Slow Travel: The Journey of Self-Discovery

Very recently, I walked the Portuguese Camino, the Camino less traveled, staring in Coimbra, Portugal and continuing all the way to Santiago de Compostela in Spain, covering 250 miles in 15 days. I completed the Camino Frances in 2019 and developed a love of long-distance walking and slow travel. I have replaced the need to hit top touristy sights with taking the time to explore lesser-known areas to find hidden gems and a deeper meaning. I’ve ditched the “must see everything” approach in favor of making a more intentional choice to appreciate a destination’s simpler things by taking longer to get around and having the time to discover places in detail, seeing more than just the main attractions. There is no better way to stay as close to the ground and to people than using bus number 11 (aka my feet.) There’s something about the simple, natural rhythm of walking that opens up the space to breathe and to think, to be fully awaken and engaged to savor every moment. I’ve learned that the roads I travel are more important than their destinations.

For me, traveling on foot is a spiritual journey affording me presence in the moment using all my senses to absorb the experience and to get in touch with those inner parts of myself I tend to neglect in all the hustle and bustle of trying to stay on top of everything in my daily life. Walking long distances is a precious opportunity to slow down and get back in touch with nature and myself. It’s a great way to do a self-awareness tune up. But walking the Camino is more than just a quest for greater self-knowledge. There is something very powerful about being part of the shared procession towards Santiago. It is more than a physical journey. It’s a pilgrimage of the heart clearing the way to strip away all that is unimportant and to reach greater alignment with other travelers sharing the way and with inner truths.

The Camino dates back to the 8th century. Having existed for over 1,000 years, the Camino started as a pilgrimage for penance, a way for people to atone for their sins. Today, people choose to walk the Camino for many different reasons selecting their path from the extensive network of routes. For me, other than always being on the lookout for a new challenge, it is a haven for self-reflection. The Camino is an escape, an opportunity to disconnect. On the first one, I still spent a significant time walking while listening to podcasts and music. This time around, it was a peaceful reflective trip without any technological distractions from nature and the experience. I am not religious, but this journey was deeply spiritual. Taking a break from normal life, it’s impossible to walk for days on end without taking the time to think and ponder about life’s truths. You cannot walk the Camino without feeling connected to something larger than yourself. The nods of acknowledgments, the calls of “Buen Camino” or “Bom Caminho,” and the impromptu conversations are a reminder you that you are a part of the whole, an individual making your own way, but simultaneously part of the fabric, connected to and defined by the shared experience.

To the uninitiated, it may seem like “Groundhog Day,” always the same thing to do every day, all day: walk. But when you allow yourself to marvel while walking, it is an experience of a lifetime. There are new challenges to overcome every day: from dragging your achy body out of bed in the morning to keeping your tired legs moving until you get to your destination for the night. There are also hidden gems to be found and amazing people to talk to – locals and pilgrims alike. I felt I could keep on going forever. However, coming to the “Compostela”, the finish point, was a glorious feeling of accomplishment. I also felt the humility that comes from embracing my humanness and understanding my place in the larger order of things, and a genuine gratitude knowing that there are infinite possibilities waiting for me if I only dare put myself out there and walk my own way.

I want to finish with Antonio Machado’s poem “Walker”, which I have always loved and find truly inspiring, especially the line: “Walking, you make the road,” or we make our own path by walking it, one step at a time, whether on the trail or in life and building a satisfying career.

Walker, your footsteps

are the roads, and nothing more.

Walker, there is no road,

the road is made by walking.

Walking you make the road,

and turning to look behind

You see the path you never

again will step upon.

Walker, there is no road,

only foam trails on the sea.