Like so many things in life, preparing to return to the Camino is very different than preparing for my first Camino. Next year, I, along with friends, will return to Spain to continue my personal Camino, my growth and continuing education as an adult.
In 2016/17 as I prepared for my first trip, I was very excited, and I knew only what I could read about the Camino Francés (CF) and the 800 km journey across the north of Spain. Now, having that experience behind me, I can prepare for a different trip. I don’t know if that knowledge will turn out to be a good thing or a bad thing. My friend Katja, returning for her 5th Camino seems as eager every time she goes.
This Camino will be far from traditional. Having received my Compostela in 2017, that’s not my goal this time. For me, the joy of walking though the countryside with friends, meeting new friends and having time to purge my mind of the detritus that we all collect in the modern world is what I seek.
Currently,and this is certainly subject to change, we plan to start our trek in Astorga where we’ll meet Chris and her students from Texas A&M and walk for a couple days with them. This may be the highlight of this trip as I really look forward to meeting them and hearing about their Camino.
Our current thought is to walk to Sarria and then take the train to Ferrol where we’ll begin the Camino Inglés (CI). The CI was the route that pilgrims from England and Ireland took after their sea voyage from those countries to Spain. Possibly my friends Steve and Leighton will meet us there after beginning their Camino in England.
Another option would be to continue walking the CF to Santiago and then straight on through to Muxía and Finisterre. Returning to Finisterre is very important to me and, walking there is a must as I did not walk in 2017 due to my aching knees. I realized a while back that had I walked there, I probably would not have met my friend Katja.
This Camino will be far less planned. Other than when and where we start and finish, I’m completely open to making it up as we go along. I hope to take more alternative routes as well. Currently,our plans call for arriving in Madrid on June 8th and I expect I’ll return on the 25th or 26th, still trying to figure that out but doing it with great anticipation. More to come.
On a different subject, several months ago I wrote a poem called The Pilgrim which told in verse the story of my first Camino. I find it hard to share personal emotions sometimes and, it was difficult for me to let friends read it, let alone, total strangers. My friend, Chris, one of the Professors encouraged me to submit it for publication in La Concha a quarterly publication done by the American Pilgrims on the Camino. To my surprise, they chose to publish it in this quarters newsletter. Besides being shocked, I’m humbled. I thank my friends who encouraged me.