[Gocamino] Lori Volking

[Jethess777 at aol.com]

As a health care professional, I can truly say that no one boot/shoe is going 
to cut it for everybody.   I think that it's very important to go to a place 
where there are people who know how to fit you with footwear.   Tennis shoes, 
walking shoes, hiking shoes, boots, even sandals have been worn and those who 
will try it barefooted (my own grandmother did it that way in 1910 to the 
summit of Monte di Sant'Angelo on the Gargano peninsula, Italy-- the Italian 
equivalent of Le Mont St.-Michel in Normandie, France).   I have a wide foot and a 
Vasque model was presented to me which was far more comfortable than any of 
the others I had tried beforehand.   I was so satisfied within a few weeks of 
wearing them every day that I bought and broke in another identical pair.   I am 
a former Army officer-- spent 22+ years in our military and know that the 
comfort or discomfort of one's totally body is often dependent on the status of 
one's feet (anyone who has ever marched in the field can tell you that).   I 
would never tell anyone not to bring moleskin along, BUT much of the need for it 
could be prevented by having well-fitting footwear.   I was fortunate in that 
I have one of those types of jobs that I could wear the boots intended for 
the camino on-the-job and during my walking regimen for months beforehand.   I 
carried a package of moleskin and a micro pair of scissors to cut it.   Never 
needed it-- hiked about the same distances in and around both Porto and Paris 
after the hike, although minus a rucksack, and never developed any problems.   
I will say that my total sustained time using boots to that degree amounted to 
slightly less than half the number of days needed to hike in from SJPDP.   
Whether I would have needed it with another 2 weeks of walking, who knows for 
sure, but I still think that my chances would have been greatly reduced by 
having an item that fit me well.   
If one needs to start hiking in or near SJPDP, one should get to Pau or 
Biarritz, and Ryanair has these flights from Stansted.   Easyjet is useful if 
starting from closer in to Santiago, as it has flights to Bilboa, and Asturas.   
There are also cheap flights to Porto along the Portuguese route and into 
Madrid, from which train service is readily available.   
-Joanie