You say you're gonna do what???

When I tell someone about my plans to walk El Camino, I usually get some variation of these two responses.

Cool!
or

Why???!!!???!!!

The "why" I talked about in an earlier post, though I am still meditating, praying, and pondering this question.  I am sure I will continue to meditate, pray, and ponder about it many time  over the next few months, and probably long after I am home.  

But I also get some "how" questions, and I thought I might talk about some of those.

Are you going alone/Are you going with a group?  I'm walking most of the way by myself.  Rick will join me for the last 60 miles from Sarria to Santiago.  El Camino Frances is the most popular of the many pilgrim routes and has the most peregrinos (pilgrims), which is one of the reasons I'm walking it. From reading El Camino books and internet forums, I gather that peregrinos tend to link up into small groups with others whose interests are similar and who walk about the same pace--in my case, slow!  So while I can walk by myself if I'm feeling a need for some alone-time , I probably won't have to walk by myself most of the time.

How will you find your way?  El Camino is well marked, using yellow arrows like this

(I think the dog is optional.)  You can see another at the beginning of my blog.  I also have a guidebook with maps and directions. 

Will you be walking on a trail?  Some of the time I will be walking on a trail, 

some times on country lanes, 

and  some of the time, especially going into large cities, I'll be walking along the side of a busy road.

 

Where will you stay?  There are special accommodations just for peregrinos.  These are called refugios or albergues.  They are sort of like a youth hostel, but often even more basic.  There are bunk beds, with shared toilets and shower facilities.  Some are very nice, some not so nice.  Almost all of them are unisex, which means sleeping in the same room with 10 or 20 or 50 or even 100 of my new best friends (think of the night sounds!).  Something tells me I will never complain about Rick's snoring again.

What will you eat?  After walking 12 or 15 miles, whatever the heck I want!  There are towns and villages along the way where you can buy food for a picnic, or with places to eat.  Some restaurants have special pilgrim menus.  One problem is that the Spanish eat late and peregrinos get up early!   Food may require a little planning ahead, but shouldn't be a problem.  And since Spain is part of the EU, clean drinking water is readily available.  At one place along the way there is even a fountain that dispenses free wine!

 

I'll answer some more "how" questions in other posts, but please let me know if you have any specific questions.  I would like this blog to be a sort of dialogue, if possible, as I look to you, my friends & family, for support in my big adventure.  (I wish these pictures were mine, but all the El Camino pictures I'm using in the blog are off the internet.  I will be bombarding you with my pictures when I get home in July.)