Do take care of your feet
My biggest mistake. I decided to grab the first pair of trail runners that fit and hit the tarmac. It took my toes nine whole months to heal from this mistake. Make sure you break your shoes in ahead of time. Socks are key, get merino wool cushioned socks (quick dry) and check out sock liners as well. I’ve recently been introduced to toe sock liners and I’ll never go back. Keep your feet dry, bring a pair of dry socks to change into on rainy days. If you do get a blister, keep it dry and clean. Invest in some blister bandaids (called Compeed in Europe), you can grab them in any pharmacy along the way.
Don’t overpack
A heavy pack will be your downfall (literally, you’ll be falling down the mountain from packing those unnecessary outfits) Make sure you actually need everything in your bag, and check out my full packing list on here or YouTube if you need help.
Do carry cash (and coins)
The Camino operates on cash. Many albergues and cafes are cash-only. I don’t like to walk with large amounts of cash, so I’d stop in each big town for ATM withdrawals. Not everywhere accepts cards, but everywhere accepts cash.
Don’t set an alarm: (if you’re gonna sleep through it)
No one wants to be that person or sleep next to that person. It’s probably the worst thing you could do on the Camino. One time this lady woke up our entire albergue at 4 am…everyone except herself. It’s all we talked about the following day. One snooze and you’ll never be forgotten. I never had to set an alarm, I was always woken up by the sound of everyone getting up around me. Public albergues want you out of there before 9 am so you don’t have to worry about oversleeping–they won’t let you. If you find you need an alarm, set it to vibrate only.
Do bring earbuds/earplugs
The rumors are true, the snoring on the Camino is hardcore. My earplugs couldn’t even drown out some of the snores. I relied on these noise-cancelling headphones to keep me asleep most nights. It’s also nice to listen to music, especially on long days.
Don’t re-pack your bag in the morning
Like the alarm, really? Hearing plastic bags getting squished down first thing in the morning is infuriating. I packed my bag the night before, leaving only the necessities out to put on top in the morning. If I ever needed to repack my bag in the morning I’d take my stuff outside to the common room to repack. Don’t be that guy.
Do say yes
There are thousands of years of stories along these paths. Generations of humans have walked the same steps you are taking in search of something bigger than themselves. Give into the magic. Be open to new experiences and new people. Say hello to a stranger. Say yes to impromptu plans. Give it a chance, you won’t regret it.
Don’t plan too far ahead
Things can change, quickly. Most of us have a deadline to meet, but if you’re one of the lucky ones who can take their time…DO THAT. Don’t plan too far in advance. I had a few instances where I decided I wanted to stay in a town or walk with a new friend the next day, and I was able to because I didn’t plan too much! (I also didn’t have to be in Santiago by a specific date, so I had the freedom to do so). Go in with a loose plan and see what happens
Do take it slow and go with the flow
Again, if you don’t have a specific finish date, SLOW DOWNNN! Rushing and walking super long distances exhausted me and made it hard to meet people or get to know the towns. I only really started to love it when I slowed down. If you have a date to meet, plan a few slower days. Leave some wiggle room, just in case ;)
Don’t worry:
When I began my first Camino I was terrified. In retrospect, I had no reason to be scared or worried. Everything is always figuroutable. There are so many resources, you’ll be fine. Enjoy it!
コメント