A “living lighter” Camino

Our Camino de Santiago Journey – living lighter as “pilgrims” in Spain

When you view life as a journey, it just makes sense to live it out with an adventure that puts to test my theory of living lighter — over an extended trip. We left Anchorage on August 24, 2023, bound for Spain and the Camino de Santiago, a 500-mile pilgrimage walk.

We acclimated in Barcelona, Spain for a few days before taking a train to Pamplona and a bus to Saint Jean Pied de Port, in France. We’re doing the Camino Frances, or French route, which stretches 800+ kilometers east to west across Northern Spain.

The traditional beginning of a Camino de Santiago journey is your own front doorstep so we snagged a photo on our way to the airport. In the spirit of living lighter, we’re, carrying only daypacks — and because we’re gone for seven weeks, we’re bringing along a suitcase that will be transported to each new destination on our journey.

Why we’re doing this

We’ve talked about the Camino de Santiago for a while. Wolfgang retired at the end of May, officially beginning our stage of both of us no longer working. And we knew we wanted what he called a “cathartic journey,” one that allows us to process where we’re at in life — and where we’re going in this new phase.

The Camino checks the “living lighter” box for me: it’s a journey where we carry what we need each day. The Camino is physically challenging, spiritually based, and in a new environment. And, we’re far away from our normal daily routines and pushing ourselves each day! We’ve been away from home now for 11 days and on the Camino for three days.

Guiding principles for living lighter on the Camino de Santiago

Here are some of the principles I wrote down to guide me on this trip:

Do my best to walk the entire way.
Let my body, mind and spirit guide my pace.
Take good care of myself, getting the food, water, and rest that I need along the way.
Focus on the experience, setting aside life outside of the path I’m on (to the extent that I can), while also keeping in touch with family and friends.
Listen for God’s whispers on my heart and soul.
Journal daily and draw/paint to reflect on the journey.
Learn to travel light, taking just what I need for the day.

Why now?

The timing is good for our journey. Over the past few months, we’ve celebrated our daughter’s doctorate degree, both of our 60th birthdays, and the wedding of our daughter and new son-in-law. We’ve enjoyed the (rainy) Alaska summer, sold our little “Covid cabin” and upgraded to a new larger cabin next door, and done a bit of remodeling. We all participated in my niece’s wedding. And, we spent extended time with our other daughter, son-in-law and grandson before they headed to South Korea for two years.

The summer couldn’t have been fuller! And doing the Camino de Santiago gives me a chance to step back from my life and look at the transition we’re already experiencing.

This trip is a perfect way to move into a new season of the year and a new season of life. Before setting out, I made another trip to Oregon to ensure that Mom and my step-dad were settled well. Just after I left, he broke his hip which is daunting news for and 82-year-old, particularly one with dementia. Fortunately, they did surgery and he returned to the Memory Care facility with good support before we left. I signed up for an international plan so I can continue to talk with mom daily. She’s amazed to be following our travels so closely from Oregon!

Living lighter when you’re on the move

We’re not staying in any one place very long! We stayed four nights in Barcelona but the rest of our trip consists of one- to two-night stays in different hotels or hostels. We used a booking company to arrange accommodations for the Camino itself, as well as our breakfasts and most dinners, and luggage transfers. We’ll stay in more than 30 hotels while we’re gone!

So how do you practice living lighter when you’re constantly on the move? We packed a bare minimum in clothing and toiletries, focusing mostly on the essentials for walking each day in a variety of conditions. Our gear includes backpacks, trekking poles, first aid kits, sun/rain hat, a rain coat or poncho, and perhaps an extra layer or change of clothes for the day, depending on the weather forecast.

Stay tuned for another update! You may not be on the road with me, but you’re on your own journey and I wish you the traditional greeting of the Camino de Santiago — Buen Camino!