My pack’s full, and it’s about time to head off on an adventure: a couple of days in Singapore, a couple more in Madrid, and then it’s time. Mum and I are walking the Camino de Santiago.
More specifically, we’re walking the Camino Francés, the French Way, beginning at Saint Jean Pied de Port, just inside the French border. From there, it’s some 800km until we arrive in Santiago de Compostela, along paths and roads marked with yellow arrows and scallop shells – shells traditionally associated with Saint James, or in Spanish, Santiago, whose remains are said to be buried under the Santiago Cathedral, and after whom both the city of Santiago de Compostela and the Camino itself are named.
I guess I forgot to mention that it’s a pilgrimage before anything else, and for centuries Catholics have walked it with the purpose of avoiding time in purgatory and gaining quicker access into heaven. Of course, I’m not Catholic, so I’m not expecting to gain the same outcome, but I think it will be a worthwhile experience nonetheless!
We’ll be carrying our gear as we walk, aiming to average around 25km per day. At night we will stay at “albergues”, which are hostel-like accommodations created for pilgrims that are named after the Spanish word for “shelter” and “refuge”. For meals, we’ll likely have breakfast in a bar we come across while walking through town each morning, with lunch and dinner often occurring once we have arrived at our destination for the day. Some albergues will have cooking facilities, others will offer a “pilgrim’s meal”, and when neither of those are available, we’ll eat out. Along the way, we’ll likely carry a few snacks for when we need something urgently!
I’ve wanted to do this for a long time. I think I first heard of it while I was at university, and, with no passion for walking whatsoever, I decided I would take this trip one day. Even these photos from previous trips remind me of how long I’ve been interested in the Camino. And now it’s happening!
It all still feels a bit abstract, but I’m beginning to feel both nervous and excited. I’m ready for some challenges though, and hopefully I can convince myself to just continue to walk. That’s all I’ve got to do! Walk.
emilyonearth 
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