Blog du Wren

Camino Wrap-Up

Well, I did it. I completed the Camino de Santiago. Specifically, I walked the Camino Frances (French Way) from St-Jean-Pied-a-Port, France to Santiago de Compostela, Spain. Guide books and mileage markers put the distance at 490 miles, but with detours, exploration, and occasionally getting a little lost, my mileage came in closer to ~520. It took me 30 days without any rest days, averaging a little over 17 miles a day.

I kept a daily journal of the trip, available here*, but I wanted to summarize and capture some overarching observations and feelings.

First and foremost, I did it. I did a really hard thing that I set out to do and I'm proud of myself for that.
This was a wonderful reminder that by setting my mind and body to something and working towards it everyday, I can complete a large task by chipping away at it. This is a lesson I hope to really carry with me moving forward.
I was very much surprised by how much trouble my body gave me, perhaps serving as a reminder that I am no longer a young person. Achilles issues from the start, knees and ankles in all sorts of combinations, general feet pains—the strain on the non-muscle parts of my body were something that I wasn't prepared for and dominated my thoughts and experiences much more than I would have liked.
I love Europe, from the urbanscape with its cathedrals, plazas, fountains, outdoor cafes, public transit, and pedestrian friendliness to the tiny villages with their beautiful old central churches, built to last stone houses, lack of sprawl, narrow streets, and genuine character.
One of the bits of magic along the Camino that I didn't expect to affect me as much as it did was the wonderful people. I came here to get away and have time to myself, which I definitely got. And even though I did almost everything I could to make it as solo an experience as possible, meeting other pilgrims and getting their stories was inevitable. It turns out, these stories were moving and these people inspiring; 70+ year olds that have walked twice as far as me, others dealing with loss, young folks with a thirst for adventure, those who still don't know what their story is.
With a hopefulness that this experience could work miracles, I came in with a mental list of goals for healing, self-improvement, and change. I'm sad to report that I'm still the same old Wren, not healed, not improved, and not changed (at least not in any significant way.).
Merino wool is a miracle fabric that truly doesn't smell, even after being worn for weeks at a time without washing.

Perhaps, in reading this post, you were hoping for more inspiration, more insight, more meaning. Honestly, I think I was too. When the love of my life was killed and my mind was violently adrift, I seized on the Camino de Santiago as a guiding light for my future, some future thing that could give me the healing I so incredibly needed. And, in a way, merely the idea of it served a very important purpose of having something to hold on to. I don't want to say that there was no healing; sharing about Della, hearing about others' tragedies, and being forced to face life as just me all were non-negligible gifts of the Camino. And the new foods, sights, mini-adventures, and more definitely added to what has made me grateful to have had this experience. I guess when you have the highest of hopes, it is easy to lose context.

In conclusion, I walked 500 miles*. It was an experience I will never forget (for so many reasons) and I'm really glad I did it.

To see a gallery of the three photos I challenged myself to take everyday, click here and arrow right.
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Sunday December 5 2021

File under: travel, Spain

Toggle Comments (4)

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on Sun 05th Dec, 2021 01:32 pm CST RW said:
Congratulations on completing the Camino! Maybe it's unrealistic to think that a single experience, even a 500-mile one, will yield the results you seek. Good thing there are many more long-distance treks to check off the list, including right here in the PNW. https://www.pnt.org/
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on Sun 05th Dec, 2021 01:43 pm CST Mom said:
Wonderful summary of an amazing life experience. Plenty of postcard-perfect photos too, they convey so much beauty and culture. Thanks for this.
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on Sun 05th Dec, 2021 10:52 pm CST Jule and kids said:
Great job, we loved the photos. Good luck for the rest of your trip
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on Fri 25th Mar, 2022 05:46 pm CDT Jason Ruvelson said:
I enjoyed reading about your experience, appreciate your genuineness, and like seeing your photos
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