The long-lasting effects of the Camino

Two years have passed since I walked part of the Camino de Santiago. Spending a week alone, walking the Camino was an incredible experience. It was actually downright transformative.

Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about the Camino. I think back to that week I spent alone, each day walking 18-25 km. When I told family and friends that I’d be walking alone, many expressed their concern. “Alone? Aren’t you afraid?” Won’t you be bored?” Nope, I was not afraid. Nor was I worried about being bored. I was actually looking forward to some quiet “me” time.

Alone, but never lonely

It turns out that I was right. Sometimes I walked alone, other times I had fellow pilgrims for company. I met some really interesting people and had some wonderful conversations. One of the neat things about the Camino is that there is zero expectation when it comes to interacting with fellow pilgrims. You can chat. Or not. You greet each other with “Buen Camino!”. You might nod and continue on your way. Or, you might exchange a few pleasantries. Other times, you find yourself immersed in some deep conversations. When you no longer wish to speak to your fellow pilgrim, you simply say “Buen Camino!” and continue on your way.

Camino Lessons

What did I learn? For one, I learned to just be and accept things for what they are. On day 3, when the skies opened up and I got thoroughly soaked, I had no choice but to cut my walk short. Yes, I was annoyed and disappointed. But, I was also lucky that I managed to share a cab with a fellow pilgrim and ride the final 10 km to my destination.

Life really slows down when your only focus is walking to the next destination. No regular chores. No demands on your time. No wardrobe choices to stump you. It was so liberating to not have to think about the minutiae of life. As I woke up each day, I had no expectations. I put on my backpack and headed out on the trail. This was a new experience.

Since my return to regular life, I carry these lessons with me. I try to accept things as they are. I try to look at the big picture and not get bogged down with useless details. Do I succeed? Sometimes, I do. Other times, not so much.

Meeting new pilgrims

Since 2016, I have met several people who’ve walked the Camino.  It happened again today. I was at the gym when I overheard a lady say she was walking the Camino next year. We struck up a nice chat as we talked about getting ready for this unique experience.

What’s neat about doing the Camino and then hearing people talk about it, is how unique each person’s experience is. You can walk 100 kms, or the full 800+ kms; you can follow the French, Ancient, Portuguese or any of the other “Caminos”; you can go alone, in a group, or with a close friend; you can stay in hostels, or in nice, local hotels. No matter which options you choose, you will have an unforgettable experience.

The Camino is not for everyone

Some, if not most, people have no desire or need to undertake this pilgrimage. But, for the rest of us, once you get the Camino bug, it’s very hard to ignore it. I know I will go back and do one, potentially 2 more Caminos. The next time I will take the Portuguese Camino. The first Camino was a homage to my mom. The next one will be in honour of my dad who was Portuguese.