SPANISH LESSONS

Durban (Berea)
Beginners, Intermediate & Advance classes offered by qualified Spanish speaking tutor on the berea in Durban.
Spanish 101 - contact Waldir at 0820423706 or spanishlessons101@gmail.com

Cape Town (Gardens)
Going on the Camino? Come and learn Spanish from scratch. This 8-week language course is tailored for those pilgrims preparing for their Camino experience. Each participant receives a manual full of useful lesson topics for the road ahead. The emphasis of the course is on speaking through role plays and fun improvisations. Contact Claire Verstraete, 082 924 9459 or cjtvers@gmail.com Cost: R1100.

A new service

A new service for pilgrims will soon be opening in Santiago. Ivar Revke - the webmaster of the popular forum Pilgrimage-to-Santiago.com, is setting up a Camino Travel Centre in the old city of Santiago. He will offer a welcome service to pilgrims arriving in Santiago, trips to Finisterre to see the sunset, storage facilities for pilgrims to send excess baggage to Santiago from the camino routes and many other services.

Camino Travel Center
Rua de San Pedro 33,
15703 Santiago de Compostela,
La Coruña, Spain

Website: www.CaminoTravelCenter.com

Phone us using any of these numbers:
Spain: +34 981 589 289
UK:+44 20 7193 8301
Australia: +61 2 8003 5247
USA: +1 408 627 7640

Skype name: Camino.Travel.Center

Camino Workshop in Gauteng

Venue: Walter Sisulu Botanical Gardens
When: 15th March 2009, 9.00 to 11.00 plus walk through gardens.
Further info: Marita Nortje' mapano50@hotmail.com

The South African Department of Foreign Affairs

The South African Department of Foreign Affairs offers a voluntary registration service for South African citizens who are travelling abroad. This service is provided in the event that there is a need to contact South African travellers to offer urgent advice on a natural disaster, civil unrest or family emergencies. For more information and for registration, visit the following website: www.foreign.gov.za/TIBCO%20iProcess%20Client%20%28ASP%29/StaffDFA/Custom/ROSA/start.aspx

Get with the age of techno talk and join facebook

There are many Camino Groups on facebook. It is useful to share experiences, photographs and connect with others while on Camino or afterwards. You sign up, create your profile and then join the groups. Here are some of the groups (you need to have joined facebook to see them):

Camino de Santiago
The Camino de Santiago
The Pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela

Gordon Bell, who lives in Vilacha¡ near Portomarin, has also created a friends' group for his home Casa Banderas. See his photo album of the progress there.

New Visa Requirements

A Visa Appointment system at the Consulate General of France in Johannesburg; with effect from 1st November 2008, every applicant (6-years old and above) who resides in the provinces of Gauteng, KwaZulu Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Northwest and Free State is required to apply in person at the office of the Consulate General of France in Johannesburg. The Consulate General’s address is: Standard Bank Building, 3rd Floor, 191 Jan Smuts avenue, Parktown North, Johannesburg Prior to applying in person at the office of the General Consulate of France, applicants are required to schedule an appointment. Applications will not be accepted without an appointment. Applicants wishing to apply for a Schengen visa to travel to France are required to submit their applications after taking a prior appointment online at http://fr.vfsglobal.za.com. The Internet facility is available 24/7. Applicants can call our helpline number at +27(0)82 234 4433; the phone-in facility is available 0800-1500, Monday – Friday. Appointment can be scheduled online by the applicant only; it cannot be scheduled at the call centre. There will be an appointment scheduling service charge of R110.00 inclusive of VAT levied per application over and above the visa fees. The appointment scheduling service charge is payable by cash deposit in advance at any Nedbank branch.

The BRITISH GOVERNMENT have announced changes to the visa requirements for South African nationals who wish to visit or transit the United Kingdom. With effect from 3 March 2009, all South African nationals seeking to visit or transit the United Kingdom will need to obtain a visa before travelling. There will be a temporary exemption to this requirement for those who have previously travelled to the United Kingdom in their current passport. Travellers with no evidence of travel to the United Kingdom in their current passport (i.e. a UK arrival stamp) will need to apply for a visa. Not sure yet of procedures, costs and requirements but awaiting official notification from the British High Commission.

Check with you local consulate for rules. ukinsouthafrica.fco.gov.uk/en/visas-for-the-uk/

PILGRIM STATS - 2008

(2007 in brackets)

January (350) 306;
February (666) 703;
March (1,680) 5328;
April (8,112) 5,655;
May (12,898) 15,988;
June (15,157) 15,860;
July (20,108) 20,989;
August (27,140) 29,747;
September (15,1898) 17,298;
October (9,434) 9,881;
November (2,496) 2,301;
December (796) 1,085;

TOTAL: (114,026) 125,141