Tomas the Templar Needs Your Help

Before my first Camino, I did quite a bit of research, 

questioning people about which albergues to skip, 

and which not to miss.

Seems at the top of the list for a lot of people was Manjarin. 

Probably one of the most photographed albergues 

along the Camino,

I made it a point to stop there.

Which way are you going?

You arrive in Manjarin as you trudge up a winding hill.

If it's foggy or raining hard, you might miss it.

For this reason, Tomas and his volunteer hospitaleros 

ring a bell when the dogs announce 

a pilgrim is coming round the bend.

Follow the sound of the bell and you'll find

pot of hot water for tea and hot coffee awaiting

in a little oasis under a lovingly built shelter.

Here, you can sit and rest.

Get a stamp for your credential.

Have a cookie.

Buy one of the hand-made souvenirs.

Joe stamps his credential.

There are cats and dogs to greet you at Manjarin.

And if you are lucky, 

Tomas himself is standing at the entrance,

inviting you in.

Are you lost?

Tomas will help you.

Ask to have a photo taken,

and he's happy to do it,

unless he's running to buy more supplies.

In that case, you will have to wait!

Annie with Tomas in 2012

I guess one way to describe my initial thoughts about Manjarin

when I first saw it

was "culture shock."

Manjarin is quite rustic.

There is absolutely no running water.

The toilet was (at that time) an open pit toilet across the road.

It has since been improved, but is still an outhouse.

I was told to put my mochila and sleeping bag upstairs in the loft

I was shocked when I saw the sheets and blankets.

They were dusty and pretty well used.

But then, 

there is no water at Manjarin,

so the sheets can not be washed each night.

You are, 

after all,

a pilgrim.

And a pilgrim is grateful for any help they get.

The attic

"Ohhhhhhh!" I thought!

I really had to talk myself out of leaving.

I was a snobby pilgrim - that's for sure!

But I stayed…

and was glad I did.

Why?

I got the gift of an attitude adjustment at Manjarin.

The inside of Tomas' house is fascinating, 

friendly and inviting, 

with sausages hanging from the rafters 

and pretty altars stuck in corners.

We who were staying sat around for a couple of hours,

waiting for the line of pilgrims to thin.

Once it got dark, and Tomas felt no more pilgrims would arrive,

lamps were lit

and the table was set.

Before dinner, 

Tomas performed a short ritual saluting the 4 directions

with a sword and a prayer.

It was in Spanish and I didn't understand all that was said.

It was very solemn - not for show -

and you could see he really was serious

about what he was saying.

Then dinner.

We all sat down and were served a nice bowl of soup,

fresh bread,

and a filling pasta dish.

We chattered about how our feet hurt,

how difficult the walk had been,

where we were from,

how many kilometers we had walked.

Each person spoke a different language it seemed,

but we managed to communicate.

About 10 minutes into the meal,

a wild and barefoot young man walked in.

His feet were dirty and bleeding.

He was scraggly haired.

His clothes were simple, not technical.

He carried a very small pack.

We tried to speak to him but he refused to answer.

"Completo!" we said.

"No room, sorry!" we said.

He just smiled and motioned he was hungry.

Tomas got up from his meal,

and walked to him.

He put his arm around the boy,

and ushered him to the table, 

motioning for his volunteer to come and help.

A place was set for the boy.

He was given food and a glass of wine.

In Christ-like love,

Tomas became an example of the good shepherd.

His eyes shone with love and respect for this young man.

The boy's expression was one of thanks.

Tomas, in his years of experience,

had recognized that this young man was on 
a different sort of pilgrimage;

the boy had undertaken his Camino barefoot and in silence.

Some might say my comparison 
to the Good Shepherd 
is over the top.
But it was exactly 
what came to my mind
at the time.

Tomas showed him the gentle hospitality of a true Templar.

I felt ashamed for my judgmental attitude.

The rest of my meal was taken in silence.

Each year when I take a group on the Camino,

I try to stop by and leave a little donation at Manjarin,

because I really believe in the work Tomas, 

one of the last Templars, 

is doing.

I can't leave much,

and Tomas does not recognize me.

But that's ok.

I love him anyway.

Last week, Tomas Manjarin had to have emergency surgery .

He was admitted to a hospital in Leon for 6 hours.

They opened his chest , replaced two heart valves and put a pacemaker .

Thomas has left the hospital and is recovering very well .

Tomas is now in Molinaseca in a borrowed flat for 30 days, recovering.

