Walking the Camino de Santiago

Aug 9, 2023

I’m hopping on a plane on August 12th to Lisbon, Portugal. So, I’m spending the next couple of days getting prepared for another hiking journey. New hiking shoes from lessons learned last time. I’m using most of the same gear, with just some slight changes/tweaks based on my experience on the Camino France’s last year.

Once again, I’m going this trail solo. But I know I will meet new and interesting people along the way. My trail friends Mike and Viola will be with me in spirit, of that I’m sure.

I’ve been asked why am I doing this again? Good question! I remember my first few days last year walking the Camino Francés across the Pyrenees, thinking “why would anyone sign up to do this more than once?” I certainly never thought I would sign up to walk a journey like this again, until I finished. You see, there is something special about this time on the trail. Something you rarely get in our day-to-day world. Something those of us who have walked it understand. It’s like you’ve stepped outside of the daily hamster wheel of life and you’re able to experience this amazing world and all it has to offer. To listen to the crunch of rocks under your feet as you walk, breath in the fresh air around you, learn new customs in a new country, and meet new people from all over the world just like you. You get the rare opportunity to focus only on the “now” and not the past or future. Everything you have is on you back and all you need is your feet to move you. Even if they hurt, remembering “they are just feet”.

So, here I go again. Portugal here I come………