YOU on the Camino de Santiago

THE DEEPEST QUESTION OF ALL: AM I A REAL PILGRIM? What is the story of your life that you’re writing right now? That’s one of the questions my guest this week is asking as she counts down to her pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago. Today I am talking with Danya, who is starting her pilgrimage with my May Camino Experience group in just over a week. As a wife and mother of two daughters who is approaching the end of her 40’s, Danya is asking some big questions – some profound questions that will accompany her on her pilgrimage. Questions like, “is it selfish to ask, what do I want?” “What does it mean to be a real pilgrim, and am I one?” And, “what is the story of my life that I’m writing right now?” I love the conversation Danya and I had, and I especially love that her family was able to join us at the end, to weigh in with their perspective on what mom is heading out to do and how they can support her in making this significant journey. JOIN ME ON THE CAMINO FRANCÉS IN 2027? Some of my pilgrims would never walk the Camino without this support. Others just want the camaraderie that comes with starting with people they already know and who are equally passionate and excited about the journey. Still others love that starting this way takes the edge off of the fear and anxiety that comes with taking on something like a pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago. Others love planning and preparing and appreciate doing that in an organized, linear, and thorough way. How can I support you in making your Camino dream a reality? Walk with me in 2027! Go here to let me know you're interested. #youonthecamino #caminodesantiago #firsttimepilgrim #thecaminoexperience #caminopodcast

THE COURAGE TO TAKE THE FIRST OF *MANY* BIG STEPS If there’s one thing we don’t talk about enough when we talk about walking the Camino de Santiago, it’s the courage it takes to take on something like this pilgrimage. For many people, walking the Camino is unlike anything else they’ve ever done before. It’s the first time they’ve traveled alone. The first time they’ve traveled internationally. The first time they’ve been away from home for so long. The first time they’ve carried everything they needed for the trip in one small backpack on their back. It was no different for my guest today, Carie, who is walking the Camino Portuguese this spring. The fear and the anxiety are, I think, why we need to hear these stories from other first time pilgrims, from people who are in the exact same head and heart space – feeling all that uncertainty, feeling fear and anxiety, yet bravely doing it anyway. My conversation with Carie takes us through all that plus some practical considerations. We also touch on the modern-day pilgrimage planning phenomenon called AI. Be careful with that, by the way, as AI doesn’t always understand the needs of walkers on the Camino de Santiago, and you may get some wacky stage and accommodation suggestions. Here is the book Carie recommended: Pilgrimage: Lessons Learned from Solo Walking 3 Ancient Ways, by J.F. Penn JOIN ME ON THE CAMINO FRANCÉS IN 2027? Some of my pilgrims would never walk the Camino without this support. Others just want the camaraderie that comes with starting with people they already know and who are equally passionate and excited about the journey. Still others love that starting this way takes the edge off of the fear and anxiety that comes with taking on something like a pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago. Others love planning and preparing and appreciate doing that in an organized, linear, and thorough way. How can I support you in making your Camino dream a reality? Walk with me in 2027! Go here to let me know you're interested. #youonthecamino #caminodesantiago #firsttimepilgrim #thecaminoexperience #caminopodcast

THE PILGRIMAGE JOURNEY CONTINUES FOR PILGRIM CHAD It seems as though the default choice for walking the Camino de Santiago these days is to walk either the Francés route or the Portuguese route. Now, that does oversimplify things, but the statistics from the pilgrim’s office in Santiago de Compostela do show that those have been the two most-walked routes in recent years. My guest on the podcast this week,Chad, has walked both those routes, and now he has taken his pilgrimage practice to other less traveled routes. What I love about talking with Chad is that he loves the spiritual practice of pilgrimage as much as I do, and it’s become a regular part of his life and his family’s life. This time Chad will be talking about what he calls his “connector Camino”, which he shared with his 25 year old daughter and regular pilgrimage partner, Bonnie. What does that mean, connector Camino? Well, you’ll see. Here are the routes Chad is sharing about: The church he talks about with the the relic of the cross of Jesus Christ is at the Monastery of Santo Toribio de Liébana. The mountain location he talked about is called Fuente Dé, and it is located inside the Picos de Europa National Park. If you'd like to get to know Chad from his first Camino experience to now, check out these previous episodes: Season 2, Episode 18: “A Conversation with Pilgrim Chad Before His First Pilgrimage on the Camino Francés” Season 3, Episode 12: "After the Camino with Pilgrim Chad” Season 5, Episode 6: "Chad writes the next two chapters of his pilgrimage story" #youonthecamino #caminodesantiago #firsttimepilgrim #thecaminoexperience #caminopodcast

