Walking the camino alone?

[Lie]

Hi,

I'm thinking of walking the Camino just on my one. Has anyone done this before? Would you recommend it?

Thanks for your advice!


Lie.

[geraldkelly]

Hi Lie

Loads of people walk the Camino alone (myself included) and personally I highly recommend it. But, the thing is, at least of the Camino Frances, it's very easy to meet other people and you won't be lonely if you want company. In fact I've heard people complain that they didn't find the solitude they were looking for on the Camino.

Gerald

[Lie]

Hey Gerald,

Thanks (2x) for your answer!

All the best,


Lie.

[Leslie]

Started off both times on my own and finished knowing a lot more people. The last time I finished I walked into Santiago with the woman I am going to marry this September. That still blows my mind.

And on top of that we are getting married in the St James church in Prague where she is from. No we did not go looking for the church it was just the local one where her parrents go.

Walking on your own can be fun and push you out of your comfert zone a little - not much only a little.

[Roseallee]

Hi Leslie,
Your tale warms this perennial romantic's heart! When in Sept. is the big day? If I am on the Camino, I will definitely toast your happiness. Then again, even if I am not started yet I'll hoist a glass anyway. All best wishes for your future happiness. Roseallee

[Leslie]

Thanks Roseallee,

5th Sep, in Prague even though we both live in Dublin at present. I have kept this subject pretty much off the forum and website for some reason. I don't mind sharing a lot of personal info, but sometimes it is too personal.

But now it seems okay to be talking about it. Anna and I met 4 years ago on the Camino Frances. We walked together for the last couple of weeks and then went back home. Her to Prague me to Vienna, at the time I had a year at Vienna university. I got used to driving from Vienna to Prague most weekends and then we moved back to Dublin together. It has been great and challenging. Different cultures and languages have added a lot of interesting problems to solve.

I am not the first to meet their wife/ husband/ partner on the Camino and I am sure there will be many more.

And right now I am writing this from a hostel in the Mourne Mountains in Northern Ireland. Yesterday we had an easy day walking and today we set out to walk / climb the highest peak in the North. The walking and staying in hostels continues, though last year in the Canadian Rockies it was walking for a few weeks and staying in nice hotels. That said we do private rooms now and not dorms like the Camino...

Enjoy
Leslie

[vjpulver]

Leslie what a wonderful tale of romance and love! Thanks for sharing it!

I am just back from walking my own Camino (alone, and I recommend it) where I met a delightful couple who met because of an interest in the Camino. They decided to walk it together and go togethr "to the end of the earth" (Finisterre) where their family was waiting for the nuptuals to take place. After the wedding the plan was to walk back east, into the light, to start their new life together. Sigh. How romantic is that?

I also heard of a couple who met in the line at the pilgrim office as they were recieving their certificates. The clerk assumed they were married and that is how they actually met. A year later they returned and were married in Santiago.

Romance is alive on the Camino.

As for walking along - I loved walking alone each day. And at days end I was elbow to elbow with a vastly diverse group or fellow pilgrims from all over the world. Sometimes there were language challenges of course, but I never really lacked for companionship, if I chose to engage.

I'm busily transcribing my journal notes to my blog...great way to process the experience and share it with friends...a few posts each day and eventually the whole story will be online! 8-)

Life is good...

[firesalamander]

Hello everybody,
Yes, I have travelled alone last November from Logrono to Santiago. And, yes, I can recommend it. Not only can you have company when you choose to, but you can walk at your own speed, think your thoughts and really be alone with yourself for quite a long time. An experience that I never made before, and I found it smashing. However, there was always good company in the albergues in the evenings.
Walking alone is really a good idea, go for it!
Buen Camino
Firesalamander