Opinion – É Logo Ali: How to survive the Camino de Santiago

I received letters and messages asking for tips for those who want to venture out on the ancient Camino de Santiago, in Spain. If you take the most famous stretch, the French Way (there are at least nine more options, but theory varies little), it is about 800 kilometers from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, a French city in the Pyrenees, to Santiago de Compostela, capital of Galicia, Spain. As it is an itinerary made almost entirely by dirt trails, it requires some care, in addition to breathing. Nothing, however, that cannot be resolved with good will, as it is by no means a journey that requires great skills. And, as a tourism alternative that attracts hundreds of thousands of backpackers from all over the world annually, the small towns crossed will always offer options for landing and refreshment every few kilometers.

The Way of Saint James became a pilgrimage route in the 9th century, when a peasant discovered, by accident, the tomb that would belong to the apostle Saint James, one of the twelve disciples of Jesus, who would have gone to Finisterre, literally the “end of the world” in at the time, the westernmost point of Spain. Arriving there, he would have been sent by an apparition of the Virgin Mary back to Jerusalem, where he would end up martyred by the Romans. Other historians guarantee that the path was already a route of pagan rituals, and that its sanctification would be more of a syncretic appropriation.

Whatever the correct story, the fact is that it was Catholicism that consolidated the route, giving it status of pilgrimage and even with the bonus of offering the compostela, or certificate, forgiving sins to every believer who proves to have traveled in the minimum 100 kilometers on foot, 200 on horseback or, in the most modern version, by bicycle. To be entitled to the miraculous diploma that pave the way to Paradise, the hiker just needs to issue the “pilgrim’s passport” at a certified establishment at the beginning of the journey, and stamp it in inns, churches, hostels and restaurants until arriving in Santiago. There, the Cathedral’s Pilgrim Assistance Office checks the route covered by means of the stamps and, then, delivers the well-deserved indulgence. It has its charm even for the least religious, let’s face it.

But before getting there, the hiker will face a good dose of perrengues. After all, you don’t get to Paradise walking around the mall, right? So, it’s never too much to observe some basic care.

Preparation physicist – Traveling from 20 to 30 kilometers a day requires preparation that should include training for long distances with the backpack that will be used, preferably loaded with the weight you will take on the way. And it’s good to already wear the boots (high top, to prevent twisting) that will be used on the trip, softening them and adapting them to your stride.

Baggage – The golden rule for long walks that do not include camping (prohibited along the Way), is to carry as little weight as possible, sparing the body what is not necessary. If the hiker is going during the hottest time of year, a pair of hiking pants, shorts or shorts, two t-shirts, two pairs of socks, two changes of underwear (preferably made of synthetic material), a flip-flop and a warm jacket. wind (and rain) are sufficient as they can be washed every night and are quick to dry. If the option is for a colder season, the pants can be lined and include two thermal underwear and t-shirts, in addition to a good coat. Buffies, pieces that protect the mouth, throat and ears, are advisable in any temperature, as the walk usually starts before dawn, when the air is always cooler.

assorted junk – In addition to the clothes, the backpack must include a basic medication kit (consult your doctor, but at least it must include some type of analgesic, antidiarrheal and antiallergic), material for small bandages and, fundamentally, specific patches for the blisters that, for the more careful the walker is, they will end up appearing somewhere on the feet. Many advise puncturing the blister with a sterilized needle, threading it and such, but the truth is that, in an environment that will throw dust all the time on the injured area, the safest solution will be the bandage that does not come out in the water and remains in place until the skin heals. Hashtag, here’s the tip.

Baggage must include, in addition to basic hygiene material (soap, preferably liquid, shampoo, moisturizer, toothpaste and toothbrush and dental floss), sunscreen, if possible with insect repellent. Some pilgrims (me, for example) use neutral shampoo as well as soap, taking a few grams of the final weight. When the world goes to your back, less will always be more.

rest time – If the hiker is staying overnight only in hostels, many of which are free (but to which a “voluntary” donation of 10 to 15 euros must always be given), a sleeping bag may be a good idea, as the high turnover does not match the better hygiene and there are frequent horror stories involving fleas, bed bugs and other undesirable beings (Yes, you can scratch yourself at this point of reading). But, if the trip is not individual, there are accommodation options whose cost, divided by two or more people, can be little higher than the sum of the donation to a place with less comfort. Comparing prices can avoid, in addition to another mess in the backpack, a bad night with snoring strangers that not even the best earplugs can muffle.

​sticks – The use of walking sticks has passionate advocates (me, for example) and critics who find them useless. If I were you, I would give the equipment a chance, which has a reasonably low cost and allows you to distribute your weight over four points of support instead of just two, that is, your legs. It also allows you to probe if that point where you intend to step is firm enough before resulting in a loose stone and a nice fall. For clumsy beings (me, for example), it’s not little crap.

Money belt – Wait for the fashionistas, but to take a cell phone, documents, valuables, glasses and a flashlight for the beginning of the walk before dawn, it is the best solution. Clothing pockets, if loaded with these things, can generate losses, uncomfortable friction or even breakage in case of falls. So, ignore fashion and choose the model that best suits what you want to carry on hand.

water and food – On the Camino de Santiago, with high tourist frequency, there is some type of establishment every few kilometers, on practically all the routes. Thus, taking a maximum of one liter of water is usually enough, as refilling is guaranteed. For the same reason, there is no need to carry food, at most a candy to sweeten your mouth or a few nuts to replace lost salt. Here’s a warning: although almost all hikers choose to leave at dawn to gain as much ground as possible before the heat gets too hot (especially in summer, when the sun doesn’t rise in Spain until after 7 am), most accommodations only serves breakfast after 8am. The way is to buy some fruit, yogurt, etc the day before, to start the journey without having to hear your belly growl with hunger.

For the rest, it is never too much to remember that, no matter how many and best tips I can give those who have already walked the Way, or part of it (I, for example: I only did 450 kilometers, I still owe the others, but I guaranteed my compostela, aha! ), it is a personal endeavor and it will never be the same, even for those who are in a group. The rhythm will be your own, the look is non-transferable and the experience is simply fantastic. And if at any moment you ask yourself what you are really doing there, the feeling of accomplishment at each step you take will give you the necessary answer: because the Path is here and so am I. So, as the traditional greeting says among those who cross the Spanish paths, “Buen camino!”.