Manjarin still being run by volunteers and friends , but the daily pace of pilgrims is still small during this time of year and is insufficient to meet all of Tomas' current needs.

Tomas' friends are asking for your help - from anyone who can and want to contribute any amount of cash. Even just one dollar. This will help cover Tomas' food and incidentals during his recovery. His medical has been paid. 

All of you that know Tomas know he does not need many things. He is a simple person and deserves this moment, this solidarity , this show of love.

Acacio & Orietta from the Albergue of the same name are asking for donations from anyone who is interested in helping.

Tomas is one of the last "Templars" on the Camino.

He helps pilgrims all the time.

It's time to return the favor.

***

If you'd like to help, you can donate via Paypal at this link:

http://www.peregrinando.org/donativos.asp

The system is easy and secure and any small amount you can donate will be helpful.

In addition, you might want to send a note to Acacio & Orietta on their Facebook page telling them how much you have sent.

Together we can do much for this sweet man who has helped so many.

I, for one, look forward to hearing the bell ring at Manjarin

and seeing Tomas waiting to greet the pilgrims again soon.

***

God Bless You, Tomas!

Thank you for the lesson of love you taught us.

May you grow healthy and strong 

so you can continue your important work!

Annie Santiago

Sunset at Manjarin

Caceres to Zamora

Well, we have pinned down our walking route for 2014.

We will fly into Madrid, then take a bus to Caceres.

The bus costs 25,15 euros and is an Avanza bus.

There is also the possibility of a train and using the Tarjeta Dorada, 

we might get as much as a 40% discount on our tickets.

If you are over 60, and plan any train travel in Spain,

the Tarjeta Dorada (Golden Ticket) is an excellent value for 5 euros.

On almost any day, it will give you a discount on your train travel,

and sometimes other places will honor it.

I was able to get quite a discount at the ruins in Merida when I showed the card.

You can purchase it directly from the window at the train stations.

Here is more information on the Tarjeta Dorada:

Tarjeta Dorada

In Caceres, we have booked rooms in Albergue las Veletas.

At 30 Euros per night for a double twin room, this is a good value.

I stayed here last year in a single and found it to be in an excellent location,

clean, and friendly.

From Caceres, our walking schedule looks as follows:

Cesar de Caceras 11km - Municipal Albergue - (18 places, Donativo)

Embalsa de Alcantara 20km - Albergue Turistico - (15 Euros each - reserved)

Grimaldo 19.5km - Municipal Albergue - (15 places, Donativo)

Gallisteo 19.5km - Municipal (12 places, 10 Euros)

Olivia de Plasencia 30 km - Albergue - (20 Euros each - reserved)

Aldanueva 23 km - Casa de mi Abuela (15 Euros each with breakfast - reserved)

La Calzada de Bejar 21.8 km - Albergue Alba y Sorraya ( 28 places - 10 Euros each - reserved)

Fuenteroble - Parroquiel 20.2 km (70 places - Donativo)

San Pedro de Rosados 28 km - Albergue El Milario (10 places, 10 Euros each)

Salamanca 24 km - Hotel Alda Plaza Mayor ($56.70 for 2 nights - reserved)

El Cubo - Albergue Torre de Sabre - reserved

Villanueva de Campean 13 km - Municipal (16 places, 6 Euros each)

Zamora 18 km - Municipal (36 places, Donativo)

From Zamora, we will but to Vitoria-Gastiez where we have booked spendy beds in the Albergue de la Catedral for 18 Euros each. I've stayed in this albergue before and despite the cost, it's a very nice little place. I'm happy to stay here again. 

From Vitoria, next day we will take a bus to Pamplona, where we will meet up with some of our walking group. The others arrive next day and on May 21, we taxi to St. Jean Pied de Port to begin our Camino Frances trek.

Beautiful Desert Skies

We arrived in Desert Hot Springs last Sunday after a short stop to visit my mother.

The weather last week was hot,

but this week we've had a few days of high wind and cold.

Despite that, 

we've managed to walk almost every day

in the desert behind the park.

Much of the day has been working alongside Joe

getting ready for our Camino in May.

I am not able to sit at the computer for hours,

and so he does much of the actual typing

while I dictate from the shadow!

Our plan this year is to fly into Madrid,

bus to Caceres,

and pick up walking where I left off last year.

We have managed to book lodging in nearly 

every place that allows reservations.

We will be available by Spanish phone by the end 

of the first week in May.

We should reach Pamplona a day ahead of our walking companions.

In the meantime, 

I'm really enjoying the beautiful desert skies.

