Leaving today! Thanks to everyone on this forum

[joe]

I'll be leaving for Paris a bit later on today so I thought I'd come here and say thanks to all of the moderators and fellow members who have given great advice and tips about the Camino! I'll try to post on the forums when I get computer access just to give back some advice, along with my opinions of the Camino!

See you all soon, Joe.

[Covey]

Buen Camino Joe.

Enjoy!!

[grayland]

Good luck Joe. Just let it happen and you will have a great time.
Buen Camino.

[Leslie]

hope to see you back when you are finished Joe, Buen Camino.

[Anso]

As a new member I look forward to reading about your hard earned camino tips & tricks you've discovered on route. Good luck Joe, take it easy.

[BHinSanDiego]

Buen Camino Joem
Ultreya,
Barry

[Kris]

Buen Camino!

Kris

[freedom13]

Have a good one Joe..... and most of all enjoy it :-]

[Buffalo Girl]

I'll be looking for you out there Joe! Put a flower in your hat so i can see ya!

[ClaireB]

Have fun Joe - hope to see you along the way somewhere!

[joe]

Thanks again everyone, the support is really appreciated. I've just got to Bayonne and will be going to St. Jean a bit later on. I had a great time in Paris but I cant wait to start the Camino

[unadara]

Joe
If you have been reading here you will have seen Sandy's posts re the "completo" early full up alberques. Can you keep an eye out for any special towns that are full early. Raining and cold here in ireland today. Hope the sun shines on your Camino.

[joe]

I´m almost at Estella (forgot which town im in), but the albergues ive been to havent been full early, the main one in pamplona is big and clean, the one in rocesvalles is also big and clean, infact i havent seen a dirty albergue yet, ive paid from 6 euros to 10 euros for a room, some have free internet, others dont... some have wash machines thers have hand washing places (so definitely take soap tablets or travel wash gel)... unfortunatley for me it was really hot two days ago from pamplona and my legs got so burnt that they are now purple!! they sting and i have 7 blisters on my feet, but ive been able to push past the pain, ive found that after an hour of walking i forget the pain (unless going up steep hills), and the scenery is beautiful, and all the locals have been very helpful even though i dont have any spanish abilities, i was expecting them to be quite rude but they have all been nice. Ive met a few nice people along the walk, but i walk at different speeds depending on the weather or how tired i am.

One thing ive found is that some albergues dont offer breakfast until 8.00-8.30, which is too late to start your day walking, so you have to walk a few km before you can eat.... so i suggest taking cereal bars or bread and chocolate spread for breakfast!! and instead of coffee you have to get used to having water in the morning, unless there is a coffee machine

well, thats my camino so far, ive enjoyed it all even when i feel tired, so i just need to keep going

[cindy]

Hi Joe!

Just wanting to say it is great to hear from somebody on the camino. I can only speak for myself, but i am seriosly envious! Still have to wait for 113 days(but who´s counting).
I could get over the no-coffee-in-the-morning thing, but is it easy to refill with water? Up to now, how many hours would you go without being able to top up???
People keep telling me i shouldn´t drink to much (for fairly obvious reasons) but i still do!!
Anyway, enjoy the camino; the good ,bad and ugly...
Buen camino!(Bet you´ve heard that one before....)

[unadara]

Joe
Lovely to hear from you. You have not met the Canadian woman of your dreams yet ? The info you give is well accepted and I hope your feet adjust/recover...how many k you walking each day ? with anyone ? on your own ? keep in touch please..hope the sunburn heals, aloe vera good if you can get ?
Take care
Positives ?
You loving it ?
Una

[joe]

I slept outside on a mattress last night, i was late getting into one of the cities (9pm) and the albergues were full, so it was my own fault lol. Ive been walking alone mostly, and at the beginning i was drinking lots of water but now i dont seem to need as much (even in this heat, its 26c today), the first day over the pyrenees there are only 2 places to top up so take a lot for that day (i took 2 litres which was adequate), on the hot days take half a litre more just in case and on cooler days just take a litre, there are lots of places to fill up on the way... i have 30 seconds of internet left so i have to cut it there, goodbye for now

[Covey]

Joe, try the Covey Plan for walking. Start at first light when you can see the track clearly and finish around 2pm which gives you plenty of time for doing your laundry, having a beer or two, a meal and chat with your friends and then back to the albergue for bed.

Arriving anywhere at 9pm and expecting to find a bed is a very bad plan!

[Deborah]

I admire you Joe. Youre hanging in there. Soaking up the good and skimming over the not-so-good. I will be starting next week and Im sure youll hear my whinging and whining wherever you are.

