Woman walking Camino for first time starting March 29th 2015

[thecatalanway]

hello I am setting off on this adventure in a couple of weeks time. I have always wanted to walk the Camino to Santiago and this is my year to do it! I will be starting off from Roncesvalles (I live in Spain so this seems the natural place to start). For the first week my partner will be with me and then I will be alone apart from another week when my sister is coming to join me. After that I will be alone. I have to admit that I am very nervous - reading so much information here that my head is spinning. Every time I get my packing list sorted, I read something else that suggests I need more stuff. My recent dip into the bed bug conversations freaked me out totally but today I decided that I can't let something that is still only a fear, stop me from coming and enjoying the road. I don't want to bring extra sheets, chemicals, bags, fears..... so I hope I am not being naive but am going to concentrate on the magic I am hoping to encounter on the way.

It is incredible the fear I can generate by getting too concerned about 'what stuff to bring'. Is this normal?

Hoping to meet you on the road if you are also about to set off!

Kate

 

[Deleted member 3000]

For the first week my partner will be with me and then I will be alone apart from another week when my sister is coming to join me.

That is a great strategy for taking it easy! Just as the pains for the first week are going, you will need to adjust to a partner that is in that first week. Accommodate your sister's level of fitness, and you may have two training weeks at the start of your journey.

I read something else that suggests I need more stuff.

Read the posts that say you need less stuff. I tend to find they contain better advice. If you don't start with it, you can always buy it.

 

[SYates]

hello I am setting off on this adventure in a couple of weeks time. I have always wanted to walk the Camino to Santiago and this is my year to do it! I will be starting off from Roncesvalles (I live in Spain so this seems the natural place to start). For the first week my partner will be with me and then I will be alone apart from another week when my sister is coming to join me. After that I will be alone. I have to admit that I am very nervous - reading so much information here that my head is spinning. Every time I get my packing list sorted, I read something else that suggests I need more stuff. My recent dip into the bed bug conversations freaked me out totally but today I decided that I can't let something that is still only a fear, stop me from coming and enjoying the road. I don't want to bring extra sheets, chemicals, bags, fears..... so I hope I am not being naive but am going to concentrate on the magic I am hoping to encounter on the way.

It is incredible the fear I can generate by getting too concerned about 'what stuff to bring'. Is this normal?

Hoping to meet you on the road if you are also about to set off!

Kate

If you already live in Spain, the most logical starting point would be your own home, time permitting.
You don't need more stuff, you need stuff that has multi uses. Post your packing list here and we help to figure things out.
Bed bugs are only a problem if you bring them home or if you are highly allergic to their bites. Otherwise they are just a nuissance.
Don't pack your fears, pack only your needs, not your wants.
And yes, you are normal!
Buen Camino! SY

 

[Mike Savage]

Welcome Kate! I think you have a good handle on things and there is plenty of advice here too. Buen Camino!

 

[wayfarer]

Welcome Kate, what you describe is perfectly normal Camino butterflies, after you take the first few steps they all fade away.
Buen Camino.

 

[thecatalanway]

Wow what a lovely and quick response! Thank you all.
I thought it would be lovely to walk from home - near Barcelona - but it is something I would only consider with a companion. I felt my first one should be on a well worn track with support available. I have never walked alone like this before although my daily (dog) walks were usually alone apart from my four footed friends.
So the Camino Frances it is. I feel great about it during the day but in the middle of the night worries and fears get the better of me. I have several friends who have done it and they are reassuring. My friend today said she didn't come across any bed bugs and she told me more about the magic of the experience which was what I needed to hear. I said to my partner last night, half joking, 'I feel I am going to spend five weeks walking on bleeding and painful feet, in the wind and the rain, passing by mounds of human excrement, being attacked by wild dogs and never getting any sleep because of snoring and bed bugs!' why do I want to do this??

QUESTION I will post my packing list - that is a great idea. Should I do it here or in some other more appropriate packing place?

Thanks for telling me I am normal - I keep telling myself - it is just a very long walk! Relax! And at least I do speak Spanish so I don't have that worry.

And yes I am glad to have two weeks to break in.... it is very exciting

abrazos a todos

Kate

 

[SYates]

Walking from your home in Barcelona might actually cure you from your fears permanently. Especially as you do speak Spanish. Really, walking alone isn't such a big deal at all. We women have, over the years, often brain washed that we are the weaker part of humanity. In truth, we aren't we are just as weak and strong as anybody else. You could walk up from Barcelona and join the Camino Frances in Logrono ...

Yes there will be negative experiences on any Camino you chose. And so what? Life is like that and without the negative ones you wouldn't appreciate the positive ones half as much. Noting tastes better than a hot sugary tea, for example, after a really cold rainy day. Oh, and forget about the wild dogs, they are a myth.

Packing list: Best to open a new thread in the gear/equipment sub-forum here, that way it doesn't get overlooked and buried in another thread.

