Colleen does. Walking the Camino isn't a life-long dream and she doesn't have a deeply compelling reason to walk the Camino. So why do it? Let's find out!

Colleen also shares the common pilgrim concerns – how to find beds and if there will be beds available when they need them, how to use trekking poles without doing a lot of flailing about, how to pronounce those tricky Spanish words for the cities and towns you will be walking through.

We talk about all those things and more in this episode.

Here are the resources we talked about:

How to use the straps on your trekking poles

How to get the most out of your trekking poles

How to pronounce Spanish place names

If you are tired of dreaming and are ready to make this pilgrimage happen, or if one of your goals is to start the Camino Francés in September this year, let’s connect.

I still have three spots left in my September Camino Experience group, and I would love to have those go to three of my podcast listeners.

https://thecaminoexperience.com/walk-with-me/

Email me at [email protected]

#youonthecamino

Why walk the Camino de Santiago? Why walk it now? These are questions that will take you from the idea or dream of walking the Camino to a full-on pull to make it happen.

In this episode, Janet shares her plans for walking the Caminho Português with her sister in a journey of becoming. And without too much consideration, she knows she will be doing it her way. Find out what that means as we explore Janet's plans and the health benefits of walking.

If walking the Camino this year is one of your goals but you haven’t quite gotten around to planning, or if you want to walk the Camino but the idea of getting started alone is holding you back, let’s talk.

I have four spots left in my September Camino Experience group, and I would love for you to take one of those spots. Interested? Go here: https://thecaminoexperience.com/walk-with-me/

The Where to Start eBook series will take you from where you are now - wondering what to do first or next - all the way to getting your Camino on the calendar.

Get it now: https://thecaminoexperience.com/where-to-start/

Be a guest on this podcast! Go here to let me know you are interested: https://thecaminoexperience.com/podcast-guest-request-form/

#youonthecamino

For many people, the story of a Camino dream is a series of false starts. You hear about the Camino and hear its call, but it’s not the right time to go.

Then it is the right time, and you put some dates on the calendar, and something comes up – a significant family event, like a wedding, graduation or birth of a grandchild, a loved one gets sick or injured, you get sick or injured, there’s a global pandemic, or you have to move unexpectedly. There are so many things that can derail our plans.

Today I am talking with a pilgrim whose Camino dream has been brewing for quite a long time, and he is finally going to be taking his first steps on the trail next week.

After a series of setbacks – some quite intense – Erik from Colorado has the perfect window to walk the Camino Francés. It’s time for him to step away from the noise of everyday life and celebrate how far he has come.

If you are sensing that it is time to set the noise aside and get your Camino on the calendar, I would love for you to join me on the trail this September. 

Walk with Nancy and a small group in September 2025 and get your pilgrimage off on the right foot. Learn more here: https://thecaminoexperience.com/walk-with-me/

Or send me an email to let me know you are interested: [email protected]

Here is the guidebook Erik mentioned in this episode: https://sandybrownbooks.com/

Sandy and his sister, Rocky, also run Pilgrim Paths, which leads guided walks throughout Europe. They offer a Concierge Service that books rooms and luggage transport along the Camino routes. Learn more at https://pilgrimpaths.net/

#youonthecamino

In this episode we pick up where we left off in episode 101 by taking my #1 strategy for goal success to an even deeper level.

Then I am going to share with you five tactical steps and three top ideas that will guarantee your success in reaching your Camino goals.

Get your free copy of my Camino Planning Roadmap: https://pages.thecaminoexperience.com/roadmap and reach your goal of walking the Camino step by step by step.

Bust through all your obstacles by starting your pilgrimage with my September 2025 Camino Experience group. Walk with me: https://thecaminoexperience.com/walk-with-me/

#youonthecamino

Pilgrim Adam walks the Camino Portuguese to process and heal from some devastating losses . . . and finds his way to peace and connection.

Content warning:

My guest in this episode mentions his personal experience with suicide ideation and suicide within his circle of friends.

If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts or is in a crisis situation, please know that help is available. If you are in the US, you can call 988 from any phone to access the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.

If you are outside of the US, there is a list of hotline numbers for the countries where most of my listeners reside below, as well as a Wikipedia link with numbers for additional countries.

Again, help is available. And you deserve that help. If you are struggling, please reach out to one of the hotlines provided below, or to a trusted friend.

