In general, the walking pattern follows a daily timeline: the hostels require that you're out by 8 am (usually) and many walkers start as early as possible. Many are out walking by 7. We met several people, though, who cautioned against walking before dawn because you can get lost. Be very careful. Most pilgrims finish roughly 20-25km per day by the early afternoon and stop at a hostel to relax before having dinner, doing laundry, etc. We met some people who did as much as 45km per day, and of course there were some who did far fewer than 20km. We generally started walking between 7 and 8, and we were slower than most, finishing around 4 or 5 each day. Despite arriving later at the hostels, we never had a problem getting a bed, but that may be related to the time of year we walked. See the Itinerary page for more.
Here are some "cultural" tips for making it on the trail:
1. Try not to judge others.
We saw lots of day-packers (people bussed in who walked with only a tiny day-pack or no pack at all) and we passed a lot of slow walkers. We even saw a woman who had a rolling cart strapped to her waist that carried her gear instead of a backpack. Try not to judge! Those day-packers might not be physically capable of carrying gear; the woman with the cart may have had a back injury. You never know what another pilgrim's story is, so try to focus on your own journey instead.
2. Be courteous.
Obviously. Don't stay up late and shine lights around in a big dorm hostel. Leave bathrooms, restaurants, etc. as you found them. Don't litter!!! Kindness abounds on the trail, people help people and help each other when possible. Check out this little refreshment table we came across. We saw several of these; one was just a man selling fruit, another was a fundraiser for other pilgrims, all were set up with a spirit of generosity and community.
3. Try to stay positive.
It's very hard to not whine, but it will make everything more pleasant if you stay positive (or at least keep your negative thoughts to yourself). It's easy for a whiner to become a wet blanket. We met a woman who actually asked her family to stay home while she walked the Camino because she didn't want to hear them whining; she wanted the experience to be just her, no outside voices influencing her walk.
4. Greet everyone, especially if you can tell they're a fellow pilgrim.
The trail gets is distinct culture because there are so many people 'in it together'--other peregrinos will pass you (and perhaps you will pass others): say "hola" and "buen Camino" to everyone! It becomes a fun way to acknowledge your place on the walk and builds community.
5. Make friends; talk to people.
In addition to just saying hello and "buen Camino", there are opportunities to actually meet and talk with other pilgrims. We met a lot of other people in the hostels, on the road, and in cafes on breaks. It is really eye-opening to hear how people come from many different countries, cultures, and backgrounds and all end up on the Camino together. As a purely personal bonus, talking to people from Germany also meant that I got to practice speaking German. If you speak a language other than Spanish, you will probably find others on the way you can talk to!
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