Camino Insights: Questions We Didn't Cover

There are questions we often hear when talking about our Camino de Santiago. The conversations typically start with questions regarding the basics of the Camino; how far did you walk, where did you sleep, how did you get food, etc. I've written posts specifically answering those questions, see below. If the conversation gets into further details, these are some questions that come up often.

Q: Would you do it again?

Absolutely! I’d love to walk another Camino! This wasn’t exactly my outlook while on the Camino, though. Keith and I discussed it quite a bit, and usually, I don’t like to visit places we’ve been to already. However, since the unusual amount of rain we experienced, I think walking the same route would be enjoyable. I don’t think that would be my first choice though. I’m not familiar enough with all the routes, so I’m not sure which route would be at the top of my list. I’d also be open to other walking routes, not necessarily a Camino to Santiago. Keith and I also pretty heavily discussed the idea of cycling a route. We both agreed this would be a great way to be able to see more of the countryside and explore the cities further. Being able to cover ground that much faster would allow for more exploration. That would be a high priority for us. We don't have any plans for anything like this, but it's an intriguing option.

Q: What would you do the same/differently?

Ooohhh, that’s tough. Overall, I think we did a good job planning and executing the plan, especially for our first Camino. If I were doing it again, I would basically use the same plan, the same packing list, etc. As far as changes, I think I would have taken one additional pair of underwear and another pair of pants so that we could do laundry less often. Of course, extra time on the trip is always beneficial for sightseeing, so the longer the trip, the better! I would have loved to see southern Portugal and it's definitely on my future trip list.

Q: What did you learn?

I think my biggest takeaway from this adventure was that Keith and I worked really well together. We don’t always have the same vision for trips or activities, but this is one example where we truly seemed to complement each other's strengths! Since this initially was going to be a solo trip for me, I’m super happy and appreciative that he was able to go. He helped with decision-making, especially securing accommodations and making sandwiches. Which is ironic, because those would typically be things I’d do on a trip.

I also learned that if I had a goal, made action plans to acheienve it, I could do it! This 170+ miles walk seemed like a lofty goal to me, but reachable. The entire process of learning, planning, preparing and executing the goal, gave me more confidence in myself and something to be proud of.

Q: Have you watched the movie, The Way?

No, I planned to watch "The Way" before our Camino and didn’t. Then I thought I’d watch it when we got back, and never did. It’s still on my list though. I am still in a Facebook group for the Camino and learned there’s another movie coming out about the Camino, "The Way, My Way". Eventually, I'm sure I'll watch both of these movies and enjoy reminiscing our walk.

Q: Did you meet other Americans walking the Camino?

Yes, we did meet some fellow Americans. I specifically remember meeting people from Oregon, Maine, and Connecticut. Chatting at a cafe we met a person from Washington State who has a friend with family that live in Park City, Utah. At another cafe, we met a couple from Nevada who have family living in the same town we live in in Utah. It truly is a small world!

Most of the people were not American though. We met people from all over the world. Some that come to mind are Canada, England, Great Britain, Lithuania, Ireland, Poland, Brazil, Australia, and Germany. Of course, there were a lot of people from Portugal, Spain, and France along the route.

Two impressive people we met were Thomas and Lars's granddad. Thomas is from Germany and trying not to let his Multiple Sclerosis stop him from adventures. He is now in a wheelchair most of the time, so navigating the Camino had its challenges. It was impressive to hear a little bit about his life pre- and post-diagnosis. Another pair we met were Lars and his granddad, I can't remember granddad's first name. They have done several Caminos together. Lars is in his mid-twenties, and his granddad is in his early eighties. We met them on our first night and ran into them a couple of times during our second day. We could barely keep up with Lars's granddad, he was fast and focused.

Q: Is the Camino safe?

From the research that I did before walking the Camino, I read that it’s relatively safe and just to be smart so you aren’t taken advantage of or have things stolen.  You should follow general safety awareness, much like you would anywhere.

We always felt safe along the Camino. I can’t think of a single time I was truly concerned with our safety, except for one misunderstanding. One morning, we were out waiting for the laundry to open, and there was a large crowd of people who were headed home after the bars closed, yes, at like 5 am!!  There was a guy who approached us, and we were having trouble communicating. Partially due to his drunken state. At first, I thought maybe he was calling us a name. Once we figured out some common language, he asked us where we were from and if we were walking the Camino. Ultimately, he was trying to tell us good luck and have fun!

I will mention that we did see some anti-USA graffiti as we crossed into Spain, and Camino forums recommended Americans just say they are from Canada. This has been the case for us as we’ve traveled elsewhere over the years. Mainly, if you tell people you are American, they want to talk politics with you, and that's not a good idea. The first night at an alburgue everyone was sharing where they were from and we did say USA, immediately someone wanted to talk politics. We engaged very basically and briefly (note this was in September 2024, so the political climate could be much different today).

Q. Was there a language barrier?

We do not speak Spanish or Portuguese. I tried to learn a little Spanish before we left and wasn’t able to use it AT ALL. Between the speed at which others talk and any accents, what I learned wasn’t useful. We wanted to try communicating on our own, but found it was easier for everyone to use Google Translate. We were able to typically order at cafes fairly easily. Many restaurants had an English (UK) version of the menus available, or we'd translate the menu on our phone. If we had questions, we’d use Google Translate to ask the server. Knowing a little Spanish or using translate was more respectful in our opinion, and if you didn’t do this, you’d certainly run into annoyed employees at restaurants, grocery stores, shops, etc.

Q. What was the total cost of this trip?

The total, total cost we spent on this trip was about $6350. This included everything both of us spent from the moment we left our house on Friday, September 20, 2024, to arriving back at our house on Saturday, October 12, 2024. The majority of the cost was spent on flights, other transportation costs, accommodations, and food. Other incidentals include Verizon plan, apps, ATM fees, etc. Plus, we had a layover to explore Amsterdam and Paris. We also spent a day in Porto before starting the Camino, as well as a couple of days in Santiago after completing the Camino. I also included money spent on gear specifically for the trip: backpack, shoes, clothing, etc.

Upcoming Post

Next week, I'll talk about some of the highlights and favorite memories we have from our Camino de Santiago. One memory involves finding a lost phone and locating its owner. Another memory is an unexpectedly large hamburger order.

Have you been on a trip where there was a language barrier? How did you overcome it? Have you ever felt unsafe while traveling? If so, what tips would you give others? Let us know in the comments section below.👇 💬