YOU on the Camino de Santiago

After the Camino Part 1 - Boldness and Bravery

THE CHALLENGE OF BRINGING THE CAMINO HOME
If you have already walked one of the Camino routes, you may have discovered that coming home after the Camino is the hardest part of the entire Camino experience.
I’ve been there, and not just once or twice. Every time I have come home from the Camino over the past 20 years, I have been faced with what seemed like a monumental, insurmountable challenge: adjusting to life off the Camino and somehow keeping the spirit of the Camino alive in my life.
We have to talk about this.
We focus so much attention on getting ready for the Camino, and then you spend your time on the trail deeply immersed in the experience. Now we have to attend to the after part. We have to gather some tools and resources for pilgrims returning home from the Camino, so we can round out the Camino experience.
In this bonus episode and the next four, we are going to look at how to bring home the Camino experience. Specifically, we are going to explore what you have been up against since returning home. And then I am going to share with you some ideas for how to take on one of the biggest challenges pilgrims face when they come home: finding and understanding the lessons of the Camino.
GET THE FULL CHALLENGE
Sign up here to get all the content of the Mining the Lessons of the Camino challenge: https://thecaminoexperience.com/challenge 
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After the Camino Part 2 - Belonging and Connection

WHAT DO YOU WANT FOR AFTER THE CAMINO?
For many people, walking the Camino totally lives up to the hype. Their experiences match what they see in all the YouTube videos and the movies like The Way. For others, not so much. But here’s the catch: no matter what experience you had on the Camino, you still had to re-enter life at home.
In this episode, I am going to share with you a bit more of my after-the-Camino story as a way to show you what’s possible if you put as much attention on what happens after the Camino as you do to getting ready and walking. And then I am going to share with you the second part of our August challenge, mining the lessons of the Camino.
The goal here is to give you a glimpse into our new pilgrim community, La Terraza, and to show you how we are meeting the seemingly insurmountable challenge of bringing home the Camino experience. You invested so much time and money in your pilgrimage, let’s make sure you reap the rewards of your efforts and investment.
GET THE FULL CHALLENGE
Sign up here to get all the content of the Mining the Lessons of the Camino challenge: https://thecaminoexperience.com/challenge 
#youonthecamino#caminodesantiago#firsttimepilgrim#thecaminoexperience#caminopodcast

After the Camino Part 3 - Loss and Letting Go

WHY SHARING YOUR CAMINO STORY IS SO IMPORTANT
When we return home from the Camino, one of our greatest needs is simply to talk about the experience. We need to tell our stories. You can see this on social media and all over YouTube. So many stories! So many people feel compelled to recount what happened and where and with whom. Look at this, look at that!
Our stories connect us to each other and inspire us to reach higher. In sharing about our Camino experiences, we come to understand them better, and we discover hidden treasures in the factual accounting of what happened, when, where, and how.
Today I am going to share with you five reasons why telling our Camino stories is so important. And then I want to share with you some actual stories pilgrims have been sharing within La Terraza. Then, we will wrap up with the third audio session from our community challenge, mining the lessons of the Camino.
GET THE FULL CHALLENGE
Sign up here to get all the content of the Mining the Lessons of the Camino challenge: https://thecaminoexperience.com/challenge 
#youonthecamino#caminodesantiago#firsttimepilgrim#thecaminoexperience#caminopodcast

Invitation to join the La Terraza community

YOUR PILGRIMAGE ISN'T OVER
When we walked the Camino, we discovered a few things. We discovered something called Camino magic – that experience of awe and wonder when we slowed down to the pace of walking, when we settled deeply into the present moment, and when we opened our hearts to strangers, ourselves, and something bigger than ourselves.
We discovered the true meaning of the phrase, "the Camino provides." Curiously, the Camino didn’t always provide what we wanted, but if we looked closely enough, we could see that it provided what we needed.
We discovered a new version of ourselves – one we liked and wanted to become better acquainted with. One we would like to hang out with on a regular basis.
We discovered an inner strength and confidence, and we suspected it may have been there all along; we just didn’t know how to access it.
We discovered the spirit of the Camino and wanted more of it.
How do we keep all that alive? Here's how:
JOIN THE LA TERRAZA COMMUNITY
Take the next step of your pilgrimage here: https://thecaminoexperience.com/laterraza/ 
Registration is open from noon on August 19, through midnight August 23, 2025, Pacific time zone.
Next registration period will be in late October/early November.
GET THE FULL CHALLENGE
Sign up here to get all the content of the Mining the Lessons of the Camino challenge: https://thecaminoexperience.com/challenge 
#youonthecamino#caminodesantiago#firsttimepilgrim#thecaminoexperience#caminopodcast

