Intro 2: A sprained ankle

September 2026: Three days after I’d decided to walk the Camino for two weeks for the first time in my life, I sprained my right foot and found myself lying on the ground. It wasn’t just my body, with its aching foot, that was down for the count – it was, above all, my plan to walk the Camino Portugués.

But I didn’t give up! With the help of my wife and AI, I looked after my feet as best I could, applied ointment dressings, got myself a bandage and went to physiotherapy.

I received some really helpful advice from the AI; as a patient with standard statutory health insurance, I would have had to wait several weeks for an available appointment with an orthopaedic surgeon in Germany anyway.

Speaking of AI, Chaisen Hale also gave me a boost with his song ‘Go Ahead Life’: NOW MORE THAN EVER!

After two weeks I started taking very short walks; after three weeks I was taking longer walks and began to test out some of my newly purchased Camino gear (rucksack, shoes, etc.). On a short 6-kilometer hike, I ended up on a Camino again, completely by chance. This time, it was the Carinthian Camino. It was now clear to me that the Camino was calling me.

And once I’d successfully walked 12 km, aided by walking sticks and kinesiology tape, without any pain or problems, I decided to book my flight!