USA and Canada: call 988

Australia: call 13 11 14

New Zealand: call 1737

Spain: call 024

United Kingdom: call 999, 112, or 0800 689 5652

List of global suicide crisis lines from Wikipedia:

The albergue on the Caminho Português with the heated pool: https://www.gbchostel.com/

#youonthecamino

Have you ever wanted something, dreamed about something, maybe even longed for something, but the wanting and dreaming wasn’t making anything happen?

What’s missing there?

Well, what’s missing is a clear goal. In this episode I explore:

Let's do this!

Here's how: https://pages.thecaminoexperience.com/visioning

There are still spots available in my September 2025 Camino Experience groups. Get your Camino on the calendar! https://thecaminoexperience.com/walk-with-me/

#youonthecamino

Thank you for tuning in and for making this podcast one of the most sought after and reliable resources for first time pilgrims walking the Camino routes in Spain, France, and Portugal.

With this episode, the podcast hits a milestone – the 100th episode!

I love milestones. I love the feeling of hitting a mark, of reaching a big goal, of noticing and noting when you do something significant. The significance for me is helping thousands of pilgrims get ready for their first-ever pilgrimage on one of the Camino routes.

In this episode I lay out where we are heading next: we will be following two different themes that are sure to inspire you and also ensure your Camino dreams becomes a reality.

What happens after the Camino? That is my "topic of the year", in terms of creating impactful content for my listeners. To help me hit the mark on that, will you take a few minutes to complete this survey? https://thecaminoexperience.com/aftersurvey/

Overcome your fears and doubts about walking the Camino by joining my September Camino Experience group. Details are here: https://thecaminoexperience.com/walk-with-me/

Don’t miss a step with my Camino Planning Roadmap! Available from the home page of my website, https://thecaminoexperience.com/

#youonthecamino

Now we come to the final step of our year-end practice. The only thing we have left is my favorite New Year’s tradition.

This is the one I have been doing since 1976, long before I started setting goals and intentions for the new year. Uh, long before I even knew what that meant, because in 1976 I was 11 years old.

My best friend was Kristi, who lived next door and who had all kinds of fun and creative ideas. Usually, they involved getting into a little mischief and making it look like it was my idea rather than hers.

The New Years idea, though, was a good one, and completely trouble-free. Although, it did involve eating an ill-advised amount of Reese’s peanut butter cups as we pushed ourselves to stay awake until midnight.

I hope you enjoy this tradition as much as I do, and I hope you will incorporate it into your year-end practice each year from here on. You may even want to use this tradition when you are getting ready to leave for the Camino!

https://thecaminoexperience.com/

Here's how I can help:

 >> Guided start on the Camino Francés 

 >> Camino Francés Getting Started Audio Guide - 20% off through December 26th!!!

 >> One-on-one Camino coaching

P.S. HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

#youonthecamino

Forget asking Santa for what you want . . . go after it yourself! In this episode we walk through my annual goal setting process. We have already reviewed our accomplishments and successes (episode 18). We tallied up what didn't go as well as hoped and planned. And we mined both those lists for lessons and messages (episode 19.

Now it's time to pick our priorities for the coming year and think through and draft our goals and intentions.

What do you want more of in 2025? How about less of? Let's get that going! And hopefully one of the goals on your list will be walking your chosen route of the Camino de Santiago!

https://thecaminoexperience.com/

Here's how I can help:

 >> Guided start on the Camino Francés 

 >> Camino Francés Getting Started Audio Guide - 20% off through December 26th!!!

 >> One-on-one Camino coaching

P.S. Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah, and Happy Kwanza!

#youonthecamino

In last week's episode we spent time reviewing our wins and successes for the year.

This week we are moving on to the second step of the year-end process by listing our regrets and disappointments.

Wait! This is not about beating yourself up or dragging yourself through the mud, or finding fault with who you are as a human being. If you are prone to self-criticism, I invite you imagine yourself setting down whatever you usually use to beat yourself up with – the frying pan, the baseball bat, the mean words. Agreed? Okay, let’s dive into this.

https://thecaminoexperience.com/

Here's how I can help:

 >> Guided start on the Camino Francés 

 >> Camino Francés Getting Started Audio Guide - 20% off through December 26th!!!

 >> One-on-one Camino coaching

#youonthecamino