Camino

Hello, I have the opportunity to study three weeks abroad and I am either going to go to spain and walk the camino de santiago or go to new zealand and learn about the maori people. I am leaning towards spain for person grown and really challenging myself, its a 300 mile walk!!! and I’m thinking new zealand because it is suppose to be one of the most beautiful places in the world. any advice on making my decision, or if anyone has done either of these, recommendations? thanks!

I would hardly call either trip "studying abroad". If you decide to walk the Camino de Santiago, your main priorities will be food, shelter, a warm shower, how to heal those blisters, etc – not sure where the study will fit into this. And where would you begin walking from? The Camino Frances is the most popular of the Camino routes, and runs from the French/Spanish border to Santiago de Compostela, a total distance of 500 miles. If you only have three weeks, you need to start much closer to Compostela, perhaps Burgos, and 300 hundred miles in three weeks is really only doable if you are a very good walker. Hopefully you are doing some walking now, because you need to wear in your walking shoes and get your body prepared as much as possible.

If you do choose to walk the Camino, have a look at a couple of websites so you know what you’re in for. Mundicamino is good for information on the different stages, accommodation, and maps http://www.mundicamino.com as is the Confraternity of St James, where you can also get a guidebook to the Camino Frances which will give you distances between towns/villages, albergues – including number of beds, cafes/bars, and essential information http://www.csj.org.uk. You could also join an Internet forum where you’ll get sensible answers to any of your questions – http://www.caminodesantiago.me/board/ is a good one or there is Santiagobis – just look it up under Yahoo Groups.

I am going to walk on camino de santiago ! Can you tell me things about it ??

I am willing to start from leon , im not sure yet . I wanteds to ask , shall we "tell" or inform about going before we go or what ? how to buy the passport of the camino ( credencial) ? the one they stamp there !? for how much it is ? shall we do anything here before going to spain ?

Tell me about some prices ?

THANK YOU A LOT
Sorry , i made a mistake of the categorie

http://www.caminodesantiago.me.uk/

I am going to walk on camino de santiago ! Can you tell me things about it ??

I am willing to start from leon , im not sure yet . I wanteds to ask , shall we "tell" or inform about going before we go or what ? how to buy the passport of the camino ( credencial) ? the one they stamp there !? for how much it is ? shall we do anything here before going to spain ?

Tell me about some prices ?

THANK YOU A LOT

You don’t say which country you come from. Generally, to travel to Spain only a passport is necessary, but you might come from a country that requires a Schengen visa, so you need to check that first.

In Leon, you can pick up a pilgrim credencial at the Cathedral. There is a desk on the right hand side of the Cathedral entrance, and it will cost about 2 euros. Or, you can buy one at any of the albergues in Leon.

You don’t need to tell anyone about where you’re going. Just get your credencial, and follow the yellow arrows!

Pilgrim albergues (where you sleep) cost around 5 euros, though some are a little more expensive. Private albergues can cost around 10 euros per night.

At bar/cafes throughout Spain you can buy a lunch called Menu del Dia, which is a three course meal, usually with wine, and will cost from 8 to 12 euros; you can sometimes get breakfast at the albergue but most pilgrims just buy coffee and a croissant at the nearest bar; dinner can be either a Pilgrim’s Menu at a bar, cook your own in the albergue if there are kitchen facilities, or just buy food at a shop. You might want to buy coffee and snacks during the day.

Generally it’s advised to allow around 25euros for each day.

I really suggest you have a look at a couple of Camino websites both of which have plenty of information on what to take, what time of year is best to walk, costs, where to find albergues and the prices etc.

Mundicamino has advice in different languages: http://www.mundicamino.com

Confraternity of St James has plenty of advice on the different Camino routes, packing lists, and in addition has a bookshop where you can buy the latest guides. The Guide to the Camino Frances (which is the route you intend to walk) will be updated soon with a new edition coming out in late January. This guide includes distances between towns and villages, list of albergues with number of beds in each and the cost, bars/cafes, places of interest and lots more. It’s lightweight and easy to carry: http://www.csj.org.uk

Santiagobis is a pilgrim forum on the Yahoo website and here you can ask any questions you have about the Camino. Go to the main Yahoo webpage and select Groups from the menu, then search for Santiagobis.

is 50 miles a day a reasonable expectation. also what will i need in my shoulder pack

50 miles a day on a road maybe OK but on a path that’s disintegrating you’ll be lucky to do 10miles

I’ve seen photos of this walk and it looks a bit dangerous, still good luck

in Spain?

