12/06/2024 – Walking the walk BONUS POST

Being 1 week “out” from Santiago, we’ve been discussing lessons so far: eclectic but heart/foot felt!

1) Prevent blisters rather than deal with them. The 20% urea cream emergency repair did the business, but stung intensely. The 10% urea cream we are now using, if applied diligently in advance, would have headed them off altogether.

Never ignore hot spots.

Socks matter - definitely double-layered. We met pilgrims who swear by “Armaskin” socks.

2) Interrogate the itinerary. We took the stages as given, relying on the agent as expert. A few tweaks would have made a lot of difference. Only 2 rest days from 39 walking is too few, and rejigging the stages especially from Leòn to Astorga would have made space for experience: not statements of regret, but a recognition of the richness of the region, particularly from Leòn to O Cebreiro.

3) You forget the negatives, quickly. We slugged our way through the Maseta, ached our way to Leòn… But, you remember it the way you feel in the moment. As we feel stronger, we project that back on the previous stages. This is good, but makes learning lessons a tricky, slippery thing.

4) Every Camino is different. Take what the day, the road offers. I/We haven’t seen the moon or the stars this time, but we/I have shared the road. Weather, season make a great difference too. This Spring Camino has different colours, scents, moods from the Fall one.

5) Don’t burden the Camino with your expectations. We met many people “looking for something” through/in the experience. It will change you physically. It may or may not change you mentally, or provide direction/clarity. But, it IS a chance to step into a pocket universe and simply be there for the duration. Accept that the only thing that might be different when you get back is you, maybe.

6) You will always overpack and also omit things. We had one bag, 15kg each, for 2 months in Paris in the winter, the walk, and Madrid. We thought we had pared it down, but we will go home with t-shirts, socks unworn. It’s ok – we are “slackpacking” with a bag transfer. Meanwhile, walking sandals (what the Aussies call “thongs”) made a big difference (and did to me last time, see 3 above), but never occurred to us… A contingency budget is important.

7) There is no “right way” to do it – except geographically getting from A to B (even then, there are many alternative routes). Walk, ride, smell the lavender, stop at every café, stop at none, be alone with your thoughts, create a “Camino family” and stay with the pack… People will come and go and tell you tales, tall and short. The only criteria for an “authentic Camino” are your state of mind and boundaries. You get to set those and change those at any time, just because. It’s your journey.

8) If you’re on a bike, please, get a bloody bell