Finally I started! Notes after the Pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela!

**How Did I Start Writing a Blog?**

Even though this morning (Feb 15) I made a vow to God (and to myself) in the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela that I would return someday, I’ve decided that until then, I will fulfill a different promise—to START A BLOG. My sister (just so you know, that's Dana, my older sister) and I have been talking about this for years! Because when I travel, it's always an adventure. And why? Because I constantly get lost, take the wrong turn, miss my connection, or just say “screw it” and give up. All of these stories could fill a book—trust me! But let’s start here, on the blog, right from the present moment.

Yesterday, I completed my pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela from Portugal. Of course, I wasn’t prepared at all—mentally yes, but people usually spend days or even weeks getting their gear ready. Me? I just figured that if I’m already in Portugal, I might as well walk to Santiago, right?

I originally came to Portugal to spend 40 days at a Kundalini yoga ashram (an ashram is a spiritual place with daily practices and teachers who guide you back to yourself). After some tough months, I wanted to calm my mind. And yes, it was a very challenging experience, full of learning, but also peace. But more on that another time.

So, the ashram was my plan for 6 weeks. Then I thought—why not check off another dream: the walk to Santiago de Compostela. But just before I left the Netherlands (where I currently live), I told myself: “Nope, I’m not going to walk anywhere. I’ve had enough of that kind of thing in life. The ashram will be enough space for me to reflect and work things out.”

Well, guess what happened. After 45 days of service at the ashram, many intense days, lots of music, tons of realizations, and—most importantly—a major breakthrough in my pattern of partner-dependency, I booked a flight back home (back to the Netherlands, for now). But the flight was 11 days after my sister left Lisbon, where she had been visiting me. So I thought—what am I going to do with all these free days? Sit on the beach and enjoy doing nothing? Cook dinner for a handsome Brazilian who makes me breakfast every morning? No! Deep down, I felt I had to go to Santiago. That *now* was the time!

Luckily, I had asked my sister to bring me some functional clothes—just a few sports tops and one pair of athletic pants (since I only wear leggings and dresses!). The day after she left, I realized I needed shoes! But I only wear barefoot shoes, and I need to try them on in person. So I found the only shop in Lisbon that sold them—it was way out on the edge of the city. I went there… it was closed. No shoes. Oh well! I figured I’d just walk in my old ones—they had holes, and I’d get a bit wet (you have no idea how wet they get when it rains because they’re leather!). Eventually, I bought a cheap pair of shoes from a store, just to have something dry (and to get a blister on my pinky toe and pain in my Achilles tendon… but hey, at least they were dry!).

So I had shoes, and off I went. Now, picture this: a girl in a brown dress, wearing holey barefoot shoes, a small crossbody bag from Guatemala, a canvas bag over one shoulder with food, and a backpack. I started the pilgrimage at 3 PM on a Tuesday and happily walked 8km that first day. Called a hostel, and just like that, I was on my way. The first few days were great—sunny, peaceful, not too many kilometers.

Then came the day I had to take a ferry, but it only ran in the morning (because it’s winter). So I had to decide: stay the night and leave in the morning, or go a different route. That’s when I learned my first wisdom from the road:

**1. Accept whatever life gives you and stay flexible.**

I kept walking and eventually faced my first 31km day. It was tough. I realized I’d jumped into this without really knowing how hard it is to walk 20–30km a day! I hadn’t even *thought* about it! I just went. I didn’t even have a clear reason *why* I was doing it. For God? To find answers about what to do next in life? For who—myself??? It was a rough day.

Then I crossed into Spain—and that’s when the real fun began. I had wanted to do this walk alone, in silence. But good luck being alone when you're sleeping in a hostel room with three other pilgrims, each with their own story. That’s when the *real* journey started. And I remembered again the "first wisdom" from the road—adapting to life, the situation, to what is offered to you. And thank God for that.

The journey was incredible—people from all over the world, each with their own stories, and every single one gave me something: their presence, wisdom, love, or advice. In every person I met, I saw a part of myself, a piece of my life in theirs, a piece of God in them. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

When I arrived in Santiago, I was soaked to the bone and full of love! But I felt pure joy—I'd walked 183km in 8 days. And the best part? I was constantly happy! Even when I was angry, frustrated, or grumpy (which was often!), I still felt this happiness inside. And what is happiness? Inner freedom and acceptance of what *is*.

And I’d like to share a few more “wisdoms from the road”—the things I’ve learned:

**2. Listen to your body and its basic needs**—pooping, resting, eating, drinking, silence, talking, pain, releasing—life is easier when you do.

**3. Listen to your intuition—or you’ll pay for it!**

**4. At the end, there’s always a test of your strength—to see how well you can stand by your decision.**

And that’s the story for now! Get ready for more adventures—from Compostela and beyond. Like the time I missed a flight back to Europe, or the train to Rome, or when the bus driver almost left us behind during a pit stop somewhere outside Rome. All that and more will be on the blog ;)