WEATHERING THE PLOT TWISTS OF CAMINO PREP If the Camino starts when you say YES, which I think it does, what are the implications of that? If the moment you decide you are definitely going to do this thing is when the journey begins, what can you expect to happen next, after you commit? In my experience, when I say yes to something big, something bold, something that will take me way outside my comfort zone, I have to expect some plot twists along the way. And that’s exactly what has happened for my guest today, Dara. P.S. Happy St. Patrick's Day!!! GET READY TO WALK WITH OTHERS If you're planning to walk the Camino with a friend, family member, or a group, you may want to have some specific conversations before you get too far in your planning. Check out this episode of the podcast - season one, episode 12 to sort out who will you walk with and what you'll want to talk about beforehand. #youonthecamino #caminodesantiago #firsttimepilgrim #thecaminoexperience #caminopodcast

MEET THE CREATIVE TEAM BEHIND THE WAY, MY WAY This week on the podcast I am delighted to be sharing a conversation I had with two very talented and Camino-spirit filled people, Bill Bennet and Jennifer Cluff. [See their bios below.] You may know Bill as the director and lead character of the film The Way, My Way, and the author of the book of the same name, which tell the story of his pilgrimage on the Camino Francés. You may know Jennifer as the actress who played Bill’s wife in the movie, but what you may not know is that Jennifer is also Bill’s real-life wife and they are solid partners in their creative endeavors. And what a delightful and insightful pair they are. Let's see where this conversation goes . . . In this episode I am trying a new format: a "live" audience asking questions of our guests. Let me know what you think! HAVING TROUBLE BRINGING YOUR CAMINO HOME? Join us in La Terraza, where pilgrims gather to share in the spirit of the Camino. MEET BILL BENNETT Bill Bennett studied Journalism at the University of Queensland before joining the ABC as a journalist. He moved into documentaries and stayed with the ABC for twelve years before going freelance as a documentary filmmaker. During this time he won two Logies, (Australia’s equivalent of the Emmy)for Television Reporter of the Year, and Most Outstanding Television Documentary of the Year. He then moved into feature films. He’s made 17 feature films as writer, producer and director. He’s won Australian Film Institute Awards (Australia’s equivalent of the Oscar) for Best Film and Best Director and been nominated a further twelve times. He’s had two films in Official Selection at the Cannes Film Festival and four films selected for the Toronto Film Festival. In 2024 his movie The Way, My Way became the third highest grossing Australian film of the year. It was based on his best-selling Camino memoir of the same name. In 2025 the Spanish Government awarded Bill the 8th annual Malaspina Award for his outstanding contribution to furthering cultural ties between Australia and Spain through his book and film, The Way, My Way. As an author, Penguin Random House has published his YA supernatural thriller trilogy, Palace of Fires. MEET JENNIFER CLUFF Jennifer Cluff is a producer of feature films and a dramaturge who has taken her skills from theatre into literature and film. She began her career as an actress, at the tender age of 17, starring in the classic ABC TV series, SEVEN LITTLE AUSTRALIANS. Then followed more TV, some movies, and theatre – at the Sydney Theatre Company and the Queensland Theatre Company. During this time she worked with playwrights on the development of their material. She later script edited Bill Bennett’s first feature screenplay for the film A STREET TO DIE, which was nominated for five AFI Awards, including Best Film, Best Director, and Best Screenplay. As Bill’s partner, she subsequently script edited all his screenplays, including the multiple AFI Award winner KISS OR KILL – a film which she also produced with Bill. Jennifer has since produced, along with Bill, 10 feature films, all of which were released theatrically. #youonthecamino #caminodesantiago #firsttimepilgrim #thecaminoexperience #caminopodcast

