I'm excited! Starting in the south of France, this pilgrimage will take me across the top of northern Spain ending in Santiago de Compostela. The nearly 500 mile walk will take approximately 30 days. After an overnight flight from Montreal to Paris, I will take the French high-speed train, the TGV, to the southeastern city of Bayonne where I catch my second train for a short one hour ride into Saint Jean Pied-de-Port (SJPP) at the base of the Pyrenees, my starting point.
I think I'm almost ready. Packing, in addition to being a great challenge to go light, has also been great fun. As the title of one Camino book puts it, "to walk far, carry less." I have become a minimalist taking nothing in my backpack but the essentials. It's also freeing to know that everything I need and that I will use has to be carried. Of course, if I do need anything, there are plenty of places along The Way to purchase items.
My plan is to walk the Camino in the traditional 31 days as suggested by certain guidebooks. Some people take longer; others, fewer days. Covering about 15 miles a day will put me in Santiago roughly a month after my first steps out of SJPP. At this point, between walking, running, biking, and weight lifting, I think I'm ready for the journey. With just a bit of luck, blisters or other problems will not slow me down.
This is a holy year, the Year of Mercy, so more pilgrims are expected than usual. Therefore, I've gone ahead and made numerous reservations in albergues/hostels along The Way. As I know where I should be every day, contacting the Albergues in advance to secure a bed, especially in recommended and popular hostels, may eliviate looking for lodging after a long day on the road.