Dawn is spectacular,

as is dusk.

And the stars… incredible.

My MCS does well here 

as long as I stay out of the buildings.

I'm looking forward to walking the Camino again.

Stay tuned...

Got My Ticket Today!

Well, today my new passport arrived and with that in hand,

 I bought my ticket to Madrid. 

And the price was fantastic!

I paid only $980 on United to fly round trip to Madrid.

Kowabunga!

So I'm a real girl.

Now, I have to decide on one of two routes to take before meeting up with the others in Pamplona on May 18/19:

The Ossau Route beginning in Laruns, France, and walking down through the Pyrenees into Jaca and onto the Camino Aragones, then directly into Pamplona.

OR…

Picking up the Via de la Plata in Caceres, where I left off last year and continuing on to either Salamanca or Zamora.

The VDLP route is about 100-150 euros less expensive, and I like the thought of continuing on and completing the route perhaps next year.

But that Ossau Route is spectacular!

From http://vppyr.free.fr/pages_transversales/ossau/ossau_etp04_gabas_sallent.php

Oh decisions, decisions…

Any feedback from prior pilgrims?

An Umbrella for the Camino

Here's a photo to show you my top loading pack.
Can you see the straps on the side?
That's where I stuck the umbrella

There is some discussion about umbrellas on the Camino today and my vote is YES! 

By all means, carry one!

Up until last year, I thought it was funny to see people with umbrellas on the Camino.

Then last year, on a very hot day, I bought one.

And now, I'm addicted.

It's one of my favorite pieces of Camino gear.

First of all, I bought a bright purple one last year, 

so the color was cheerful on dark rainy days.

Second, when it DID rain, I stayed absolutely dry.

Last, on hot days, I bet it was 20 degrees cooler under that umbrella.

The sun would be baking other pilgrims,

who would be sweating and sucking down water.

I would be walking under cool shade,

very comfortable.

I'll never go without one again.

I don't take my umbrella with me.

I will buy one in Spain.

I bought the last one for 8 euros.

And not a folding one.

Those will break in the wind.

Nope.. a sturdy regular old umbrella.

Stood up the entire route.

I left it in Santiago when I came home.

Didn't want to mess with checking it on the plane.

Walking the Madrid route, I had shade all the way.

This is how I store it when I am not using it.

I have a top loading pack, so I stuck the umbrella in the side straps on one side,

and my bread or walking sticks on the other side.

It was great.

I could just reach back when I needed it.

Another photo of my backpack.
See where I have my walking stick in this photo?
That's where I put my umbrella.

So.. think about it.

You don't have to decide until you reach Pamplona.

There will be plenty of places to pick up an umbrella there.

Buen Camino!

PS: In Spain it is called a "paraguas"
para-aguas = for rain
as opposed to a
parasol
para-sol = for sun

I love Spanish!

Shoes for Camino 2014!

Yesterday, I got a call from Joe telling me there was a coupon from New Balance for $15 off any pair of shoes at their Tigard store.

That was good news since I am due for a new pair this year.



So Emma and I drove over and I looked at what they had.  In the end, there were only two pair that felt good.

One was this pair of brown walking shoes. I liked them. I liked the color.  They felt fine. The backs felt a little high, but that will correct when I add the Motion Control inserts.  I am a bit concerned that the tread is not hefty enough.  I bought them so I'd have a pair of shoes to train in. But I'm ordering another pair for the Camino.

The pair I really liked were the trail running shoes WT1210.   They are described as "trail runners."  These are not only comfortable, the tread is excellent.  It's much heftier and deeper than the others.  The only problem with them is they are not built on an SL-2 shoe last, which is what I like, but the size 7 wide seemed to fit ok. That was without the Motion Control insert, so I'm ordering a 7.5 online today.

Then, I'll decide which ones I will take on the Camino.

I think that is the only piece of equipment I need this year. I did purchase another Macabi skirt for the trip, because I sold my old one. I'm sorry now, because I really liked the charcoal color and this year, the only one on sale that would fit me is a dusty blue. It's 'ok' but I'm not a blue person…I'll probably sell it when the trip is over.

Today I am spending time with my granddaughter, who returns to school on Monday.
Next, I have one Nativity set to complete.
Then, I'll be getting out the final bills for the Anniewalker's 2014 Camino.

April is coming up quick!  Joe and I have been talking about which route we'll walk BEFORE we pick up our pilgrims in Pamplona.  I think we have decided to walk the Ossau Route from Gabas, hook up to the Aragones in Jaca, and then down into Pamplona.