After the Camino Part 4 - Surprise and Serendipity

THERE HAS TO BE A BETTER WAY
Bringing the Camino experience home. Anyone tried that? It’s tricky, right? You spend all this time in the liminal space of the Camino – in this alternative world where strangers are kind, people are good, and making connections is easy and fun.
You walk yourself into a stronger, braver version of yourself, and you discover you like that person. You dial into the simplicity of spending your day at the pace of walking, carrying only what you need, and listening to the messages from your body about what it needs and how to care for it.
You laugh, you cry, you celebrate, and you grieve. And you do it all with a couple dozen people who have the same purpose as you: to walk day by day and eventually reach Santiago de Compostela, Fisterra, or Muxia.
You do all that, and then you have to return home.
It’s hard, isn’t it, to transition from the Camino back to everyday life?
We do it, but many of us don’t like it. Many of us flounder, struggle, and suffer. There has to be a better way.
Now there is! Check it out . . .
JOIN THE LA TERRAZA COMMUNITY
Take the next step of your pilgrimage here: https://thecaminoexperience.com/laterraza/ 
Registration is open from noon on August 19, through midnight August 23, 2025, Pacific time zone.
Next registration period will be in late October/early November.
GET THE FULL CHALLENGE
Sign up here to get all the content of the Mining the Lessons of the Camino challenge: https://thecaminoexperience.com/challenge 
#youonthecamino#caminodesantiago#firsttimepilgrim#thecaminoexperience#caminopodcast

Ep 127: Finding the hidden gifts with pilgrim Richard

THE UNIVERSALITY OF THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE
What happens when you want to walk the Camino, but you have a physical limitation that could prevent you from doing it? Well, in the case of today’s guest, Richard, you just go do it anyway.
Today's inspiring pilgrim conversation filled with spiritual insight, courage, and determination. Talking with Richard reminded me how much I take for granted, with all my senses working and my body as able as it can be one week away from turning 60. He also reminded me that there are gifts hidden in loss and trials, gifts that we can use to deepen our human experience and understand its universality.
IS 2026 YOUR YEAR TO WALK THE CAMINO? 
Let's get started together. Join me on the trail: https://thecaminoexperience.com/walk-with-me/ 
 
#youonthecamino#caminodesantiago#firsttimepilgrim#thecaminoexperience#caminopodcast

Ep 128: The power of taking the next step with pilgrim Jill

BEING A PART OF SOMETHING BIGGER THAN OURSELVES
I love the perspective of the first-time pilgrim. There is so much excitement and anticipation. Eagerness and nervousness. And such great questions! We could talk forever about what it means to walk the Camino de Santiago and what it takes to get ready.
My guest today is Jill from California who is just about to board a plane to go walk the Camino Francés. We had a wonderful conversation, spanning such topics as pilgrim meals, planning your stages, when to take rest days, women’s safety, and using ATMs to get cash.
We also touched on the tender position of being one small person in a big world and how we can connect with others in a way that restores our hope and trust in humanity.
Here is the book Jill mentions in this episode: The Way of the Heart, by Henri Noewen
Join Jill in supporting the World Central Kitchen: https://donate.wck.org/fundraiser/6443097 
HOW ARE YOUR 2025 GOALS COMING ALONG?
I'd love to hear from you! You can write to me at nancy@thecaminoexperience.com 
IS 2026 YOUR YEAR TO WALK THE CAMINO? 
Let's get started together. Join me on the trail: https://thecaminoexperience.com/walk-with-me/ 
 
#youonthecamino#caminodesantiago#firsttimepilgrim#thecaminoexperience#caminopodcast

Ep 129: Pilgrim Cheryle makes the pilgrimage at the age of 81

REDEFINING AGE ON THE CAMINO
What is the Camino really all about? Many pilgrims say it’s all about the people, and my guest today is likely to agree with that.
Cheryle walked the Camino with her friend, Janet, at the age of 81. Together they made friends all along the Way.
Cheryle doesn’t consider herself a walker, but she did it, and when she wrote to me last week, she said this: I still have the love and glow of the beautiful walk I had on the Camino.”
 
