Some Advice Before Going On The Camino Walk

1.  Get the most out of the Camino by training physically for the long walks.  I saw many a huffer and puffer struggling to go up the hills and sitting by the path.  The Way does require some physical stamina, specially in the heat, and the last thing you want is to feel completely wiped out at the end of a 20-30k walk, as well as suffer some aches and pains you can avoid by training.

2.  Also, it is better to do the walk without constantly stopping.  Once you have a walking rhythm, stay with it.  Think about the meal, conversations with walking comrades, the sangria, at the end of each long walk and reward yourself when you get there.

3. Travel alone.  If you are open to meeting strangers and listening to their experiences, then it becomes quite a lot of fun.  There are only so many bars, restaurants, hotels and hostels along the way, and you will be surprised how many times you encounter the same people over and over again. By the time I got to the church in Santiago for the pilgrim's mass, I felt I knew half the people there!

4.  Add some time to go to Finesterre otherwise known as the "end of the world".  In the olden times, people thought this most western part of Spain as the end of the world and were afraid to venture beyond it.  It is right next to the ocean, another 80 or so kilometers after Santiago de Compostela, and is supposedly quite a sight. I didn't have time to go there, but many pilgrims were on their way to complete their walk there.

5. If you can organise it, don't bring all your belongings at one go.  You can mail some items to certain hotels or post offices, you can leave items if you intend to walk back the camino way and/or you can organise transporters to take your suitcase from place to place.  I know it's not the purist way of doing the Way, but it's backbreaking enough to carry two litres of water, emergency bandages, wraps, medicine, snacks, camera, raincoat, on your back.

6.  Walking sticks.  Bring some.  They are very useful and having two professional walking poles keep you in balance, help your back and give you toned arms at the end of the trek.

7.  Bring 3 pairs of trekking shoes.  I brought trekking shoes, trainers and trekking sandals.  A couple of pilgrims I met who had walked more than 1,000 km said they did it all with trekking sandals and socks, which they removed (the socks) from time to time.  If you are wearing shoes, wear double socks, an inner sock and outer sock. Also, coat your feet with compede or vaseline balm before putting on the socks. I didn't suffer from any blisters. I also changed my footwear, from time to time, depending on the heat and the terrain.

8.  Finally, don't be judgemental about people.  People have various reasons for walking the walk, and none of them are right or wrong.  Just embrace the experience enthusiastically, enjoy the conversations, take nice photographs, sample the local delicacies and you will have a great time!