I guess you would get more answers if you post this question in the Spain category and then about "El camino de Santiago", there are several routes:
The ones from Galicia with their main origins are:
Camino de Santiago Portugués del Interior, from Verín in Orense that is 143 km long.
Camino de Santiago Portugués de la Costa from La Guardia in Pontevedra that is 95 km long.
Camino de Santiago de la Ría de Arosa from Aguiño in la Coruña that is 72 km long.
Camino de Santiago de los Ingleses from Ferrol that is 95 km long.
Camino de Santiago a Finisterre from Santiago de Compostela in la Coruña that is 99 km long.

And then you can find several routes from all the regions in Spain and also routes which have their origin in Portugal, France, Germany, Austria Switzerland and even England.

It’s one of my favorite songs, "90 Millas" from Gloria Estefan’s latest album ’90 Millas’. I understand the Spanish from it, I just don’t understand is the Afro-Spanish parts. I know who Elegua is he is a god from the Cuban religion’-Santeria-’ I know all about him.I know that the Spanish in Cuba has borrowed a lot of it’s words and phases from the Canary Islands. (No thanks to Spain). No offense to Spain but that’s how history goes, anyway if you can help thank you so much. Here are the lyrics:

90 Millas

Echodara Agoile, Agó Echure Oh

Elegua, Elegua ele, Elegua Eleguara
Noventa Millas vienen, Noventa Millas faltan

Echo Dara Agó Aba
Adaché Olu Osain
Aché Olurum, Aché Laa
Icuasesú Mi Yemayá

Elegua, Elegua ele, Elegua Eleguara
Noventa Millas vienen, Noventa Millas faltan

Paraloyuró Soquebogdaa
Abre el camino y bórrame la maldad
Pues mi destino está escrito ya
Llegó la libertad, llegó la libertad

Elegua, Elegua ele, Elegua Eleguara
Noventa Millas vienen, Noventa Millas faltan

Ibarakó Moyugbaa, Ibarakó Moyugbaa
Omonegonikon, Sibarakó
Moyuba Elegua Cholona
Elegua Pao Pa’ Ochéee

Elegua abre el camino, Elegua yo te sigo

Para su Allo Su Allo Mamaqueña
Erió Agó, Erios Motee
Noventa Millas vienen,
Noventa Millas faltan

Elegua Agó, Demi Papasemi,
Eho Dara Queña Iraboo

En la distancia
Ay! Donde tu vayas
Me traes esperanza
Y nunca me faltas

Abreme la puerta, mi padre Elegua
Al puble de Cuba traigame la libertas
Y Elegua, Ay mi papa
Aboyó Yenyami Omi O Yemaya

Elegua abre el camino, Elegua yo te sigo

go to walmart and ask one of those mexicans who work there to help you!!!lol
ps listen to english songs and you wouldnt have this problem

When I was 15 I did this thing in Spain called the Camino de Santiago one summer. For those who don’t know it is basically a hike from France to the western edge of Spain. I loved it over there and really wanted to do it again, but this time I wanted to see the rest of Europe as well. I have saved enough money to do so and I am wondering if I should take a year off before I go to college or not. I was thinking that a few days after graduation I would go and do the camino and then just travel around Europe for a bit. Problem is I only think this will be about six months so I don’t know if I should do it or not because when I come back I will basically just be working a job to pay for bills and rent and don’t want to run into that problem a lot of my friends ran into when they took a year off because they were basically too addicted to making money and just kept putting off college. Suggestions?

From the way you word your question I’m assuming you’re from the US, and not from a country in the European Union. If this is the case, you need to be aware that you can only stay in the Schengen Zone (that’s Western Europe and many of the other countries) for a period of 90 days out of every 180 days. So you can’t be in Europe for 6 months, let alone a year. It can be done if you’re able to juggle your time and spend some time in non-Schengen countries, and then to back to the Schengen Zone.

There’s also the question of how you will live while in Europe. Will you have enough money for travel, accommodation, food etc while you are there, because you will not be allowed to work.

