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Concerns of a pilgrimPilgrims have many things to concern them. In theory they should have none and put their total trust in God. However, human frailty being what it is, they have problems to solve.
Where do we sleep? - We have the choice of an Albergue or Refugio which are two Spanish names for a refuge. These have basic dormitories with double and occasionally triple bunks. Bathroom facilities vary, some have separate facilities for men and women, in others they are common. Usually these have toilets, hand-basins and showers. Some refuges have kitchens with a cooker, but maybe with or without utensils and crockery. There are also clothes washing facilities. Sometimes these are with cold water only and sometimes the showers are cold as well! There are Youth Hostels, but you usually have to be a member. The refuges are usually spaced at convenient distances for walking. If not, then there are various classes of hotels: Fonda (B&B), Pensión, Hospedaje or Hosteria (Inn), Hostel (guest house) and Hotel. There is not always an English equivalent. I think I managed to use all of these at sometime during my pilgrimage.
Where do we eat? - Restaurants are the obvious thing, but often a cheaper lunch can be had at a café or bar. Lunch is the main meal of the day in Spain and I usually had my hot meal then. I also bought food and cooked it in the refuge, but not all refuges have cooking facilities. I bought mostly tinned fish, bread, cheese, fruit and yoghurts, for my evening meal and breakfast. Bars can be useful for breakfast, usually croissants, or bread with cheese, ham, or jam. One specific thing I carried was water; about two litres a day are necessary to prevent dehydration. I bought my food from small shops or supermarkets. Sometimes small shops were more convenient for small quantities and I usually needed to buy daily, because perishables very soon deteriorate due to the heat.
Washing and drying clothes - I washed my walking socks and liners daily and often my shirt as well. I used TravelWash and later my all-purpose-soap, which can be used for showers, washing dishes and clothes. Most refuges provide clothes-lines or drying racks. In hotels it was more difficult, because I did not always get an en-suite bathroom. My main difficulty was drying socks. I usually hung them on the back of my rucksack to finish drying, but that depended on the weather. The rule is to have three of everything, so that you have one spare, one wearing, and one drying.
Finding the way - I took two Michelin maps of northern Spain, which were useful to get the “big picture.” For the detail I used the guides in English published by the Confraternity of St. James (CSJ) in London; I am a member. There are separate guides for all the main routes to Santiago. There are other publications, but they tend to be heavy. There are also associations for all the main regions of Spain; usually referred to as “Friends of the Way of St. James.” They do a great service in way marking the routes with tiles showing a scallop, or yellow arrows. The arrows may be painted on any convenient surface - even kerb-stones! The tiles are sometimes let into the road, placed on walls, or on small monoliths about three feet high. Sometimes there is a sad lack of an arrow and I would have to ask directions. A little knowledge of the Spanish language is essential. The amazing thing is, if I was seen to look lost, someone passing by would help me!
Stamps for my passport - All pilgrims carry a special passport, called a Credencial in Spanish. I collected a stamp (from a rubber stamp) for each day of my pilgrimage. I usually got it from the place where I stayed the night.
Feet, muscles, tendons and joints - I took a first aid kit with the necessary items to fix blisters. I had several, but I managed to treat them when necessary. Muscle pain was not a big problem for me, and I did not suffer from joint problems. Some pilgrims get back problems from the constant pounding of feet on hard roads. My worst problem was tendinitis, first of all in the left leg then this cleared up, only for it to start in the right leg. Rest and bathing the feet in cold water was the easiest remedy to apply. I also got some ibuprofen tablets from a local doctor and later used an ointment of my own.
The weather - Good weather but not too hot. I had hot days and wet days, but mainly a mix of the two during the day. It would be grey and damp in the morning until 11 a.m. or 12 p.m, then it would improve. In the evenings it would often cloud-over again.
The weight of my rucksack - Every pilgrim has to weed-out items that they might need and select the essentials. The greater the pressure of a heavy rucksack, the easier it is to find items to discard. I sent several things back home from Plymouth. I also sent some things to Santiago from Ribadeo, just before going up into the mountains. Spain has Lista de Correos, which is their equivalent of Poste Restante. I just wished I had used it earlier!
Phoning home - Pilgrims tend to cut themselves off from family while on pilgrimage, so I did not take my mobile phone. I did phone Jenny every night, using a phone card in Spain. Sometimes this was not possible, because there was not a suitable phone box or bar phone in the area.
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