Cynthia's Camino Journey

Written by: Cynthia Keefe

In May of 2023, after many months of walking and training, I set out on my first Camino de Santiago, traveling from Vigo to Santiago, Spain. The portion we walked covered five days. I journeyed with my younger sister and brother-in-law, while my husband—who could not walk as much—took a taxi from town to town to meet us.

Each day we started around 7 a.m. and walked until about 1:30 or 2:00 in the afternoon. Our route led us through forests, villages, cities, across streams and rivers, and over every kind of terrain you could imagine. We hired a company to transport our luggage, which was truly the best option for us since we are in our late sixties and early seventies.

Some days we walked together, and other days we went at our own pace, always meeting fellow pilgrims along the way and sharing stories. We stopped for snacks or meals whenever we found them, enjoying the peace and calm of the Camino. Every afternoon we rested, then ventured out wherever we were staying to enjoy a hearty dinner.

It was one of the most wonderful experiences of my life, and I hope to train and do it again someday.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Cynthia is 74 years young, retired and lives in a high rise in Little Italy/San Diego, California. She has been a Travel Director, Meeting Planner, Outside Sales Rep in the gift industry and a New Home Sales Agent. She has been married for 30 years to an amazing man. She has four stepchildren and 11 grandchildren varying in ages from 9 to 28. “I have always traveled and love a good adventure. “