete and total waste of time."
I walked for 5 weeks on the Camino Frances in 2015. We only pre booked the first night at Corazon Puro and the final day in Santiago. It was a relaxing adventure as we walked daily until tired, and we always had a bed. In 2016 on the Norte/Primitivo we once again only booked the first and last nights, but did choose to call one day ahead several times to avoid "bottlenecking", as there are fewer options.i walked unbooked the whole way...freedom and circumstance be my guide....slept on the floor once...sept/oct...37 days including two rest days
I suggest booking. A day or two in advance will work. Use a site like booking.com along the way. It will show what is available and the price.My husband and I will be hiking the last 100 km with our son and daughter in law the last week of June. Our son and daughter in law want to stay at hostels and we want a private room. Our question is are rooms readily available at this time of year.? We were hoping to not need to book ahead.
would love to chat about norte/primitivo since i am trying to do it it august 1st... ******I walked for 5 weeks on the Camino Frances in 2015. We only pre booked the first night at Corazon Puro and the final day in Santiago. It was a relaxing adventure as we walked daily until tired, and we always had a bed. In 2016 on the Norte/Primitivo we once again only booked the first and last nights, but did choose to call one day ahead several times to avoid "botylenecking", as there are fewer options.
Do you prefer to chat via email instead of the personal conversation option on this forum? I am happy to share my experience and answer questions, however I started the Norte/Primivito on April 21st, 2016 and I see you plan to start in August. There will be quite a few differences in both weather and posibly number of hikers.would love to chat about norte/primitivo since i am trying to do it it august 1st... jwpiv2004@gmail.com
Hi Jill,Now I am totally confused. This is a Camino Francés thread and you two want to chat about the Norte now?
how do we personally chat?Do you prefer to chat via email instead of the personal conversation option on this forum? I am happy to share my experience and answer questions, however I started the Norte/Primivito on April 21st, 2016 and I see you plan to start in August. There will be quite a few differences in both weather and posibly number of hikers.
I just sent you a conversation. You should be able to see the little red box (located next to the red "alert" box.) Very easy to use.how do we personally chat?
Two weeks and I have only my first night booked! Buen Camino!
You make a very good point, Ignacio, and I agree with you in many ways. I do think all of us offering advice to someone contemplating their first Camino are really just trying to help, even when steering someone in a different direction. We are hoping to let them know there might be a simpler way to do things through our own experiences. Suggestions, however, should be done in a kind manner, not being pushy (as in "my way or the hiway") and showing respect to the OP.I find it funny how most of us have a tendency to want to impose our way of doing things on others. I did the CF on 2016 and one of the most important things I learned was ACCEPTANCE, yes accepting whatever it is people are doing and give them credit for doing it, NOT criticizing their methods or choices.
In my book if Annalisa wants to plan and prebook the entire route she is welcome to do that, I think our roll in providing assistance is First giving her the credit for having the courage to do the Camino. The fact that she wants to prebook it's HER choice and she'lllbe the one that will have to deal with everything that that entails, cancellations. due to weather, not reaching destination, etc. But it's her choice and her learning EXPERIENCE. ANNALISA you have my complete support in whatever and however you want to plan YOUR camino. Ultreia! and Buen Camino
Thank you. I have had some very interesting comments on this and one that someone sent me in a conversation that was down right mean. Since I will only pre booked 2 weeks since that the time I have for this trip. Your comment of I will have to deal with all that entails did not have one thing positive listed.I find it funny how most of us have a tendency to want to impose our way of doing things on others. I did the CF on 2016 and one of the most important things I learned was ACCEPTANCE, yes accepting whatever it is people are doing and give them credit for doing it, NOT criticizing their methods or choices.
In my book if Annalisa wants to plan and prebook the entire route she is welcome to do that, I think our roll in providing assistance is First giving her the credit for having the courage to do the Camino. The fact that she wants to prebook it's HER choice and she'lllbe the one that will have to deal with everything that that entails, cancellations. due to weather, not reaching destination, etc. But it's her choice and her learning EXPERIENCE. ANNALISA you have my complete support in whatever and however you want to plan YOUR camino. Ultreia! and Buen Camino
Thank you. I have had some very interesting comments on this and one that someone sent me in a conversation that was down right mean. Since I will only pre booked 2 weeks since that the time iI find it funny how most of us have a tendency to want to impose our way of doing things on others. I did the CF on 2016 and one of the most important things I learned was ACCEPTANCE, yes accepting whatever it is people are doing and give them credit for doing it, NOT criticizing their methods or choices.
