As I near the 100-day countdown to my Camino (right now, my projected start date is June 26th), my mind fills with fears. I still have a lot of time time prepare, but also time to think about what could go wrong, what I might not be ready for, the unexpected, etc.
But is it really fear? Am I actually afraid, or am I just worried?
I’m going with just worried. I’ve already written a post about fear, and that was all about the big stuff (mostly, how to change).
What’s on my mind now are the worries, and I have a lot of them. I think (hope) that most will vanish once I start my Camino, but until then, I have a feeling they will be nagging at me.
In no particular order, here are the things that are worrying me:
1. I’m going to get huge, painful blisters on my feet.
2. I’m going to get injured on my walk (and/or sick) and not be able to finish.
3. I’m going to be too shy to make strong connections with other Pilgrims.
4. Bedbugs.
5. Wild dogs.
6. Staying in refugios/albergues (basically, hostels) with dozens of other people.
7. Snoring pilgrims and not being able to fall asleep.
8. Wishing that I could stay put for a few days and not constantly be on the move.
9. Being in the middle of my Camino and wanting to come home.
10. Ending my Camino and not wanting to come home.
11. Not knowing how to speak Spanish.
12. The possibility of having to pee in the woods.
13. Hiking over the Pyrenees.
14. Walking all day in the rain.
15. Losing my way.
That’s a big list. But on the other hand, I’ve got some stuff that I’m not too worried about at all. Here are some things that I’m confident about/excited for:
1. Navigating my way down to St. Jean-Pied-de-Port (and being able to speak French!).
2. Enjoying the food/having enough to eat.
3. Being friendly to everyone I see and saying ‘Buen Camino!’
4. Walking for hours every day (there’s a tiny bit of worry with this, but not much. I think I’m going to love it).
5. Getting to walk to a new place every day, not getting bored.
6. Having a lot of time to think/be alone with my thoughts.
7. Experiencing a different country/culture.
8. Wearing the same clothes every day/simplifying my life.
9. Not making plans and not knowing where I’ll be sleeping day-to-day.
10. Walking in the summer (maybe I should be worried about this one, but I love the heat of summer. Check back with me sometime in the middle of July and I might be singing a different tune, but for now I’m excited for this).
11. Writing about my Camino every day, having something to say.
12. Knowing that regardless of how far I walk, I pushed myself to go on an adventure and a journey.
I’m super excited for you! Are you going to be blogging/taking a laptop while on the Camino? Or are you going to blog it all after you finish?
That’s a great question- one way or the other, I’ll be blogging about it. I won’t have a laptop with me, and I’d love to blog as I go and do daily updates, but I also don’t want to put pressure on myself to always find wi-fi make time for blogging, etc. It will probably be a mix: some when I’m on the Camino, and some when I get home. 🙂
All your worries are valid but your title says it all … it starts with a single step and once you do it will be grand. I want because it was my wife’s idea and I’m a huge worrier… and it all turned out well.
As for the blogging… I used my iPhone in wifi areas. Most days there will be someplace but if not, just upload the next day. Easy peasy.
Buen Camino!
Hi there..your worries are perfectly normal. I felt the same when I ventured off on my first Camino. But the moment you start, all those worries will fade away!
I blogged last year and there is plenty of wifi. Looking forward to reading about your experiences. I will be there from May 28th.
Buen Camino!
Good to hear that the worries are normal! I’m excited to follow along with your Camino as well!
Please do! I will be home before you start but I hope not to give away too many spoilers 🙂