Who will I meet out there? May, June 2011, Nervous.

[Corina]

Greetings!
My name is Corina and I'm from Australia. I will be walking the Camino Frances in May and June starting from Roncevalles (I'm frightened of the Pyrenees). Is anyone else planning to start around that time?
I've been uber confident about this so far but now I'm worried that I'll miss my train, won't find beds, will carry too much, get blisters and get lonely. I'm hoping that I won't have to walk the 20km + stages in my guidebook as I'm not that fit and hoping that I'll be safe as I'm travelling alone. Looking forward to meeting such a great group, though. Please pray for me.

Buen Camino (nervously),
Corina.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Look at each worry and honestly evaluate it. You miss a train. Can you handle that by taking another train? You fall behind schedule. Can you take a bus or taxi? You get a blister. Do you know enough first aid to handle it, or can you get to one of the frequent health centers for treatment? Once you are confident that you have a viable solution to any problem you encounter, do not let them mass together again to overwhelm you! Baby steps. Most of life is simply taking the next step. Ignore the feelings of pending disasters. They probably are only in your mind.

Enjoy!

 

[Arn]

Corina...welcome to the Forum and the Class of 2011!

I'm sure it won't be long before your "encouragement" bucket if filled to overflowing...especially from past, present and future Aussies who have, or will soon be sharing their Camino stories.

May I suggest that you take a gander at the following:
1. The Pilgrim FAQ at the top right of the page. Mucho info on the most asked questions on the Camino.

2. The Pilgrim Calendar on the bottom right. Here you can see who may be on the CF at, or near the same time as you.

3. Lastly, the SEARCH box in the upper right. Put in a word or words and POOF...a cornucopia of info.

Soon you will be walking (slowly at first) the Way. Keep us in the loop when you arrive at an internet site and tell us all...when you got your first blister, when you arrived early enough to get the lower bunk farthest from the toilet...and whom you've met. When you get home...stay involved with the Forum so that you can offer sage advice to the next "nervous" newbee.

Buen Camino

Arn

 

[ffp13]

You may get blisters , you may get tired, you may miss your train, but you won't get lonely , that is unless you choose to. Worrying can be worse for you than the event you are concerned about, have a plan if it happens, then forget about it,

What date do you start?

Beun camino

Frank
Melbourne

 

[nancyk]

Re: Walking with a teenager

I'm thinking of walking part of the Camino with my 18 yr old grandson who is having a difficult time seeing anything in his life in a positive light. He is sometimes sullen and angry and at other times interesting and charming. My thought is the Camino and interacting with other pilgrims may help him get out of his self absorption. Someone recently said that walking the Camino is similar ro mediation. Any thoughts on the mental health of teenagers and the Camino are welcomed.

 

[Anniesantiago]

Relax, it will be fine.
The Camino will take care of you and all your needs!

You say, "I'm worried that I'll miss my train"

I missed MY train!
It was one of the most wonderful adventures of the entire trip!
I meant to go to The Peaceable Kingdom and I went to Vigo instead.
I wouldn't have missed that trip for the world.
The scenery coming back (on the free train the Spanish railroad guy provided) was spectacular!
He laughed as he told me many tourists and pilgrims make this same mistake!

Remember, if the Spanish train schedule says 5:05 it does NOT mean 5:04 or 5:06.
::laughing::
But if you get on the wrong train, enjoy the ride.. the Camino will be waiting!
Have fun!
Relax!
There are NO RULES!
Buen Camino!

 

[sillydoll]

Nancy - you could contact Dimi at ALBA (formerly Oikoten) the Flemish group that have been taking troubled youth on the Camino for over 20 years. They have had incredible success with their youngsters and many have been kept out of facilities after walking the Camino. I've attached an overview here but it needs updating. Visit the website at http://www.alba.be/
dimi.oikoten@alba.be

 

[revrenjen]

Corina--

I made a similar post so I know exactly how you are feeling about being lonely.

I start May 11 from SJPP--the Pyrenees scare me, too, so I'm staying overnight in Orisson. I hope we meet up. As for your other anxieties, I haven't worried about missing a train, though I have been obsessing about blisters. Bedbugs have recently moved to the top of my personal anxiety list, but who knows what I'll be fretting about by the time I leave!

But oddly enough, I'm not worried about making it (short of getting sick or injuring myself, also on my list of anxieties!). If the distance gets too great, I have given myself permission to take a bus or a taxi. I've planned in rest days, and if I need more, I'll rest more. I spend my entire life rushing from place to place--the one thing I refuse to do is rush through this.

Hope we meet along the way--we can compare how reality is stacking up to our fears.

Buen Camino (also nervously)--
Rene
Omaha, NE USA
Omaha

 

[dislp38]

Things will happen. And I too, missed my train. I was suppose to take the last train from St Jean Pied de Port from Paris to Bayonne and then Bayonne to St Jean.
While in Paris trying to get to my train on time the following things happened:
I miscalculated the time it would take to get the VAC from my hotel to the station,
I got on the right metro and thought I was going to make it on time only find out the metro was broken down and not going anywhere.
When I emerged in "Les Halles" I emerged into one those famous Parisian demonstrations that happen in Spring time.
Walked six blocks to find a taxi and then was stuck in traffic because of the police getting into their riot gear and trying to hold back the demonstration.
I made it to Bayonne and spent the night.
Missing trains happens. There were a few days that I was lonely too. That will happen. But I had a wonderful experience despite those experiences. I wish you a Buen Camino as well.