In my book if Annalisa wants to plan and prebook the entire route she is welcome to do that, I think our roll in providing assistance is First giving her the credit for having the courage to do the Camino. The fact that she wants to prebook it's HER choice and she'lllbe the one that will have to deal with everything that that entails, cancellations. due to weather, not reaching destination, etc. But it's her choice and her learning EXPERIENCE. ANNALISA you have my complete support in whatever and however you want to plan YOUR camino. Ultreia! and Buen Camino
thank you for seeing that taking one unknown out may just be what gets them out the door. I know I will be able to adjust my nights if I choose along the way ~ but this way is getting me there.You make a very good point, Ignacio, and I agree with you in many ways. I do think all of us offering advice to someone contemplating their first Camino are really just trying to help, even when steering someone in a different direction. We are hoping to let them know there might be a simpler way to do things through our own experiences. Suggestions, however, should be done in a kind manner, not being pushy (as in "my way or the hiway") and showing respect to the OP.
May you have a wonderful time!Two weeks and I have only my first night booked! Buen Camino!
With tears in my eyes I thank you!Annalisa, I never book ahead, but that is my preference for many reasons. If you want to and feel better for that then go ahead! My way of doing things may not be yours and I do not think there is a correct way at all. So book ahead!
I am sorry (and appalled) that someone was mean to you.
One thing I am sure of is that you are going to enjoy every moment!
Buen Camino!
Davey
No worries your comment was fine and welcomed. I want nothing more than everyone's journey to be amazing. The comments that hurt were someone that sent me private conversations. Love our backward/forward names!I am sure you will have an amazing journey as I hope we all will. I hope you realized my comment was more of poking fun at how we are all different in how we approach this trek! I certainly never intended to be mean and shame on anyone who did.
Godspeed!
Also, My name is Lisa Ann. (Opposites again!)
Thank you for sharing. Would you stay at Casa Magica again? That is one of the places I have booked!Funny thing, the reason I am on this forum today is because I LOVE planning! For me the planning is part of the journey. I did not prebook any of our first Camino, and it all worked out just fine and, in fact, searching for places to stay made for some interesting memories (Casa Magica being one of the best - story and photo below - I also love reminiscing).
However, this time around I am planning more because I literally can't wait to be back on the Camino!Some people find the planning stressful, but one of my favorite activities is looking for places to stay by exploring villages by walking around on Google street view. People make some good points about distance, weather, blisters, etc., etc., but hey, that is where trusting it will all be just fine comes into play. And it will!
View attachment 32787 Buen Camino.
Thank you I hope you don't think I did anything wrong. It was the a private conversation that was sent to me. I blocked that so I wouldn't get anymore from him.I hope members are aware that Private Conversations can be reported, just as public posts can be. If you receive an email that is hurtful, rude, insulting or offensive, please use that facility.
I have checked the history of this thread. It seems that Annalisa edited her own first post. No-one else has had a post deleted. A couple of members made minor edits to their own posts.
Yes, it was wonderful!!!Thank you for sharing. Would you stay at Casa Magica again? That is one of the places I have booked!
Thanks again.Yes, it was wonderful!!!
I booked tonight standing in front of the albergue. I am on the Camino.
THAT is a real fear of commitment, I am afraid! A month of bookings is far beyond my ken.
Thank you for sharing I hope to do that a few mornings.Another major advantage in booking accommodation in a hotel/hostal as opposed to an albergue is the freedom it allows one to get up and get out on the trail very early in the morning.
I've been doing the Camino Francés in stages over the last few years and each time I've made sure to set out in the dark on one morning and walk through the countryside by the light of the moon and the stars (supplemented, as required, by my head-torch).
I'll be walking from Léon to Sarria in May this year and so, weather permitting (a clear sky is required) I'll be out the door around 5 am some morning. Once out of the town/village and into the countryside it is a wonderful, numinous experience to stop every now and then and view the moon and the stars, the lights of the countryside - distant towns and villages, the flashing lights of wind turbines on a hillside, the odd car or truck on a road, the firefly-like lights of other walkers (not a lot!) doing the same thing - and listen to the occasional sounds made by wildlife. In open country, in the light of a half to full moon, it is easy to walk without using the torch - one's eyes become attuned to the darkness very quickly - but it is obviously advisable to use it to identify the yellow directional arrows. And of course one is walking into the light of the dawn with all the added symbolism that that has for those on the Camino.
That is not something that can be done if staying in an albergue as one would be disturbing the other peregrinos by setting out so early.
@james walter purdum iv and @Camino Chris - I suggest that you delete or edit your posts with personal email addresses in them. Not a good idea on a public forum - unless you like spam.
Thank you sharing. Yes I don't go anywhere without my Relpax for my migraines. This is going to be an adventure I can't wait.One thing I think we are missing in the original post is the reference to migraines. Had them and carry Maxalt with me when away from home just in case. When one hits you need to be away from light, away from noise and away from stress. probably not easy in an alburgue. Everyones can be different; some daily, some less frequently but spontaneously hitting you when least expected. Having a known place to sleep where it will be quieter and darker will be a blessing if you are in the midst of blinding pain so bad you just want to curl up and die.
buen camino and keep your meds handy!
My husband is officially freaking out that I haven't prebooked anything.No worries your comment was fine and welcomed. I want nothing more than everyone's journey to be amazing. The comments that hurt were someone that sent me private conversations. Love our backward/forward names!
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