Everything is the same, yet completely different

My Journey on the Camino de Santiago

When I decided to walk the Camino de Santiago, it was just something I said on the spur of the moment. Looking back, though, it turned out to be one of the best decisions I ever made. What I learned along the way and how it shaped me continue to influence my daily life.

But don't expect miracles.

The Camino de Santiago won't make you lose weight, help you quit smoking, or heal your emotional wounds.

But it will definitely give you something: self-awareness.

You’ll probably come to realize who you are—and perhaps why you are the way you are. If you spend some time with only the bare essentials on your back, in pain all over, and sleeping in a room full of strangers, you’ll learn a lot about yourself.

If you're thinking about walking the Camino de Santiago yourself, this article can help answer some of your questions. After all, I had a few questions of my own before the trip.

These yellow arrows will guide you all the way.

But let's start from the beginning: How did this all come about?

A few weeks before my vacation, I was thinking about what I would do during that time, and I realized with horror that this “annual vacation” would probably fly by just as quickly as all my other vacations, and that by the end of the two weeks I’d be thinking, “What? That’s it already? And now back to work straight through until Christmas?”

Since I hadn't planned any trips, I saw myself stuck in an endless loop of cleaning, doctor's appointments, and other things you just end up doing when you finally have the time.

So I really got myself into a grumpy mood and eventually decided to call it quits.

STOP!! You have to get out of here. Do something, experience something.

How often do I find myself thinking that I’d love to see Scotland or Ireland, or visit Australia someday. Someday…

Far too often, I live from weekend to weekend, from vacation to vacation, and put off adventures until “sometime.”

I took a look at my calendar. I couldn’t find “sometime.” It seems to me that “sometime” doesn’t even exist. So let’s get started—right now. That was exactly five weeks before my vacation.

One of the many sunrises on the Camino

The more I thought about it, the more I liked the idea of hiking the Camino de Santiago. I’m really not the type for package tours, and the thought of a huge hotel complex with crowds of people rushing through mealtimes sends a shiver down my spine.

Since I work full-time and therefore only have 30 days of annual leave, I decided to extend my planned two-week September vacation to three weeks and walk a section of the Camino de Santiago. I chose the “classic”The French WayThe decision was made quickly.

If I walked 25 km a day—which is the average for pilgrims—I could cover 300 kilometers in 12 days. That would work out well. But which 300 kilometers? The first 300, the last 300, or some in the middle? I could, of course, split the entire route in half and spread it out over two years. But the thought of setting out, perhaps making some friends, and then having to say, “Okay, you guys keep going; I have to get back to work,” struck me as rather lame. So I decided on the last 300 kilometers starting from León.

To receive the Compostela, the pilgrim’s certificate, you must have covered the last 100 kilometers on foot or the last 200 kilometers by bike or on horseback. So that fits. Plus, I felt like I was heading toward a goal.

The bridge to Portomarin in the fog

The trip would be my first vacation on my own. Alone, in a foreign country, and with no idea if I could pull it off. But I told myself, “Hey, it’s Spain, not the Australian outback. You’ll find help if you need it!” Of course, deep down I didn’t feel quite that relaxed about it, but to make sure I couldn’t back out, I told friends and colleagues about my plans, and everyone was really impressed. Which made me a little proud, but also a little anxious that I might be overestimating myself after all.

Time to start getting ready—what should I even pack?

First, I bought thisTravel Guideand read a little bit of it. I quickly realized, however, that reading it would only be helpful right before each stage. So I put it aside again and decided to just go with the flow. I booked the flight to Madrid two weeks before departure, along with the return flight from Santiago de Compostela. A train ride would have taken 24 hours, which didn’t sound very appealing. So I ended up taking the plane.

The Cathedral in León

I had already booked the hotel for the first two nights and managed to snag the last available single room. It’s right in the heart of León, and I paid for it upon arrival. I was really worried, since it only cost €33 for two nights. But for me, what mattered when booking wasn’t the comfort, but having a single room. I just wanted to arrive and mentally prepare myself for the journey ahead. That’s why I’d booked two nights.LeónIt’s supposed to be a beautiful city, which I wanted to take my time exploring on Sunday before setting off on my journey on Monday.

