Camino Frances 2022
Ground zero
As the saying goes, “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step,” but let’s not kid ourselves – sometimes the hardest part is just getting to the...
Day 1: the pyrenees
If this year everything’s gone to plan, well, 2016 was the exact opposite. Back then, Tina and I stayed overnight in Bayonne, only to discover the next...
Day 2: 2 kilometres too many
When the day's stage is done, the first thing you do is take a long, cold shower. Then comes the housekeeping—organising your things and washing clothes. On the...
Day 3: bloody monday
You know that feeling when you wake up in the morning, feeling all Olympic, and you only have 30 km ahead of you? You don’t, do you. 🙂 When I had already...
Day 4: go big or go home - los arcos
The previous evening, over dinner with eight other hikers at the table, some of us decided to walk to Los Arcos the next day. This is my favourite part of the...
Day 5: laganini
The day started quite early because some people don’t know how to leave a hostel quietly, and of course, I didn’t pack earplugs again this year. Thanks to them,...
Day 6: the beautiful lie or the ugly truth
The day doesn’t start without breakfast. Gro and I both enjoy a well-chilled fruit yogurt with a slice of plain bread soaked in it—a nostalgic reminder of...
Day 7: hello boys!
The night before, I told Gro I’d say goodbye in the morning before I left, as I was feeling unwell, nauseous from the food, which really hadn’t agreed with my...
Day 8: taking it easy
Yesterday, when I arrived at my destination for the day, I realised it was the same place where, in 2016, on my first Camino, my first foot had a tough time....
Day 9: no beer today, one too many yesterday
After a fun Saturday, Sunday showed its consequences. Since we had "overdone" it the day before, the morning felt like MC Hammer—lazy but still smiling. The...
Day 10: brain – grilled burger
If I had known that the day would end the way it did, I would have started more slowly. We started way too early for my brain, so we walked in the dark for...
Day 11: "buen camino." "you can go fuck yourself." "buen camino." "fuck you!"
God is speaking to me. Meseta, baby! Pilgrims hate the Meseta, as it’s like a long desert. No water, no shade, nothing. There’s a big chance you might encounter...
12. DAY - EL BURGO RANERO
When I woke up this morning, only Lucca and Andrea were still in the hostel. Judging by the contents of my wallet, I asked Andrea if we went to Milan yesterday....
Day 13: gin & tonic
Since I slept on a stone ledge the previous night—to escape the noise and avoid roasting in my room due to the heat—I had a terrible night and an even worse...
Day 14: thank god it's friday
You know that feeling when the road out of León is so boring that over your first coffee you decide today's only good for 25 km? It's Friday, and the trail's...
Day 15: i hate walking through cities
OVER AND OUT Apparently today's Sunday — the Lord's day, so no work. So there's no writing either.
Day 16: i feel the need, the need for speed
The night before, Andrea and I met a young French guy at our accommodation. He was 26, had quit his job, packed his backpack, and set off on the Camino. He...
Day 17: cranky woman
Nothing beats that first-morning coffee. It’s a ritual I don’t necessarily need, but I absolutely want. A cigarette with my coffee and ten minutes to mentally...
Day 18: ice cubes
If you think I remember the name of the place I slept last night – you're wrong. You know how many kilometres you’ll walk, but you pass a million little...
Day 19: last day of solo
The forecast was grim again today, which meant we could treat ourselves to a bit more sleep. We kicked off the walk around 7 a.m. with a long descent. No...
Day 20: funeral march
The Frenchman and I slept in, since we only had a short distance to cover. At 6 a.m. we were the last ones left in the hostel. Meanwhile, Andrea started dancing...
Day 21: ciao, janša!
A promise is a promise. A lot of shit went down the last two years in our country – and worldwide. Stupid-ass restrictions and, more than anything, Ivan...
Day 22: camino finisterre: it’s not a race, it’s a challenge within a challenge
All roads lead to Santiago, right in front of the Cathedral of St. James. You can’t miss it. This is where the odyssey ends. The square is swarming with...
Expectations and people on the Camino
I’d be lying if I said I started this Camino without expectations – but they were fairly modest. Walk a lot, and above all, enjoy walking. Laugh until I cry....
