Plane ticket purchased… It’s official, I’m walking the Camino de Santiago this year. This is something I’ve been thinking about for a long time, and now that the planning is underway, it feels real in a way that’s both exciting and grounding. I’ll be starting in Muxía and making my way toward Santiago, taking each day as it comes and soaking in whatever the trail has to offer.

One of the things I’ve loved while preparing is discovering just how big and welcoming the Camino community is. There are associations of friends of the Way all over the world — groups that help new pilgrims, share stories, and keep the Camino spirit alive. The official Camino website has a great list of them if you’re curious about how widespread this network really is.

Here in Canada, we’re lucky to have the Canadian Company of Pilgrims, and they’ve already been a huge help. After chatting with the Vancouver chapter lead and getting some thoughtful advice, I’ve decided to carry a Canadian pilgrim passport with me on this adventure.

As I finalize my plans, I will share more through a series of posts that include planning resources, reflections, and hopefully some stories from the journey itself. I consider myself a pretty good travel planner, and through this process I have gathered a lot of information while preparing for the trip. Posting it here feels like a good way to keep everything in one place, and if it helps someone else plan their own Camino someday, that would be a bonus.

For now, this post is simply my way of marking the moment. The journey has begun, and I super excited to see where it leads.