competition for beds

[Barry Sloan]

Ana, and all,

This is Barry Sloan, not Barry Evans, the gifted photographer.

To answer your question, Ana, I spent around 7 nights in hostals or hotels.
This was less than 1/4 of the total nights spent on the Camino.  Yes, I
chatted with many other pilgrims to get the experience.  Most of my "best
times" were spent walking along having a lively discussion, or at mealtimes
in one of the many great bars or restaurants along the way.  You travel in
little pods of people, according to your pace, and are usually within a day
or two of the people you started out with.  Whenever I did stay in other
accommodations, I always offered my bathroom to some of the ladies I was
walking with.  While I was at a nearby bar, having a drink and catching up
on my journal, they rotated through my bathroom according to some system
they devised.  They enjoyed the break from the normal refugio bathroom
routine.

Elyn mentioned that she would probably have been a hermit in The Middle
Ages.  This is true for me as well.  I don't enjoy crowds as much as I do
quiet.  I have extensive experience as a backpacker and this probably
overshadowed my Camino perceptions somewhat.  Whenever I backpack, I try to
get away from it all, not trek from one crowded spot to another.

While there may be a certain power in the community experience of walking
the Camino together, I was after the solitary time to think through some
things.  That is why I felt the Camino was too crowded this past July.  Of
course, the Camino is for everyone, and anyway you choose to do the Camino
is a personal choice.  But I didn't like seeing fellow pilgrims who I had
walked 600 kilometers with being turned away because some group with a car
pulled into town, parked, strapped on their packs and hiked to the refugio.
Yes, this happens, and it takes a lot of internal strength not to say
anything.  Because I didn't like looking at other pilgrims as taking up
valuable bed space, space I felt was earned by others, I chose to seek other
accommodations.  This allowed me to let go of those negative feelings
towards other pilgrims and enjoy the many other good parts of the Camino
experience.

Barry K. Sloan


 -----Original Message-----
From:   Road to Santiago Pilgrimage [mailto:GOCAMINOaPETE.URI.EDU]  On Behalf
Of Ana Young
Sent:   Sunday, November 18, 2001 2:54 PM
To:     GOCAMINOaPETE.URI.EDU
Subject:        Re: competition for beds

Hi Barry,

It sounds as if you did a really positive thing in
finally deciding to let go and go with the flow within
yourself, so to speak, by simply staying in hostales.
One question, though: Were you able to stop in any of
the albergues and chat with the pilgrims to at least
get that experience? I understand that at some of
them, you can stay and chat for a while (and even eat
with them if you contribute) before going to bed. I
did for a little bit at Sarria and enjoyed it, then
went "home" across the street to a private room when
the night was over.

That way I felt I didn't miss out on anything...

Saludos,
Ana

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