Hello again, ail --
I am in the throes of planning my first Camino -- due to certain constraints I cannot begin until, at earliest, 2014 . When this idea first surfaced last fall it seemed impossibly far away, but now six months have passed and Ive realized just how fast time moves by -- Ive been working on getting back into a level of fitness that would allow me to enjoy the trip rather than simply surviving it, slowly beginning to acquire some new gear for the journey (my wife says its an excuse to buy new toys , but what's a man to do? Carry my six pound expedition pack down a road for six weeks? I think not! heheheh), and planning my journey -- I originally intended to set out from SJPP but now I am seriously considering beginning the journey by taking the Camino Aragones. While the starting point has changed, the ending - as i see it - has not.... I will stand on the "Right Shore" of the Atlantic and deposit the little shell Im going to tote from Florida.
By the way, with all of the Aussies around, does anyone know of a place to rent a surfboard once I get there?
Ive been thinking about time a lot lately. The length of time available to me has never been an issue. I teach school, so summer break has always been my goal. Take a weeks' built up vacation time and start in mid/late May and take six-eight weeks to complete it...Im in no rush.
Recently, however, Ive been considering an earlier start. Begin in Spring break (Mid March) and take a weeks' paid vacation. Ive checked with our school district and its perfectly permissible to take the balance of the time as unpaid leave of absence. The only part that concerns me about that little scheme is the unpaid part, eheheh. Ive discussed this with my wife and she's surprisingly supportive of this whole idea (though not supportive enough to agree to walk it with me - along with our then to be eleven year old daughter), no matter what season I intend to take my (first) Camino. My daughter is of the opinion that I go in Spring (I think she relishes our "daddy-daughter time" in the summer and does not want to give up surfing with pops due to the fact that her insane father is walking 800+ km through France and Spain, heh).
There is an additional advantage -- I would be in the midst of my pilgrimage on Easter Sunday. Somehow this strikes me as being a bit significant...
The only kicker is that I would have to save additional funds in order to offset the lost income. This would delay my journey by a little less than a year (Spring 15 instead of Summer 14). but it is a delay nontheless and the Camino's pull is very strong on my heart...
Would the advantages of a Spring journey offset the additional months of waiting? Or is the crowded frenzy of a Summer journey worth it in itself? Hopefully some of you have experience with both seasons (especially in regards to the Aragones).
Thanks in advance to this wonderful forum.
James
I am in the throes of planning my first Camino -- due to certain constraints I cannot begin until, at earliest, 2014 . When this idea first surfaced last fall it seemed impossibly far away, but now six months have passed and Ive realized just how fast time moves by -- Ive been working on getting back into a level of fitness that would allow me to enjoy the trip rather than simply surviving it, slowly beginning to acquire some new gear for the journey (my wife says its an excuse to buy new toys , but what's a man to do? Carry my six pound expedition pack down a road for six weeks? I think not! heheheh), and planning my journey -- I originally intended to set out from SJPP but now I am seriously considering beginning the journey by taking the Camino Aragones. While the starting point has changed, the ending - as i see it - has not.... I will stand on the "Right Shore" of the Atlantic and deposit the little shell Im going to tote from Florida.
By the way, with all of the Aussies around, does anyone know of a place to rent a surfboard once I get there?
Ive been thinking about time a lot lately. The length of time available to me has never been an issue. I teach school, so summer break has always been my goal. Take a weeks' built up vacation time and start in mid/late May and take six-eight weeks to complete it...Im in no rush.
Recently, however, Ive been considering an earlier start. Begin in Spring break (Mid March) and take a weeks' paid vacation. Ive checked with our school district and its perfectly permissible to take the balance of the time as unpaid leave of absence. The only part that concerns me about that little scheme is the unpaid part, eheheh. Ive discussed this with my wife and she's surprisingly supportive of this whole idea (though not supportive enough to agree to walk it with me - along with our then to be eleven year old daughter), no matter what season I intend to take my (first) Camino. My daughter is of the opinion that I go in Spring (I think she relishes our "daddy-daughter time" in the summer and does not want to give up surfing with pops due to the fact that her insane father is walking 800+ km through France and Spain, heh).
There is an additional advantage -- I would be in the midst of my pilgrimage on Easter Sunday. Somehow this strikes me as being a bit significant...
The only kicker is that I would have to save additional funds in order to offset the lost income. This would delay my journey by a little less than a year (Spring 15 instead of Summer 14). but it is a delay nontheless and the Camino's pull is very strong on my heart...
Would the advantages of a Spring journey offset the additional months of waiting? Or is the crowded frenzy of a Summer journey worth it in itself? Hopefully some of you have experience with both seasons (especially in regards to the Aragones).
Thanks in advance to this wonderful forum.
James