It should take about 2 weeks, and it looks like a spectacular route! Check out this photo from the website:

 Here is a link:

Ossau Route

We walked some of this section of France when we walked from Lourdes. I'd like to scope out the area and perhaps offer this for others to walk next year, so I need to check on accommodation as well as difficulty.

Well, that's it for now.
I'd better get busy!
Buen Camino!
Annie

Starting to Train for Camino 2014!

Today, Patty invited me to a 9 mile walk in Vancouver.

We left Portland about 9:30 am.

It was overcast, foggy, and COLD!

Brrrrrr!

This was a Volkswalk and was very well attended.

There were 3 sections, and each section was 3 miles.

That's 4.82 kilometers, for those of you who think in metric.

I walked two sections, so just over 6 miles or 9.65 kilometers.

That's about half of what I usually walk in a day on the Camino.

It was enough.

It was so cold, that the hip I injured a couple of years ago

really began complaining.

So I decided I'd take it easy my first day out.

I think these cold Oregon winters are not going to agree with me.

I miss the desert heat.

But, for this year, I'll continue to walk and train with Patty.

The Volkswalks are very convenient.

And I am happy with myself for getting out of the house.

Looks like the next Volkswalk is on January 18.

It's the Hillsboro Loops and Soup walk.

It's a 10k walk, so should be perfect.

Between now and then, I'll walk on my own,

as well as start some classes at the community center.

Time to get in shape!

If you're looking for walks in your area,

check out www.ava.org

Buen Camino!

China Teacups

"You have hidden Your face from us… Yet, O Lord, 

You are our Father; we are the clay, 

and You our Potter, and we all are the work of your hand."

 (Isaiah 64:7-8)

* * *

A couple went into an antique shop one day

 and found a beautiful teacup sitting on a shelf.  

They took it off the shelf

 so they could look at it more closely, and said, 

"We really want to buy this beautiful cup!"

Suddenly, the teacup began to talk, saying

 "You know, I wasn't always like this.  

"There was a time when I was just a cold, hard,

 colorless lump of clay.  

One day my master picked me up and said,

 'I could do something with this!'  

Then he started to pat me, roll me, and change my shape.

"I said, 'What are you doing?!  

That hurts!  

I don't know if I want to look like this! 

Stop!"

"But he said, 'Not yet…'

"Then he put me on a wheel and began to spin me 

around and around and around,

 until I screamed, 'Get me OFF! 

I'm getting dizzy and sick!'

'Not yet.' he said.

"Then, he shaped me into a cup 

and put me in a hot oven. 

I cried, 'Let me OUT! It's hot in here! 

I am suffocating!'  

But he just looked at me through the glass and smiled 

and said, 'Not yet.'

"When he took me out, 

I thought his work on me was over, 

but then he started to paint me.  

The brush was cold and wet and the colors were dull.

It was not a pleasant experience at all!

"I couldn't believe what he did next!  

He put me back into the oven! 

I cried, 'You have to believe me! I can't stand this!

 Please let me out!' 

But he sighed, and said, 'Not yet.'

"Finally, he took me out of the oven 

and set me up on a shelf 

where I thought he had forgotten me.  

"Then one day he took me off the shelf 

and held me before a mirror.  

"I couldn't believe my eyes!  

I had become the most beautiful teacup 

that everyone wants to buy!"

* * *

I love this story I read in Joyce Meyer's book, "Beauty for Ashes."

The message?

Sometimes that is all we have left to do

is submit to the Potter's hands.

Just relax, 

stop fighting, 

and let the Universal Power take over.

If we can do this, 

we may wake up one day and realize

 after all the pain we've endured, 

we are no longer cold lumps of clay,

but are like a rainbow of beautiful teacups.

Another Death

I'll tell you, it's been a heck of a year.
This will be remembered as
"The Year People Died."

I just got word that my cousin died.

To add insult to injury,
his 96 year old mother is in a nursing home,
and my cousin's wife has decided not to tell her until
AFTER he's cremated.

This is cruel to me.
I have three sons.
I can't imagine people not telling me
if one of them died.
In our family,
a mother has the RIGHT
to say goodbye to her dead son.

My Aunt Vena lost her youngest son
a few years ago.
It was very hard on her.
Now her eldest has died.
Her last son.
And even if it kills her,
she has the RIGHT to know
and to see him.

Bad enough, they're cremating him
and not having a funeral.
Funerals are, after all,
for the living, not the dead.

But to keep his mother from saying goodbye.

