These are my raw diary entries/notes that I wrote during the Camino, the notes were made with my smartphone. I am aware that these notes contain spelling mistakes, but for reasons of authenticity I am listing them as they were written down.

03 September 2022:
The first Camino day (arrival) is almost behind me, I've already met super interesting people and now I'm going to end the day
 

September 04, 2022:
First day of hiking over the Pyrenees from Saint-jean-pied-de-port to Burguete behind me about 31 km in 12 hours (a few breaks + a beer or two with people from all over the world) and a very nice day travel companion from Canada.

September 05, 2022:
Camino day two was short from Burguete to Bizkaretta-Gerendian (12km) because everything at Zubiri was fully booked, thanks to single rooms I get a little more sleep today, of course I met a lot of interesting people again.

06 September 2022:
Camino day three went from Bizkaretta-Gerendian to Pamplona, ​​a total of 38.66km. My day started at 07:00 with a headlamp and after about 3-5km I found an expensive camera bag on the way, after a decent sprint to find the owner I meet a group and lo and behold, the bag belongs to Ernesto American with Mexican roots whom I had already met at the Bayonne train station and with whom I got my first stamp. We walked the rest of the way to Pamplona together. I ended the evening in a nice restaurant around the corner.


September 07, 2022:
Camino day four: Sightseeing in Pamplona (11km), the citadel, the city center and the cathedral visited, met Ernesto at the cathedral, ate, drank, chilled, washed the clothes. Tomorrow we continue about 22km to Puente la Reina.

September 08, 2022:
Camino day five went from Pamplona to Puente la Reina about 22km, the paths were steep and I still had problems with drenren blisters

September 09, 2022:
Camino day six: Puenta la Reina to Estella (approx. 22km) I hiked with Daniel from Liverpool and Maria from Russia, what wonderful hiking partners up to the last second! People tell you private things along the way that you wouldn't hear from your friends in years. I feel great gratitude for this openness and I hope to be a good companion for many, if only for a day. After arrival, it's time to wash the clothes and I spent the evening with an American and two Danes (father and son) in a fine, expensive restaurant.

September 10, 2022:
Camino Day Seven: Estella to Los Arcos. Today I hiked alone, met some old faces and got to know a lot of Americans. According to their own statements, the Americans have been in the Camino hype since the film "The Way".


September 11, 2022:
Camino day eight went from Los Arcos to Viana about 20km. Because I currently have two blisters and have to walk in sandals, I can't get more than 20km a day at the moment. There was a bull run festival in Viana, so there was a lot going on downtown.

September 12, 2022:
Camino day nine, from Viana to Navarette about 20km. I made an appointment with Maria (Russian with whom I walked the days) in Logroño for a cafe con leche, Maria had to drive back to her apartment in Spain today. The weather was a bit cooler overall, I can still feel the blisters. In Navarette I first had a snack with a Georgian in the hostel, drank a beer and washed laundry (watching the laundry drum is something like Pay TV for pilgrims) then ate with two Brits and an American in a restaurant.

September 13, 2022:
Camino Day 10: Navarrete to Hormilla approx. 16km. Walked a lot through vineyards, feet relaxed in a river with two French. Had a beer in Nãjera with a group of Americans/Canadians (with whom I had dinner in Viana). In Hormilla I had a royal dinner and a few drinks in a small village bar.

September 14, 2022:
Camino Day 11: From Hormilla to Santo Domingo de la Calzada. First walked alone, then met Georg from Georgia and walked with me for the rest of the day, you learn so much about the people and quickly build temporary friendships and you learn interesting things about the people, Georg is e.g. a documentary filmmaker and has the Georgians' promotional video for made the European Union, he wasn't happy about some things, but that's another story. I also had interesting spiritual conversations with Georg. In Santo Domingo we ate and then we parted. I'm staying in town for another day.


September 15, 2022:
Camino Day 12: Today I spent a rest day in Santo Domingo de la Calzada. I tried to sleep in, but since I usually get up at 6:45 am to go hiking, my biorhythm woke me up just as early. Did laundry, cleaned backpack and hiking sandals and got lunch from the supermarket. I got more plasters, withdrew money, then took a siesta and strolled through the old town in the afternoon. I got a pilgrim's stamp at the tourist office and then went to eat pizza. Before I went to bed I had a WhatsApp call with the family. Tomorrow we continue at 07:30.

