Last night, we found ourselves in the quiet charm of Orio, Spain, where we spent the evening in the company of fellow pilgrims from New Zealand, England, and Australia. The conversation flowed as easily as the homemade sangria lovingly prepared by the owner of our boutique-style hotel.
There was a sense of shared camaraderie—strangers drawn together by the same path, and united by the ease of a common language. It was a welcome reprieve, both socially and spiritually.
So far, the journey has proven more complex than expected. Reaching albergues in time to secure a bed has been challenging. This lesser-traveled route of the Camino del Norte offers fewer services than the more popular Camino Francés, and it’s required a shift in how we approach each day.
Our plans to rely on hostels and albergues haven’t quite materialized the way we imagined, but we’re slowly finding our rhythm. It’s only day four, and already the logistics feel like their own kind of pilgrimage—a daily practice in patience, adaptability, and grace.
You’d think that being on vacation would mean letting go, coasting through peaceful days with little to consider. But you’d be mistaken.
There are long stretches of the Camino with no access to food or water, and the terrain is anything but forgiving.
We’re navigating the rugged beauty of the Cantabrian Mountains, climbing and descending hour after hour. Each night brings the same ritual: mapping out the next day, weighing distance against elevation, services against our own endurance. Some towns offer no more than silence—no grocery stores, no restaurants, sometimes not even a place to sleep. It’s like piecing together a 500-piece puzzle in the dark, hoping for alignment.
These first few days have tested us, yes. But each day, we’re learning. About the road. About each other. About ourselves.
This isn’t the Camino I envisioned—but perhaps that’s the point. The Camino rarely gives you what you expect. Instead, it offers you what you need. And in that quiet space between challenge and discovery, I’m beginning to understand that sometimes, the real journey isn’t the miles we walk, but the truths we uncover along the way.
I am here to tell you, the Camino has provided, many times in the last four days. Ask, pray and trust.
Xoxo, Kate
You are awesome!