WHAT DO THE CAMINO AND THE KUMANO KODO PILGRIMAGES HAVE IN COMMON? Let's find out! If you are looking for your next big trip and you love the spiritual practice of pilgrimage, then you are going to love this episode of the podcast. But it’s not about the Camino, per se. It’s Camino-adjacent, but about something that, turns out, is totally different. Chris from episode 142 is back! It feels like the blink of an eye since I talked with Chris the last time, but in the interim, he has completed the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage in Japan, which is no small thing. So we are going to be taking a look at the similarities and differences between the Camino and the Kumano Kodo through the lens of pilgrimage. Here is some information about this pilgrimage: https://www.kumano-travel.com/en https://www.tb-kumano.jp/en/kumano-kodo/ #youonthecamino #caminodesantiago #firsttimepilgrim #thecaminoexperience #caminopodcast

WHEN YOU CAN DO WAAAAAY MORE THAN YOU THINK YOU CAN If you haven’t yet walked the Camino because you think you can’t do it because of an illness, my guest today is about to turn that idea on its head. Today I am talking with Phil, who walked the Camino after recovering from a serious illness. And, as many of us have done, he walked to honor a family member and make a statement about how he wants to live his life going forward. Phil also shows us that it’s not so much that the Camino provides, as the popular saying goes, but that the Camino teaches us. He discovered that while problems on the Camino seem to be inevitable, they don’t need to be debilitating. And actually, some of the problems we anticipate never even show up. NEW TO THE PODCAST? If you are just getting started with your planning for the Camino, you may want to hop back to season one, episode one. That's where the journey begins. And if you'd like something to get you started, grab your copy of my FREE Camino Planning Roadmap. #youonthecamino #caminodesantiago #firsttimepilgrim #thecaminoexperience #caminopodcast

THE CHALLENGES OF WALKING A WINTER CAMINO Will I find a place to sleep? Will I find food? Will it rain the entire time? These are questions all pilgrims ask when getting ready to walk the Camino, but none more so than the winter pilgrim. Imagine walking the Camino when most services are closed, when only 75 of the 450+ albergues on the Francés route keep their doors open for the winter. Imagine walking into a town after a long day out in the cold and discovering the one albergue you thought would be open isn’t. In this episode we are talking with Chris, who walked the Camino Francés in the winter. But believe it or not, that is even the most interesting part of his story. What drew me in was why Chris walked, and that he is the father of Savannah, who you met in the last episode. To find open albergues on the Camino Francés in the winter: http://winterpilgrim.com/ The pilgrimage in Japan Chris talks about is called the Kumano Kodo. Learn more here: https://www.tb-kumano.jp/en/kumano-kodo/ FIND (AND FOLLOW) ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA Here's where to find my new video format on social media: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@nancyreynolds-CaminoExperience/shorts Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheCaminoExperience Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecaminoexperience/ Tik Tok: Nancy @ the Camino Experience #youonthecamino #caminodesantiago #firsttimepilgrim #thecaminoexperience #caminopodcast

WHEN EXPECTATIONS DON'T MEET REALITY Is the Camino safe for a woman traveling alone? What about for a young woman, say one in her early 20s walking alone? You may hear many different answers to those questions – many different experiences from the various Camino routes, and many people will argue with you about the safety of the Camino if you try to say it’s not safe. In this episode you are going to hear the real-life experiences from Savannah. She is young and she walked the Camino alone. She encountered some of the legendary Camino magic, but she also encountered some truly unpleasant experiences. Here are the safety tips Savannah shared: Download the AlertCops app Know the emergency help numbers - 112 for medical and fire emergencies, and 062 for the Guardia Civil (Civil Guard) to aid with other urgent issues. #youonthecamino #caminodesantiago #firsttimepilgrim #thecaminoexperience #caminopodcast

