Day 0: Starting the Camino de Santiago
Leaving comfort behind (sort of). Hôtel du Palais has turndown service.
Tomorrow, I begin walking the Camino Francés, a 500-mile route that’s part of the pilgrimage network known as the Camino de Santiago. It starts in St. Jean-Pied-de-Port, France and ends in Santiago de Compostela, Spain. I’m walking because with rheumatoid arthritis, this kind of thing always felt out of reach and being able to do it now feels like something worth honoring.
Over the weekend, my fiancé Andy and I took the train from Paris to Biarritz (a surf town on the Atlantic Ocean) to start making our way closer to the starting point. Tomorrow, he’ll begin his journey home to the U.S., and I’ll head south into the foothills of the Pyrenees to begin the Camino. The plan all along was for him to see me off but now that it’s here, it’s hitting me: we’re about to be apart for five weeks. In our three and a half years together, we’ve never been apart for this long.
I sobbed after he clicked “confirm” on his train ticket back to Paris. I thought I was ready. I thought I’d feel strong. But instead, I had a moment of doubt: Why am I choosing to be apart from my love? Is this really worth it?
Even now, I don’t have a perfect answer. But somewhere deep down, I know I need to do this. That doesn’t make the goodbye any easier, but I’m holding space for both truths: that I can miss him terribly and still choose to walk forward.
Cushioning my dread is the fact that we’ve been living in an actual dream since arriving in Biarritz. Thanks to a Reddit tip, we transferred Chase points to Hyatt and booked three nights at Hôtel du Palais completely free.
Before we arrived, the hotel reached out to ask about our dietary preferences, and when we checked in, the head of dining came out to greet us and explain how they could accommodate our diets. Andy’s vegetarian and I’m gluten-free, dairy-free, and pescatarian. Luckily, they were totally unfazed. Everything was delicious. Every night, someone turns down our sheets, leaves chocolates, sets out bottled water, and places slippers and mats beside the bed. The shower is absurdly fancy. There’s a spa, six restaurants on the property, and stunning ocean views. Everything has felt thoughtful, elegant, and a little surreal.
Equally dreamlike, but far less fancy: a shopping excursion to Ekosport in Paris to grab the last-minute gear I still needed. My list went something like this:
Hiking poles
Biodegradable soap
Pocket knife
The sales associate really took his time walking me through everything when it came to hiking poles: screw locks versus flick locks, cork grips versus foam grips, and aluminum shafts versus carbon shafts. There were more decisions than I expected, and he made it all make sense.
He ended up recommending Black Diamond poles with cork handles for a trek this long. He fitted them for me and we practiced how I’ll adjust them myself. I was so grateful for his patience and advice. At that point, I was starting to feel a little unsure of myself. His kindness reminded me that even though I’ll be hiking solo, I’m not doing this alone. I’m supported by friends, family, and new faces like his who step in when I need it most.
I’ll be sharing updates from the trail, covering everything from the joyful to the painful, the random to the meaningful. As someone who cares deeply about holistic health, loves being outside, and can overthink a pair of socks, I’ll be paying close attention to the food, the physical challenge, and the inner shifts that come with walking across a country.
Miles Walked
None yet! Hoping to average 15 miles a day… we’ll see how that turns out.
Favorite Fuel
TBD.
State of My Pack
This morning I said goodbye to my 100 ml bottle of conditioner. It was an emotional moment. I’m someone who finishes five bottles of conditioner before I run out of shampoo. My curls are going to be on the dry side for the next month, and I’m trying to make peace with that.
Everyone has a different take on foot care. One of my guidebooks recommended sock liners, so I packed them. The Ekosport sales associate said never wear them and convinced me to go with double-layer socks. I didn’t know it was possible to think this much about socks, but here we are.
Pain in My Butt
My old glute injury is as loyal as ever. It’s been showing up for over a decade now. Climbing stairs or carrying a heavy pack makes my right side feel like it’s knotting into itself.
I got a massage yesterday and it was incredible. The therapist immediately understood what was going on and worked exactly where I needed it. Bless her.
Still, I’m scared. I’m scared I might not be able to finish if it flares up badly. Right now it’s tight but not strained. I’ve got my lacrosse ball, a spiky massage ball, and compression sleeves that help a lot. I’m doing everything I can to keep this from becoming a bigger issue.
Miscellaneous Thoughts
How will I style my hair without conditioner?
What if I tell everyone, including friends, family, and newsletter readers, that I’m walking the Camino and then can’t finish? Not sure if my ego could handle that.
Missing Andy.
Wisdom Along The Way
Take one rest day each week (friend of a friend)
Do 15 miles the first two days, then dial back to 10–12 for a few days (friend of a friend)
Don’t get swept into a group that does everything together. This is your Camino (friend of a friend)
Wear sock liners every day to prevent blisters (one of my guidebooks)
Never wear sock liners. They cause blisters (Ekosport sales associate)
Every gram in your pack counts (one of my guidebooks)
If you won’t use it every day, don’t bring it (unless it’s rain gear. Definitely bring that) (me)
Photos!
Thanks for reading! I’ll check in again soon, hopefully (or as my mom says, “God willing”) from the other side of the Pyrenees.
Rebecca Grace
Love this for you! And thanks for sharing your journey with us all. Happy trails!