In 2013 and 2015, my husband Hal and I walked the Camino, from St. Jean Pied de Port in the Pyrenees to Finisterre (2013) and Muxía (2015) by the sea.

I remember what it felt like pre-Camino. I had so many questions about what to pack, what to wear, what to expect. I see that anxiety in the search terms that lead people to this blog, where Camino how-to posts see the most consistent traffic. And in the comments, I hear the echoes of how it felt to come home and miss being there, the desire to relive it in a story or a few shared jokes. So I figured I’d gather all my Camino articles in one place, so fellow pilgrims swimming in questions or nostalgia can come by and visit anytime. —KDG

Advice of Variable Utility

Stuff to Pack

Camino Prep for Beginners – Practical first steps for folks dreaming of a very long walk

The Things We Carried – An impudent packing list for the Camino de Santiago

3 Lifehacks for Peregrinos – Lessons in whittling down your pack list and staying dry(ish) on the Way

Stuff to Do and Not Do

9 Ways to Be a Kinder, Gentler Pilgrim – A few simple lessons in Camino etiquette

Hard-Won Lessons for our Second Camino – Six lessons we learned (the hard way) on our first pilgrimage made our second one all the better.

Treading Gently on the Camino – A few suggestions for keeping your cool along The Way — and for being a more thoughtful traveler anytime, anywhere

Stuff to Think About

Guilt Trip/Ego Trip: 4 Camino Life Lessons – On any difficult journey, there’s a sweet spot somewhere between guilt and pride, and it isn’t easy to find.

A Pilgrim’s Progress – A 5-foot-3 woman’s got to learn to be big sometimes, especially when her 6-foot-tall guy feels small (Nashville Scene)

Strength and Weakness on the Camino – A beautiful essay on grief, friendship, and very long walks, by a young Swiss pilgrim we met in 2015

The Camino Provides: A Reflection – A road can’t “provide.” But people can—and do.

Safety Dance – Is the Camino “safe”? Is anything? An essay on wanderlust, women, victim-blaming and vulnerability (Nashville Scene)

Mild Amusements

You Might Be a Pilgrim If – 56 ways to identify an American post-Camino peregrino/a in withdrawal

Camino by the Numbers – A partly-comedic numerical wrap-up of our first Camino trip.

A Happening at the Albergue – How a window war in the dormitory spawned a slightly crass joke that bound our accidental pilgrim tribe together for 800km and 6 weeks, and kept us laughing through the sloggiest of miles

Oh, the Places You’ll Pee! – On toilet adventures along The Way and even further afield (Nashville Scene)

Food and Drink

The Mariscada at the End of the World – Yes, it’s possible to eat and drink well on the Camino. Here’s how.

Post-Camino Cravings: Tortilla Española – Be it resolved: You need the tortilla de patatas in your life this year. Here’s how to fulfill that resolution.

How to Order Breakfast on the Camino – Basic menu Spanish to keep yourself fed 

Post-Camino Cravings: Tarta de Santiago – How to make one. Lots of pretty pictures. (Style Blueprint)

Bota Wine-Drinking Lessons with a Spanish Muleskinner – How to drink red wine in Ponferrada with a man and his mule (Roads & Kingdoms)

A Rough (Unfinished) Guide for Wary Pilgrims

Day 1: Ups and Downs: St. Jean Pied-de-Port—Roncesvalles – A leisurely stroll over the Pyrenees Mountains and into Spanish Basque Country

Day 2: “¿Cómo está Usted?” Do not ask: Roncesvalles—Zubiri – Adorable villages, sheep, and the agony of the feet

Day 3: The Sun Also Rises: Zubiri—Pamplona – The four Fs: friendships, first aid, a fiesta of pintxos…and foreshadowing