Final Thoughts

I came back home yesterday afternoon. My mind is still quite full; the impressions from the last 16 days have not been processed yet. I don’t think I have fully arrived back home - I would rather fly back and keep walking...

So far, everything at home feels a bit foreign, and I find it difficult to just sit around or relax. I'm not sure whether I should give my body a little break (as I feel a bit run down) or if I should embrace the 'training' impulse and move even more, even though my body feels somewhat weak.

The last two days of my journey were quite exhausting. Long bus rides, bad weather, one farewell after another, and the subsequent feeling of being suddenly alone weighed quite heavily on me. Even though I started the journey alone, I never felt lonely or isolated along the way.

The 14 days of pilgrimage were definitely a physical challenge for me - my joints and ligaments were not used to such strain at all - but at the same time, it was a complete relaxation for my mind. Each day had only one goal: to walk to the next accommodation. Everything else was secondary. Even when my knees and ankles hurt, I noticed: somehow, it always goes on! Every morning, I was surprised anew that the pain from the previous day was significantly less or even gone, and I could start the day with full vigor. Except for day 6; on that day, unfortunately, the pain was too strong to continue. I was all the more surprised at how quickly the body can recover with just one day's rest. In terms of fitness/endurance, it was quite doable since there weren't too many elevation changes or exceptionally challenging routes. I quickly got used to the heavy backpack - it became just a part of me.

On average, I walked almost 30,000 steps per day (in a normal working week, I’m happy if I reach over 5,000 steps in a day). The daily walking distances ranged from 14 to 28.5 km, averaging around 20 km per day. The official route of the Portuguese Coastal Way is 280 km, so that fits well with 14 stages :)

Scenically, the coastal path was predominantly characterized by stages directly by the sea or near the sea - even though it was unfortunately a bit too cold for extensive swimming. I already miss the sound of the waves, the smell of saltwater, and the (sometimes a bit too strong) sea breeze. But otherwise, the surroundings of the Camino de Santiago in both Portugal and Galicia were very diverse: from wide sandy beaches to kilometers of wooden walkways, impressive residential areas, busy dirt roads, narrow alleys in beautiful city centers, stretches right along the coastal road, enchanted forest paths, ankle-breaking cobblestones, and even noisy industrial areas, it really had everything.

In Portugal, I managed well with English - almost everyone speaks it. In case of emergency, a little Spanish helped as well. In Spain, I was glad I had started learning Spanish at the beginning of the year, as English wasn't always a given. But Bernat and Arturo were usually on hand to help if my Spanish fell short.

My backpack (Deuter Aircontact Lite 35+10 SL) was definitely worth the money! It fit perfectly on my back, I had no pressure points, and the weight was perfectly distributed, so I hardly felt it on my shoulders. The size was perfect - everything fit inside, but there wasn’t much room left, which would only mean extra weight. The various compartments and pockets were very well thought out. Next time, I would probably choose either a hydration bladder or a drinking bottle with a straw, as I could reach my water bottle without taking off the backpack, but then couldn't put it back in on my own.

In the end, my gear was not chosen poorly - I used almost everything.
I could have done without the inflatable pillow, as there were pillows everywhere. In hindsight, I would have chosen a backpack cape + rain jacket instead of a full poncho, as I could still wear the jacket at other times and use it as wind protection. I could have done without the flight cover - in the end, I was able to take the backpack as hand luggage (I had taken the dimensions on the websites a bit too seriously). But it definitely did its job on the outbound flight ;-).
I am very satisfied with my choice of socks (double-layered 'Wrightsocks'), they were absolutely worth their cost. I’m also very satisfied with the shoes; overall, I didn’t really have an alternative, as nothing else fit me.
The merino shirts were an excellent choice; I could easily wear them for two consecutive days without them smelling. Moreover, they dried very quickly, which was not the case for all clothing items.
I was very glad to have my summer down sleeping bag on some nights; in other accommodations, there were blankets or it was so warm that the thin hut sleeping bag sufficed. Without that, I definitely wouldn't have felt comfortable in some places.

Traveling alone as a woman took a bit of courage - but I think the Camino was exactly the perfect entry point. At no time or place did I feel unsafe. Sure, I didn't walk alone through any back alleys at night, but I don’t like doing that in Germany either ;-). I always felt completely safe and comfortable. Even without a map or app, there were always enough arrows or signs indicating the way, with very few exceptions, making it easy to navigate.

This feeling of safety was certainly also due to the people I met along the way. With a few exceptions, everyone was very friendly, whether locals or fellow pilgrims. Especially from older locals, I would often hear a 'Bom Caminho/Buen Camino' throughout the day.

But what truly made the journey special were the people who shared a part (or even several parts) of this path with me. From the start, it was very easy to meet other pilgrims, exchange a few words, and then walk together for a short or long stretch. Some you never saw again, while others you kept encountering either along the way or in the evening at the hostels. There always seemed to be an opportunity to have a meal together, cook together, or just have a good conversation and share experiences. Everyone was very helpful, and everyone tried to share their knowledge with others, regardless of what it was about. There was almost always someone who could help with a specific problem - properly treating blisters, taping joints, adjusting backpacks correctly, tying shoes properly. Every piece of experience was warmly welcomed here. Despite different backgrounds, ages, motivations, etc., it felt like a little community - everyone wanted all the others to reach their goals as well.

If I remember correctly, the age range of the pilgrims was about 18 to 85 years, at least among those I met or saw along the way. I recall pilgrims from the following nations: Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Ireland, England, Denmark, France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Poland, Czech Republic, Austria, Hungary, Ukraine, USA, Mexico, South Africa, Australia, China...

Each of these individuals had their own motivation for walking the Camino. For some, it was the first time; for others, the 2nd/6th/... and for some, the last time. But that didn’t matter - during those days, we all had the same goal - that everyone arrives in Santiago de Compostela at their own pace.

For me, it will probably not be the last Camino I walk; this was by far the most impressive journey I have experienced so far. There were a few low points, but the feelings of happiness and highlights overwhelmingly outweighed them. I have rarely felt so exhausted and yet so free and happy at the same time. For me, it definitely provided some food for thought; I think there will be a few things I will change a bit in my life. Among other things, I definitely want to take better care of my body so that it can endure the next Camino perhaps a bit more pain-free ;-).

Now, however, I will first indulge in memories this weekend before the normal madness begins again on Monday.

I hope I could bring you a bit of joy with my posts and thank everyone who followed along and cheered me on :)

Until maybe next time!

Lena