Mapped

I already laid on The Plan in a previous post, but I thought it would be fun to see how it looks on a map. Sadly, Google Maps has a limit of 10 stops for a route, so this took more work than it should have. This is what the trip looks like:

Being miniaturized to fit on the page, there's some errors. For example, it looks like Santiago is skipped! For a more accurate map, look at the full version then turn on the terrain view!

Of course, this is the plan. Like life, the Camino has a way of making its own plans. It will be interesting to came back to this post and look at what actually happened.

Coin of the Realm

In day to day life, I tend to use a debit card. I think that a credit card is a safer option for the Camino, however, as I prefer something that isn't linked to my bank account. not being a huge fan of credit, I only have one credit card, and that's a Discover card. While I love my Discover card and I've never had a problem with it here in the states, I have found that its acceptance overseas is somewhat lacking. Discover tells me that it should be accepted wherever I see the Diner's Club logo, but a recent trip to Canada pointed out how useless that, too, can be.

I decided that I should take along a Mater Card or a Visa, instead. I checked out several cards, but only found one that didn't charge any fees for foreign purchases. I applied, and was accepted. My new card should be here next week or the week after.

Credencial del Peregrino

When a pilgrim — a peregrino — finishes the Camino, they can receive a certificate from the Cathedral, provided that the peregrino had walked (or rode a horse) at least 100 kilometers (around 62 miles), or had ridden a bike at least 200 kilometers. In order to prove the distance traveled the peregrino carries a credencial, also called a "Pilgrim's Passport". It is also used to "prove" to the alburges that one is a peregrino and not just some tourist looking for a cheap bed for the night.

The credencial is a small booklet, a little like a real passport. Like a real passport, a peregrino gets the Credencial stamped at various points along the route. Rather than getting it stamped when entering a new country, however, the peregrino seeks out stamps from alburges, churches, bars, and cafes. It is recommended that it gets stamped at least once a day when one is more than 100 kilometers away from Santiago, and twice a day once one is closer. Many peregrinos like to collect stamps — or sellos — more frequently than that.

A credencial can be picked up at the Pilgrim's Office when one starts their camino, or it can be ordered in advance from the national pilgrim's association. Each association prints a different credencial. Being American, my national association is American Pilgrims on the Camino. If you ask them, they'll send you a credencial for free.

Here's what I got from them:

If my math is right, it has spaces for 56 stamps.

The Plan

With the tickets bought, it's time ask some questions. I want to walk from St. Jean Pied de Port to Santiago de Compostela, but if I don't have enough time, I plan on "skipping" (by bus) a number of days in the middle. How many days, if any, will I have to skip? If I'm lucky enough that I don't have to skip any, will I have time to fit in Finisterre or Muxia?

Using my new guidebook (Anna Dintaman & David Landis' (A Village to Village Guide to) Hiking the Camino de Santiago, which I'll review soon, I promise!). I worked backwards and developed my plan for the Camino. It looks like I get to have a pretty full experience! I don't have to skip any days, and I get to go to both Finisterre and Muxia!

Here's what the plan looks like:

Date	Day	Arrive in	Miles		Notes
			Daily	Total
6/17	-1	Toronto	—	—	Arrive by wheeled conveyance.
6/18	0	Paris St-Jean-Pied-de-Port	—	—	Fly to Paris; train to SJPdP
6/19	1	Roncesvalles	15.3	15
6/20	2	Zubiri	13.9	29
6/21	3	Pamplona	13.1	42
6/22	4	Puente la Reina	14.8	57
6/23	5	Estella	13.5	71
6/24	6	Los Arcos	13.4	84
6/25	7	Logroño	17.1	101
6/26	8	Nájera	18.4	120
6/27	9	Santo Domingo	13.0	133
6/28	10	Belorado	14.2	147
6/29	11	Agés	17.2	164
6/30	12	Burgos	13.9	178
7/01	13	Hontanas	19.5	197
7/02	14	Boadilla	17.7	215
7/03	15	Carrión	15.2	230
7/04	16	Terradillos	16.5	247
7/05	17	Calzadilla	16.4	263
7/06	18	Mansilla	14.7	278
7/07	19	León	11.1	289
7/08	20	Villar de Mazarife	13.4	302
7/09	21	Astorga	19.6	322
7/10	22	Foncebadón	16.1	338
7/11	23	Ponferrada	16.8	355
7/12	24	Villafranca	15.0	370
7/13	25	La Faba	14.7	385
7/14	26	Triacastela	16.0	401
7/15	27	Barbadelo	14.3	415	Must walk from here to earn a compostela
7/16	28	Hospital Alta da Cruz	18.3	433
7/17	29	Melide	17.6	451
7/18	30	Arca	20.5	471
7/19	31	Santiago	12.4	484
7/20	32	Negreira	13.6	497
7/21	33	Olveiroa	20.7	518
7/22	34	Finisterre	19.5	538
7/23	35	Muxía	17.4	555
7/24	36	Santiago	—	—	Bus or train back to Santiago.
7/25	37	Toronto	—	—	Was going to walk, but I can't hold my breath that long, so I'll fly.
7/26	38	Home	—	—	Arrive by wheeled conveyance

So, that's the plan. But in the words of the famed Scots poet, "The best-laid schemes o' mice an' men gang aft agley, an' lea'e us nought but grief an' pain for promis'd joy!"

UPDATE: I added a map on a new post.

Humor, 36 days out

I'm a regular reader of a web comic called The Dog House Diaries. In theory it has nothing to do with the Camino, except today they ran this comic:

Clearly, I'm prepared for my Camino!

I wish. 36 days to go...

(Special thanks to The Dog House Diaries for using a CC BY-NC license that let me use their strip here.)