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What Was Your Biggest Mistake

markvanoss

New Member
This first-time pilgrim (leaving SJPP on May 19) hopes to learn from your experience!

What's the biggest mistake you made while preparing for the Camino? Having made the trip, what do wish you had known (that you didn't) before you started?

Thanks in advance for your good suggestions!
 
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That's easy!

OVERPACKING.

My first camino, after crossing the Pyrenees, I left behind a pair of shoes, 2 shirts, a compass, some toiletries, socks, books and sundry other items. I developed a very utilitarian approach to the weight I carried, and after I left behind these unwanted and unneeded items, my camino was lighter, happier and less compolicaated. When I've packed for my subsequent caminos I've been much more ruthless and my pack is lighter each time. It has made a huge difference and made it more enjoyabl!

lynne
 
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My biggest mistakes were:

* Taking my 'self' on the camino. (It took me about 500km to shed my skin and just 'be')
* Too much stuff. (In 5 pilgrimages I have honed down to the ultralight queen!)
* Not enough time for detours: (We walked the Frances in 27 days - no time for detours.)
* Avoiding the small, basic, traditional albergues. (My 'self' avoided any albergue where the guide book said, No beds, no running water, no electricity. On subsequent walks albergues like Hospital San Nicolas, Granon, Tosantos, San Bol been the most special, spiritual, blessed places to stay)
* Getting a bus to Finisterre. (I have walked it since then and would like to walk it every year!
 
Not getting the footwear right. I walked a section of the Camino from SJPP to Estella/Lizarra, about 110km, wearing Brasher Superlite boots without any foot problems.
The following year I walked final 100 km from Sarria to Santiago. But in between times i had my boots resoled and heeled. Within a couple of days the sole of my left foot seemed one massive blister. If you're carrying too much in your pack you can lighten it. If you're carrying an injury the only thing to do is grit your teeth and carry on or rest up.
 
Mmmh, good question!

Mine : not being prepared to meet such a huge number of people.
Arriving in Saint Jean, it was literaly a shock to me.
Also getting involved in a rush for beds.

It took me some time to get used to that.
Afterwards, it was really nice, and I realised that my camino would be one not of "complete loneliness" but of "meeting people", and that my way might be all about that (openness, tolerance, patience etc)
Also, I tried not to hurry at daytime to get a bed - there were always solutions - and from then on I just felt good.

The most "common faults" as to what I read before :
- overpacking
- not being trained (a minimum)
- shoes not broken in
But thanks to this forum, I could avoid these.
(So : continue to look for information here, there are so many people giving precious help)
 
St James' Way - Self-guided 4-7 day Walking Packages, Reading to Southampton, 110 kms
I guess the 2 biggest mistake most pilgrim makes are:

1. Overpacking
2. Shoes (too tight)

Which is precisely what happened to me the first time. Point one can be easily rectified, while the second is much harder and I suffer a lot more because of it.

So, for shoes, make sure you get one size larger to allow your feet to expand.
 
Great question, and most recognizable answers!!!

For my first Camino, I totally recognize overpacking (19kg :twisted: ) & wrong shoes, but I managed to combine it with trying (& succeeding :mrgreen: ) to keep up with someone (long & beautiful story, sad ending ;) ) the Camino put on my path. This brought me 25-30 blister after about 4 days, which stayed with me until Santiago.

Having said that, I would do it all again in an instant without changing anything, because it brought me so much more than just blisters, it was all part of my Camino. It taught me how strong I was for one, and how far I could push myself (good or bad).

So keep up the good work with your preparations, but despite of it (in my experience on both my Camino's), the Camino will give you what you need, and not necessarily what you want or expect... And hopefully, you'll love every minute of it!

Buen Camino!
Martin
 
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I've mentioned this before and there's a thread somewhere but, in a nut shell:

When I decided to walk the Camino I knew it all, had experienced every possible happenstance and covered all the bases. Although 62 at the time, I had the machismo of a twenty-something and the arrogance only a fellow Marine can truly appreciate.