 

[skilsaw]

Re: Walking with a teenager

I'm thinking of walking part of the Camino with my 18 yr old grandson who is having a difficult time ...

How does he feel about doing a Camino with you? If he doesn't want to go, the trip may be dreadful for both of you. If you do go, let him be involved in the planning and preparation... picking his backpack, suitable clothes, etc. (Many teenagers walk the camino in blue jeans and do just fine.)

My 24 year old son has been having difficulty since finishing highschool. I've been planning an 1100 km bike ride for some months. Yesterday, on the spur of the moment, I asked him if he wants to come with me. The answer was a positive and enthusiastic yes.

We have backpacked before and taken weekend bike trips but never anything this big. I'm hoping the daily requirement of looking after himself and getting from A to B will help him focus on the tangible mundane facets of life and encourage him to keep his esoteric world in proportion. Not that I want him to give up dreaming, just to not let it dominate his life.

At 18, your grandson is old enough to look after himself. Allowing him time to walk alone, if he wants, or you walking alone will be very important for you both. It is pretty difficult to get lost on the Camino Frances, and you could pick from the guidebook an albergue where you will meet at the end of the day.

From my observations, youth on the Camino tend to flock together and have a party attitude. Older pilgrims with more life experience use the opportunity to re-arrange the pieces of their life and see it more clearly.


Good Luck to you and your grandson, whatever you choose to do.

David, Victoria, Canada

 

[Canuck]

Well spoken David. Couldn't agree more.

Go for it Nancy!!!

Jean-Marc

 

[nancyk]

Re: Walking with a teenager

Thank you for your words of advise. Guess I'll throw out the idea to him and see what he thinks. Take care, all you kind people.

 

[Beverley]

Hi Corina, just a note to put "Who will I meet out there" in perspective. When I did the Frances in 2009 people came into my life daily. Most went on faster or walked slower meaning they were not with me every day. I met 2 wonderful women, one from Denmark and one from New Zealand who I met up with last year and we walk a second Camino. At the end of our Camino Frances, 17 of us met up in Santiago and gathered for a beautiful parting lunch. Of that 17 pilgrims, 13 countries were represented. It is still a lovely memory.

May the Source be with you
Buen Camino

 

[sharondb]

Hi Corina, I'm from Melbourne and I walked from St Jean to Santiago last year in May and June. I can honestly say it was the best time of my life. I'm walking again this year starting in Pamplona on May 18th and walking with 2 friends I met last year on the Camino. I had lots of doubts last year, mostly nerves about getting there, getting a bed, what would I eat, but I never had any doubt that I would finish. This year I can only get a limited time off work so am walking from Pamplona to Leon as I feel the Camino hasn't finished with me yet. Still have doubts this year, same ones actually. Nervous energy will probably keep me going. I hope I see you along the way
Buen camino

 

[wawpdx]

Greetings!
I've been uber confident about this so far but now I'm worried that I'll miss my train, won't find beds, will carry too much, get blisters and get lonely. I'm hoping that I won't have to walk the 20km + stages in my guidebook as I'm not that fit and hoping that I'll be safe as I'm travelling alone. Looking forward to meeting such a great group, though. Please pray for me.

Buen Camino (nervously),
Corina.

Corina,

The funny thing is that all of those things will happen to you, in one form or another, and you will be okay. In fact, they will become some of the stories you tell when you return home. For me, the gift of the Camino was a sense of trust rather than worry.

"Stages" are just one person's way of chunking up the distances. On the Camino Frances you usually have many options about how far walk each day. You are the only person who can say what is right for you. Personally, I think it is important to decide from the beginning whether your intent is to walk every step of whatever final distance you can manage or whether your intent is to arrive in Santiago this time. Then honor that choice. I only got as far as Fromista my first summer so that's where I started the next time. I also think it is important to be aware of some landmarks along the way so that you feel a sense of progress. Standing under the metal sculptures of pilgrims on the journey, seeing/hearing the chickens inside the church, putting a pebble from home at the base of the cross, all of those gave me a sense of arriving rather than endlessly continuing.

The most important thing you can do right now is to get your pack weight down to 10% of your body weight. 10% That is the hardest piece of advice to stick with on your first Camino. I weighed every single item, even my passport. I left home my favorite shorts because they were heavier than the lesser option. I still brought too much. Be ruthless.

Listen to the advice to deal with foot problems right away. If you think you might be getting a blister, stop, take off your boots and put on some protection. Lonely? "Blisters" is a no fail conversation starter. :shock:

When you start walking in Roncesvalles you will easily develop friendships as you meet and chat with people who quickly become familiar faces. It is a wonderful feeling to arrive in a small refugio and realize that you "know" most of the people there. But, once you take a couple of rest days you get out of synch with that loose grouping and you have to start all over again. Or perhaps, you continue on and your current walking mates head home or have to deal with injuries.

I do think that being lonely might be under rated on this forum. Walking alone, if you are not extroverted, you may find that you spend more evening meals than you might wish for, eating by yourself. Always pick the refugios that have communal meals. While you are actually walking, you will not be lonely.

Try to stay in Granon and also go to the vespers service. When I stayed there, we prayed for the pilgrims who had stayed there before us and we in turn left our names for the next pilgrims to pray for us as we continued on our journey. I don't know if they still do that but you will feel cared about in this refugio in a way that is different from all of the others.
Nancy

 

[rherstell]

Heya,

Im a Kiwi also, and I am starting from logrono on the 27th Arpil. I dont If we will cross paths, but If we do, I would be happy to have someone to have a lovely conversation with!

If not, Best of Luck!