Camino Training Part 5: Ready as I'll Ever Be

The countdown is real! In just over a week, I'll be boarding my 3 flights as I make my way to the beginning of my Camino journey, and today I can finally say with confidence: I'm as ready as I'm ever going to be. My flights are home to Dallas, to Dublin to Santiago de Compostela. Let’s hope the travel gods are on my side.

The Final Check-In

This morning brought a milestone moment, my call with Camino Ways to review my itinerary, pepper them with my lingering questions, and gather those precious last-minute details that only come from people who truly know the “Way”. There's something reassuring about connecting with the experts one final time, like getting that final nod of encouragement before stepping onto the path.

We went through the logistics, confirmed my accommodations, and discussed those "what if" scenarios that dance around in your mind at 3 AM. I must store a piece of luggage while I am on the pilgrimage, so I wanted to make sure I knew the options. I also asked about the best way from the airport to my first hotel. Having that conversation transformed my nervous energy into focused excitement. The Camino suddenly feels less like an abstract dream and more like a real adventure with a start date circled in bright red on my calendar: October 14th, which is the day I leave for Spain.

I also exchanged some text messages with the woman, Cala, who lit this fire in me just today. She is currently on the Queen Mary 2 heading back from the UK. She is simply amazing. We will have a conversation this weekend and I know that will be meaningful to me.

The Great Packing Puzzle

But here's where things get interesting, and by interesting, I mean challenging in the way that only back-to-back international trips can be.

Picture this: I'm not just packing for the Camino. After completing the final stage of the Camino Frances, I'm heading straight to Morocco, then onwards to London. Three distinctly different experiences, three different climates, three different packing needs, all squeezed into limited luggage space. As mentioned, I will be storing one piece of luggage with the items for Morocco and London and picking that up when I leave Santiago De Compostela.

No pressure, right?

This has become the ultimate minimalist exercise. Every item must earn its place in my pack by serving multiple purposes. That versatile scarf? It's a fashion accessory in London, sun protection in Morocco, and a makeshift pillowcase on the Camino. Those merino wool layers? They're my best friends across all three destinations.

I've laid everything out, rolled it up, weighed it, second-guessed myself, and started over more times than I can count. I've had full conversations with individual pieces of clothing: "Do I really need you?" The answer is usually no but letting go is harder than it should be. I am practice packing which is something I have not really done before. I know, I know, "less is more" and I will wash items along the way. I normally do prepare a few weeks ahead as I have a specific area at home with my travel items and a clothing rack to select the right pieces (and it is never 100% right!).

The Mental Shift

What's interesting about this final phase of preparation is how my focus has shifted. I'm no longer worried about whether my feet can manage kilometers or if my knees will cooperate. I’ve visited my doctors, checked all the aches and pains out, fixed a few things. That is all I can do. All those training walks, the gradual building of stamina, the breaking in of my trail shoes, that work is done. My body is what it is, and whatever might hurt is just going to hurt!

Now it's about trust. Trusting my preparation. Trusting my body (and that is a relationship that will be put to the test! Trusting that I have what I need (even if it doesn't all fit perfectly in my daypack on the first try). And perhaps most importantly, trusting that the Camino will provide what I didn't know I needed. Food, drink and more is widely available. They have stores!

A Different Kind of Ready

I've learned something in these final days: being "ready" doesn't mean having everything figured out or perfectly planned. It doesn't mean my pack weighs exactly what the experts recommend, or that I have the ideal outfit for every possible weather scenario. I chose to use Camino Ways to transport my luggage each night due to my back injury. I will be carrying only what I “need” each day, but it’s actually more than you might expect – a raincoat, a small towel, my trekking poles, passport, sunblock, a flashlight, emergency protein bar… and I am sure there will be a few more things!

Being ready means accepting some things you can only learn by doing. It means acknowledging that part of the adventure is navigating the unexpected. It means showing up with an open heart, capable feet, and enough clean socks to get you through a few days.

Am I nervous? Absolutely.

Am I excited? Beyond measure.

Am I as ready as I'm ever going to be? Yes.

For My Fellow Ageless Adventurers

If you're preparing for your own big adventure, whether it's the Camino or another journey that's been calling to you, let me share this: there comes a point where you must stop preparing and start doing. You'll never have every answer, every perfect piece of gear, or complete certainty about what lies ahead.

And that, my friends, is exactly as it should be.

The magic happens in the spaces between planning and doing, in the gap between what you anticipated and what unfolds.

I step onto the path – October 17, 2025. The trail shoes and flipflops (for the end of the day) are ready. My stuff is (mostly) sorted. My spirit is willing, and my body is able.

Let's do this.

Buen Camino from this Ageless Adventurer who's about to become a pilgrim.

To read all the prior posts about the Camino

• Part 1

• Part 2

• Part 3

• Part 4

Follow along on my Facebook page, Senior Travel Adventures where I will post regular updates assuming the Wi-Fi cooperates and my brain still functions after each day's walk.

Note: I am receiving a small discount from Camino Ways in exchange for mentioning them. They know that I give honest reviews, and when this is over, I'll be writing that up! So far they've been great.