Starting in SJPDP in April 2008, I met a fellow from Paris named François. I'd press on each day, bounding along...then wait impatiently for him to catch up. I can still hear his savvy litany: "Mon ami, ssllllllllllooooooooooooowwwwlllllllllllllyyyyyyyyy!"

I should have listened. By the downhill into Pamplona I started to develop serious blisters. On the top of the Alto del Perdon we encountered a downpour and then high winds....40 mph/64km...gusting to 60 mph/96km. We had to get off the plateau and quickly. My "quickly" resulted in my falling down the boulder laden trail, severely injuring my right knee. By the time I reached Estella and visited the ambulatoria...I was told by the Doctor to go home.

I did finish "my Camino" in Santiago some 30 days later thanks to Santiago who remained with me along the Way.

My biggest mistake was thinking that the Camino was just the next in a long line of hikes I'd taken around the world and previously conquered by doing it...my way.

The Camino will make and remake you each and every time you decide to walk the Way. And, when you complete the Camino...you will get home and realize the Camino isn't finished with you yet!

Buen "get your head out of your a...er, out of the clouds" Camino,
Arn
 
Arn said:
On the top of the Alto del Perdon we encountered a downpour and then high winds....40 mph/64km...gusting to 60 mph/96km. We had to get off the plateau and quickly. My "quickly" resulted in my falling down the boulder laden trail, severely injuring my right knee. By the time I reached Estella and visited the ambulatoria...I was told by the Doctor to go home.
Arn

Arn, I was 'on the road' at the same time as you, but back in France. I came online only rarely in France, so it was quite sometime after your accident that I heard about it, but then I was also glad to hear later that you had arrived in Santiago, despite the difficulties and the pain.
I hadn't realised that it was on the descent from Alto del Perdon that you had had your accident. I met, several times en route, an Australian/South African, who seriously dislocated his shoulder on this same descent. He knew of several others who had slipped on the same descent and injured themselves! So I guess you are not the only one who made this 'mistake'!

He was able to continue walking, but only by getting his baggage transported. I met him again finally in Monte de Gozo, with great joy that we both had 'made it'.
Margaret
 
"What we see depends mainly on what we look for."
John Lubbock
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
Leaving it so late to go on my first Camino....should have started years ago.
Imagining I could somehow manage or orchestrate my journey to deliver the Camino (I thought) I wanted.
and of course ....overpacking :oops: .
N
 
worrying too much about the weight of my pack-disgarding half my pack in 32c only to face rainstorms in Galicia wearing t-shirt and shorts
in fact worrying too much - will I find somewhere to sleep? will I die of a heart attack on the route Napoleon-will I fail!!
but the the biggest mistake of all was thinking I could tick the box and move on.
Ian
 
I think that many of our posts about our journey on the Camino leave the impression that it is easier than it really is. It is not a walk in the park for anyone. We tend to post about the good memories that we have of people and places and forget about the grueling and painful days.
I am about to start another Camino on March 14 and I am having a hard time remembering any of the hard days....only the good ones. I am sure I will remember soon :wink:
 
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€60,-
My biggest mistake was thinking that the Camino was just the next in a long line of hikes I'd taken around the world and previously conquered by doing it...my way.

The Camino will make and remake you each and every time you decide to walk the Way. And, when you complete the Camino...you will get home and realize the Camino isn't finished with you yet!

Buen "get your head out of your a...er, out of the clouds" Camino,
Arn

in fact worrying too much - will I find somewhere to sleep? will I die of a heart attack on the route Napoleon-will I fail!!
but the the biggest mistake of all was thinking I could tick the box and move on.
Ian

ALL so apt!! In our day to day lives, I'm not sure we really "get" how, what & why the Camino has in store for us - I think we think, what have we in mind for the Camino...but she has her own agenda for each of us and I think to go with a truly open mind and absolutely no expectations and the time to smell the roses.....remember "Life is a journey NOT a destination" I had a heart attack at the wee age of 40 (am now 44) so incredibly unexpected as in my mind I'm still 24 and am very fit & healthy....SOOOO life can throw you a curly ball - my philosophy now is to remember to smell the roses as the road can often be short! I'm really fortunate to have been given a 2nd chance - so I'm NOT rushing, NOT rushing for a bed, WILL take the odd detour and open myself entirely to "The Way" and HER way! :D

Buen Camino to ALL
Jacqui
 
What Was Your Biggest Mistake....