Un abrazo para ti tambien y buen camino! SY

 

[Chacharm]

I think the best represented demographic on the Camino is women walking alone. I wanted to do the Camino for 25 years and didn't because I couldn't even entertain the idea of doing it sola. The very first day out I saw how silly I had been. You'll make lots of friends and be able to enjoy the best of both worlds.
There were a couple of Korean women who spoke no English who were pacing us on my Camino. They would stop ON THE PATH, drop trou and pee and use a tissue and drop the tissue and walk away. After a few days of picking up their tissues my son and I approached them and he showed them the bag of tissues we had collected. I smiled and made a no no sign and it stopped. That was the worst I saw regarding human waste.
We never came across a dog we needed to worry about. Not once.
The big worry that most people have about packing lists are due to traveling so far from home. It is difficult and expensive to send stuff home, missing something means having to buy it. But you are not in that boat. You don't need to pack for life off the Camino as well, either. You'll be with one person in the beginning who can carry home stuff you don't need and you'll see someone after a bit who can bring stuff you might need. You can easily send stuff home of have stuff forwarded to you. You really have no worries concerning your packing list.
I neither encountered bedbugs nor met anyone else who had during my April/May walk. Once we reached Santiago one of the young people I had spent some time with on Camino showed me some bites - she was terribly allergic and had been staying in a free, PACKED albuergue. I think they are a greater concern in the really warm months than they are earlier in the year. Use Permethrin. Take the normal precautions.
I was not walking on a tight budget. If I walked into a too busy albuergue or thought it didn't look particularly clean or had too few bathrooms or whatever I simply found a decent hostel/hotel. Some nights I just wanted a little privacy or needed a night off from the snorers and early morning rustlers.
Are you worried about crossing the Pyrenees? You're so close - why not start in St Jean Pied de Port? That time ranked high on my most beautiful days list.
I know a woman who is from a town about 25 km from SJPP. She lived all over but retired to her hometown and spent years thinking about doing the Camino. Finally, in her mid 60s, she walked the Frances. She has walked some route, or some portion of a route every year since.
The bottom line is that every problem you might encounter you can find a solution for - and for you finding that solution will be a much simpler business since home is so close! Impossible to leave all stress behind, I know. But honestly - you're going to be fine and you're going to have a wonderful time!

 

[diverdan]

Just decided to try the again Camino again, probably the end of April. I know I had a lot of angst prior to beginning the first time in the Fall 18 months ago. I must admit, for me (male age 60), the best decision I made was to go it alone. I liked the freedom and one always has the chance to meet others for a bit. Also people along the way are so helpful, always asking if you need a bandage or something if they walk by and you are sitting there working on your feet! I met so many woman, of all age,s who were walking alone, many who had started in Germany, Switzerland, and Holland. Just like when I travel in India, or Southeast Asia, I am always impressed with the number of woman who are traveling for long periods of time solo. I did meet 5 ladies at different points along the Way who related how they had started walking with a life-long female friend only to find out that they were quite different and parted ways after only a few days. Several told me they might not ever see their old friends again!!

Unfortunately, the bed bug issue is real. I had encountered them one time prior to the Camino (not good). For several reasons I avoided the albergues, so did not have that issue. I know some people think that a silk liner can be protective but I know a lady who was attacked on one of her eye lids and could not see for a week. Packing is always the biggest issue. Due to back problems I had to try to pack very light; however, I realized as I went on I still packed too much. I was walking the trail in 20 days and after about two weeks I left my hiking boots at a hotel along with some other clothes and stuff and finished in light trail running shoes and a total pack weight of about 5 kilos or less. There are places to buys things if you come too light. One thing I also really appreciated on the Camino was how helpful the pharmacists were..... and the "trail angels" who seemed to just show up when you were lost or needed help.

Finally, as I wake up early I probably walked 40% of the Camino in the dark, often beginning between 4:00-5:00 AM. Beautiful stars, peaceful, critters on the trail, and sunrises! I never encountered any major problems. Once a dog about the size of a small bus was sitting in the middle of the trail in the dark. He just stared at me as I walked by. I did get lost in the thick fog a time or two, and also there was a time when I needed the "trail angel" who appeared out of nowhere walking his dog and he informed me I had made quite a wrong turn. Even a couple young drunk Spaniards who were leaving a bar at 4 AM helped me find my way. They thought (knew) I was crazy. I learned that walking very early in the morning, especially on the parts of the trail by major roads is nice as Spanish people do not get up early. No cars! Once, I did meet a lady who had a had started at 3 AM one morning as she needed to do 60 km. She seemed not to be too worried about walking alone in the dark.

Worrying enough to plan and to get in shape is good. Once you are there you will have to just take each day, one day at a time and go with the flow. You will have your own unique and rewarding experience. Best of luck!!!

 

[Mike Savage]

Welcome diverdan and Buen Camino!

 

[thecatalanway]

Thanks for such a brilliant reply!

I feel reassured that there are so many women walking alone.

Impressed that your son carried those tissues so long! And I agree that so often people do things without thinking and we only need to point them out, no need to get in a big stew about it.

Packing is hard whereever I go so I know this anxiety is just that - pure anxiety. This time it is important to get it sort of right and yet as you say, I have the perfect situation where I can both get more stuff brought over or send extra things back.