When I say she's 96,
don't get the wrong idea.
My last aunt lived until she was 105.
Aunt Vena could have another 10 years.
People in my family live long lives.
My last grandmother just died in the past two years.

My aunt Vena is sharp as a tack.
She's not in the nursing home because of mental disability.
She's in there because she can't walk.
There's nothing wrong with her mind
that you wouldn't expect from a 96 year old.

Yes, she sometimes repeats the same stories,
and on occasion she dreams she's talking to her dead sister.
But she knows me each time I visit,
and she's very "with it."
She remembers names and dates and events
that I've long forgotten.

I think this is the most horrendous decision
I can imagine.
I'm just sick about it.

I may be out of email reach for a week or so
while I go to California
to pay my respects.

I ask those of you who pray
to pray for my aunt,
and to pray for the daughter-in-law
to make the right decision
before it's too late.

Thanks,
Annie

MCS and My Camino

I haven't posted much about MCS lately.

Although part of my healing process is NOT focusing on the MCS,

I don't want to lose track of the reason I do these trips on the Camino.

Life for many people with Multiple Chemical Sensitivities (MCS) can be nothing short of Hell until they find a safe place to live and become very aware of which substances trigger their reactions.

Once they know that their "brain fog," "emotional distress," "fibromyalgia," "rheumatism," or "mysterious migraines" are all symptoms of MCS, there is little that can be done to make life normal apart of staying away from the trigger substances (which you learn to identify over time), and chemical chelation or long-distance walking to chelate those substances.

After being diagnosed with Multiple Chemical Sensitivities, I was given two choices.

I could undergo chemical chelation, where they give you an intravenous chemical 

which causes your muscles, bones, and tissues to dump the toxins all at once.

Or I could do it more naturally, by long distance walking.

I chose long distance walking 

because research showed that chemical chelation 

led to damaged liver and kidneys 

more often than it helped.

* * * * *

What is MCS and how does it affect a person?

Well, pretend you're walking along a wooded hiking trail.

It's a beautiful day and you're looking at the trees and enjoying the sunshine.

You come around a sharp bend and suddenly, 

right in the middle of the trail,

is 

a HUGE RATTLESNAKE!

YOU ALMOST STEP ON IT!!!

This is what happens next:

1. Sequences of nerve cell firing occur and chemicals like adrenaline, noradrenaline, and cortisol are released into the bloodstream.

2. These patterns of nerve cell firing and chemical release cause your body to undergo a series of very dramatic changes:  

3. Respiratory rate increases

4. Your blood is shunted away from the digestive tract and directed into muscles and limbs

5. Your pupils dilate

6. Your awareness intensifies.  Sight sharpens. Smells are much more discernible. Light becomes almost unbearable, as do loud noises.

7. Your impulses quicken.

8.  Your immune system mobilizes with increased activation.

9.  You become prepared - physically and psychologically - to either fight or escape.

10.  You begin to nervously scan and search the environment, looking for "the enemy."  

11. You  tend to perceive everything in your environment as a possible threat to our survival.  This fight or flight system bypasses our rational mind and moves us into "attack" mode. 

12.  Your fear is exaggerated.  Your thinking is distorted as you see everything through the filter of possible danger.

AND THEN YOU REALIZE 

THE 'SNAKE' 

WAS ONLY A STICK 

LAYING ACROSS THE TRAIL.

IT DOES NOT MATTER.

THE CHEMICALS AND HORMONES HAVE FLOODED YOUR BODY.

YOU ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF A FIGHT/FLIGHT REACTION.

There is a cumulative buildup of stress hormones in your body. 

If not properly metabolized, 

this stress leads to disorders of your autonomic nervous system 

(causing headache, irritable bowel, high blood pressure) 

and immune system

 (creating susceptibility to infection, chronic fatigue, depression, 

and autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and allergies.)

* * * * 

What Comes Next...

For my body, the next four days are miserable. 

It's like a bomb went off next to me. 

My muscles ache, my head aches,

 I'm super sensitive to sound, smell, and light. 

Depending on the severity and cause of the exposure, 

I may be in bed for several days with these flu-like symptoms.

Long term affects include a life of total reclusiveness,

 out of fear of a reaction. 

You are afraid to go to the market. 

You cannot go to the movie theater. 

No more dinner dates. 

No family parties. 

Church is no longer possible, 

nor are dances.  

Why? 