September 16, 2022:
Camino Day 13: Santo Domingo de la Calzada to Belorado about 24km. Today I used the rain poncho for the first time. Not much happened on the way, but I met really crazy and super interesting people at the hostel. The hostel for 14€ had a pool and a restaurant, there were tables by the pool and little by little pilgrims from all over the world gathered there, we drank and did yoga and put our legs in the pool, then we all in Ate hostel restaurant (which was surprisingly good) and then it was off to bed.

September 17, 2022:
Camino Day 14: Belorado to San Juan de Ortega about 23-27km. Slept really modestly in the hostel thanks to a few snorers, I stick to mixing it with hotels, single rooms, double rooms and Airbnbs...for the good of all! The running route was moderately spectacular (but it was really cold today, I would have frozen to death without a fleece hoody), but I met some really nice Dutch people my age, I talked to one for about 10km. Arrived at the destination (a place of about 10 souls with 2 bars (one hostel, half a hotel reception), a church/monastery, I spent the rest of the day in the sun in front of the bar (with 1-2 beers) and me with Americans, an Irish woman who was desperately looking for her sunglasses and had them on her head hihihi, a Dutchman and an emigrated German who lives in Melbourne. Of course, also washed laundry and co like every day. Had dinner in the bar and then the day was already over.


September 18, 2022:
Camino Day 15: San Juan de Ortega to Burgos. Half of the route was right along the main road. In Burgos I checked into the hostel behind the cathedral and then looked at the old town and the cathedral. In the evening I had dinner with two German tourist couples who are touring through the north. They were so excited to meet a "real" pilgrim that they invited me to dinner. After that I had a drink with a lot of pilgrims from the last few days.

September 19, 2022:
Camino Day 16: Burgos to Hornillos del Camino. Today I ran with two Americans from Oregon (Patt and Eric, both retired). The two had a fierce running speed. I'm now 1/3 of the way, about 300km behind me. Today starts the Meseta, the "desert area" in Spain, fortunately autumn here starts with very moderate temperatures, if I start walking at 07:00 tomorrow I'll arrive before the sun gets too hot. In terms of scenery, the next few days will probably be moderately spectacular. In the hostel there was a great community dinner with paella (chicken)

September 20, 2022:
Camino Day 17: Hornillos del Camino to Castrojeriz, about 20km. Started at 06:45 am. Headlamp was gone after 15m.
Met the group from day one at breakfast somewhere in the middle of nowhere (Megan Canadian, Pat American...) Last seen about a week ago. Then I ran with a Brit who currently lives in France, after a break I continued with a Dane I met a few days ago. When I arrived at my destination, I later strolled through the local church museum with two people to meet Megan and Pat again with whom I then visited the House of Silence, a kind of art/pilgrim project. I ate at the hostel.


September 21, 2022:
Camino Day 18: Castrojeriz to Pomplación de Campos about 30km. Walked alone, directly a mountain at the beginning with about 14% gradient. Left at about 7 and arrived at about 14-15. Bladder ran next to old bladder, drained and taped. Was passed by Pat and Megan at 20-25km. Walked about 15km over bad gravel roads in the Spanish sun...fun is different. After checking in at the hotel (today luxury for 35€ 47€ with dinner) we took 1-2 photos in the village, minnie went shopping in the village bar +2 beers and then talked to Austrians for a little longer after dinner.

September 22, 2022:
Camino Day 19: Pomplación de Campos to Carrión de los Condes about 15km. Started in the dark, ran past a guy who slept on the side of the road. Then you could choose between a path on the road and a 1-2km longer path on a river, I chose the river, it was a nice route, met the troupe again with Megan. Arrived at destination too early to check in and wasted time eating and reading. After checking in, showering and doing laundry, sightseeing and missing/lost items bought: sunglasses, t-shirt, shorts, socks and Compede plasters. I met Ellie the flight attendant again while sightseeing, her accommodation had no washing machine, so she and the companion could do the laundry for me (I had a kind of airbnb accommodation) and since she spoke perfect Spanish, she asked for new headphones in general stores as a thank you , a pilgrim hand washes the other or something like that.

