My 2nd Camino de Santiago, Everything I hoped for and more...

I was so excited to start my Camino de Santiago. I arrived early to the Barcelona Airport. I had already planned my day to a tee! I needed to check into my hotel, purchase a bus ticket for the next day to Ponferrada, and sort through my backpack to only pack the necessities. I then needed to go to the Pilgrim office to store my bigger pack and aquire my Pilgrim credential. Within four hours of arriving to Santiago I had accomplished all my goals for the day. I was so excited and determined to make this Camino the experience I had hoped to have two years prior.

Side story.... I had read many books about the Camino de Santiago and had always wanted to experience it for myself. In the past I had been a "highline traveler". I had traveled alone, but had spent many vacations at Club Meds, on cruises, or on organized tours. This would be my first backpacking experience. September, 2006 was my time to go. I had trained for two months walking with a weight vest loaded with 25 pounds hoping this would prepare me for my journey. REI became my favorite store ( and still is =>). I had never been to REI before and ended up spending $600 in gear and clothes for my Camino. I remember the salesman who helped me had a friend who had trekked the Camino and he said as I was leaving "may God speak to you, Buen Camino". I was so excited this was to be my first trek, my first spiritual walk communing with nature. I was determined to make this "my time". I was going to be staying in albergues with like minded people, backpacking, and really rouging it.
September 9th, 2006 I boarded the plane and headed for Leon. The next day I had intended to walk to Astorga but as I searched my maps and guides, I decided to take a bus to Ponferrada and start my trek the next day. I would be walking the last 200km ( roughly 125 miles) to Santiago. My plan was to walk 20km (12 miles) a day, giving me ample time to walk to Finisterre. I had a great day meeting pilgrims from all over the globe, then I met" Mr. Valencia". Well," Mr. Valencia" and I got a long great. He was accustom to "high line" travel as well. From the start we decided to stay in nice hotes, wine and dine at night, and to have our backpacks shuttled by taxi to our hotels daily. It was the pampered Camino, for sure. To make a long story short, four months later when our relationship ended, I was feeling as though I had cheated myself out of the "my time" I had hoped for. I was wishing I had stuck to my plan and had not allowed myself to be taken in by the moment. I knew at some point I would come back to have the experience I was searching for. July 01, 2008 would be that time!

Some facts about Camino de Santiago:
Thousands of people from all over the world set forth to do this trek. (you are considered a pilgrim)

There are many routes, some people start walking from their homes in Europe. The most popular route is the Camino Frances. This starts in St Jean, France. It is 750km to Santiago.

It is said that St James was buried here. Some also refer to it as the Milky Way. One thing is for sure the energy of this trek is amazing and I have not experienced anything like it anywhere.


You absolutely must have a Pilgrim Credential, they are free. The credential allows you to stay at the albergues. You must have it stamped at least once a day( twice a day when walking the last 100km). This is easy to do, all the resturants, chapels, cathedrals, hotels and albergues stamp them for you.

It is very inexpensive to walk the Camino. Albergues cost as low at 3 Euros per night. Most restaurants offer a Pilgrim Menu starting at 6 Euros including desert and wine.

I arrived in Ponferrada July 01, 2008. I walked the city only to end up staying where I had in 2006. I then went in search for a walking stick. I saw a pilgrim looking at his map and I had asked if he could tell me where the Castle of the Templars was. He looked at me and pointed. I went along my merry way. I grabbed a salad and headed to my hotel to get a good nights rest. I would be starting my journey at 7am the next day. When I arrived to the hotel I realized I had lost 200 Euros. I had no idea where this could have happened. I quickly went into positive thinking mode and realized everything happens for a reason. I knew I would have stayed at hotels if I had not lost this money. This forced me to want to stay at albergues. Looking back, this was a blessing in disguise. Staying at algergues is a Must experence! The pilgrims you meet, the conversations you share, your blisters, your first aide kits, its a HUGE part of the Camino experience!
I woke up early to find it raining on July 2nd. I put on my poncho and headed out. I was quickly shown the way to the Camino by some locals. There are signs of yellow arrows and scallop shells to help you stay on route through out the Camino. I quickly realized summer is not the time to trek the camino. I met up with a group of 50 teenagers and their guides. The guides gave me a heads up to where they would be staying and explained these cities would be full and there would be no beds available. There were numerous other groups iof teenagers along the way also. I stopped at a small restaurant(bar) to have some tea and decide where to end my day. My eyes met with another pilgrim as I enterd the bar. Yes, it was the same pilgrim I had asked directions from the day before. We smiled. I paid my check and walked out. I stopped at a market to buy some fruit. He waited for me outside. I decided to stay in the market a little longer, trying to avoid talking to him. He was very goodlooking but this Camino was all about me! He started to walk on and then slowed down and finally stopped. I couldn't help but take notice where he stopped. He stopped in exactly the same place I had met" Mr. Valencia" two years before. I looked up at the sky and laughed. I said if this is meant to be, you will have to open the door, because I'm not going to! With that I turned to the left and decided to have lunch at a little park. He looked at me, shrugged his shoulders and kept walking. Later that afternoon, I arrived at my albergue in Villafranca del Bierzo. I walked into the bedroom to claim a bottom bunk when I looked to the right, yep there he was lying on his bed. It was only us in the room. He looked at me, sighed and rolled over. I put my pack down, and left to have dinner. I couldn't help but laugh. What are the chances of that, there are many albergues, not to mention there were 10 other rooms. By 7:30pm I was in bed to go to sleep. I had walked 28 km and was tired. I was just about to put my eye mask and earplugs on when he came in. He said "Hola" I said hi. I asked if he spoke English, no, do you speak Spanish, no, do you speak French, no. He was from Hungary and spoke a little Danish. That did it, I had spent my last Camino trying to help "Mr. Valencia" with English, while he helped me with Spanish. I was determined not to go through this again. I put in my ear plugs, put on my eye mask and said good night. I woke up the next day and left by 6:30am. He mumbled something to me as I left and I smiles and said hasta luego. It was not meant to be. => Its a great story. I believe the universe gives us lessons to be learned and until we learn them we are hit with the same situation over and over. I learned my lesson. This journey was about me and I was determined to make it mine!

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