94. Ten Mistakes I Made Walking the Camino de Santiago (So You Don’t Have To)

About this episode

I don’t regret walking the Camino de Santiago. Not for a second.

But after 31 days and nearly 800 kilometers, I learned a lot the hard way.

In this episode, I’m sharing ten very real, very human mistakes I made while walking the Camino, plus one bonus mistake I wouldn’t repeat if I did it again. This episode is a little tongue-in-cheek, but if you’re planning your own Camino, these lessons could save you pain, exhaustion, and unnecessary stress.

Whether you’re dreaming about walking the Camino someday or you’re already deep in planning mode, this episode will help you approach it with more confidence, flexibility, and self-trust.

In this episode, I talk about:

Why overestimating your capacity can derail your Camino early

The truth about pack weight and why even “light” can be too heavy

Why my hiking boots failed me on the Portuguese Camino

Meal planning mistakes that caught me completely off guard

Why evening energy is basically a myth on the Camino

Walking alone vs walking with others and what surprised me most

Why you should not use ChatGPT to plan your Camino route

The importance of buffer days and integration time

Why flexibility matters more than sticking to one route

How better research could have completely changed my experience

The one luxury mistake I wouldn’t repeat if I did the Camino again

This episode isn’t about doing the Camino “right.”

It’s about walking your Camino in a way that actually supports you.

⏱️ Episode Timestamps

00:00 – Intro: why I’m sharing my Camino mistakes

00:45 – Mistake #1: Overestimating my capacity (expectations vs reality)

02:10 – Mistake #2: Carrying a pack that was still too heavy

03:30 – Mistake #3: Why hiking boots didn’t work on the Portuguese Camino

05:10 – Mistake #4: Meal planning mistakes (morning starts, lunch timing, late dinners)

07:10 – Mistake #5: Expecting to have energy in the evenings

08:15 – Mistake #6: Walking with others vs walking alone

09:50 – Mistake #7: Why you shouldn’t use ChatGPT to plan your Camino

11:10 – Mistake #8: Not leaving buffer days to integrate the experience

12:05 – Mistake #9: Getting fixated on one route

13:05 – Mistake #10: Not researching towns deeply enough

14:05 – Bonus mistake: Taking a luxury break mid-Camino

14:25 – Closing thoughts, coaching invite, and bon camino

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