What an incredible pilgrimage this has been. George and I have never attempted such a journey together. In the past, I typically pack my bag, and venture out on long distant trails solo. George stays home and supports me by mailing me food drops, new gear, replacement poles and occasionally, a card that confesses his love for me. This has been the Baraga’s modus operandi. But this past month, all has changed.

The first of October, George and I packed our backpacks together and headed to Portugal. We had heard of this Pilgrimage for years from friends and Actor Martin Sheen in the movie “The Way.” When we first considered this idea of walking The Camiño, we thought of many different routes but ultimately landed on The Portuguese Way, Central to Coastal from Lisbon to Santiago. It seemed to fit perfectly for the amount of time we had and the lack of elevation changes. The Portuguese Way is relatively flat with 400 miles, more or less depending on alternate and varying routes.

Many people questioned our desire to start in Lisbon. Most Pilgrims choose to begin in Porto and bypass the industrial areas that lead out of Lisbon and the surrounding areas that are less desirable. Being we had the time, and we wanted to experience all of what Portugal had to offer, we started in Lisbon.

Our first week was hot, flat and dry. There were thoughts of why? This is an arid desolate area, with a lot of industry. Graffiti on many abandoned structures and fields of grasses, corn and kale. But as we settled in, I enjoyed the surroundings. The heat, on the other hand was my nemesis. There were days when we ran low on water, if not completely dry but then a kind soul would offer us a drink, fill our bottles, and quench our thirst.

By week two, we had a rhythm. George had some minor issues with his feet. Unlike me who has feet equipped with callouses from my thousands of miles walked, George’s feet are soft like a baby’s butt. He had a few blisters to contend with, and spent a good amount of time lubing and prepping, before venturing out daily. Outside of that, he acquired his trail legs and we were making miles. This allowed us to spend more time in towns, meeting the locals, eating incredible food, and drinking like fish. After an undesirable night in a Hostel, sleeping in Bunk Beds next to a very sick person coughing all night, then having sex to ail his illness, the Baraga’s decided that private rooms were a better fit. I know, we are so particular, but this made a big difference in our nightly recovery.

Towns were our highlight only after the people we met. From our second day in Lisbon, meeting Rui our Tut-Tut Driver and Tour Guide, we realized that life, whether home or abroad, truly is about the relationships you have and share. From the Lithuanian Brothers, to Luisa from Spain, The Girls from Canada and all in between, we made friends that we will cherish.

George was the conduit in staying in touch with family and friends back home, and I thoroughly enjoyed meeting the Pilgrims along the way. It’s interesting how much we all have in common; the love we share for our home country and what is truly important at the end of this wild ride. When traveling, I have learned that almost anywhere you go, there will be people that will be embedded in your heart and soul. New and old, young and frail, yet each one has something that you will never forget. I can see the 87 year olds face who I talked with for maybe 5-10 minutes, just outside of Ansião. We laughed so much, and kept warning me of all the cars that were driving down the road. Honestly I couldn’t understand much of what she was saying and she probably felt the same. But we knew each others heart, and that is why we are placed on this earth! To love one another without words, and care about someone besides ourselves.

The weather is always a huge part of walking, hiking and the great outdoor experience. For me, the extreme heat in the first week was my biggest obstacle. I can always handle a little rain, well a deluge of rain, is what George would confess to. It was a bit crazy at times. Everything was soaked from head to toes and clear down to my underwear! That can get downright annoying but what I recall was sunshine in between the rainfall. It never got warm but the sun did shine for a moment or two, and that’s just enough time to change your attitude.

When I look back on The Camiño, it will be the most memorable experience that I have ever had with my hubby and best friend. We laughed together, we had moments of frustration and irritation, but we seemed to balance it all out with a little port, some wine and a lot of beer. The food was different. I think we’ll both agree that the seafood was outstanding, the pork and chicken were much smaller and not injected with hormones, and tasted incredible. Anything on a grill was delicious. But our biggest disappointment would be the lack of a good juicy steak. We always try to have our final meal as a culinary experience, and Lisbon was no exception. But the steak that George ordered was thin, without any marbling and not what he expected. So after our lackluster final meal, we made our way to a swanky hotel and had after dinner drinks. That made up for it. I missed vegetables and my advice to vegetarian friends is I hope you like Potatoes, French Fries, Salad and Kale. That’s pretty much sums up your culinary choices in regards to vegetables. You definitely can make up for it in the fruits you can find.

But in the end, Portugal was a country that I would highly recommend. There was nowhere we went where we ever felt unsafe. In fact I left my iPhone at the Train Station and when I went back, it had been returned. The Safe Keeper of my phone was as happy as me, well maybe not quite as overjoyed and thankful that I was, but close.

George and I are already planning on another pilgrimage this Spring. Based on the weather we had, we decided Spring might be a better option with earlier rain lending to clearer days as we proceed to our ending point. At this time, we are considering the French Way which goes up and over the Pyrenees and continues westerly across Spain. We spent little time is Spain and this will give us a chance to explore that region and country.

George’s big takeaways include that he is much more capable than he originally thought! He was quite concerned about cramping, but not one single cramp, came his way. Maybe the combination of large quantities of water and electrolytes that he consumed, and building up his milage slowly, giving lots of time to recover and develop his strength, stamina and endurance. Also, George has become a believer in clothing and shoe choices. His Altras, which are a fine choice at home did not give him the support he needed on cobblestones, rocky surfaces and asphalted roadways. His socks could use an upgrade too, as far as I’m concerned. He had more than his fair share of blisters, and this slowed him down and knocked him off trail for a day or two. But he was quite impressed with his Outdoor Research (OR) Rain Jacket that is ultralight, yet served him well in the many rainstorms we endured. His last piece of advise is get a good-fitting backpack. Both George and I used Decathlon 40 Liter Packs. Unfortunately for George and his large chest, it never did fit him right. He Gerry-Rigged it the best he could with cushion and foam tape but in the end, he would’ve been much better wearing a heavier pack that had a better fit! So George will be researching shoes, maybe socks and backpacks. And hopefully, he will wear them during his training sessions before we heads back to the ultimate training grounds of The Camiño.

Until then, we will be walking the trails of Auburn and maybe venturing out to the coastline and exploring the endless paths that we have in Northern California. If I learned anything at all during this journey, it is to never ever give up or stop pestering the people you love. I have been George’s #1 Fan and now I have a partner that truly understands my passion and love for the great outdoors. And I think he actually enjoys being outside too!

For now, I will be hunkering down and spending time with my family and friends. It has been a long five months away from my home base, and all I want to do is stay put. Wanderlust or not, this explorer is ready is call it a day. May you love the place you call home and the people you surround yourself with. For in the end, it’s not where we’ve been but who we’ve been with! Much love to each and everyone of you…