solo walker

[Sue Kenney]

Juel,

I walked in November and December of 2001, a single women. I left from
St Jean and it took 29 days in total to arrive in Santiago.

I was alone in a refugio for one night only. The woman in the village in
charge of the key, (it was near El Acebo) made sure that I was looked
after. A suspecting looking man with a dog arrived in the village
looking to stay at the refugio. The woman knew that I was alone
therefore put the man in the village church for the night. She found me
in the bar, and although I don't speak Spanish, she managed to
communicate that I should lock all windows, as well as the door and not
let anyone in. That night I slept with my Swiss army knife by my side!
Nothing happened.

Each day I was the first person to leave the refugio so that I could
walk alone under the Milky Way. Somehow I always felt safe. I remember
thinking when I was on the Meseta that if something happened to me here,
no one would ever know. I would just dissappear. Over time I became very
comfortable with the notion that no one knew where I was. That I was
completely alone. But safe.

Again, you are never alone on the Camino.

Sue