IS 2026 YOUR YEAR TO WALK THE CAMINO? 
Let's get started together. Join me on the trail: https://thecaminoexperience.com/walk-with-me/ 
 
#youonthecamino#caminodesantiago#firsttimepilgrim#thecaminoexperience#caminopodcast

Ep 130: A retirement plan plot twist with pilgrim Jeff

WHEN PLANS CHANGE - FOR THE BETTER
How many pilgrims were inspired to walk the Camino after seeing a movie set on the trail? For most people it was the movie The Way, with Emilio Estevez and Martin Sheen. For my guest today it was the charming (although largely inaccurate) Hallmark movie, Journey to You.
Jeff is recently retired, and his discovery of the Camino after watching the movie Journey to You, led to an immediate plot twist in his newly implemented retirement plans.
Jeff asked some excellent questions, so you are going to get some more information on using trekking poles on the Camino – how to get the most benefit from them, and how not to lose your poles. And I’ve got some pro tips for you on staying in Roncesvalles.
IS 2026 YOUR YEAR TO WALK THE CAMINO? 
Let's get started together. Join me on the trail: https://thecaminoexperience.com/walk-with-me/ 
 
#youonthecamino#caminodesantiago#firsttimepilgrim#thecaminoexperience#caminopodcast

Ep 131: The power of YES with pilgrim Kat

NOW IS THE TIME TO GO AFTER YOUR DREAMS
*The podcast is on a break while I am on the Camino. The next episode will air on Tuesday, October 21st.*
I hope you are ready to be inspired, because in this episode you are going to hear from someone who knows how to make dreams happen. And more than that, she knows the value of going after those dreams . . . now.
Kat is living in Spain with her husband and daughter, following one of the best plot twists ever. When Kat said yes to walking the Camino, it sparked an amazing and seemingly unlikely chain of events.
“Yes” is a powerful word, so use it wisely! You just never know where one yes will lead you.
For Kat, it led her to motherhood, moving to Spain, and a whole new take on career and family. She learned the benefits of slowing down, and at this new pace she was able to contemplate the question of who she wanted to be, for real.
IS 2026 YOUR YEAR TO WALK THE CAMINO? 
Let's get started together. Join me on the trail: https://thecaminoexperience.com/walk-with-me/ 
 
#youonthecamino#caminodesantiago#firsttimepilgrim#thecaminoexperience#caminopodcast

Ep 132: From fear to freedom with pilgrim and author Jen Manglos

İ SÍ SE PUEDE ! (YES WE CAN!)
Imagine facing down your fears with such clarity and determination - with a sure and clear statement of yes I can - that your fear transforms into freedom.
That's what happened on the Camino for pilgrim Jen Manglos, and her life has never been the same.
She has since written and published a landmark book for pilgrims returning home from walking the Camino de Santiago:
The Way Back: Reflections, Practices, and Rituals to Help You Bring Home the Wisdom of Your Pilgrimage
Available on Amazon or contact Jen via her website: https://jenmanglos.com/ 
Jen shared a couple of fantastic resources available to pilgrims wanting to debrief their pilgrimage experiences, both of which are available in Santiago:
Pilgrim House, located at Rúa Nova, 19
Camino Companions, located in the same building as the Pilgrim's Reception Office, at Rúa das Carretas, 33
The very special place to stay on the Camino Portugués is Albergue De Peregrinos Casa Da Fernanda, in Vitorino dos Piães, Portugal
And the musical Jen referred to is called Come From Away: https://comefromaway.com/ 
 
IS 2026 YOUR YEAR TO WALK THE CAMINO? 
Let's get started together. Drop me an email at nancy@thecaminoexperience to grab one of the final spots in my 2026 Camino Experience groups.
 
