Category Archives: My First Camino

Would I do this again? Yes!  I will probably do the French section next from Le Puy to St Jean Port de Pied which is also 800k. Then the Portuguese Camino, then from Switzerland, and then tackle Norway. After that…Did I mention the Camino can be addictive? When? I think spring and fall for theContinue reading “Final Thoughts”

   There was a street party last night lasting well after 3 a.m. It had to be locals as pilgrims were too tired and used to being in bed by 8 or 9. Yesterday, the BBC website had an article on drinking a Galician special drink called the Blue Fire. Drinking it after a specialContinue reading “Day 34, Santiago, Nov 1”

Byron and Melita were quiet as church mice and I woke to the only sound they made – the closing of the door as they left around 6:30.  What a great feeling to sleep between sheets. Mats and I are off to a slow start. I let him sleep until 7:30 and we were onContinue reading “Day 33, Brea to Santiago, Oct 31”

A day to break all records! First, I am sleeping in a bed with sheets! A pair of sheets, I.e. One on top of me and a sheet below me! In a real bed, not a bunk bed. And it is a double size mattress. Whoppee! And there is towels for the shower! Real towelsContinue reading “Day 32, San Xulián to Brea, Oct 30”

We had chosen the albergue closest to the Camino coming and leaving town, but 7 am found us having to hike an extra .5k into town and back for coffee. But in the grander scheme of things, what is 1k extra? This was the earliest we had ever started out and all because my watchContinue reading “Day 31, Portomarín to San Xulián, Oct 29”

Goodbye shoes. We had aimed to stay at the monastery at Sarria but after going up and up through the old town we stopped near the top, and the end of the town and had decided to go no further and walked into the next albegue. It was perfect. We got our own room withContinue reading “Day 30, Sarria to Portomarín, Oct 28”

We choose to take a longer route via a river and past a Benedictine monastery. And extra 6 k but more scenic and less steep. At some point I find myself far ahead and when on a steep part of the trail I stop to check behind to see if I see Mats or Linda.Continue reading “Day 29, Tricastela to Sarria, Oct 27”

The German volunteer turned on the lights at 7, a not so subtle hint to get up. Five minutes later she was checking each bed to make sure people were awake. Another five minutes and she was examining the white walls alongside each bunk bed with a sticky piece of tape. I saw her pressContinue reading “Day 28, La Faba to Tricastela, Oct 26”

We left Villafranca and soon ran into Dave and his new girlfriend who were walking very slowly. He seemed very happy to see us and I overheard him say he was going to walk with us to get some exercise. She soon called him back and adjusted her sweater which was hanging from his packContinue reading “Day 27, Villafranca to La Faba, Oct 25”

In which Liz and Linda make a run for it, breaking out of an albergue in the middle of the night. Brace yourselves for this blog post: it’s a doozy. Grab a coffee or a glass of wine (or for you Mum, a G&T….maybe two).  At 7 am, there is a major discussion going onContinue reading “Day 26, Ponferrada to Villafranca del Bierzo, Oct 24”