I need to look up what is Permethrin and what are normal precautions...apart from the common sense ones of making sure a place is clean and trusting your eyes and instincts. I can't imagine me examining every mattress in every room.

i too can stay in a hotel if I need the break or want another type of sleep.

we won't start till Roncesvalles. I don't want the first day to be so hard as I have an ankle injury from the past and I want to ease myself into the long walking. We will come back later together and do that bit.

Thanks for reminding me I am being a worrier - once the walk begins I will get carried along naturally from day to day. I always find planning something too closely makes me anxious - I like to prepare but then to trust that all will be well.


thanks again for your time!

 

[thecatalanway]

Love the idea of trail angels - I hope to meet many and perhaps even to be one!

Travelling light - yes I hope to keep it to 6kg but perhaps like you I will end up tossing stuff out and going on with less.

I love the thought of walking really early and experiencing the sunrises as well as starry nights. I am generally a late riser but I am hoping to change this on the Camino. In some ways the rustlers and early risers will be welcome to me as they will wake me in time to make a good start.

when you left early what sort of torch did you have? Or did you use the moonlight?

thanks so much for taking the time to reply- I do appreciate it and am feeling better after all the support I have got here

Kate x

 

[thecatalanway]

Sorry I think I muddled up my replies there but I hope you both find the ones that were sent to you Chacharm and Diverdan!

also Buen Camino diverdan!

 

[diverdan]

Love the idea of trail angels - I hope to meet many and perhaps even to be one!

Travelling light - yes I hope to keep it to 6kg but perhaps like you I will end up tossing stuff out and going on with less.

I love the thought of walking really early and experiencing the sunrises as well as starry nights. I am generally a late riser but I am hoping to change this on the Camino. In some ways the rustlers and early risers will be welcome to me as they will wake me in time to make a good start.

when you left early what sort of torch did you have? Or did you use the moonlight?

thanks so much for taking the time to reply- I do appreciate it and am feeling better after all the support I have got here

Kate x

I used a headlamp. It was very light and small and bright. There are many types available.

 

[DurhamParish]

I need to look up what is Permethrin and what are normal precautions...apart from the common sense ones of making sure a place is clean and trusting your eyes and instincts. I can't imagine me examining every mattress in every room.

Before each Camino, I spray my backpack, sleeping bag, and pillow case with permethrin. I've never had a problem with bed bugs. Not sure if it were the permethrin, or just the lack of bedbugs to begin with, but I've never had a problem.

 

[RobertS26]

First time pilgrims pack about 5 pounds of fear in their backpacks by taking things they think they might need. You should only pack those things you will absolutely need without a doubt every day. If you leave something at home that you end up needing you can buy it along the way. Spain is not a third world country. Millions of people have walked the Camino in the past decade. The Spanish are great hosts and they are ready for you. There are plenty of stores along the way where you can pick up anything you need. Worst case scenario is that you have to take a 10 Euro taxi ride to the nearest store to grab something. The typical scenario is that what you need is at the next bodega or a fellow pilgrim has an extra one to share with you. Trust the Camino and it will provide.

 

[NualaOC]

Buen Camino Kate, it sounds as though you will be fine! Last minute nerves are totally normal and they will disappear as soon as you are on your way. One of the great joys of the Camino is that when you get up each morning, all you have to think about is putting one foot in front of the other and starting your walk. The things we worried about before we left home can become quite unimportant.

As others have said, bring less rather than more. My experience was that the 'just in case' items were the things that I didn't need (with the exception of the head torch).

Enjoy the adventure!

 

[Chacharm]

Thanks for such a brilliant reply!

I feel reassured that there are so many women walking alone.

Impressed that your son carried those tissues so long! And I agree that so often people do things without thinking and we only need to point them out, no need to get in a big stew about it.

Packing is hard whereever I go so I know this anxiety is just that - pure anxiety. This time it is important to get it sort of right and yet as you say, I have the perfect situation where I can both get more stuff brought over or send extra things back.

I need to look up what is Permethrin and what are normal precautions...apart from the common sense ones of making sure a place is clean and trusting your eyes and instincts. I can't imagine me examining every mattress in every room.

i too can stay in a hotel if I need the break or want another type of sleep.

we won't start till Roncesvalles. I don't want the first day to be so hard as I have an ankle injury from the past and I want to ease myself into the long walking. We will come back later together and do that bit.

Thanks for reminding me I am being a worrier - once the walk begins I will get carried along naturally from day to day. I always find planning something too closely makes me anxious - I like to prepare but then to trust that all will be well.


thanks again for your time!

I am the same way. Over -prepared, uber-prepared...and always over-burdened by my covered bases. This might be the easiest lesson anyone ever had in paring down! Lucky you!
Honestly - my son was sch a doll! He picked up every scrap of trash we passed - I was very proud! Every morning as we left the albuergue he asked for or found a bag to gather trash. He won't be with me this time so I will do it in his honor. The walk out of Pamplona is lovely too. You really cannot make a wrong move.
Buen camino!