Remy’s 2023 Travel Notebook

It’s funny because a true “Camino de Santiago” would start from the pilgrim’s doorstep. Of course I’ll only be doing 500 of those miles (~800 km) on foot. But the journey starts from Dixon. There really isn’t an official starting point to this pilgrimage, but people very commonly start from Saint Jean Pied de Port in the south of France. So, today (July 15, 2023) I’m starting my journey to Saint Jean. I say “journey” because from my doorstep in Dixon to Biarritz, France (the closest airport to my start in Saint Jean), it’ll be 5 flights. Sounds ridiculous, I know. Sacramento -> San Francisco -> Toronto -> Zurich -> Geneva -> Biarritz. The layovers in Toronto and Zurich are an entire day — just enough to spend some time with family in each place. I actually visited my family in Toronto last week and was supposed to do the Toronto to Biarritz flights right after the Toronto visit. I booked a last minute round trip back to Sacramento to get to a job interview I really thought I should do. When I told my mom I was flying back home solely for an interview, she understandably asked, “didn’t they invent zoom for this?” Well, it was an on-site interview that took an entire day. Worth a shot if they’ll let me start after I complete my Camino…

The Camino is a historical Christian pilgrimage that dates back many hundreds of years. The most common route (and the route I will walk) is the Camino Frances, spanning roughly 800km (500 miles) across northern spain. It is also known as The Way of St James, or The Way, because it ends in Santiago de compostela where the remains of St James are said to be housed. No, I am not religious and don’t plan to contemplate or become religious. I am going into my experience as an outdoor enthusiast and curious tourist. However, I have always felt that there is value in learning and understanding the behaviors and tendencies of other people. This journey has become popular to many more than just religious pilgrims; think hikers, cyclists, tourists and adventurers who may simply want to experience the beauty of northern Spain. Some may want to find love and companionship. Others may be grieving a loss or difficult time in their lives. I have heard the Camino attracts the most diverse population of pilgrims and hikers.

I’ve always thought about writing a “blog” but never really acted on it. This might sound goofy coming from an engineer, but I enjoy writing (in the times I actually sit down to do it). I want to document my journey this summer. I don’t want to just put my best pictures and moments on social media. I want to write a story about it, and really describe it, so someone else may be inspired to discover a new place or experience. I decided to call it “remyadventures” because, well, this is me, the trip is my “adventure”, and I will use this website to capture some of the narrative. I’ll detail the diverse people I meet, places I see, food I eat and all the good and bad of walking the Camino (I can arrange blister pictures for those interested).

The Camino has been on my unwritten bucket list for many years. It made the list when my high school Spanish teacher, Mrs. Costa-Jones, showed us the movie called “The Way.” It is a story of a man who walks the Camino under bad circumstances when he really didn’t want to walk it (no spoilers, go find the movie and watch it!). I remember being moved by the way he grew and learned about himself/his life by taking on this challenge (especially considering his bitter closed-mindedness), I and declared to Mrs. Costa-Jones that I, too, would some day embark on the Camino. I’ve always wondered what an open mind could find on such a journey.

I’ve always been a planner in life. I have had the good fortune of traveling and being immersed in cultures very different from my own. Almost all of my travels have been planned out weeks in advance: transportation, hotel/airbnb reservations, activities…etc. Planning for the Camino feels refreshing in that regard: my only plan (and the way to have a true Camino experience) is to show up, walk, and eat/sleep in designated pilgrim hostels dotted along the way. These “hostels” are called albergues, and they work simply by taking a small donation (I have heard from 5-10 euros) in exchange for a bunk bed and a communal meal. That reminds me I wanted to (and forgot) to pack some earplugs because I have caught wind that the snoring and farting can get out of hand. The Camino is now an industry in Spain with hundreds of thousands of pilgrims walking every year – I’ll probably find those earplugs in any store I come across.

Side note… check out these trail runners that will soon see 500 miles in a single month!

Inside are “super feet” inserts to support my high arches and hopefully avoid the dreaded plantar fasciitis. Up until the day before my departure I loosely planned to hike in a very sturdy pair of mid-ankle GoreTex Solomon boots, but hadn’t really decided yet. Wearing waterproof, non-breathing boots in very hot weather is a nightmare. I went with the other option for more breathability and much lighter total weight. After all, it is said that a single pound on your feet is the equivalent of five pounds on your back. Cutting shoe weight from 2 pounds to 1 pound is nothing to scoff at…. Oh, yeah… and I have a pair of tevas. They’re more for relaxing in the evenings or maybe walking short stretches if my trail shoes are bothering me.

I have tried to think about my expectations going into this trip. Will I be alone for a majority of the time? Will I find friends and a group to walk with on the first day? What physical challenges will I endure? I have come from a past of distance running where injuries, joint pain, blisters, and lost toenails have been he norm. Here are some of my thoughts and expectations right now:

• The Camino will be a greater mental challenge than physical because of all the time I will spend alone in my own thoughts.
• There may be days I don’t talk to anyone else, or see anyone for extended periods.
• I may make lifelong friends on the way. Whatever “alone time” I am expecting will probably not exist. There’s a saying that “nobody walks the Camino alone.”
• Blisters.
• There will be reasons to end my journey, but it’ll be up to me to continue. Hell, there have been countless things that could’ve kept me from even starting. But I’m on my way now.
• I’d love to have 10 toenails in September but not keeping my hopes high.
• I’m taking 2 brand new white shirts with me. I will be coming home with zero white shirts. Here’s one of them:

Sometime soon I’ll post about all the gear I’m taking and other info. My first day of walking is expected to be July 19. Buen Camino!