Jimmy, Switzerland
“Is that why I undertook this pilgrimage? To experience the unknown and be carefree? I doubted it. People often asked me what I was looking for on the way, but I couldn’t provide them with an answer because I didn’t know.”
David, USA (2019)
“Within the first day I could tell that this portion of the Portugues was not going to be like the Norte or Frances. It was very flat, it was very industrial, it was repetitive, it was hot, and it was a lot of concrete. But somehow I still enjoyed it.”
Keith, USA
“I literally think about the Camino every day. It was easily the most crazy and adventurous thing I’ve ever done by myself. But the word “myself” is misleading – you’re never alone on the Camino.”
Nilanj, USA (2017)
You don’t always need to dig so deep to find the meaning in things – even a Camino. Sometimes it stares you right in the face.
David, USA (2017)
If my first Camino was one of self discovery, my second Camino would be one of celebration of everything I had been able to accomplish since then. It was long, and at times a grueling journey, but it was just as memorable as the first.
“The Walking Woman,” USA
“The experience of my trek was completely and utterly joyful. It reaffirmed my belief, an unquestioning understanding that the Universe will conspire on my behalf if I just flow with it… if I simply let it.”
Angela, England
“There was something surreal about walking the ancient route. Removed from the familiarity of everyday life people sometimes walked alongside others telling their stories and explaining their very personal reasons for doing the pilgrimage.. We heard stories of heartache, loneliness illness and loss.”
Maria, Australia
“…after being at home for a week, one day I thought to myself, ‘what am I doing here? I’d rather be walking!’ And now, I’m constantly thinking of when my next walk will be.”
Dermot, Ireland
“By March 2010, I had become heavy, something I only fully realised by chance. My Nephew and his Girlfriend came to visit me. I took photographs of them, and they took photographs of me. A few days after they left, I put the memory card into the computer. They looked great, but then I saw a fat man with my face looking at me from the computer screen. Something needed to be done and rapidly.”
Nerida, Australia
“And for some unexplained reason, I became obsessed with the pilgrimage. I don’t know why! I had never traveled out of Australia, but I felt like it was calling me. Truly, a seed had been planted.”
James “Jimmy” Hart, USA
“The camaraderie, generosity, and unconditional support that James witnessed daily touched him deeply. He found that everyone had a story and a reason for walking the Camino, but that the sameness of their path brought them all together.”
Steve, USA
“There’s a rhythm to the walk, a rhythm that goes beyond the crunch of boots on gravel. A rhythm that is more than the swinging of arms or the steamy puffs of visible breath on the coldest mornings or the pulsing stride of thousands of pilgrims along the road.”
Adam, UK
“It is said the real Camino begins the moment you finish your Camino journey in Santiago de Compostela. I committed to myself in Santiago to begin my own transformation journey to create and live a life of fulfillment.”
“Chef” John, Australia
“We noticed an elderly French pilgrim eating a large watermelon. That was going to be his dinner. I offered the Frenchman a plate of pasta, and a plate of salad. In return he shared his watermelon. I could not find a corkscrew for the wine; he had one. We shared the bottle: long live the United Nations of pilgrims! He thanked me profusely, and I thanked him. Respect, and the desire to share, makes the world go round.”
Desi, Australia
“The Camino is truly a wonderful experience. It’s life changing. The people you meet can become great friends. When I talk to them, it brings up these feelings. I guess you could say it’s the sense of accomplishing something together. But, it’s much more than that.”
Larry, Australia
“…one thing I found really remarkable about the Camino was how both I and my wife were just so doubtful about being able to finish the entire trip, and in the end, coping through all those challenges to complete it. Because of that, I have spent two years encouraging others to do the Camino.”
Joshua, USA
“Many people have amazing stories and incredible memories from their Camino. I don’t want to minimize anyone’s experience because they are all truly special… but my experience was a step beyond.”
Pete / “Pedro,” Australia
“…the Camino definitely helped change me. I found a way to solve little problems, to do things differently, and to not do the easiest thing in front of me. I changed, and maybe I can’t explain exactly how. But I didn’t show up thinking about how I needed or wanted to change.”
“The Pug & Cat Pilgrims,” UK/Norway
“So when we decided to go on a Camino to jump-start this change in our lives, we also insisted that we become the first pilgrims ever on the Camino de Santiago to bring a pug and cat along for the journey!”
Shanti, New Zealand
“Don’t get me wrong – reaching the Cruz de Ferro and spotting the Cathedral de Santiago for the first time were numinous, reflective moments that felt bloody amazing. But for me, the Camino was rather slow burn of comprehension that if I can walk across a country on my own two feet carrying everything I needed, I can do anything I want.”