Packing wasn't particularly difficult for me, since I'd been out in nature with a backpack many times before and had a rough idea of what I needed, what I didn't need, and how much the whole thing weighed. MyPacking ListIt basically consisted of two hiking outfits, a casual outfit, pajamas, a towel, hiking boots, sandals, and my toiletries bag with a toothbrush and toothpaste, a hairbrush, a small bottle of shampoo, lotion, and hair ties. Everything fit into my backpack, where I also packed my hydration bladder. You can find the complete list here:Packing List.

I revised this list after I got back, because I didn't need everything on it, and there were a few other things—like pain relief gel and more tape—that I wish I'd brought along.

Some sections are quite steep

Finally, it’s time to get started – The Path to the Path

Early in the morning, I set off—on foot—for the train station in Wuppertal. Somehow, it felt right to start my journey right from my front door with my backpack on my back. From the main station, I took the train to Düsseldorf to catch my flight. The plane was supposed to take me to Madrid, and from there I planned to take a bus to León. The trip took a total of 15 hours, and I was so relieved when I finally arrived in León. I took my time exploring the city the next day, and then set off on my journey the day after that.

Vineyards in Bierzo

The Camino de Santiago – Every stage is unique, and every day brings something new

Every day started with me getting up early. Thanks to my headlamp, I was able to set off as early as 6:30 a.m., which gave me the peace and quiet I needed while walking. I usually walked until 9:00 or 9:30 a.m., then took a break for breakfast with tea, a baguette, and nuts. Around noon, I usually stopped by the hostel, took a shower, and had a siesta. After that, I went shopping and then cooked. The Camino just has its own unique rhythm. But I really enjoyed it, and sometimes I find myself wishing today that I could get some physical activity in the morning so I could take a nap around noon. That rhythm did me a world of good.

You're not alone!

Even before my trip, I wondered how I would manage on my own. I really enjoy being alone and am very independent, but this experience was still new to me. But let me tell you: you won’t be alone on the Camino de Santiago! That question was answered just one hour in, when I was standing at a traffic light in León and overheard the two girls next to me speaking German. That’s how I met Sandra and Julia. In general, you’ll meet new people every day on the Camino de Santiago. Even I, although I’m not usually very outgoing, made friends right away. You can spend the whole day on your own if you want. Or you can walk the path with someone else. Anything is possible.

Just before Ribadiso

What if I don't speak Spanish?

Although the Spanish, like the French, don’t speak much English, they are still used to dealing with pilgrims and usually understand them—if necessary, using gestures. Besides, there are usually other pilgrims nearby who mightSpanishspeak and translate your English. Even though I was traveling with a lot of Germans, we spoke English most of the time so that we could all understand each other and no one felt left out.

Early in the morning, the valleys were always shrouded in fog

A bed at a hostel, or would you rather stay at a hotel? How do you sleep in a room full of strangers?

I have to admit, quite honestly, that this was my biggest concern. When I’m tired and exhausted and need some peace and quiet, sharing a dormitory with so many strangers. Going to the bathroom at night in my pajamas, the noises and smells from the others… But I imagined it to be much worse than it actually was. You get used to the constant smell of feet anyway, and if you bring earplugs, the noises won’t bother you much either. You only notice the bed shaking when the person above or below you turns over every now and then, because you’ll be tired by evening. So after just two nights, I had already gotten used to sleeping in a room with several other people. Hostels or hotels are an alternative, but they often have shared rooms too, so you might as well save your money. And honestly: looking back, that’s part of the charm of the Camino de Santiago.

What can vegans actually eat?

As a vegan, I get asked this question every now and then. I never thought I’d end up asking it myself. Unfortunately, the vegan options on the Camino leave a lot to be desired. However, if you plan your stages around the vegetarian hostels, you’ll probably have better luck. For me, there were more salads and fries than I would have liked. But I also had many really delicious meals. Especially at the beginning of the route, almost every hostel had a well-equipped kitchen, so I teamed up with some fellow pilgrims and we cooked up something tasty and meat-free. Thanks to Lara, who is a vegetarian, they were already cooking vegetarian meals anyway and then scaled things back a bit for me, so we tailored our dishes to the lowest common denominator. Among other things, we had vegetable paella, pasta puttanesca, salad with chickpeas, and fried potatoes with salad—always accompanied by a glass of red wine. We often treated ourselves to a bar of chocolate to go with it, which the six or eight of us would share.