WANT TO HAVE THE CAMINO ALL TO YOURSELF? If you’ve been contemplating a winter pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago, this episode is for you. But even if you haven’t been thinking about walking in the winter, this episode may still be for you – especially if you are worried about getting blisters or becoming injured and not being able to finish. In this episode, you are going to meet Sarah from Seattle who is going to tell you all about her first winter Camino on the Francés route. She also shares about her second winter pilgrimage, which will be on the Camino Mozárabe. You may discover a winter pilgrimage is exactly what you’ve been longing for. READY FOR SOME SHORT ANSWERS TO YOUR CAMINO QUESTIONS? Here's where to find me on social media in video format: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@nancyreynolds-CaminoExperience/shorts Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheCaminoExperience Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecaminoexperience/ Tik Tok: Nancy @ the Camino Experience #youonthecamino #caminodesantiago #firsttimepilgrim #thecaminoexperience #caminopodcast

WHEN SANTIAGO ISN'T THE END This week we are hearing from Richard, who you met back in episode 127. Richard’s story really stood out because he is living with a significant vision impairment. But it didn’t stop him from walking the Camino Francés from Saint Jean Pied de Port to Santiago and then on to the coast, to Fisterra and Muxía. And his pilgrimage didn’t stop there. Here’s the question Richard answers for us: What do you do when you realize that what you had planned wasn’t going to be enough? FREE MEAL AT THE PARADOR IN SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA! Here is some information about the free lunch Richard talked about. Available to the first 10 pilgrims to present themselves at the Pilgrim's Reception Office each day. #youonthecamino #caminodesantiago #firsttimepilgrim #thecaminoexperience #caminopodcast

ON BEING A BRIDGE How often do you have the time – or inclination – to ask deep, existential questions? My guest today – Michael – had just about two weeks on the Camino Portuguese to do just that. And he really made the most out of the opportunity. This conversation that may just change the way you see this pilgrimage. After years of dreaming, months of planning, days of walking, Michael shares his story of how he is getting the most out of his pilgrimage experience. JOIN ME IN SEATTLE THANKSGIVING WEEKEND Free pilgrim gratitude walk! Join your host, Nancy, and pilgrim and author Jen Manglos for a reflective and contemplative gratitude walk on Friday, November 28, 10 am to noon, at Carkeek Park in Seattle, Washington. Free. Not in the Seattle area? You can host your own gratitude walk! Nancy and Jen will provide the reflective guide to share with your walkers. Get the details and register for the Seattle walk or to host your own walk here: https://thecaminoexperience.com/gratitude JOIN ME ON THE CAMINO IN MAY 2026 The most daunting part of walking the Camino is getting started. Why go it alone then? Two spots have opened up in my May 2026 Camino Experience group. Grab your spot today: https://thecaminoexperience.com/walk-with-me/ #youonthecamino #caminodesantiago #firsttimepilgrim #thecaminoexperience #caminopodcast

BEYOND "WHO AM I?" There are times in our lives when we just need something. Something different, something new, something challenging, to shake things up and show us who we are right now. Something is what has called my guest this week – Marina – to walk the Camino. Marina is asking a really important question as she embarks on this journey. It’s an existential question, really, like who am I? But it goes even deeper and broader. JOIN ME IN SEATTLE THANKSGIVING WEEKEND Free pilgrim gratitude walk! Join your host, Nancy, and pilgrim and author Jen Manglos for a reflective and contemplative gratitude walk on Friday, November 28, 10 am to noon, at Carkeek Park in Seattle, Washington. Free. Not in the Seattle area? You can host your own gratitude walk! Nancy and Jen will provide the reflective guide to share with your walkers. Get the details and register for the Seattle walk or to host your own walk here: https://thecaminoexperience.com/gratitude JOIN ME ON THE CAMINO IN MAY 2026 The most daunting part of walking the Camino is getting started. Why go it alone then? Two spots have opened up in my May 2026 Camino Experience group. Grab your spot today: https://thecaminoexperience.com/walk-with-me/ #youonthecamino #caminodesantiago #firsttimepilgrim #thecaminoexperience #caminopodcast