A great question and one of the best discussion threads I have come across on this forum. All of your collective candid insights are filled with both wisdom and humility. It strikes me that one could hope to gain little more as one answers the call to follow the Way. Thank you and may we do as well.
 
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Kialoa3 said:
What Was Your Biggest Mistake....

Packed too much.

Drank too little (booze, that is).

Should have smoked more cigars.

Ate too many "pilgrim menus."

Waited until I was too old and slow to keep up with some seriously enthralling womenfolk.

Should have went to Finisterra and Muxia.

Missed out on absinthe.

Didn't marry a Spanish woman so I could stay in Spain.

Didn't marry a European woman so I could stay in Europe.

But hey - hindsight is 20/20, and as they say...there's always next time! :mrgreen:

Buen Camino,

VT
 
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Arn said:
I'd say VT had way to much hind sighting on his Camino.

I can't believe I'm getting flak from a guy who couldn't resist the charms of foreign ports! :wink:

Despite being an "ugly American" goombah, I always stove to behave like a gentleman peregrino - even after many shots of orujo de hierbas... :mrgreen:

But seriously, I would not have been adverse to finding a spousal unit on the Way, because at heart I'm a one-woman guy, and despite the craziness of the world I still adhere to the concept of romance and a lifelong passionate relationship...so don't confuse me with a randy troop getting ready for libbo in Olongapo, sir! :wink:

Semper Fi, my friend!

VT
 
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you guys are a trip.

I think my biggest mistake was getting too caught up in the people I walked with. I made at least one lifelong friend on the camino, but I wish I´d spent less time with people I knew even then were trifling, and more time in solitary meditation.

Maybe next time will be different. Most important, though, is to keep an open mind. If something doesn´t work out, just keep walking and something else will present itself.

Reb.
 
Rebekah Scott said:
I think my biggest mistake was getting too caught up in the people I walked with.

As an introvert, I can dig that sentiment. Although I enjoyed walking with the folks I met on the Way, there were times I wanted to be alone so I could think things through and enjoy some solitude, especially on the Meseta. And after walking so far, it was tough wading through noisy crowds of compostela-hunters when I got close to Santiago.

If I manage to do the Porto route this year, I think I'll have more alone time due to its less popular nature. But I'm not adverse to meeting some cool peregrinos in moderation, either...:arrow:

VT
 
This is amazing, every man and their dog seems to have something to say on this thread. My biggest mistake was over packing, wrong boots, sole too thin, so could feel the stones, tying my laces too tightly, "trying to keep up with the Joneses" faster fitter people I had met. By my second walk none of these things were an issue, I had learned my lessons, but first time round I suffered unnecessarily because I did not know how to deal with my body and its needs. Regards, Gitti
 
St James' Way - Self-guided 4-7 day Walking Packages, Reading to Southampton, 110 kms
Rebekah Scott said:
If something doesn´t work out, just keep walking and something else will present itself.

Reb.

What sound simple advice. Life does not always conform to our needs of the moment, yet in time we always seem to get to where we need to be. Curious how this works.

Musing over my morning tea...
 
Mistakes :
Overpacking overpacking overpacking :oops: I believe this contributed towards my blisters and an injured hip I am still nursing months after the walk.

I should have worn my boots which had much better support than the pair of trail running shoes I wore.

Thin cotton socks as liners which I believe contributed enormously towards my badly blistered feet.

Wishes :
I wish I had been able to befriend more local people and Spanish pilgrims. I had not anticipated how limited I would be by my inability to converse and understand Spanish.

