Spain 2023

In 2023, I walked the Camino de Santiago on the French route, starting in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port and finishing in Santiago de Compostela, then continuing on to Finisterre and Muxía. I went by myself but met two people on the first day. Over five weeks, that grew into a group of twelve. We walked together loosely and have stayed in touch after the trip.

My pack was 35L which was enough room for all of the necessities and some creature comforts. One pair of Altra Lone Peak shoes, sandals, two shirts, two pairs of shorts, four pairs of socks, three pairs of underwear, and one dress, were the staples. I washed clothes by hand almost every day and splurged on a washer a handful of times if one was available at an albergue. My shoes held up the entire time, which was not the case for many people.

A typical day started early. Most mornings I was out the door around 6 or 7 AM already dressed in what I had slept in. Pack up, brush teeth, sunscreen, shoes, walking sticks, and go. Sometimes there was a café open. Sometimes there was not, so I would start walking and eat something small I picked up the evening before.

We usually stopped once, twice, or three times for food. My group called it first breakfast, second breakfast, and third breakfast. I always got orange juice and added sea salt to help with hydration. I ate a lot of chocolate croissants and to this day I gag when I see and smell them. The same thing happened with Spanish tortilla, which is basically an omelette of egg and potato which sometimes has cheese.

Most days I walked until early afternoon. By around 2 PM, especially on the Meseta, it was too hot to keep going. I usually walked around 15 to 20 miles. Some people were doing much longer distances, around 40 miles. When I arrived in the next town, I would check into an albergue, claim a bunk, shower, wash clothes, and then rest. Afternoons were slow. People would nap, journal, sit outside, or explore the town. Dinner was either communal or at a local restaurant, and the door was locked and lights out at 10 PM.

I liked walking through the Basque region. Part of my ancestry is from there, and it felt familiar in a way I did not expect. I also loved seeing the bright yellow Spanish broom and the poppies along the way. There were hard days. One day my feet hurt so badly I could not walk. I took a bus from Pamplona to the next town to recover. If I had not done that, I do not think I could have continued. I also dealt with blisters and lost two toenails.

There were also moments that stood out for other reasons. Walking through a storm and getting completely soaked. Seeing locals sit along the way to play music or offer encouragement. Getting stamps in my Camino passport every day.

I did not take any rest days, even though I had planned for them. I wanted to keep walking with my group. One of the best parts was the people. We celebrated birthdays, shared meals, and have stayed connected after the trip in a WhatsApp group chat. My goal is to walk the Camino every five years, so I am looking ahead to 2028. Every summer multiple people from my group walk a route or part of a route and it is special to relive the journey through them. One of the common sayings is “Your Camino begins when the Camino ends” because people return home changed, often unable to go back to how they were living before walking. My life has changed substantially since I walked, and I’m grateful.

Here is the complete itinerary I followed for my Camino trip. I flew from Miami to Paris, spent a few days, took the train south to Saint Jean, walked the Camino, flew to Rome for a few days, then to Bordeax, and took the train back to Paris before returning home. I tracked my miles walked using Strava on my Apple Watch. I made an Instagram reel for each day of the Camino, and they are available on my public account. I enjoyed journaling this way and capturing how I felt and what I saw during the rest hours of the afternoon and evening. I will be making my packing list available for purchase Summer 2026.