September 23, 2022:
Camino Day 20: Carrión de los Condes to Ledigos. It started early again, at the beginning I literally walked along fields of turds. The rest of the way was extremely unspectacular, 20km straight on gravel roads. The only highlight was a food truck that stood in the middle of nowhere and had an excellent breakfast to offer. In the hostel I sat in the bar with a Brit for half the day and talked to him about everything and everything. In the evening there was a really good pilgrim menu.


September 24, 2022:
Camino Day 21: Ledigos to Sahagún about 16km. Walked all day today with two Brits, Dom and Julie (retired teacher). The two were wonderful conversationalists and there was a lot to laugh about. At breakfast we sat with Pat from America, Megan from Canada, G. from Norway (supposedly his name is too difficult to pronounce) and a Portuguese or Spanish man. In Sahagun I couldn't check in until 3 p.m., so I picked up my half-time certificate at the pilgrims' office and in an Irish pub that didn't have anything Irish to drink, I wasted time and exchanged ideas with a German and two Americans and walked across the market once , who was just downtown. In the evening I ate myself into a coma in a bar and tasted a pacharan with a Scottish woman.

September 25, 2022:
Camino Day 22: Sahagún to Reliegos about 30km. Started in the dark, it was bloody cold, maybe 3-6 degrees. Because my feet were great and I was mentally in a good mood, I had a bit of megalomania and thought it would be a really good idea to take advantage of that and run two daily stages at once...it wasn't. I ran the first 20 km at least 5 km/h, also to keep warm in the cold, and after about 28 km the suffering started and I became slower and slower. In addition, I couldn't book anything in advance and if I hadn't found any accommodation at the destination, I would have had to keep walking. Luckily (for me) three people misbehaved at a hostel next door and got kicked out so I got one of the spots. In the only open bar in town, I drank a beer with some people in front of the bar and at 7:00 p.m. there was a super delicious vegetarian three-course menu in the hostel.

September 26, 2022:
Camino Day 23: Reliegos to León about 25km. At breakfast in the first café I met Ellie and Peter again and walked a little with them. Large parts of the route were along the road, which was moderately spectacular, but otherwise the route was nice. I met the two of them again in a bar after we broke up and I talked to a German group that I met a week ago (Björn from yesterday from the village bar was also with the group). Arrived in León I took a siesta after checking in and then went for a quick meal. Since my feet hurt, I'm glad to have a day off with sightseeing.


September 27, 2022:
Camino Day 24: Rest day in León. Bought drinks and snacks after getting up (supermarket opposite the hostal, how convenient). Then downtown sightseeing, downtown beautiful, the cathedral was underwhelming and the entrance fee too expensive. Then had a good meal, then made a siesta. Bought after the Siesta Hoody so I don't freeze to death in the morning when I start running. Autumn is off to a really fresh start. Then we sat in a bar café and planned the next stages of the day with 1-3 beers and pre-booked accommodation via booking.com. Spent the rest of the day in bed and rested your feet, tomorrow we will continue.

September 28, 2022:
Camino Day 25. León to San Martin del Camino about 23km. The route was a major disaster, always along the main road, cool weather and extreme wind. There was an alternative route but I would have had to put up with at least 5km more and in bad shape (painful feet) walking 5km more didn't seem very appealing to me. On the way I could help two (American by accent) women to find the right way (they had booked off the route). Upon arrival at the destination I checked into a tiny hostel (a converted house) and then ordered the pilgrims' menu from the local restaurant, then read at the hostel and then went back to the restaurant for dinner and killing time. I tried a Spanish version of the cordon bleu there and then gave the three remaining pilgrims a pacharan (liqueur) and drank and talked with them until the hostel threatened to close. The hostel had closed early and I had to call the owner to let us in.

