Josh ...and life just rolls on like a river.
...current intention is to do this in late August or September of this year (2012). I’m not going to beat myself if it doesn’t happen, but I honestly think it will because I should have the money and the time after the first of August. I’d like to take a trip to Europe and see Finland for 2-3 weeks and then take a train to Paris (and hopefully get on and off the train and stay in hostels). Once in Paris I’d like to spend 3-4 days or so and see some of the sites there before continuing on a train to Saint Jean Pied de Port on the French border of the Pyrenees (this is considered the classic starting point of The French Way, which is by far the most commonly walked route of the Camino de Santiago). There I would start the Camino de Santiago and continue for 5-6 weeks across northern Spain to Santiago de Compostela, the end of the official Camino. A great deal of the pilgrims in modern times also continue another day or two further west to the Atlantic Ocean, as well, and I plan to do so. The trip could probably be done in 4 weeks, but I want to give myself plenty of time to explore the towns, villages, cities, and culture of Spain. If I particularly enjoy a certain place or meet awesome people, I do not want to feel pressured to continue on just to maintain a schedule. The trip really shouldn’t be that expensive if I stay in albuquerques (Pilgrim hostels) or in churches (which is what a lot of the pilgrims do… often for 15 euros you can get a bed to sleep in and often dinner that night and some fruit or something for breakfast).
