What to prepare for in late April/Early May?

Hi Lizzo...welcome to the Forum!

There is a raft of info on the Forum. May I suggest you check the following:

1. The Pilgrim FAQ at the top right of the page.
2. The Class of 2010 to see whom else may be walking the Way at the same time
3. The Camino Calendar at the bottom of the page will also show whom is walking, from where and it also lists key events along the Way.
4. There's also a "search" capability at the top right. You can enter a keyword, such as: "food", "refuge Leon" and it will search the Forum and return links.
5. Another great resource is:

http://www.mundicamino.com/

Hope that helps,

Buen Camino,
Arn

You will encounter crowds, particularly toward the end from Sarria onward. One strategy would be to plan short days and stop early, around noon. Since many albergues do not open until 1500, you might have to wait, but you will get a bed (much to the annoyance of the pilgrims who walk until 1600-1700). It takes about two weeks to walk from Leon to Santiago (11 to 14 days), so if you plan 10-15 km days and walk for nearly three weeks, you will walk relaxed and have plenty of time each day to sniff the flowers, and you will stop in many of the smaller towns that others walk past.