[Gocamino] A Camino Completed!

[Wes & Rita]

I wanted to let all of you know that after one attempt to walk the camino that had to be canceled when my back went out (September 07), and a second attempt that was cut short after two and a half days of walking because Wes had a pulmonary embolism from the plane trip (September 08), we started our third attempt on May 1 and walked every day for 39 days, reaching Santiago on June 9.  We had an incredible experience (and incredibly wonderful weather till the last 2 days in Galicia).  We were slow, walking 12 -14 miles a day.  But we started at 6 am in the cool of the day and arrived at our albergue after 6-7 hours of walking and, being so early, never had to be concerned about finding room (we were usually among the very first to arrive).   

Thank you to all of you who gave us advice over the years preparing for this (Sil, Grant, Glenn, Rebekah, Upstate NY, and so many others).  We did take Caroline's taxi from Pamplona and we stayed at the most wonderful Esprit de Chemin in St Jean Pied de Port.  Best quote that guided us well:  "No one ever said they packed too lightly for the Camino."  We packed really lightly, had only a silk sleep sack and never needed a bag as only 2 places didn't have blankets (Roncesvalle and the monastery in Leon) and then we just added our fleece layers and were fine -- body heat generated by so many peregrinos kept us warm.  Someone on gocamino had written to us long ago "trust the camino," and though that didn't work for everyone we met along the way, it actually did for us, so thank you.    

To pass on some thoughts:  We stayed at albergues every night and only had one really terrible albergue the whole time -- the one at Alto do Poio.  It simply wasn't clean and there was a really awful smell surrounding it.  I recommend avoiding it -- go on to the next town where there is a really nice looking new one.  We stayed at a number of Xunta de Galicia ones that other people had recommended against and found them to be clean and  fine (and only 3 euros).   

We also found the woman at the albergue in Rabe de la Calzada to be extremely unpleasant (the albergue is in her home).  She kept us waiting long after the time on the door for opening, then had us come inside in groups according to languages spoken (at least I think that was what she was doing) and so we waited a long time again. When we finally were beckoned with another English speaking couple, she left the room and we waited for more than 20 minutes again.  When she came back she asked people inappropriate questions about where they came from and where they were going the next day and how were our feet, informing us that she will tend to them (despite the fact that we told her we didn't have any foot problems).  But when she told us that it cost 20 euros each (!) and that included dinner and I said we didn't want the dinner, could we just pay for the bed, we were informed that that was not possible.  We got up and left at that point and went to the bar in town and asked if there was any other place to stay.  Vincento at the bar said his brother had a place for 8 euros each and after we said "great," Jose Maria came for us in his car to drive us the few streets up to the top of the town where we had a little room with 4 other peregrinos and Jose made us a wonderful little dinner with whatever we wanted to order, which we ate outside on the patio.  We recommend this albergue if you are going to be staying in Rabe -- just stop in the bar and ask Vincento about it!

In Burgos we found that the albergue mentioned in our (dated) guide book was closed and happened on a new albergue on Calle San Pedro de Cardena at the church Parroquia San Jose Obrero (across the river as you enter town).  It is one of the religious albergues, all donativo, with mass and dinner and prayer meeting after, then breakfast in the morning.  It was a beautiful modern place with two bunk beds in a room, nice storage compartments and bedside lamps!  (A palace of an albergue and we highly recommend it).  These religious albergues (in Estella the Albergue Parroquial at 18 Mercado de Viejo, in the church in Grannon) that offer a pilgrim dinner are really wonderful and the spirit of the peregrino community really comes alive in them.

Biggest unexpected problem -- toward the end many people were suffering from tendenitis and other pains from overuse.  After four weeks we might have thought we were home free, feeling stronger, no blisters.  But people around us were swelling up and having to stop for 3 - 5 days for rest (and icing and anti-inflammatories).  So our advice is to pay close attention to what your legs are telling you and stop walking before it gets worse!   Take a rest day and/or shorten your day's walk.

Again, thanks for all the good advice over the two years of planning -- we had the experience of a lifetime.

Buen Camino

Rita and Wes