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Absolutely nothing at all. Since life itself always, without fail, has unexpected surprises around the corner then why would the Camino itself, since it is part of life, not have the same. A surprise, by its very life's nature, is not a surprise.Hi All!... New member here, with my first camino just under two months away (del Norte from Irun starting September 18!)... Have been watching and reading posts for the last several months, but am really starting to get ramped up as the daily countdown dwindles, and thought I would ask previous walkers, "What was the one thing that surprised you the most about your camino?" Whether spiritual, cultural, geographical or otherwise in nature, I'm curious as to what gave pilgrims the biggest pause during their treks...
I was surprised at how bad I truly was at estimating distances. Everything else stated by others is true and pretty wonderful even when experiencing discomfort, pain, thirst, hunger, and exhaustion. Planning on returning for my third next year and just training more to be better prepared.Hi All!... New member here, with my first camino just under two months away (del Norte from Irun starting September 18!)... Have been watching and reading posts for the last several months, but am really starting to get ramped up as the daily countdown dwindles, and thought I would ask previous walkers, "What was the one thing that surprised you the most about your camino?" Whether spiritual, cultural, geographical or otherwise in nature, I'm curious as to what gave pilgrims the biggest pause during their treks...
indeed.How unimportant are things like people’s names, occupations, and political or spiritual beliefs. In the end, you realize you have shared little time and deep conversations with “Brazil guy”, “the couple from Wales”, “German girl”, and “Virginia guy”. We are all the same: our needs are showers, clean clothes, and food. We all have achy feet. We all are touched by spiritual places on the Camino. We all suffer and rejoice at the end. We all want to do it again!
Being converted to Christianity by divine interventions."What was the one thing that surprised you the most about your camino?"
Yes !! I had much of that on my 1994 ... I wouldn't call it "secular", though it is definitely of the body and mind more than the spirit.Feeling while walking the secular transcendence akin to to what runners call 'the zone'
the feeling of knowing that everyday was different, every town or city unique. I had 30 different Caminos in 30 days.Hi All!... New member here, with my first camino just under two months away (del Norte from Irun starting September 18!)... Have been watching and reading posts for the last several months, but am really starting to get ramped up as the daily countdown dwindles, and thought I would ask previous walkers, "What was the one thing that surprised you the most about your camino?" Whether spiritual, cultural, geographical or otherwise in nature, I'm curious as to what gave pilgrims the biggest pause during their treks...
After three debilitating knee injuries over six Caminos (one that put me on crutches for 200 kms), my physiotherapist described a "walker's high" that enabled me to walk through the pain. She compared it to the "runner's high" or Zone. Interesting.Feeling while walking the secular transcendence akin to to what runners call 'the zone' . Your body can handle the task while your spirit glows with the effort. Neither easy, nor impossible; all simply is. ...Thus, thankfully you continue.
Amen to thisHow little I needed to be truly happy.
How strong I could be when needed.
How addicted to Camino walking I would become.
I was sitting outside sipping some wine when I read this question. I immediately thought that this was almost the favorite question Peg liked to ask visitors to the US. And then Peg came out and I asked her the question. She answered"What was the one thing that surprised you the most about your camino?"
Yeah, almost word for word what @Bradypus wrote. A short while later as she went back into the house Peg voluntarily told of another surprise; she said that she was surprised that along the way there were villages and countryside but there weren't any houses in the countryside. That's different from home.I was surprised at how green Galicia was .
I thought I would meet some nice fellow pilgrims on the road sooner or later, but becoming like a family with a small group from the first day wasn't exactly what I'd expected. I love walking alone and at the end of the day having dinner with my "family".Hi All!... New member here, with my first camino just under two months away (del Norte from Irun starting September 18!)... Have been watching and reading posts for the last several months, but am really starting to get ramped up as the daily countdown dwindles, and thought I would ask previous walkers, "What was the one thing that surprised you the most about your camino?" Whether spiritual, cultural, geographical or otherwise in nature, I'm curious as to what gave pilgrims the biggest pause during their treks...
Wow! Beautifully transformative and awesome!To learn that I love people, and I love the heat and sun.
Before the Camino I was a bit of a misanthrope. Well, not really, but I basically had not only lost faith in humanity, I had never had it to begin with, plus a social anxiety disorder and being an introvert also.
Still an introvert, but witnessing how kind and "real" people were (pilgrims, hospitaleros and locals) was a truly humbling experience and totally has changed my life for the better. Social anxiety is mostly gone by now, and I now love to interact with people (most of the time), even changed my profession towards a more social one.
That and learning to love the heat. No idea how that happened. I had always hated heat and sun, didn't move at all when it was hot, and always stayed in the shade. I remember hot days in Andalucia, back when I was a kid visiting my grandparents, and how miserable I was, sleeping all day, only leaving the appartement to go to the beach, and at night. Now I even like to do extra long walking days on hot summer days, through the afternoon and into the evening. Weird.
Similar. When the reality of it suddenly hit; here we were, in the middle of Spain, having walked to where we were and now must continue walking to reach our destination.How the landscape unfolds in front of us and recedes into the distance.
Somewhere along the way, at the top of a hill: That I had walked from further than I could see, and that I was walking to a place further than I could see.
I think it is important to manage your expectations though. Just walk with an open heart, be a friend and let the Camino do it's thing.Thanks to everybody who has shared their thoughts to this post so far, and keep 'em comiing! Insightful, full of grace and humbleness... your reflections have raised my anticipation to new levels... At a time in my life when the 'same old routine' has become indescribably monotonous, and being surrounded daily by some of the basest of human instincts, I really need a chance to break the spell of this little world I live in....
I just finished my first my Camino in June and I want to buy a ticket already to go back. I really i'am surprised how much I loved it. I have never hugged so many people that I barley knew but felt like I've known them forever. Helped twice by local Spanish people when I had a problem with my back. While researching the Camino on this forum before I went, I always wondered why people walked more than one camino. Now I know!How much I loved it!
Love this because it got me thinking. I never looked back. Literally. My focus was always on the trail ahead. I need to think about that more. . .How the landscape unfolds in front of us and recedes into the distance.
Somewhere along the way, at the top of a hill: That I had walked from further than I could see, and that I was walking to a place further than I could see.
Do. Some of my most amazing photos were "behind" me.Love this because it got me thinking. I never looked back. Literally. My focus was always on the trail ahead. I need to think about that more. . .
yes, I have some beautiful photos from behind meDo. Some of my most amazing photos were "behind" me.
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