September 29, 2022:
Camino Day 26: From San Martin del Camino to San Justo de la Vega about 20km. The destination is about 3 km before Astorga, where I take a day off for sightseeing. The route was mostly along the road again, but had a few highlights, including walking through a place (santibañez de valdeiglesias) that was a famous pilgrimage point in the Middle Ages, with a very beautiful bridge and medieval tjost battleground. In the village I also ran into Dom and Julie again while drinking a cafe con leche, with whom I then walked the rest of the way, they are super entertaining fun noodles and I always enjoy walking with them. At the destination we had a drink and the two continued to Astorga. Then checked in, had dinner, showered, had a siesta, had dinner and went to bed early.


September 30, 2022:
Camino Day 27: Sightseeing day in Astorga. I first visited the chocolate museum (Astorga is the chocolate city in Spain) of course there was also a tasting at the end. Then I looked at the palace of Astorga. Then I ate at the main square and then went back to the hostal. In the evening I ate with Els, a transsexual, and talked for a long time, there was one or two controversies about identity politics.

October 01, 2022:
Camino Day 28: San Justo de la Vega to Rabanal del Camino about 24km. First it went through Astorga along the main road, then through smaller towns and finally on somewhat greener paths. In one of the smaller towns I had a Coke and had a video call with the family via WhatsApp. When I brought the empty glass in, I noticed that my wallet was gone, after a brief moment of panic it turned out that I had forgotten it when paying at the bar and the bar owner then grabbed behind the counter. So the woman was my Camino angel for the day. In the middle of nowhere I later passed a western pub in a tiny place. Outside the bar, a man had a souvenir stand and was playing the banjo, which made the atmosphere perfect. 30 minutes and two beers later I was fresh and in the best mood to walk the rest of the 6-8km. At the destination I first sat down with Fabian and Spaniards and then opened two more wine bottles with a father and daughter couple from the States.


02 October 2022:
Camino Day 29: Rabanal del Camino to El Acebo de San Miguel about 17km. Even though I had two divided bottles of wine, I couldn't sleep soundly because of a snorer in the room. When leaving the hostel, a mother-daughter couple (from America) invited me directly to a free breakfast (Coke & Café con Leche for me) because I had mentioned the night before that it was my birthday tomorrow. At breakfast we sat with the snorers (also Americans). The American, before leaving, had collected stones from his friends after they had seen the film The Way, with a promise to put them on the cross in Cruz de Ferro, especially since his son had cancer a year earlier had died, he had an incredible story in store, after which he met a wanderer who could have been his son, who just called himself wanderer and suddenly disappeared when he was about to introduce him to others. The American had planned the trail with her husband when he suddenly passed away from cancer, so she's taking the trail with her daughter (who turned 23 yesterday). She had prepared a stone with two Bible verses to place on the cross. The way up to the cross was steep but easy, there I saw a lot of people including the American women who were deeply touched to lay down their stone from home. It was a strange feeling standing there without having such heavy ballast yourself. The rest of the way was worse than day one over the Pyrenees, extremely bad, extremely injury-prone roads. After arriving at the destination, I got my favorite Danes a couple of beers and talked to a retired German SAP programmer at the hotel bar, who goes the other way around


03 October 2022:
Camino Day 30: El Acebo de San Miguel to Ponferrada about 16km. About half of the route was extremely adventurous to walk. After about 3km I walked through a beautiful village with a hippie café that looked as if it had been frozen in time 200 years ago. There I drank an ice tea and a cafe con leche in the hippie bar. In Molinaseca I then had a coke at the edge of the river and relaxed my feet before I continued to Ponferrada. In Ponferrada, I ran into Dom and Julie straight into the arms of the English couple and instead of walking to the hotel and checking in, we sat in the plaza until 6 p.m. and ate and drank, and then the waiter paid the bill for the table a dispute regarding grossly overpriced potato wedges, but in the end we paid, albeit very reluctantly. Then I checked into a medieval-style hotel and met up with Julie and Dom for a pizza.

