seeking a guide/tour company

[babigyrl5]

Hi everyone,

Through much prayer and contiplation I have decided to do a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela starting in St. Jean Pied de Port.

As I am a 26 year old American female with little spanish knowledge (just classes took in college), I would feel more comfortable with a guide or to go with a tour company. Also in case of blisters I cant fix myself (I read some posts on here about care and I dont fully trust my ability to heal a blister to continue walking lol)

The problem is, through my research I have only found companies that do walking AND driving tours. I want to walk the entire way.

Can anyone recommend a guide that is willing to walk with me, or even meet me at certain spots if they choose to drive? Or a company that does the tour by foot?

Due to my job, I can only travel October through January so I am looking at November 2010.

Thanks so much!

On a side note, for the past three and a half years I was looking at pilgrimages in Israel, Italy and Brazil. It wasnt until my Pastor, of all people, gave me the book "The Pilgrimage" by Paulo Coelho, I knew the Camino was the one for me.

If anyone can even find me a guide to take me through spiritual exercises like he did, I would love it even more

Thanks again!

[Covey]

When you walk the Camino, you will always have guides to help you along. The guides are the other pilgrims starting at St Jean the same day as you are.

You are never really alone on the Camino unless you want to be, and you will always find someone to walk with, maybe just for a few hours, or maybe for a few days.

The first three days are the worst for most new pilgrims. You are in a strange land, starting out on the adventure of a lifetime. You are probably not sure where you are going, what kit you really need, how to organize yourself in the Albergues.

By day four you are a veteran, you are out of your bunk and packed ready to start walking in 15 minutes, you have worked out how much food and water to carry, and at what pace to walk. Those who joined at Pamplona will be asking you for advice on how to organize their day.

You do not need a guide and I have never seen a walking one in three Camino's. The guides wiz around on the mini bus whilst telling their clients to walk.

Do not worry about books written by strange Brazilians, Shirley Temple or sundry German sports reporters. They are in the business of making money and for some, the Camino is a business.

You have already made the major decision in that you are going to walk the Camino. Be aware that 2010 is a Holy Year in Spain and double the usual numbers will be walking, culminating in July in Santiago. Go as early in October as you can, read the advice in this forum, and ask us all the questions you need.

Most importantly, have faith in yourself and your goal of standing before the tomb of St James in Santiago. You will make it, in the same way as hundreds of thousands have in past years. They all started with doubts and worries, but ended up dirty, tired and sunburned in front of the Cathedral in Santiago.

Most of all, you will enjoy it!!

[geraldkelly]

Hi Babigyrl5!

As usual Covey is the quickest draw in the West with the good advice. I can only second what he says. The Camino and its yellow arrows are all the guide you need. It will cross your path with people and experiences you'll never forget. Any good guide will just point you in the right direction and tell you to get on with it. Anybody who tells you you need me as a guide for this that and the other is just after your money.

I think Coelho's book is genuine but I agree with Covey that most of the others are just cashing in (including the people who write the guidebooks).

Whatever you expect to find or learn on the Camino you'll probably end up finding and learning something completely unexpected. And don't fall into the trap of using a book as a user manual because it's your experience that's important not somebody else's.

Hope that helps! You're certainly planning in advance! I've met people who only heard of the Camino 3 days before they set off and they did fine. So don't worry.

Gerald

[Covey]

All you need is to read Geralds Guide from the link in his reply which is the best practical pilgrims guide I have ever read!!

Forget the glossy guides and the supposedly serious books about the road to enlightenment, all you really need is there, and for those questions you need an answer to, just post on the forum, and get all the practical advice you will ever need.

I was very lucky in that my first experience of the Camino Frances was when my son who was walking it phoned me up from Spain and asked me to join him for the Sarria to Santiago final leg. It was only 4 days/100kms but that taught me what I needed to know about the practical matters of surviving the Camino trail, and the next year I went back to start from St Jean, and the next, and...........

There are a couple of important points to remember about walking the Camino.

Firstly, there are no prizes for coming first! You walk the trail at the speed you feel comfortable with. You rest when you want, stop to look at an interesting building when you want, eat when and where you want and take a siesta if and when you want. With a tour party you follow what the guide says you must do or the rest of the group wants to do. This is your Camino, and you will do it your way.

Secondly, you will meet people from all over the world doing all sorts of unusual things. Two years ago on the road up to Roncesvalles I walked around a bend in the road and a large group of Koreans burst into song!! I assumed that they were impressed by my military bearing and style, only to discover that they were singing a hymn to the rising sun which was just appearing on the horizon. They were Catholic's from Korea who form the largest religious group in that country. If I saw a group of people singing a hymn to the rising sun in London, I would think it somewhat strange. On the road to Roncesvalles, it seemed perfectly natural!

People walk the Camino for all sorts of reasons. Some for the spiritual experience, some because it is there, some to lose weight or keep fit or some just because they want to get away from the day to day pressures of life and have time to think about where they are going in life. Whatever the reason, I have never met anyone who did not think they went home a better and happier person.

[babigyrl5]

Go as early in October as you can

Thanks for your quick reply! Why do I need to go early Oct? What happens if I wait till later?

[babigyrl5]

Thanks for the advice!

Im soooo hesitant about going "alone" even though other people will be around me. I dont even think my parents will feel comfortable with that.

Ive decided to convince a friend to go with me

[Leslie]

Thanks for your quick reply! Why do I need to go early Oct? What happens if I wait till later?

It gets very cold in the mountains and snows. But that would be dec to Apr usually.