farragutpress

Reveiz chronicles ‘adventure of a lifetime’

July 15, 2026 by Carlos Reveiz, Correspondent

After nearly a year of planning, my wife, Nancy, and I were finally on our way to begin the adventure of a lifetime — the Camino de Santiago.

Our journey began with an overnight flight from Boston to Paris. Since our overnight train to southern France didn’t leave until 10 p.m., we had nine hours to explore Paris. The hop-on, hop-off bus tour was the perfect way to experience many of the city’s iconic sights before boarding what turned out to be an incredible sleeper train to Bayonne. The next morning, after a short train ride, we arrived in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, France — the traditional starting point for thousands of Camino pilgrims each year.

After watching countless videos and reading everything we could about this charming French village, it was surreal to finally stand at the beginning of our 580-plus-mile pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela, with plans to continue to the Atlantic coast at Finisterre.

We spent two days resting and preparing for what many consider the most difficult stage of the Camino — a 15-mile trek over the Pyrenees Mountains with more than 4,500 feet of elevation gain to Roncesvalles, Spain. Mountain weather is famously unpredictable, but we were fortunate. The climb was challenging, yet every step rewarded us with breathtaking views that made the effort worthwhile.

About 10 minutes into our first day, we met Bob from San Diego. Before long, it felt like we had known him for years. Later that same day, we met Ilona from the Netherlands, and just like that, our Camino family began to take shape. On the third day, Melissa from Chicago joined our little group, and from then on the five of us shared countless miles, conversations, laughs and unforgettable memories. Some fellow pilgrims even nicknamed us “The Brady Bunch.”

Experienced pilgrims often describe the Camino as a journey in three stages: physical, mental and spiritual. During the first few weeks, your body is simply trying to adjust to the daily miles, sore muscles and aching feet. Eventually, the challenge becomes mental as you learn to embrace the daily routine, adapt to changing conditions and keep moving forward one step at a time. The final stage is often described as spiritual — a time when gratitude replaces discomfort, and you realize how little you truly need to be happy.

Our daily routine quickly became second nature. We woke before dawn, carefully taped any hot spots on our feet to prevent blisters, applied plenty of Vaseline, packed our backpacks and started walking. A heat wave had settled over much of Europe, so most mornings we were on the trail by 4 a.m. to avoid the afternoon temperatures.

Each afternoon followed a familiar pattern: find our albergue (pilgrim lodging), check in, enjoy a well-earned meal, shower and get some much-needed rest before doing it all again the next day.

During our first seven days, we covered 102 miles. We crossed the Pyrenees, walked through picturesque farmland and rolling hills, enjoyed spectacular scenery and visited villages rich in history. Along the way, we met pilgrims from all over the world, each with their own story but united by the same goal — reaching Santiago de Compostela.

One of the things that touched us most was the kindness of the local people. They understand the history and significance of this centuries-old pilgrimage and warmly welcome those making the journey. Whether passing another pilgrim or greeting a local resident, the words were always the same: “Buen Camino” — “Have a good journey.”

Those two simple words became much more than a greeting. They became a reminder that while every day on the Camino begins and ends in much the same way, everything in between is filled with unexpected adventures, lifelong friendships and memories that will last forever.

Until next time... Buen Camino!