About This Camino Blog

This blog is focused on all the great things about the Camino de Santiago, and keeping the spirit of the Camino alive in our everyday lives. My mission is to celebrate the Camino de Santiago and the pilgrim’s journey, from the calling to Compostela and beyond. I do this by sharing informative tips on training, gear, and routes; by promoting Camino-related events in the Bay Area; by interviewing pilgrims and sharing inspiring stories; and by curating content relevant to the Camino.

So far, I have walked five Caminos: Portugués, Inglés, Primitivo, Invierno, and Portugues Coastal Spiritual Variant. I intend to walk different Caminos and volunteer as a Hospitalera in the coming years.

My2016Camino

At the Pilgrim Office in Santiago after my first Camino

Pilgrims carry a credential passport to collect sellos (stamps), which we then show at the Pilgrim Office in Santiago to receive a compostela (certificate of completion). More than just a piece of paper, the Camino has provided me with new friends from around the world, a more meaningful way to travel, and memories to last a lifetime.

During the planning phases of my Camino journeys, I’ll share tips, recommended readings, films, pilgrim interviews, gear reviews, videos, and my favorite Camino blogs. After completing my Caminos, I use this blog to post my route reports, complete with photos, videos, and helpful tips for pilgrims. As a chapter coordinator for the Northern California Chapter of American Pilgrims on the Camino (APOC), I help promote Bay Area Camino events, organize presentations, and contribute articles for APOC’s newsletter.

A pilgrimage of this magnitude doesn’t start when you take your first step on tierra firme in Spain; it begins when the Camino calls you and you can no longer ignore the dream. For many people, the Camino is transformative and doesn’t end when they reach Santiago. It endures beyond the physical journey and extends into their daily lifestyle.

I look forward to sharing my Camino experiences with you and hearing about yours. I welcome your perspective and guest posts about how the Camino has provided for you. To do that, please use the form below or email me at laurie@caminoprovides.com.

Thanks for following my journey!

Find me on The Camino Forum, as well as on these other social networks:

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My Camino routes/plans 

  1. May 2016 Camino Portugués from Ponte de Lima to Santiago (150 km.)
  2. June 2017 Camino Inglés from Ferrol to Santiago (approx. 110 km.)
  3. June 2018 Camino Primitivo from Oviedo to Santiago (approx. 320 km.)
  4. May 2019 Camino Invierno from Ponferrada to Santiago (approx. 275 km.)

Caminos I’d like to walk, in no particular order:

  • Finisterre / Muxia
  • Camino Francés
  • Via de la Plata
  • Camino Portugués Coastal
  • Camino del Norte
  • Camino de Madrid

31 thoughts on “About This Camino Blog”

  2. It is really neat to watch someone make such extensive preparations for a trip. I am such a spontaneous traveller. In fact, I am usually the last minute-change-as-we-go kind of traveller. I wouldn’t change a thing about that style, but I am getting inspired to start thinking about adding an element of planning to one of my future trips. Thanks!!

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    • Thanks Delida! I’ve done a few backpacking trips with absolutely no planning and suffered the consequences. Hiking Half Dome in Converse high tops – worst blisters ever! And my first trip to Europe with a duffel bag instead of a backpack. At this point in my life I am willing to plan ahead and test gear so I can enjoy the journey. 🙂

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  4. The Camino is high for my wife and I also. We are not sure when we will do it, but we are excited about it. We walked a bit of the Appalachian Trail last weekend, and loved it. I look forward to learning from your journey.

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  5. I too have been so interested in the Camino. It must be an incredible experience! I’ve read “A Million Steps” by Kurt Koontz which was an insightful read. I’ve also watched whatever you tube videos I’ve come across and admire anyone who has done the whole walk for themselves. I’ll be following you and your progress here 🙂

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      • There is a movie I would love to watch, called “The Way” with Martin Sheen with a yellow background on its cover. For some reason South Africans can’t buy it through Amazon! It’s restricted to our area for some unknown reason to me! Thankfully You-Tube has a few good documentaries. I’m be watching your progress 😉 Loved reading about your backpack ordeal.

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  6. Glad you found us so that then we were brought to you 🙂
    The Camino is now with us for life and we still, EVERY DAY, think about it and try to immerse ourselves in all that it is. So your blog is perfect for this. We will be sure to connect on your other social media so that we get our Camino dose through you and hopefully be able to follow your journey.
    We truly hope you get to walk it soon – as we said in another comment… you are drawn to do it, and therefore you will do it 🙂
    Our next goal is to go via Camino Portuguese…. not sure when yet!

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  8. Receiving the calling to go is when it really begins, don’t you think? We are already on our Camino in the preparations for it and getting to know others in the community. Wishing you peace and opening for your journey. In May, my son will be out there again. It calls you back too. . . I am contemplating it again as well.

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  9. I just got back from my first Camino in early November. It was kind of a spur of the moment crisis in life decision and I had no idea what I was getting into or why anyone would live for the Camino as so many seem to do. It was the best decision I have ever made and I know I will return some day. I can’t wait to read more about your adventures!

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  11. Hello Laurie. I am one day home from walking the Camino Portuguese. What a wonderful stroll and an amazing country. I can see it growing to be as busy as the Frances one day and I feel privileged that I walked it before it got too crazy…now for my next adventure! 😉 Happy walking and blogging. Melanie

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      • Really? I’m thinking of going to India in December with my yoga studio. They’re offering a retreat in Varanasi. It’s an opportunity of a lifetime. I want to see other places there too though. Right now it’s a little overwhelming, but exciting! If you had 7-10 days to travel in India, where would you go? If your rather respond offline, please email me at laurie@caminoprovides.com. I am very interested in India now. 🙂 Namaste.

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      • I am looking at traveling with an Australian company called Peregrine Adventures. I am a pretty adventurous person but I the thought of traveling solo in India – initially anyway – frightens the pants off me!! I am thinking about 15 days in the Rajasthan area would be a perfect introduction..

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  12. Haha, when I read “I just follow my bliss”, somehow it registered in my mind as “I just follow my blisters”. Greetings, I live in Sunnyvale. I had no reasons to walk the camino. I just had to. Finished Via de La Plata in 2016/17. The experience is transformative to say the least. I plan to go Portuguese, Norte, Frances, and a few other small branches in Andalusia. Happy to see pilgrims in the bay area.

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  14. Hi Laurie,
    A quick thank you for the 2019 badge. My 2 year old son Ezekiel and I met you on the road outside our apartement on the part of the “Camino Invierno” in O Barco de Valdeorras. Wish we could have chatted more, but will be following your progress. Your journey and goals are a real inspiration, well done! Glad to have met you. All the best.

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