Hey folks, I know this topic has probably been talked about before, and some of you might have already shared your thoughts on it. But I wanted to start a new conversation just to freshen things up .
So, I'm a newbie when it comes to the Camino. I kicked things off in Sarria on September 27, walked about 100km, and then did the Cee-Muxia route for 40km in 3 days. I'd say I spent about 60% of my nights in pensions or hotels and the other 40% in albergues.
The reason I decided to embark on this journey is because I'm about to move to a new country for an exciting job opportunity and a whole new life next year. I am currently taking a career break after quitting my last job. I felt like this was the perfect time to hit the reset button and reflect on everything that's happened and what's coming up in my life. In two days, I'll be flying back to Canada, and the mix of emotions about returning to reality is pretty intense, and I believe these feelings can be broken down into five areas:
1. âHave all my missions been completely solved?â
Not quite, but some of them have improved. Going on this roughly two-week walk has been a bit of a luxury, giving me plenty of free time to ponder life. I intended to cherish this time and disconnect from the outside world, but a couple of things got in the way:
- âReal-life distractionsâ - I did my best to set aside my daily life and not constantly check my phone, but itâs not easy. Some issues back home did demand my attention while I was walking, so I dealt with them once I reached my accommodation.
- âPhone distractionsâ - While my phone was a lifesaver for navigation, it could also be a distraction from the beautiful nature around me. I found myself texting friends and someone I was thinking about (one of the reasons I did the Camino) while I was walking, which disrupted the peaceful rhythm of this walking meditation.
2. Walking distance, the time I spent in Camino and the route I chose
I think this one is related to my first point. 100km from Sarria to Santiago de Compostela felt like a warm-up. I didnât feel the ârealâ Camino until the Cee-Muxia route where I could truly enjoy the alone time, the magnificent sunsets in Fisterra & Muxia and nature on my own. I believe part of the reasons is the last 100km of Camino Frances was a bit too crowed so it didnât give me that âsolitudeâ vibe I was expecting, and 7 days of hike simply was not long enough to have any kind of emotional resolution in my opinion.
3. First-timer
As a first timer, I had a lot of concerns such as: How many KM can I actually walk? What if I get injured? What if I canât find the accommodations? What if my phone die..? What if⊠many of them
4. The social interaction with other pilgrims
I was expecting way more âin-depthâ conversation with other pilgrims before coming to the Camino this time, but what I actually got is way more âinner conversationâ with myself. Not a bad thing at all, really! But I was wondering if part of it is due to the route I chose, where I started and time spent in private rooms. I was a bit reserved to open up to others for some reasons.
5. Language barrier
I learned Spanish on Duolingo for 2 months to prepare this walk and I thought I know enough to get byâŠnot until I came here then realized Galician speak too fast for me to follow.
I found myself in many situations having to speak English with the locals asking for direction/ordering food/checking in and I really didnât want to do it. I am one of those people who would love to speak the local languages wherever I travel to, because I believe speaking their languages is a way to show respect to the local culture and people there, especially when many of them donât speak very fluent English.
However, put all of above aside. I did learned a lot from this trip and enjoyed my time. Iâve also met many wonderful and kind locals and pilgrims which made this 14-day journey even more memorable. This journey is so wonderful that I wish I could just keep walking and never need to go back to deal with the busy life back home.
I have already started planning for the next Camino, and things I would like to change from my first are:
So, I'm a newbie when it comes to the Camino. I kicked things off in Sarria on September 27, walked about 100km, and then did the Cee-Muxia route for 40km in 3 days. I'd say I spent about 60% of my nights in pensions or hotels and the other 40% in albergues.
The reason I decided to embark on this journey is because I'm about to move to a new country for an exciting job opportunity and a whole new life next year. I am currently taking a career break after quitting my last job. I felt like this was the perfect time to hit the reset button and reflect on everything that's happened and what's coming up in my life. In two days, I'll be flying back to Canada, and the mix of emotions about returning to reality is pretty intense, and I believe these feelings can be broken down into five areas:
1. âHave all my missions been completely solved?â
Not quite, but some of them have improved. Going on this roughly two-week walk has been a bit of a luxury, giving me plenty of free time to ponder life. I intended to cherish this time and disconnect from the outside world, but a couple of things got in the way:
- âReal-life distractionsâ - I did my best to set aside my daily life and not constantly check my phone, but itâs not easy. Some issues back home did demand my attention while I was walking, so I dealt with them once I reached my accommodation.
- âPhone distractionsâ - While my phone was a lifesaver for navigation, it could also be a distraction from the beautiful nature around me. I found myself texting friends and someone I was thinking about (one of the reasons I did the Camino) while I was walking, which disrupted the peaceful rhythm of this walking meditation.
2. Walking distance, the time I spent in Camino and the route I chose
I think this one is related to my first point. 100km from Sarria to Santiago de Compostela felt like a warm-up. I didnât feel the ârealâ Camino until the Cee-Muxia route where I could truly enjoy the alone time, the magnificent sunsets in Fisterra & Muxia and nature on my own. I believe part of the reasons is the last 100km of Camino Frances was a bit too crowed so it didnât give me that âsolitudeâ vibe I was expecting, and 7 days of hike simply was not long enough to have any kind of emotional resolution in my opinion.
3. First-timer
As a first timer, I had a lot of concerns such as: How many KM can I actually walk? What if I get injured? What if I canât find the accommodations? What if my phone die..? What if⊠many of them
4. The social interaction with other pilgrims
I was expecting way more âin-depthâ conversation with other pilgrims before coming to the Camino this time, but what I actually got is way more âinner conversationâ with myself. Not a bad thing at all, really! But I was wondering if part of it is due to the route I chose, where I started and time spent in private rooms. I was a bit reserved to open up to others for some reasons.
5. Language barrier
I learned Spanish on Duolingo for 2 months to prepare this walk and I thought I know enough to get byâŠnot until I came here then realized Galician speak too fast for me to follow.
I found myself in many situations having to speak English with the locals asking for direction/ordering food/checking in and I really didnât want to do it. I am one of those people who would love to speak the local languages wherever I travel to, because I believe speaking their languages is a way to show respect to the local culture and people there, especially when many of them donât speak very fluent English.
However, put all of above aside. I did learned a lot from this trip and enjoyed my time. Iâve also met many wonderful and kind locals and pilgrims which made this 14-day journey even more memorable. This journey is so wonderful that I wish I could just keep walking and never need to go back to deal with the busy life back home.
I have already started planning for the next Camino, and things I would like to change from my first are:
- Choose a less popular route such as Primitivo or Central Portuguese, in section by taking one week vacation here and there
- Stay in an albergue as much as I can
- Pack lighter! I brought a 44L backpack with me this time, and I packed way more sets of clothes than I actually needed
- Learn to speak better Spanish
- Just enjoy the Camino experience without having too much worries a first timer may have