@Rebekah & VT : I was fortunate I befriended two lovely ladies at the start of my journey, and we "kept" company all the way to Santiago. We would decide the night before approximately how far we may wish to walk the next day, and where we may wish to stay. We would breakfast together, and set out together. As we walk fairly similar pace, we were always sort of a little ways ahead or behind each other (some days it may be a km or two). After an hour or two of solitary walking, one would stop to wait for the other, have a little bite and a chat, then continue walking, to eventually meet up at the intended destination. Somedays we lunch together. In this manner, we kept company and yet gave each other our desired solitute.

Buen Camino
Rebecca
 
RestlessRose said:
Mistakes :
@Rebekah & VT : I was fortunate I befriended two lovely ladies at the start of my journey, and we "kept" company all the way to Santiago. We would decide the night before approximately how far we may wish to walk the next day, and where we may wish to stay. We would breakfast together, and set out together. As we walk fairly similar pace, we were always sort of a little ways ahead or behind each other (some days it may be a km or two). After an hour or two of solitary walking, one would stop to wait for the other, have a little bite and a chat, then continue walking, to eventually meet up at the intended destination. Somedays we lunch together. In this manner, we kept company and yet gave each other our desired solitute.
Buen Camino
Rebecca

This is interesting for me. When I walked the Levante last autumn I was the only pilgrim for the first three weeks. This solitude was why I choose the route. It was very hard but very good. In many ways the best part of the pilgrimage.

Mistakes - many, but don't twist your ankle badly on the last training walk a week before you go. My entire foot was bruised and my ankle was weak when I set off!

Andy
 
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It is exactly six months since I began my first day walking the Camino Frances and I can remember much of that day. I started from Roncesvalles and made it to Zubiri the first day. I didn't know if I would make it any further. September was so crowded and I was so worried about finding a bed each night that I stopped too early. I wish that I had walked another hour or more each day as I found the afternoons and evenings long, But I kept going and so enjoyed the experiences and the journey. I wish I had been able to do it at a younger age, but then maybe it would not have been so fulfulling.

Buen camino
Gailsie
 
Simple question, complicated answer in simple words: forgetting the Camino is a Pilgrimage.
Buen Camino,
Jerry
 
The first Camino, my biggest mistakes were:

1. Overpacking
2. Being afraid to take a bus or cab (there was this "thing" about needing to WALK every step of the Way, which is silly to me, now.)

The last time I walked, my biggest mistakes were:

1. Not leaving my partner and walking alone about 6 weeks sooner! I second or third Reb's post about walking alone. The time I finally walked alone, I had the time to think and make some HUGE important decisions about my life.
 
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William Marques said:
Amen.

And slightly overpacking. The heaviest item was a bicycle wire-lock (350-400 grams) for locking the backpack when leaving it temporarily in restaurants, albergues, etc. It was NEVER used... :oops:
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
Hi Gitti,

I am seriously considering Via de la Plata (Sevilla-SdC) in the beginning of April 2011. But I can also feel the call of the Camino Frances once more... Anyway, a year to plan/consider. As Arn commented, I was hurrying too much (and I didn't even have a deadline/finish date constraint..)
 
Hi alexwalker

I have pencilled in March 31st next year to leave Sevilla on the Via de la Plata, so may see you on the way. I have allowed 40 days to reach Compostela, including 2 nights at Salamanca over Easter, and hope to reach Muxia 13th May. The dates all depend on getting the cheapest return flight from Sydney at around the end of March.

And my biggest mistake was not taking a corkscrew. In Australia even the iconic Grange Hermitage now has a screw-top closure, so they are not much used here any more.

Alan

Be brave. Life is joyous.
 
Alan Pearce said:
I have allowed 40 days to reach Compostela, including 2 nights at Salamanca over Easter, and hope to reach Muxia 13th May.

If you're going the Ourense way, this very tight schedule might be your next ''big mistake''.

The Via de la Plata is a treacherous lady...