#youonthecamino#caminodesantiago#firsttimepilgrim#thecaminoexperience#caminopodcast
 

Ep 133: The challenge of slowing down, with pilgrims Lisa & Abhay

SLOWING DOWN FOR THAT CAMINO CONNECTION
Every so often, timing lines up just right. This week, I catch Lisa and Abhay just days before they leave for Spain to begin their pilgrimage on the Camino Francés.
They are both used to moving fast and taking on big challenges, but the Camino offers them something different: a chance to slow down, be present, and savor the shared experience of walking this ancient pilgrimage path.
READY TO BRING HOME YOUR CAMINO EXPERIENCE?
Registration in our new pilgrim community, La Terraza, opens on Tuesday, November 4 for anyone who has already walked one of the Camino routes.
The La Terraza community takes your Camino experience to the next level, with targeted audio sessions that walk you through the transition back home and numerous opportunities to connect with other pilgrims who share the awe and wonder of making this pilgrimage.
IS 2026 YOUR YEAR TO WALK THE CAMINO? 
I have ONE spot left in my September 2026 Camino Experience group. Let's get started together: https://thecaminoexperience.com/walk-with-me/ 
(The May 2026 group is full.)
 
#youonthecamino#caminodesantiago#firsttimepilgrim#thecaminoexperience#caminopodcast

Ep 134: The Camino and your authentic self, with pilgrim and coach Kathy Kehe

BRINGING THE CAMINO HOME
You walked the Camino de Santiago and met YOU. Maybe it was the best version of you, maybe it was the worst. Maybe it was your authentic self that you were longing to meet and had suspected was hiding somewhere within you.
My guest today is Kathy Kehe, pilgrim and life coach who is passionate about you finding and bringing home the gold from your pilgrimage. She and I really get into it, as that is my passion, too.
We are all about what happens after you walk the Camino. We are about how you bring home the gifts of the Camino to change your life for real.
It’s not just about tending to the inner landscape, which is, of course, important and necessary. It’s also about adjusting the external features of your life – what you do each day, who you share your time with, and how you find your post-Camino dream and go after that.
Find out more about Kathy's work here: https://www.kathykcoaching.com/ 
Check out Camino Wisdom Stories here: https://www.heroscamino.com/wisdomstories 
BRING IT HOME WITH OTHER PILGRIMS
Join La Terraza, where pilgrims gather to share in the spirit of the Camino de Santiago. https://thecaminoexperience.com/laterraza/ 
Enrollment is open from noon on Tuesday, November 4 through Friday, November 14, 2025.
FREE PILGRIM GRATITUDE WALK
Join your host, Nancy, and pilgrim and author Jen Manglos for a reflective and contemplative gratitude walk on Friday, November 28, 10 am to noon, at Carkeek Park in Seattle, Washington.
Not in the Seattle area Why not host your own gratitude walk? Nancy and Jen will provide the reflective guide to share with your walkers.
Get the details and register for the Seattle walk or to host your own walk here: https://thecaminoexperience.com/gratitude 
 
#youonthecamino#caminodesantiago#firsttimepilgrim#thecaminoexperience#caminopodcast

Ep 135: Your *next* Camino

THE POST-CAMINO BLUES
We don’t talk about this enough. It’s something almost every pilgrim feels: the emotional and spiritual challenge of returning home.
After all the walking, the quiet, the moments of connection and clarity, it’s jarring to come back to schedules, noise, and expectations. You may feel disoriented. Disconnected. Even a little lost.
That’s not a sign something went wrong—it’s a sign that something changed.
This is sacred ground.
Today I am sharing two audio sessions from the Bringing home the Camino guided journey inside our new La Terraza online pilgrim community:
The post-Camino blues
Why integration matters just as much as the journey
These are the first steps to life after the Camino and the start of your next pilgrimage.
BRING IT HOME WITH OTHER PILGRIMS
Join La Terraza, where pilgrims gather to share in the spirit of the Camino de Santiago. https://thecaminoexperience.com/laterraza/ 
Enrollment is open from noon on Tuesday, November 4 through Friday, November 14, 2025.
FREE PILGRIM GRATITUDE WALK
Join your host, Nancy, and pilgrim and author Jen Manglos for a reflective and contemplative gratitude walk on Friday, November 28, 10 am to noon, at Carkeek Park in Seattle, Washington. Free.
Not in the Seattle area? You can host your own gratitude walk! Nancy and Jen will provide the reflective guide to share with your walkers.
Get the details and register for the Seattle walk or to host your own walk here: https://thecaminoexperience.com/gratitude 
 
#youonthecamino#caminodesantiago#firsttimepilgrim#thecaminoexperience#caminopodcast