THE POST-CAMINO BLUES We don’t talk about this enough. It’s something almost every pilgrim feels: the emotional and spiritual challenge of returning home. After all the walking, the quiet, the moments of connection and clarity, it’s jarring to come back to schedules, noise, and expectations. You may feel disoriented. Disconnected. Even a little lost. That’s not a sign something went wrong—it’s a sign that something changed. This is sacred ground. Today I am sharing two audio sessions from the Bringing home the Camino guided journey inside our new La Terraza online pilgrim community: These are the first steps to life after the Camino and the start of your next pilgrimage. BRING IT HOME WITH OTHER PILGRIMS Join La Terraza, where pilgrims gather to share in the spirit of the Camino de Santiago. https://thecaminoexperience.com/laterraza/ Enrollment is open from noon on Tuesday, November 4 through Friday, November 14, 2025. FREE PILGRIM GRATITUDE WALK Join your host, Nancy, and pilgrim and author Jen Manglos for a reflective and contemplative gratitude walk on Friday, November 28, 10 am to noon, at Carkeek Park in Seattle, Washington. Free. Not in the Seattle area Why not host your own gratitude walk? Nancy and Jen will provide the reflective guide to share with your walkers. Get the details and register for the Seattle walk or to host your own walk here: https://thecaminoexperience.com/gratitude #youonthecamino #caminodesantiago #firsttimepilgrim #thecaminoexperience #caminopodcast

BRINGING THE CAMINO HOME You walked the Camino de Santiago and met YOU. Maybe it was the best version of you, maybe it was the worst. Maybe it was your authentic self that you were longing to meet and had suspected was hiding somewhere within you. My guest today is Kathy Kehe, pilgrim and life coach who is passionate about you finding and bringing home the gold from your pilgrimage. She and I really get into it, as that is my passion, too. We are all about what happens after you walk the Camino. We are about how you bring home the gifts of the Camino to change your life for real. It’s not just about tending to the inner landscape, which is, of course, important and necessary. It’s also about adjusting the external features of your life – what you do each day, who you share your time with, and how you find your post-Camino dream and go after that. Find out more about Kathy's work here: https://www.kathykcoaching.com/ Check out Camino Wisdom Stories here: https://www.heroscamino.com/wisdomstories BRING IT HOME WITH OTHER PILGRIMS Join La Terraza, where pilgrims gather to share in the spirit of the Camino de Santiago. https://thecaminoexperience.com/laterraza/ Enrollment is open from noon on Tuesday, November 4 through Friday, November 11, 2025. FREE PILGRIM GRATITUDE WALK Join your host, Nancy, and pilgrim and author Jen Manglos for a reflective and contemplative gratitude walk on Friday, November 28, 10 am to noon, at Carkeek Park in Seattle, Washington. Not in the Seattle area Why not host your own gratitude walk? Nancy and Jen will provide the reflective guide to share with your walkers. Get the details and register for the Seattle walk or to host your own walk here: https://thecaminoexperience.com/gratitude #youonthecamino #caminodesantiago #firsttimepilgrim #thecaminoexperience #caminopodcast

SLOWING DOWN FOR THAT CAMINO CONNECTION Every so often, timing lines up just right. This week, I catch Lisa and Abhay just days before they leave for Spain to begin their pilgrimage on the Camino Francés. They are both used to moving fast and taking on big challenges, but the Camino offers them something different: a chance to slow down, be present, and savor the shared experience of walking this ancient pilgrimage path. READY TO BRING HOME YOUR CAMINO EXPERIENCE? Registration in our new pilgrim community, La Terraza, opens on Tuesday, November 4 for anyone who has already walked one of the Camino routes. The La Terraza community takes your Camino experience to the next level, with targeted audio sessions that walk you through the transition back home and numerous opportunities to connect with other pilgrims who share the awe and wonder of making this pilgrimage. IS 2026 YOUR YEAR TO WALK THE CAMINO? I have ONE spot left in my September 2026 Camino Experience group. Let's get started together: https://thecaminoexperience.com/walk-with-me/ (The May 2026 group is full.) #youonthecamino #caminodesantiago #firsttimepilgrim #thecaminoexperience #caminopodcast

