I have missed walking the Camino and being in Spain. It has now been almost two years since I was either walking the Camino or acting as a volunteer to assist those that were walking the Camino. Tomorrow I begin my journey back to Spain and to the traditional starting place of the Camino Frances, St Jean pied-du-port France.
I have been walking each day with my pack fully loaded, and then some.
As I make my last-minute preparations I go over in my head all of the things that I am supposed to do, and new ones pop up. You would think that after doing this so many times I would have it down, and I do but not totally. Each Camino is a new adventure. Even though I will walk the same path, only the path will be the same. The people will be different, the weather will be different, the experience will be different, I will be different, and most of all this year we will have COVID to deal with that will make it very different.
I have never walked the Camino in a Holy Year. From what I understand it is normally very crowded. However, this year by all accounts there are far fewer people on the Camino. However, most albergues are only allowed to operate at 50% capacity so beds are harder to come by and many are closed altogether. Reservations are needed which will be a big change for me. I normally, am out very early, well not that early, about 7 am to 7:30 am and finished by 2 pm or so. I have never had to make reservations except for Orisson. This will be a new experience.