Glad to hear you’ve walked the Camino pilgrimage route and want to do it again. You don’t say how long it took you last time, but if you’re really keen to to again why don’t you take 6 weeks to walk from the French border to Santiago de Compostela, and then spend a further 6 weeks wandering around Spain, France, and maybe one or two other countries.

Hi, We are going to Europe starting in France to do the camino de Santiago pilgrimage from France to Spain, We plan to do a bit of couch surfing and we are on a budget as in tight budget, so we thought we’d do a bit of walking through the whole time in Europe. Can anyone recommend walking/hiking treks for those who are pretty fit 40 something year olds. Also should we take a tent and hiking gear or just stick to the cheapish huts along the tracks? I hear that in summer it can be hard to find accommodation in the huts too. Boy where do I start to plan this trip arrrghhhhh!!!!!???
any help/suggestions appreciated please!!!!
Some one said. Your trip would be much easier if you said what route you are taking, Um that’s the whole reason for the post!!! I want to know which one. Someone else said "You mentioned Europe but only said France and Spain" That’s the whole reason for the post I want to know where else to go lol!!
Thanks everyone for your good comments and suggestions but Please understand that when you are in Australia and you have NO idea of what this place looks like, feels like and there are thousands of options it’s like going to a supermarket but you can’t choose cos there is just too much choice. I need people with real simple clear cut advise, not just telling me what else I COULD do. Tell me what not to do that might be a good start. Ok so I hear that the Northern route isn’t quite so hot this time of year, anyone have any advise on that? and yes it’s the Pyranees I was talking about going to. So would it be best if it’s hot to go later in our trip? Basically we have 3 months to kill in Eur

Planning this trip would be much easier if you said where you intend to begin walking the Camino, how much time you think that would take you, and where else you’ll be in Europe.

Most people beginning the Camino in Paris, Le Puy, Arles, or Vezelay, allow up to three months to complete the walk to Santiago de Compostela. If you’re extremely fit, don’t bother taking any rest days, or take the time to look around, then you might complete the pilgrimage in 8 to 10 weeks, but you won’t really have time to sightsee. Unless, of course, you mean you will begin walking at St Jean Pied de Port in the Pyrenees. Then it’s four weeks fast walking, 6 weeks for the majority of pilgrims.

I really suggest you get a guide to whichever Camino path you want to start walking (it’s known as the Chemin de St Jacques in France) and that will give you all the information you need on cheap accommodation in gites and, some, pilgrim hostels through France. Once in Spain you’ll be following the Camino Frances which has a very well structured pilgrim albergue system. This will cost you between 3 to 10 euros per night. You can get the various Camino guides from the online bookshop at the Confraternity of St James. For France especially, it’s well worth the money: http://www.csj.org.uk

Ditch the tent, when you’re walking day after day you need to carry as little as possible.

I really want to go walking in Spain this summer, on the Camino de Santiago. But, I cant find anyone to go with me! I really want to go so Im considering just going alone….Is this a bad idea? Im 19, girl, and Haven’t traveled much really…Also I dont speak Spanish. Is this a really bad move or do you think I could muddle along? :/

ok..traveling alone isn’t a good idea,because many bad things can happen to you..like getting kidnapped by strangers,getting lost and not knowing where to go,because you are not familiar with the city, or state. you should find someone to go with you, also try to go with someone that knows spanish, or just learn how to speak spanish..by taking classes, so you can communicate with the people from spain. your 19 very young still, I think you still need an older adult to look out for you just in case if anything happens. I think traveling is great, but you need to protect yourself everywhere you go..there are crazy people out in the world..just stay safe and have an older adult with you.after you find someone to go with you then everything is good, but going alone not a smart idea!!!

Look at a map – it´s not that far. I guess it´s about the same distance as the Santiago de Compostela pilgrimage route in Spain or even less than that, and the Camino de Santiago can be walked in a matter of weeks.
Taking forty years is frankly quite a botch job. I would be well cheesed off if I was one of the guys following him.
Why?

It was punishment for the sinful generation that left Egypt. God wanted a new generation to enter the promised land that was not corrupted by memories of Egyptian culture. They wandered the desert for 40 years prior to going to Canaan.