5 things I wish I had known (part 2)

[Charles Clasen, Training Path]

Here are comments on the points outlined in part 1.

1. Budget I had gathered it was possible to do the 
Camino for 2000 ptas a day, so I had budgeted 
30 days x 2000 ptas a day. In fact I spent 3000-3,500 a day, 
and used nearly all my reserve fund as well. 
So to compensate I had to do more kilometres a day,
in orderto arrive in Santiago with some cash still in my pocket. 
This clearly altered the way I experienced the 
Camino, and my 30 days were reduced to 24.

How did I spend 'so much'? Travelling alone, I decided that my body 
needed at least one cooked meal a day, i.e. 'menu de peregrino'. I 
expected this to cost 1000, 1200 ptas. For every menu which 
cost 1000 ptas, there were three which cost 1200 - 1500. 
Breakfast, budgeted at 250, usually cost 375, occasionally 500+.ptas. 
Buying fruit, yoghurts etc. usually came to over 500 ptas.
Refugios/albergues cost 500 or more. Where donativos were expected I 
always gave 500, or 1000 if they provided supper or breakfast.
Add in Compeed, antiseptic, postcards, stamps, buying a long-sleeved 
T-shirt en route, and so on. 


Yes, I could have kept it under 2000 if I had been happy to eat 
bocadillos during the day and cook for myself at night. I did not want 
to eat bocadillos every day for a month (besides they sometimes cost 
800ptas) and buying food to cook means buying uneconomic quantities.
In August, most refugios fill quickly and and I frequently slept rough 
(and was happy to do so) - so I couldn't cook anyway.

In January 2002, the Euro currency is introduced. People planning 
journeys after this date can expect prices to be rounded up, and should 
be advised to familiarise themselves with the euro exchange rate.
If it were of interest, I would be willing to type up a detailed 
breakdown of expenses, and send it on request.

2. Footwear
As it happened, my feet would not tolerate my trekking shoes, and I fell 
back on my 8-year-old Birkenstock sandals. I nearly sent the shoes home 
in Burgos. My point is that in dry weather, most of the Camino from 
Pamplona to Santiago can be done in sandals. (Now I know why Franciscan 
friars have always worn sandals.) There was only one short section to 
the village of Acebo where this did not apply, but before it began there 
was a sign advising cyclist to continue on the road. As for Roncevalles 
- Pamplona, I guess shoes are preferable.

In the six weeks I was doing practice walks for the Camino, my new shoes 
were fine. At the end of Day 1, my feet refused to go 5km further in 
search of a refugio which was not full, and on Day 2, they advised me 
after only 10km, that it might be better to treat the day as a rest day. 
Thereafter, there was not one day where my feet were comfortable.

3 Showers.
The refugios which charge 500 ptas a night charge 300 ptas for access to 
showers and washing facilities. Otherwise donativos.

4. Toilet roll
On the first day, I felt for a North American who was stuck in an 
albergue toilet without the Spanish necessary to ask for some toilet 
roil (papel higienico). Whether you find paper available or not seems 
subject to the laws of lottery - or the number of people who have been 
there before you.20

5. Return journey
The Iberia offer certainly applies to European destinations. I do not 
know about transatlantic ones.20

Having focused for weeks on getting to Santiago, it was a surprise to 
learn I could not get out. Sleeper trains were booked solid at least 
'til Sep 3, and the earliest flight I could get on Monday afternoon was 
Thursday evening. Even direct bus services to Barcelona were full and I 
ended up returning via Madrid - 18 hours!

Buen camino a todos, and especially to Howard Murphy. (Howard, I am so relieved you are starting from Pamplona: All the time I was coming down from 
Roncesvalles, I was wondering how on earth you would know which sections 
would be impossible to negotiate by donkey cart.)

Charles Clasen
www.trainingpath.com20



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