Because the 'snakes' which cause the reaction 

(which we all agree is an amygdala response) 

are common everyday substances such as perfumes, 

colognes, scented detergents and fabric softeners, 

FEBREZE, scented lotions, scented candles, 

scented make-up, 

and the horror of horror, 

scented house sprays and plug-in fresheners.

And frankly,

it's impossible to avoid those

in public buildings.

When my specialist suggest long-distance walking 

to chelate the chemicals that are so bothersome to me, 

I looked far and wide for an appropriate trail. 

There was nothing in the United States 

that was safe enough for a woman walking alone. 

There was nothing in the United States

 that was well-enough supported for a sick woman walking alone.  

So, I continued to search, 

and eventually found the Camino Santiago.

After my first Camino, 

I felt better than I had felt in years.

This was great, 

but I couldn't afford to go back each year.

So I began trying to figure out how I could do it.

I was offered the opportunity to walk with a group of pilgrims, 

helping them along their way.

In exchange, 

the cost of my trip was covered.

This worked great, 

and I've continued to do it since.

I make it clear, 

this is not a tour.

I simply facilitate.

For the most part, 

you're on your own.

You are free to walk alone,

or with our group.

You have a clean bed booked in a private shared double room 

each night when you finish walking

so there's no need to rush for a bed.

You can walk some of the best sections of the route.

And I get to do my prescriptive walking.

So how about it?

Want to come along?

You'll feel so much better if you walk those toxins

out of your system!

This year's trips are full.

But you could join us in 2015

for a mixed group 

or a Crone's Camino.

More information on my website 

at www.anniecarvalho.weebly.com

Until then . . . 

Buen Camino!

Annie

Internet Along the Camino

When I first began walking the Camino, 

the whole world didn't carry a cell phone. 

 If you wanted to get in touch with family back home, 

you had few options.

Some of the albergues had computers that were available to the pilgrims. 

You would pay a Euro and get 15 minutes on the computer. 

If the computer was lined up, or did not work,

 it was a matter of finding a locatorio if you wanted to send an email. 

Most larger cities had locatorios. 

You just had to keep an eye out for the sign.

Locotorios are places where you can sit down to a computer 

and pay by the minute. 

They often also had telephone services 

where you could make international calls home at a very good price. 

Whether or not the computers are secure is a good question,

 and doing online banking in a place like this

 is probably not a good idea.

The booths are for telephone calls.

You can still find locotorios in large cities, 

but many have been put out of business by the cell-phone mania.

Today, everybody and his brother carries a cell phone or tablet 

and free wi-fi (pronounced wee-fee in Spain)

 is pretty much everywhere!

Almost every village will have someplace 

where you can sit and use your device. 

Sometimes there are signs posted. 

Sometimes you simply have to ask. 

But the Camino is definitely wired.

Is this a good thing?

I don't know.

I'm not convinced. 

I remember the freedom in NOT having to carry a phone.  

In NOT having to find a place to plug it in each night. 

In NOT having to worry about someone stealing it. 

These days I must carry a phone

 because I accompany groups of pilgrims 

and they need to be able to get in touch with me. 

But do I like it? 

Not really...

The phone is like a tether preventing full freedom. 

And really, if there is an emergency, 

there are 50 other pilgrims that will pass you in the next hour 

and most will be connected.

So yes, 

there is internet along The Way.

But do you REALLY need it?

Think about it. 

It can be refreshing not being available by telephone 24/7 

and it wasn't so many years ago when people waited 

until we checked our message machine at home 

before returning their call.

There's much to be said for being unconnected.

Especially on a spiritual journey…

How can you hear the voice of God if your phone is ringing?

* * * * * * * * * *

If you MUST carry and use a cell phone, please be considerate of your fellow pilgrims. 

Turn the ringer OFF in the albergue.

Turn the ringer OFF in churches.

Turn the ringer OFF in restaurants.

Do NOT talk on your cellphone inside the albergue or right outside windows

Do NOT talk on your cellphone in churches.

Do NOT talk on your cellphone in restaurants.

Do NOT hog the electric plug when charging your unit. 

Do NOT walk away from a charging phone - you may return to find it gone.

Do NOT put electronics in bag transported packs

If you use the internet in a bar, BUY SOMETHING.

If you can't connect, ask them to write down the contrasigna (password)

Consider getting a Spanish SIM card for your unlocked phone. 

Remember, roaming charges can add up, so using your phone on the trail is not advised.

* * * * * * * * * *

My advice?

Unless you have considerable health issues 

or a burning desire to contact home every night, 

consider just not taking the danged thing…

Please?

Love, 

Annie