Tuesday 6 May 2014

Less than two weeks to go and I'm on the verge of a neurotic implosion

"Don't plan." I say to myself constantly. Just relax. You don't need an itinerary, the whole point of this trip is to fly by the seat of your pants! Live homeless! Throw caution to the wind. Don't feel stressed because you have no cussing idea how to picture the next two months of your life, just sit back and let the tide ebb & flow with the whim of the universe.

Right.

Or!:
   
 Neurosis is like smoking. Few can just up and quit without a couple of hiccups along the way (pun intended). I only have reservations for our first 5 days, and I've limited my freakish over-prepared usual packing (the girl who brings the wet washcloth in a ziploc bag when she hears the word "children") to what I find to be a very practical pilgrim-type list:
 backpack - waterproof cover, raincoat and waterproof shoes
couple pairs of socks
yoga pants
2 tank tops and 2 thin sweaters
1 pair of shorts
1 dress
crocs - much to the chagrin of my stylish friends
ear plugs
clothes line
emergency tent
rock (which I haven't decided if I shall surrender or not. I'm taking Rose Quartz which has a symbolism within itself)
collapsible wine, I'm sorry, drink glasses.
a spork
a blister kit (& a few random first aid materials)
journal, maps, and ziploc bags to keep them in
Bellaclava (or something spelled something like that and indicates a toque/scarf combo)
compass
Navmii maps for Spain that work offline on my phone.. which I'm going to have to figure out how to keep relatively charged.
The Great Gatsby & The Sun Also Rises
& That's pretty much it I think.. I also added up a daily estimation budget of what I think we'll be spending so I can know along the way if we're on track or not....10 euros a day for accomodation, $30 a day on food...
like I said, I'm a recovering neurotic, not a cured one. Has anyone ever done the camino and left a significant other at home? My boyfriend is INCREDIBLY supportive and voices his pride in my trip frequently, but I'd like to hear from someone who dealt with that separation for two months. If it weren't for the fact that the other half of my very old soul were my partner on this journey I think I'd define my current state of mind as negatively anxious as opposed to excited jitters. How people live their lives without throwing themselves into the world will always perplex me.


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5 comments:

  1. Unknown7 May 2014 at 23:09

    Hello pelgrims,

    I walkt the camino last year in may, a few things you don't need on the camino...
    A compass
    maps of spain and a navi.
    There are plenty yellow arrows wich will show you the way. A good guide to the camino will do. You can charge your Electronic devices in every allerbergue, so don't worry about that.
    I needed 50 euros a Day on the camino for everything.
    You don't have to make reservations allong the way, there will always be a place to stay. ..
    So don't worry to much, Just go with the flow.....

    I will flow your blog and look forward to your expierience.

    BUEN CAMINO! !!
    Wim

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  2. Unknown8 May 2014 at 07:22

    50 euros? Wow! Can you give me a break down of what that went towards?

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  3. Unknown8 May 2014 at 07:56

    Don't panic, it can be done cheaper If you want to.
    The costs:
    Between 8 and 12 euros a day for the albergue, 6 euros a Day for a breakfast, 6 euros for coffee allong the way, 10 to 12 euro for diner, some money to wash and dry clothes so nog and then, some fruit allong the way and in the afternoon a couple of bears on a terras with my fellow pelgrims, those are the things i spent my money on.

    Grtz. and buen camino! !
    Wim

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  4. Natasha8 May 2014 at 08:23

    I think the maps may be more for our exploration of the cities we stop in, we have a somewhat unorthodox trip planned. From what we (Des mostly) has researched there is a lot to take in along the way, not just in terms of the pilgrimage. Sounds like you had a good time, I can say with great conviction I look forward to the drinks with our newly met peers. Thanks for the advice :)

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  5. Unknown8 May 2014 at 09:10

    Thank you for all the info Wim, how much are beer on the camino, averagely, or like a glass of vino tinto?

    ReplyDelete

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