Who knows what calling may bring you to walk for miles and miles. And for what? Only for you to know. Yet there is something about the pace and serendipitous moments you cannot possibly foresee.

And it began for us almost immediately upon our arrival in Porto where we planned to reunite with the three Joyce sisters over the coming days and journey together to Santiago via a Portuguese route.

Meeting Moki

It was his first day on the job and he made no bones about it, sharing that as he looked back to us waving his hands while driving 100KMs an hour. To say we were nervous is an understatement. One of our passengers from the East Coast told him to keep his eyes on the road! He nodded in agreement while still facing us in the back seat. That was our intro to Moki.

He claimed to know the CEO of a winery we were headed to in the Douro River Valley. It was beautiful. He explained that his brother got him the job after he lost some big deal in another country. He had lost everything and was starting over.

Two other couples with us were good sports and took in all in stride. It was our first day in Porto and theirs too. What a journey with Moki entertaining us all the way through the Douro River Valley. We had been in the area 10 years ago by boat, so it was great seeing it up close on land.

Bumping into Windsor

While finally back in Porto, we no sooner found a place for wine during the sunset that Sue ran into people we knew from our hometown of Windsor. We ventured through the famous bookstore together the next day. What a pleasant surprise! We continued to bump into them over the next couple of days. One for the Small World Department!

The strike is on!

While heading out of Porto, Portugal to Vigo in Spain, a strike was to begin the very next day on June 3. As we stood waiting for our train on the morning of June 2nd, just 5 minutes prior to the trains arrival – nothing. We learned our train was NOT coming and the strike would begin NOW. We were stuck. I discovered this while speaking with a young couple from the UK. They invited us to share an Uber with them splitting the cost between us all. Great idea but when the driver arrived, he was not having it. Not safe he said, etc. etc. So 4 of us ended up in the car and the kind couple got their own in a smaller vehicle. We were soon on our way with an outspoken driver who claimed our fearless Leader would soon declare himself Emperor, not just of the U.S., but the world. We all shuddered at the thought. He went on about how horrible recent decisions have been for the Portuguese economy. He could not understand why the American people have not done anything to stop him.

We did a guided tour in Porto and learned so much about its history and current economic issues… according to our guide, “tourism” has bumped up housing costs to natives (we heard the same in Athens last fall) and gazillions of cost increases due to that same fellow in the White House.

Baiona: the start of our walk

We soon made our way to the Parador de Baiona which is housed within the medieval fortress on a rocky peninsula jutting into the Atlantic. Originally built between the 12th and 16th centuries to deter pirates.

In 1493, Columbus’ ship, the La Pinta, anchored in the port of Baiona. This made the seaside town the first port in Europe to receive the news of the discovery of the New World.

It was by the sea here that we first met Basketball Laura who had walked from Lisbon since early May. She shared with us that she had been fired as a coach. Not worried at all and okay with the change, as she was now free to wander on the Camino to Santiago and after almost a month of travel, she was wishing now it would not end.

This was where we began our walk and yes, it was raining as we started out seeking the initial signs that would guide us to Santiago.

I began to understand days into our walk it’s hypnotic pace as we strolled in a trance like movement, save for the occasional awakening from a swarm of cyclists thrashing by.

Those walking weave between one another. Sometimes you’re ahead, sometimes you’re behind but we are all moving together. Like a flock of birds whose movements bring everyone forward and gliding along.

“There’s something about walking and talking side-by-side that makes conversations more candid than they would be face-to-face. What you have to say isn’t influenced by your walking partner’s facial reaction.” Jane Christmas, What the Psychic told the Pilgrim.

I never really knew where I was, let alone who were all of these people I was among – but we were all continuously moving walking toward Santiago.

“How many trees to make a forest?” asks young Aran, whose name means forest in Thai. As told in the Arctic Chill, by Arnaldur Indridason. And how many Pilgrims make the Way …I wondered.

We walk and walk and walked. Some lost in thought, some wondering about their future, some laughing and enjoying the company and the journey. Some dwelling on something so powerful you could never know and each with a story we wondered about. All headed to a church and place with very significant meaning to some and hardly any to others.

We did see Basketball Laura later on the trail. Lost in her thoughts drifting in the stream.

“The importance of compassion, of cultivating the heart’s tenderness. The purpose of life and of forgiveness.” a take away from a conversation with the Dalai Lama from Icelandic author, Andri Snaer Magnason.

I recall from my last time here speaking with someone from Australia who said it doesn’t matter how you got here or why. It is only that you came.

The Camino is not traveled, it is lived …if you think you can, you are half way there. (This message painted on a stone along the way in various languages.)

For more of Mark’s travel experiences, visit https://lifeintheclickstream.com/.