İ SÍ SE PUEDE ! (YES WE CAN!) Imagine facing down your fears with such clarity and determination - with a sure and clear statement of yes I can - that your fear transforms into freedom. That's what happened on the Camino for pilgrim Jen Manglos, and her life has never been the same. She has since written and published a landmark book for pilgrims returning home from walking the Camino de Santiago: The Way Back: Reflections, Practices, and Rituals to Help You Bring Home the Wisdom of Your Pilgrimage Available on Amazon or contact Jen via her website: https://jenmanglos.com/ Jen shared a couple of fantastic resources available to pilgrims wanting to debrief their pilgrimage experiences, both of which are available in Santiago: Pilgrim House, located at Rúa Nova, 19 Camino Companions, located in the same building as the Pilgrim's Reception Office, at Rúa das Carretas, 33 The very special place to stay on the Camino Portugués is Albergue De Peregrinos Casa Da Fernanda, in Vitorino dos Piães, Portugal And the musical Jen referred to is called Come From Away: https://comefromaway.com/ IS 2026 YOUR YEAR TO WALK THE CAMINO? Let's get started together. Drop me an email at nancy@thecaminoexperience to grab one of the final spots in my 2026 Camino Experience groups. #youonthecamino #caminodesantiago #firsttimepilgrim #thecaminoexperience #caminopodcast

NOW IS THE TIME TO GO AFTER YOUR DREAMS I hope you are ready to be inspired, because in this episode you are going to hear from someone who knows how to make dreams happen. And more than that, she knows the value of going after those dreams . . . now. Kat is living in Spain with her husband and daughter, following one of the best plot twists ever. When Kat said yes to walking the Camino, it sparked an amazing and seemingly unlikely chain of events. “Yes” is a powerful word, so use it wisely! You just never know where one yes will lead you. For Kat, it led her to motherhood, moving to Spain, and a whole new take on career and family. She learned the benefits of slowing down, and at this new pace she was able to contemplate the question of who she wanted to be, for real. IS 2026 YOUR YEAR TO WALK THE CAMINO? Let's get started together. Join me on the trail: https://thecaminoexperience.com/walk-with-me/ #youonthecamino #caminodesantiago #firsttimepilgrim #thecaminoexperience #caminopodcast

WHEN PLANS CHANGE - FOR THE BETTER How many pilgrims were inspired to walk the Camino after seeing a movie set on the trail? For most people it was the movie The Way, with Emilio Estevez and Martin Sheen. For my guest today it was the charming (although largely inaccurate) Hallmark movie, Journey to You. Jeff is recently retired, and his discovery of the Camino after watching the movie Journey to You, led to an immediate plot twist in his newly implemented retirement plans. Jeff asked some excellent questions, so you are going to get some more information on using trekking poles on the Camino – how to get the most benefit from them, and how not to lose your poles. And I’ve got some pro tips for you on staying in Roncesvalles. IS 2026 YOUR YEAR TO WALK THE CAMINO? Let's get started together. Join me on the trail: https://thecaminoexperience.com/walk-with-me/ #youonthecamino #caminodesantiago #firsttimepilgrim #thecaminoexperience #caminopodcast

REDEFINING AGE ON THE CAMINO What is the Camino really all about? Many pilgrims say it’s all about the people, and my guest today is likely to agree with that. Cheryle walked the Camino with her friend, Janet, at the age of 81. Together they made friends all along the Way. Cheryle doesn’t consider herself a walker, but she did it, and when she wrote to me last week, she said this: I still have the love and glow of the beautiful walk I had on the Camino.” IS 2026 YOUR YEAR TO WALK THE CAMINO? Let's get started together. Join me on the trail: https://thecaminoexperience.com/walk-with-me/ #youonthecamino #caminodesantiago #firsttimepilgrim #thecaminoexperience #caminopodcast