Santiago Pilgrimage

[Sharon Brown]

Hi Mary,

Sharon from Australia here. I did the camino in late April 2003 and it took
me six hours plus to walk the Pyrenees route. I trained down from Paris,
Gare St AUsterlitz, late train. The website that I used for train travel was
bahn.hafas.de and www. sncf.com. Both had very invaluable  information.
Feel free to e-mail me off line at sharon.brownadefence.gov.au.

Sharon
Oz pilgrim 2003
----- Original Message -----
From: "Pat Harrison" <Pilgrim_OCDSaATT.NET>
To: <GOCAMINOapete.uri.edu>
Sent: Sunday, 15 February 2004 1:54
Subject: Santiago Pilgrimage


> Hello All:
>
> I am new to this email list.  I am writing to help me make a decision
about doing the Camino with my husband this year.  Right now, I do not feel
that I am in good shape and don't know if the next four months of getting
into shape would be sufficient to do the Camino.  My husband has his heart
set on doing the Camino and I don't want to disappoint him. Yet, I am 55
years old and aware of my limitations. If we went, we would leave on May
23rd and fly into Paris.  We would start the pilgrimage in St. Jean.  I have
reservations about hiking through the Pyrenees.
> Could someone give me an idea of how rigorous the hike through the
mountains would be to get to Roncevalles?
>
> Also, in reading various email threads, I learned that 600,000 to 900,000
people are estimated to do the Camino this year.  Another concern is about
sleeping accomodations.  I don't really want to sleep on the floor of a
Refugio if there are no more beds available or sleep on the ground under
some tent that the Spanish army would set up.  Did anyone do the Camino in
1999 when St. James feastday fell on a Sunday, too?  If so, what were the
crowds like, what does one do if there are no sleeping accomodations?  It is
the unknown that is causing me to have anxiety.  Any information would be
beneficial to help me make a decision.
>
> Thanks very much!
>
> Mary Frances Harrison