As of 2022, I’ve walked nine caminos and volunteered four times along the route. And as of November, 2022, I live on the Camino del Norte.  Links to posts are below. Enjoy!

Camino 1: Camino Francés; May 11-June 17, 2012; St-Jean-Pied-de-Port to Santiago; Solo

This Camino was the cheapest one I’ve done. Over 37 days walking, I spent $1800–including airfare (airfare thanks to frequent flyer miles earned using travel hacking tips–taught to me by Chris Guillenbrau and Brad Barrett).

Before the Camino:

• The Camino – How I first heard about the Camino and the tale of buying my pack (two years before I left!)
• 10,000 steps – Starting to practice for the Camino
• Another Serendipity Story – How I got the last of the Frequent Flyer miles I needed for my flight to Spain
• On Walking – Preparing for the Camino
• A Test Run – How A Trip to Italy prepared me for the Camino
• This Pilgrim’s Path – Why I was doing the Camino
• Packing List: Sunscreen, Hiking Shoes, Rocks?
• And She’s Off….Again – Getting there

On the Camino:

• Best Yet – First Days
• Everyone Walks Their Own Camino
• “God: Is this the Right Way?” – On following your intuition
• Unloading My Fears, Lightening My Pack
• Sights and Sounds
• My Day-by-Day Spiritual Journey – an update
• A Down Day 
• Learning to Walk – on learning to use hiking poles
• Camino: By the Numbers
• Lessons Learned along the Camino
• The Hidden Benefit of a Late Start
• The Way: The Movie vs. the Pilgrimage
• Being on an Ancient Pilgrimage in a Digital Age – on blogging from the Camino
• A Birth, A Death, and A Christening – Arrival in Santiago

Post-Camino:

• A Return to…What?
• The Joy of Blogging: Grandma and the Camino

Upon my return, I was told by Busted Halo that, up until that point, mine was the most popular short-term blog they’d ever had. And so it was that I wrote for an additional year for them about bring the lessons of the Camino into my life back in the U.S. Those can be found here.

Camino 2: Camino Portugues; 2014; Porto to Santiago; Solo

• A Camino Fail

Camino 3: Camino Francés; Sept-Nov, 2015; St-Jean-Pied-de-Port to Finisterre; with Lois

After my first Camino, I told my friend Lois she would love doing it. She thought she was (at 70) beyond the point where she could do it. I said, “If you ever decide you want to do it, I’ll go with you.” Three years later, she said, “Let’s go, kid.” For over 40 days, I served as her travel agent, translator, moral support, and walking companion. (And yes, she walked all 500+ miles!)

• A Day In the Life: On The Camino de Santiago
• Paying It Forward 
• Judgement Days–Or Lack Thereof — On trying to let go of judging others
• Lightening the Load — On trying to let go of how others might judge me
• The Interview — on being interviewed for a Basque television program on the Camino.

Camino 4: Via Podiensis; June-July, 2017; Le Puy-en-Velay to Figeac; Solo

• Le Puy-en-Velay — my first day in the wonderful city 
• Sightseeing in Le Puy-en-Velay — Why I spent two nights in Le Puy-en-Velay
• How Not to Lose Weight on the Via Podiensis  — Oh, French food!
• Leaving Le Puy-en-Velay — The traditions of beginning a Camino in Le Puy
• The Difficulties of Day 3 (x3) — Some things never change . . .
• A Girl’s Best Friend  — about my canine companion
• Camino Camaraderie — As they say, “The Camino Provides”
• Pay Me Later. Much Later. — Hospitality is a little different along this route.
• Conques and the “Furtive Transfer” — truth is often better than fiction

Hospitalera 1: July, 2017; Convento San Antón 

I ended my 2017 walk early due to the extreme summer temperatures (which I was told are unusual). Then, I headed to San Antón in Castrojeriz, Spain, be a hospitalera (volunteer) at a hostel along the Camino Francés (about 40 km past Burgos; without hot water or electricity!).

• Pilgrims of San Antón 

Camino 5: Via Podiensis; June, 2019; Aire-Sur-l’Adour to St-Jean-Pied-de-Port; Solo

Hospitalera 2: July, 2019; Pilgrim Office in St-Jean-Pied-de-Port, France

Camino 6: Camino Francés; July, 2019; Cizur Mayor to Santo Domingo de la Calzada; with Dad

In 2019, I was so very lucky to have a week of walking with my father (from Cizur Mayor, just outside Pamplona, to Santo Domingo de la Calzada). But before I met him I walked another week along the Via Podiensis into St. Jean-Pied-de-Port where I was a volunteer for a week in the Pilgrim Office there. Some say volunteering on the Camino is even better than walking it. I can certainly understand that sentiment. But walking it with your dad? Priceless.

Pre-Camino with Dad

• My Dad, The Way, and me
• Dad’s Training–or lack thereof

During the Camino with Dad

• Camino Vignettes
• A Night on the Camino with Dad
• The Camino: In Luxury
• Camino Magic
• The Cherry Farmer

Post Camino

• What I came home to . . . 

Hospitalera 3: September, 2021; Albergue de Grado (Camino Primitivo)

• Hospitality
• The Intersection of Dairy Queen and the Camino de Santiago
• Limitless Generosity, Part 1
• Limitless Generosity, Part 2
• An Evening in the Life of a Hospitalera
• Operator

Camino 7: Camino Francés; September, 2021; Sarria to Santiago; with Dad

Camino 8: Camino Portugues; May, 2022: Tui to Santiago de Compostela; with my husband Michael (his first!).

• Learning Spanish: The Lost Luggage
• A Day of Rest

Hospitalera 4: July, 2022; Pilgrim Office in St-Jean-Pied-de-Port, France

• Coming Home (to St. Jean Pied-de-Port)

Camino 9: Camino Francés; July, 2022; St-Jean-Pied-de-Port to Pamplona; With Dad

Camino 10: Camino Invierno; July, 2023; Ponferrada to Santiago de Compostela

• Walking into the Unknown
• Wants and Needs
• Crossing Paths

Where Moving to Spain Intersects with the Camino de Santiago

• I Live on the Camino de Santiago!
• Camino Culture — Where I learned that what I love about the Camino is also what I love about Spain
• A-Camino-A-Day

Other:

• A Camino Surprise — perhaps the best gift I’ve ever received.
• If you’ve made it this far, then you may be interested in the video I made of my Camino with Dad. Click here. 
• Dan Mullins interviewed me on his podcast “My Camino: The Podcast.” We talk about my various Caminos, lessons learned, 29Gifts, etc. It was a delightful experience  To listen, click here.
• I, obviously, fell in love with the Camino. But didn’t think I fell in love with Spain until . . . 

Camino questions? I am happy to speak with you by phone. Send me an email at rebecca.gallo (at) gmail dot com and I’ll send you my number.