Ep 136: When you need *something*, with pilgrim Marina

BEYOND "WHO AM I?"
There are times in our lives when we just need something. Something different, something new, something challenging, to shake things up and show us who we are right now.
Something is what has called my guest this week – Marina – to walk the Camino. Marina is asking a really important question as she embarks on this journey. It’s an existential question, really, like who am I? But it goes even deeper and broader.
JOIN ME IN SEATTLE THANKSGIVING WEEKEND
Free pilgrim gratitude walk!
Join your host, Nancy, and pilgrim and author Jen Manglos for a reflective and contemplative gratitude walk on Friday, November 28, 10 am to noon, at Carkeek Park in Seattle, Washington. Free.
Not in the Seattle area? You can host your own gratitude walk! Nancy and Jen will provide the reflective guide to share with your walkers.
Get the details and register for the Seattle walk or to host your own walk here: https://thecaminoexperience.com/gratitude 
JOIN ME ON THE CAMINO IN MAY 2026
The most daunting part of walking the Camino is getting started. Why go it alone then? Two spots have opened up in my May 2026 Camino Experience group. Grab your spot today: https://thecaminoexperience.com/walk-with-me/ 
 
#youonthecamino#caminodesantiago#firsttimepilgrim#thecaminoexperience#caminopodcast

Ep 137: Uncovering a new reality with pilgrim Michael

ON BEING A BRIDGE
How often do you have the time – or inclination – to ask deep, existential questions? My guest today – Michael – had just about two weeks on the Camino Portuguese to do just that.
And he really made the most out of the opportunity.
This conversation that may just change the way you see this pilgrimage.
After years of dreaming, months of planning, days of walking, Michael shares his story of how he is getting the most out of his pilgrimage experience.
JOIN ME IN SEATTLE THANKSGIVING WEEKEND
Free pilgrim gratitude walk!
Join your host, Nancy, and pilgrim and author Jen Manglos for a reflective and contemplative gratitude walk on Friday, November 28, 10 am to noon, at Carkeek Park in Seattle, Washington. Free.
Not in the Seattle area? You can host your own gratitude walk! Nancy and Jen will provide the reflective guide to share with your walkers.
Get the details and register for the Seattle walk or to host your own walk here: https://thecaminoexperience.com/gratitude 
JOIN ME ON THE CAMINO IN MAY 2026
The most daunting part of walking the Camino is getting started. Why go it alone then? Two spots have opened up in my May 2026 Camino Experience group. Grab your spot today: https://thecaminoexperience.com/walk-with-me/ 
 
#youonthecamino#caminodesantiago#firsttimepilgrim#thecaminoexperience#caminopodcast

Ep 138: Vision insights with pilgrim Richard

WHEN SANTIAGO ISN'T THE END
This week we are hearing from Richard, who you met back in episode 127. Richard’s story really stood out because he is living with a significant vision impairment. But it didn’t stop him from walking the Camino Francés from Saint Jean Pied de Port to Santiago and then on to the coast, to Fisterra and Muxía.
And his pilgrimage didn’t stop there. Here’s the question Richard answers for us: What do you do when you realize that what you had planned wasn’t going to be enough?
FREE MEAL AT THE PARADOR IN SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA!
Here is some information about the free lunch Richard talked about. Available to the first 10 pilgrims to present themselves at the Pilgrim's Reception Office each day.
 
#youonthecamino#caminodesantiago#firsttimepilgrim#thecaminoexperience#caminopodcast

Ep 139: A wintry walk with pilgrim Sarah

WANT TO HAVE THE CAMINO ALL TO YOURSELF?
If you’ve been contemplating a winter pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago, this episode is for you. But even if you haven’t been thinking about walking in the winter, this episode may still be for you – especially if you are worried about getting blisters or becoming injured and not being able to finish.
In this episode, you are going to meet Sarah from Seattle who is going to tell you all about her first winter Camino on the Francés route. She also shares about her second winter pilgrimage, which will be on the Camino Mozárabe.
You may discover a winter pilgrimage is exactly what you’ve been longing for.
READY FOR SOME SHORT ANSWERS TO YOUR CAMINO QUESTIONS?
Here's where to find me on social media in video format:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@nancyreynolds-CaminoExperience/shorts 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheCaminoExperience 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecaminoexperience/ 
Tik Tok: Nancy @ the Camino Experience
 
#youonthecamino#caminodesantiago#firsttimepilgrim#thecaminoexperience#caminopodcast