First of all, there is the overall preparation.

Which Camino do we want to do? The Camino Francés. This is the best known and most popular of the Caminos, but it also seems like the right one to do for us. It starts in France, crosses over the Pyrenees into Spain, and goes through various regions all the way to Santiago.

When? We decided to do it in the Spring of 2025, starting April 23 at St-Jean-Pied-de-Port(SJPDP). We hope to walk the about 800 kms to Santiago de Compostela plus another 100 or so kms to the coast, to Finisterra, the “end of the world”. We hope to do it in about 45-50 days. So … we got airplane tickets to fly to Paris, my brother from Chicago, I from Kelowna in British Columbia. We will meet in Paris, take a couple trains and get to SJPDP on April 22 to start this adventure the next day.

Then there are the practical, physical preparations: the backpack, clothing, quilt, toiletries, electronics, and so on. Besides that, there is also a bit of training: walking longer distances, walking with the backpack to get used to it. This is my (empty) backpack:

And then there are the mental preparations. There are questions like:

Why am I doing this? For the physical challenge; to spend time with my brother; to get to know Northern Spain, the geography, the various cultures, the variety of foods.

Can I do it? I think I can. I am fit and healthy, so it should not be a problem.

What do I hope to get out of it? I don’t really know, I have no particular ambitions here, but hope to take it one day at a time and enjoy it. That’s it, most of all, ENJOY IT!