Best of luck!
Jean-Marc
 
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Hi Jean-Marc,

Thanks for your concern! Since posting I have received suggestions re some other nice places to have lay-days and intend to incoporate these in to my [amended] schedule :)

buen camino

Alan

Be brave. Life is joyous.
 
Alan,

Maybe we should team up :?: :wink: I agree with the comment that it's a tight schedule you have, so I have no shedule: I just intend to walk the distance, whatever it takes. Actually, I will put some effort into not stressing.: The walk is the journey for me. And I will be walking the Plata all the way; not walking up north to join the Frances.

As said earlier, the Frances is calling very quietly, but persistently, on me, all the time. It is like being visited by a ghost... But I believe that walking the Plata could give a similar experience as the Frances, only longer, and at least as spiritual :) Who knows...
 
Hi Alex I too am tempted by the via de la plata, but worried about some of the long days, 25 to 28 is my absolute max. Have you thought of the Le Puy route? It was quite wonderful, not quite as moving as doing the Camino Frances, which has a very special strong energy about it, partly because of the numbers. I would love to do the Frances again, probably next year. Although I don't want to spoil my first amazing experience, bit scared it will be disappointing second time around??? Gitti
 
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I cant help weighing in here....

I did the usual - too much weight in the pack, blisters upon blisters (exacerbated by the pack weight, but would probably have happened anyway as I always get them!) For some reason, the majority of people with whom I made friends along the Way were much younger than I. So I gave up very early on trying to keep up with them. I am not a fast walker, and was even slower with the blisters so daily I sent them off at their own pace. Frequently we met up at the albergue later, but I was always the last to arrive - and I was fine with that. I got there and that was the most important thing. It is a terrible feeling to always be trying to "keep up" with someone or feeling that you are "slowing them down". So, walk at your own pace - arrange to meet up later and everyone can walk happily.

My biggest mistake was not writing - keeping a journal. I try to do it , but when I go back and re-read, it always seems so mundane, so ordinary. Then when I try to give it more depth, more emotion, to me it re-reads as trite and artificial. But now I'm sorry I don't have a written account of my daily feelings, sense of the Camino and the names of people and (more obscure) places. I often look at my photos and they bring memories flooding back so I think that a journal would be a good thing to have. Next time...

Buen Camino,
Deirdre
 
I think my biggest mistakes were not taking enough photos, I was concerned about the camera getting between me and what I was seeing/experiencing - now I realize photos bring back so many memories; and not being as sociable as I might have been. I am normally a fairly solitary soul, and I was determined to walk alone, but in the evenings I sometimes turned down invitations which in retrospect I feel made me miss out on fun and companionship :( .
Sandra :arrow:
 
Steve.Belfast said:
Not getting the footwear right. I walked a section of the Camino from SJPP to Estella/Lizarra, about 110km, wearing Brasher Superlite boots without any foot problems.
The following year I walked final 100 km from Sarria to Santiago. But in between times i had my boots resoled and heeled. Within a couple of days the sole of my left foot seemed one massive blister. If you're carrying too much in your pack you can lighten it. If you're carrying an injury the only thing to do is grit your teeth and carry on or rest up.

Thought Belfast was British !
 
Ideal sleeping bag liner whether we want to add a thermal plus to our bag, or if we want to use it alone to sleep in shelters or hostels. Thanks to its mummy shape, it adapts perfectly to our body.

€46,-
Clingy sil-nylon poncho, not stable in wind, not fully waterproof. Also, very hard to get on in real world conditions. I learned about my mistake in high wind and sleet on the Aubrac Plateau (the snow wasn't so bad). Now that's the way to learn a lesson!
 
Walking too fast, too far, too soon.

My first 4 days a couple of years ago on the Meseta were at a pace of about 30 km a day. Not the wisest move for someone who had done no previous physical preparation. Result:- Over the next couple of days, really bad tendonitis and an end to my Camino.

I could also mention buying a huge block of clothes washing soap from a supermarket when I got to Burgos. It weighed so much but I didn't think to cut it up.
 

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