A delicious dinner, cooked at the hostel

My breakfast usually consisted of a baguette, fruit, and a few salted nuts. Later on, I also liked to slip a few pieces of chocolate into a baguette, or spread it with avocado, or top it with tomato slices. In between meals, I had oatmeal cookies that I’d found in a supermarket on the first day and that, luckily, were vegan. They had a few pieces of chocolate in them, which made them taste delicious, and the oatmeal kept me feeling full. As you can see: You won’t starve as a vegan pilgrim. I’ve heard of some vegans who ended up becoming vegetarians because it was too difficult to give up all animal products. That wouldn’t have been for me. The only exception I made was with wine—I didn’t check whether it was vegan.

If you don’t have any dietary restrictions, you’ll almost always be able to get a pilgrim’s meal. This usually consists of meat with a side dish, pasta with meat sauce, or fried foods. Even if I did eat meat, however, some of these meals would have been too heavy for me to digest. Because if you want to haul your roughly 12 kg of luggage back up the mountain early in the morning, a rumbling stomach is more of a hindrance.

How the Camino Changed Me

Right up until the day before Santiago, I was firmly convinced that it was really just a hike. Sure, you can always read a lot into things and find meaning in them. You don’t need the Camino de Santiago for that. That’s more or less what I told Katy, who was hiking with me. I was afraid that I would arrive in Santiago de Compostela and feel nothing. Fortunately, that fear turned out to be unfounded. Because when Katy and I stood in front of the cathedral, we hugged each other and I was very moved. The Mass we attended shortly afterward also moved me deeply and brought a tear or two to my eyes. I cried from exhaustion, relief, feeling overwhelmed by the crowd, the noise, and the emotion stirred by the choir’s singing.

It wasn’t until the week I spent in Finisterre that I finally found peace; the pain subsided, and my mind was clear enough to reflect on my experiences. And then the journey truly took hold of me. My mind was filled with the most beautiful memories, and I realized just how much I had learned. On the one hand, about living together with others, but also about myself—both my weaknesses and my strengths. On the way to the airport on the last day, I formulated sentences in my head that I wanted to use for the conclusion on my blog. Tears welled up in my eyes again, out of emotion. Of course, I’ve forgotten those sentences by now, but what remains is a feeling. A feeling I had on that last evening on the beach. About 30 of us had gone to a beach in Finisterre to eat, drink, and sit around the campfire. For a moment, I stood a little apart from the group and took in the world around me. Before me, the raging sea; behind me, the rugged cliffs; beneath me, the fine sand—and all of it covered by a blanket of stars. I had never seen a starry sky like that before. I felt so safe in that moment. So far from home, alone, at the “end of the world,” and yet I feared nothing.

Will I do it again?

I’ll definitely lace up my hiking boots again, put on my backpack, and set out on a longer journey. The PCT—Pacific Crest Trail—and the Appalachian Trail in the U.S. are and will always be a big dream of mine; I’d love to hike them someday. Whether I’ll actually make that happen in this lifetime or if it’ll just stay a dream, we’ll see. But I’d also like to walk the Camino de Santiago again. Definitely the Coastal Route, and the Camino Francés—not in the near future, but perhaps again in its entirety as I approach retirement. Because I haven’t seen everything by a long shot and would like to catch up on a few things I missed this time.

What will I do differently next time?

The journey was good just the way it was. Period. I don’t want to change that. It taught me things and, like so many other experiences I’ve had in my life so far (yes, even the bad ones!), helped shape me into the person I am today. Still, there are a few things I’d pay closer attention to next time. That includes, for example, better footwear so I don’t have such bad pain. Or a backpack that’s more comfortable to carry. Since I shared this journey on my blog, I probably wouldn’t bring my MacBook on my next hike (though to be completely honest, I’m not 100% sure about that, since—aside from the extra 1.3 kg—I really enjoyed having it). Next time, I might plan a little more so that I can align my stages with the vegetarian hostels I passed by this time but didn’t spend the night at. That’s really about it. Otherwise, I’m very satisfied with the experiences I’ve had.

Sunset at the “End of the World”

I would recommend that everyone take a trip like this at least once. And do it alone. The experiences you’ll have, the people you’ll meet, and the journey of self-discovery will stay with you for the rest of your life and will likely change you—or at least influence you. I’m glad I decided to do it, and I’m already looking forward to my next trip with myself.

You can find the Camino diary for each stage here:Hiking the Camino de Santiago.
I hope you enjoy reading this!

All the best
Rina