walking back

[Rosina Lila]

Hi Claire,
The first time I walked the Camino, in 1999, it took me exactly 33 days to walk from Saint Jean Pied de Port to Santiago.  The second time, in 2000, it took me 44 days to walk from Roncesvalles to Santiago (I purposedly lingered here and there). Both times I started out towards the end of July and finished in September. In 2001 I walked from Somport to Puente La Reina (loved it.... there were far fewer pilgrims there) and then from Ferreiro to Santiago, again during July and August. Last year I walked from O Cebreiro to Santiago, also in August-September. Some day I would like to go in early spring or late autumn.
Now, returning from Santiago Iberia will give up to a 50% discount to Compostela-holding pilgrims who fly from Santiago to another city in spain, and up to 25% discount to Compostela-holing pilgrims who fly from Santiago to another city in Europe. Just go with your compostela dna passport to the Iberia office in Santiago itself.
If non-European pilgrims had to fly to Madrid, or to Pamplona, or even Paris, to begin the pilgrimage, they can get the Iberia discount on the flight to wherever in Spain or Europe their return ticket establishes as the point of departure for their home country. (Most Canada, Mexico and USA pilgrims fly to and from Madrid). The original transatlantic, or whatever, ticket does not have to be via Iberia, although I imagine that it wouldn't hurt if it were.
Direct flights have been added to and from Lavacolla (the Santiago airport) to Seville, Valencia, Barcelona, Rome and even Venice.
Barajas, the airport in Madrid, has a post office; when I was in Santiago at the end of last year, I helped some German pilgrims translate their transactions at the Santiago post office; they were sending packages to themselves to General Delivery (Lista de Correos) at the Barajas post office.(!).
The taxis in Santiago, and Spain in general, are ridiculously inexpensive. The fixed fee to go from downtown Santiago to the airport is about 10 US dollars. Pilgrims can, however, take the number 10 bus at plaza Galicia (close to the Cathedral) and go to the bus station. From there, a bus to the airport costs about one dollar.
Regards,
Rosina