[joe]

Covey i dont usually walk until 9pm but it was just one of those days i suppose haha. I dont like being up early though, everybody is up at 5.30 to 6.30 am and if im up at that time it means the road will be a little crowded. I like to stay in bed until they kick me out (usually around 8 or 9am) and then i start walking until about 3 or 4pm, the road still has pilgrims but not as many and not so busy! So i prefer getting there a little later (even if the sun is worse at that time), but i have plenty of time to do the camino and if i feel like stopping after 10 or 15km then i can, which is lucky for me i guess

[grayland]

Hi Joe...the only problem with starting later is that if and when you run into a crowded albergue it will be full. In March and April it is dark until about 8 am so not many start before that. That still puts you into the next place at about 2 or 2:30 depending how long you stop for lunch and how many coffees you stop for.

[unadara]

Hi Joe
You well I presume, where are you ? I couldn't stay in bed

[unadara]

Sorry i pressed a key and it replied for me-hard to stay in bed with everyone moving about, also if you in bed at 10 it is kinda time to get up! BUT I love the way you doing your own thing and walking on your own in the peace and quiet, it may get too hot to continue doing this ? Joe-would you not like to meet up and talk to others ? are you eating alone at night ? how is the "menu pelegrinos" (a mammy's question)! Enjoy.

[joe]

I meet up with friends and other pilgrims in the evening, so its no problem for me to walk later in the day. Im in Burgos now taking a rest day, the cathedral here is beautiful!! I cant afford to eat a peregrino menu every night but the ones I have had are really nice, and there are usually a lot of choices to choose from! On saturday i was travelling to St Juan and I got caught up in a thunderstorm while high up in the hills, it was about 6pm so I was the only pilgrim on the road at the time, but it was so exciting and scary, i could see the black clouds in front of me and the lightning bolts were so huge, things like this make me think walking late is better, you see a lot more when you´re alone. Ive walked with other pilgrims and you end up talking for most of the way, which distracts you from the beautiful scenery and wildlife around you. So i´ll stick to my guns and carry on walking later in the day. I havent had a problem getting a bed or a place to stay up to now (except for that one night i slept outside), there are so many albergues, and you dont have to stop at the recommended villages that your guidebook tells you to, there is usually another village with an albergue 3-5 km either side of each main village... and i like staying in those smaller towns, the main albergues are so big and there are so many snorers that you dont get a good sleep, and because there are so many pilgrims, a lot of them wake up at 5.30 and start to rustle their bags and walking around with their torches (which i find to be very irritating when you have only slept 2-3 hours because the snorer beside you kept you awake all night!). But yeah, im enjoying my camino still, tomorrow i look forward to walking the dreaded Meseta! But ive heard of very interesting albergues in San Bol so i want to walk it even if it is hot.

[BHinSanDiego]

Hola amigo, Joe or should I say Jose, sounds like you are having the classic Camino experience, meeting new friends, getting caught in the rain, dealing with snorers but loving it! Good to know you are doing well overall and got a rest day in Burgos. So keep walking and stay the course!
Altreya,
Barry

[ClaireB]

Hope you brought some warm clothes Joe cause Galicia is freezing! It´s been 10-15 degrees the last 4 days! hope you´re going well.
I´m in Melide tonight and going slowly so you´ll probably pass me at some stage

[grayland]

Better wear a feather in your hat so Joe can recognize you when he bumbles past.

[joe]

Im not even half way yet lol, i just got past Fromista and staying in a beautiful albergue/hostel... for an extra €5 euros i got a king sized bed and my own room... which is a huge improvement compared to sharing bunkbeds with 15 other people!! Its a little cold here too :/ whats wrong with spain?! Ive only had 3 really warm days and the rest have been cloudy and windy... and some have been really cold, rainy and thundering! I came expecting 25 degrees at least... i guess its a good thing because its a lot easier to walk on cooler days!

Buen Camino Claire! I know you´ll enjoy it, maybe i´ll see in Santiago :P

[unadara]

Joe
Let me know where the exact location of that bed is! and what time did you get up the next am?? Seriously weather here in east coast ireland very erratic too, lit a fire 2 nights last week, some sunshine..oh yes we got our summer last friday I forgot! Maybe Aug will be hot. You doing very well, how many days, kms per day ? feet ok ?

[ClaireB]

He he, I'm hard to miss at the moment; hobbling a grandma's pace with my hiking poles because a blister got infected
The private albergue at mercadoiro is really nice if you're looking for something around there: 10 euros per night and not too full as people continue on to portomarin. They do a great pilgrims menu too and the view is lovely
Buen Camino!

[freedom13]

Keep going Joe, well done.
I just got back from doing my Camino, Sarria to Santiago with 3 days to soak in Santiago itself [ with a day out in Finisterre, which was fantastic].
The weather was scorching for the first 5 days, but then got a bit overcast for 2/3 days [ it was brightening up for the last day or 2].
Had a great time, still trying to take it all in still, some breathtaking scenery. The mass in Santiago was something special, we even went back the following 2 days just for to see them swinging the incense burner [ fantastic]. Time to rest now.
Keep it going folks.