The timing is different as well. Some like to rise before dawn and hit the trail, getting to their destinations as quickly as possible. Some like to cling to their sleeping bags until the last possible moment, when the guest-master of the albergue asks them to leave (usually by 8 am).
When I started this Camino I thought that most everyone would be in fantastic shape (I certainly wasn't). Well, I was wrong again. The ones who are in good shape are making the Camino on bicycle -- that method seems to draw the better athletes.
Which brings up a point. I have done my share of bicycling, that's for sure. But on the Camino when there's a steep hill to be climbed, there's not a bicycle to be found. But they magically re-appear after the hill or mountain has passed.
I have found that bicyclists on the Camino avoid the steep ascents, by taking detours around the hills. They might log more miles but they certainly don't seem to be getting the aerobic workout that they need!
Most people on the Camino are just ordinary folks -- people who were called to do this pilgrimage as they were. Some don't even prepare by walking before they start the Camino. One woman told me that her only preparation for the Camino was walking from her home to the train station on the day she flew to start the Camino!
There are some diversions that keep the walkers going. Every day the pilgrim passes through, on average, two or three little towns. Usually these towns offer a bar, which is very different from the American version. These bars offer all sorts of drinks, as well as a limited variety of food. So for the small town denizen (and the pilgrim), these bars function as a combination coffee-shop, mini-diner and meeting place.
Most prefer the bars and the breaks to hiking the Camino. After all, the walking IS the hard part of this pilgrimage!
A staple at the bars is the tortilla. It's not the Latin American version, but rather a pie-shaped food made of potatoes and eggs. A slice of it is perfect for the pilgrim, as it provides a lot of protein and energy (at least that's what I'm thinking!).
Some stop at every bar possible, and others avoid them like the plague, seeing them as a waste of time and money. I stop frequently at these bars to rest my feet, have a bite to eat and a glass of water, and dry out my sweaty socks. It's also a chance to socialize with other pilgrims, to find out what tips they have on the upcoming albergues (e.g., us it clean? Do the showers have hot water?, etc.).
The pilgrim chooses how far they will walk on any given day. There are albergues scattered all over the Camino, usually in the bigger towns, so a long or a short stage is possible.
Since distance is up to the individual, some walk 30-35 km per day (19-22 miles). Some prefer 16 km (10 miles). I myself find about 20 km (12.5 miles) just about right. Of course to finish when I want, I'm going to have to average about 24.5 km (15 miles) each day to finish. Please pray that my feet don't swell up, because that can happen when I walk too much.
What gives me so much hope I that there are so many ordinary people making the Camino. I think to myself, "If they can do it, so can I". I am not the fastest walker on the Camino, nor on the best shape. But with the grace of God I continue each day.
