Bøker av Gerald Kelly

Fully revised and updated in October 2021 to reflect the current situation on the Camino and in Spain. This book is intended for people planning to walk a Camino for the first time. It contains detailed, practical, impartial information and advice to help you prepare. It is based on the author's personal experience gained over nearly twenty years walking Caminos and on the experiences of many other pilgrims.The following topics are covered in detail: Covid-19 - the latest situation in Spain and how it affects the Camino. Travel restrictions, the EU Digital Covid Certificate, prospects for 2022. Packing - what to take, or more importantly, what not to take. This is the most important part of your preparation. How to choose equipment, what to think about and watch out for when buying hiking clothes, shoes, socks and a backpack.Health and safety - how to avoid, or if necessary, deal with blisters, bedbugs, heatstroke and other hazards of the Camino. How to access the Spanish health service and stay safe. What can you do before you leave home to help avoid disasters?What to expect on "the Way" - What's a typical Camino day? What's it like staying in a "pilgrim hostel"? Where do you eat and what's the food like?Communicating - how do people manage if they don't Speak Spanish? How to order food in restaurants? How to understand a typical Camino menu.History of the Camino and of Spain from its beginnings to its revival, what was the Camino like in the middle ages? Who walked it then? What hardships and hazards did they face?Society, culture and environment - politics, culture and people of modern Spain.Internet resources - including details of websites and Facebook pages and groups where you can meet other pilgrims."A pilgrim is everybody who sets out from their home on the open road looking for something."'This is a real mini-encyclopedia of the Camino, written in a friendly, no-nonsense way with lots of tongue-in-cheek humour... There is nothing esoteric or prescriptive about Kelly's approach - he's done the business and presents facts and subjective advice in a wry "take it or leave it"/"this is how it is" style: very refreshing and un-earnest!' Confraternity of St James Quarterly Bulletin, June 2019

2024 edition now available. Fully updated in October / November 2023.A practical guide to walking the Camino de Santiago/Camino Francés with information about pilgrim hostels and services plus lots of background information about the history, culture and architecture of the places you will pass through.It covers the Camino from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port to Santiago de Compostela.This guide grew out of the caminoguide.net free community-based guide to the Camino which is kept up-to-date with the help of feedback from pilgrims past and present.The guide includes: The Route: distances between places with pilgrim hostels, descriptions of difficult points along the route.Maps: route maps showing the Camino in rural areas and large-scale maps of the major cities and towns showing the location of Pilgrim Hostels and other facilities.Accommodation: up-to-date and accurate information about pilgrim hostels, the facilities provided and prices. (Please note, this guide is intended for people walking the Camino de Santiago the traditional way staying in pilgrim accommodation, it does not contain information about hotels and guesthouses.)Services: information about services (shops, restaurants, tourist information, internet, etc.) plus the dates of local festivals.Sights: historical and architectural information about the sights you'll see along the Camino.History: a brief history of the towns and villages along the Camino, describing significant events, people and legends.Gastronomy: descriptions of the traditional dishes to watch out for in the different regions and recommendations on where to try them.Placenames: the meanings and origins of the names of villages and towns.