[Gocamino] Re: weather, gadgets, guides, and Providence

[Richard Ferguson <peregrino at att.net.]

I had an interesting comment from a friend of mine, with whom I have traveled abroad.  He was astounded that I flew to Spain with zero reservations.  He knows that I plan most things in great detail, including day by day detailed written trip plans.  (I had done a lot of reading about the camino before I left, so I was not flying blind.)

I think that I was trusting to providence in this case, and engaging on pilgrimage in a different spirit than my other trips.

My experience was that I had my adventures, despite the guidebooks, and the important things that I learned were from when things went totally not according to plan.

As far as the pilgrim who tried to cross the Pyrenees in bad conditions, the biggest error was probably not turning around when conditions became difficult.  When things start to go wrong, you need to abandon your plans, have something to eat, and come up with a new plan.  It is a common error for people to hold onto a plan, when it is obvious that the plan is breaking down.  Just this week I was on a trip where we agreed to cut the trip short when it became apparent that we were going more slowly than we had planned.  Sometimes the new plan is a lesser goal, or abandoning your goal, but sometimes it involves admiting that you are in danger, and focusing on saving life and limb.  If you delay admitting you are in trouble, you just get into deeper trouble.

Richard


 -------------- Original message ----------------------
From: Rebekah Scott <rebrites at yahoo.com>
> 
> 
> I don't mean to "rain on the parade," and I marvel at the high-tech internet 
> camino things (obviously...we are here now, no?) but having lists of internet 
> sites, weather map links, packing lists right down to brand names and models, 
> satellite telephones, accomodations booked in advance, and The Perfect Shoes all 
> figured out in advance...Where's there room for faith in divine providence? 
> 
> Call me old-fashioned, but I think part of the fun of an adventure is the 
> ADVENTURE..the NOT  knowing what's up ahead, the unknown, the chance that 
> something will go wrong/you might get wet/you might have to sleep outside. I 
> read through these pages and I understand the excitement of gathering all the 
> stuff together, the anxiety over maps, the wondering if you'll make it, all that 
> expectation. 
> 
> It's hard not to overplan. But remember, this isn't a holiday trip. It's 
> supposed to be a little risky and strange and flexible and grubby. If you're 
> worried about the weather, getting a bed, sanitary toilets, what kind of food is 
> available, etc., maybe you should just book into an organized trip with all 
> those details taken care of for you. 
> 
> Pilgrimage is minimalism, lightweight, take-it-as-it-comes travel that lets your 
> mind empty itself out. I am not judging people who need to accommodate illness 
> or infirmity, but I wonder if the added assurance of all the extra lists, 
> gadgets, and guides will somehow subtract from the Camino's adventure aspect. 
> 
> Reb.  
> 
> 
> Rebekah Scott, periodista
> Westmoreland County bureau
> Pittsburgh Post-Gazette USA
> 		
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