October 04, 2022:
Camino Day 31: Ponferrada to Villafranca del Bierzo about 20km. The trail was practically two-thirds along roads, an estimated 10km straight ahead and one-third through green countryside. At about 2/3 I met GJay the Dutchman and we walked a bit together. In Villafranca I checked into the Ritz or Athlon among the hostels, maximum luxury for about 14€. There I met a Norwegian on Earland who goes the way backwards, 33 years old, worked as an editor and programmer and is now in management. Because he only has limited time, he is going to Ponferrada tomorrow and then by train or bus back to Madrid and from there home. I went sightseeing with him and hoped to meet Dom and Julie because it was Dom's birthday and I wanted to congratulate him. Didn't meet them, so I had dinner and chatted with Earland and then the day was already over.


05 October 2022:
Camino Day 32: Villafranca del Bierzo to Las Herrerias, about 22km. First walked alone, it always went along the main road, I got used to that on the Camino. I think Hape Kerkeling had described that he always had to do life-threatening sprints to avoid being run over. In the meantime, concrete protection and later a motorway were built there to relieve the route, so it's harmless except for a few sections. At breakfast I met Julie and Dom again. I then walked with them to the destination. On the way we met two more Americans (at least I did) J and Frances (cousins) with whom we sat together for a while at the destination. The two were with me in the same hostel and bought me both drinks and dinner (I still have to return the favor)

06 October 2022:
Camino Day 33: Las Herrerias to Fonfria approx. 20km. The route was feared by many because of the extreme differences in altitude. One goes out of the valley through the mountain range to Galicia. The gradient at the beginning was extreme, and then relatively constant, the paths themselves were good. However, 20km was a bit crass, I have sore muscles in the classic mountaineering muscles and my ankles are slightly swollen. I bumped into J and Frances along the way. At the destination I met up with Dom and Julie.


07 October 2022:
Camino Day 34: Fonfria to Samos approx. 24km. In the first café I bumped into Julie, Dom, Frances and J, we then walked the day's stage together. The trail was nice but it was downhill for the first 10km and then alternating uphill and downhill. Unfortunately, my ankles hurt a little, so I'm limping a bit in the mornings. In Samos I got a double room for €13 (thanks to the booking.com upgrade bonus). After that I met the group at a restaurant and we ate and had a drink, after which we took a guided tour of the local monastery.

08 October 2022:
Camino Day 35: Samos to Sarria about 14-20 km. Because the shortest route is along the road and the distance isn't that long, I chose an alternative route and it turned out to be a beautiful route adventure. I started in the dense fog that lasted until about 10:30 a.m., a bit along the road, then up a mountain and then along narrow forest paths through villages that looked like they had been frozen 200 years ago. A dog was disturbed while sleeping in the forest in an abandoned settlement and only after about 6-9km a pilgrim came towards me. In the middle of nowhere there was a hostel with breakfast facilities (bacon and eggs with fresh toasted baguette + café con leche), where I met J, Frances, Julie, Dom and GJay, after a short chat they all set out independently , since we all had different goals today. In Sarria I got two stamps, one in the hotel restaurant at lunch and one in a small bar. In the evening I went for a short pizza meal. I've now walked at about 685km. From tomorrow the path will probably be very crowded because Sarria is the minimum starting point for all pilgrims who want to have the Compostela (the pilgrim's certificate), which means that school classes and people with little time also start here.


09 October 2022:
Camino Day 36: Sarria to Portomarin approx. 21km. Started today with what feels like a million people, it is now packed because school classes and families also walk the path from here to receive the Compostela. Took a few photos at the hundred mark, I've walked over 700km now. Overall, the path was quite easy to walk, at the end there was a nasty shortcut that was tough (climbing passages), which I would have been better off not walking. In the evening I talked to two American women in a bar. The top issue of the pilgrims is currently whether the people continue walking after reaching Santiago to Fisterra. Personally, I'll probably take the bus.

October 10, 2022:
Camino Day 37: Portomarin to Xuxilde (south of Palas de Rei) about 22-24km. After about 10km it started pouring rain and then rained down. Unfortunately, it was very windy and I caught a good deal of hypothermia. After check-in I ate something and then lay down first, thanks to a constant chill I probably got a slight fever (couldn't measure it), so I took ibuprofen and cough tablets, then went out to eat and have the rest of the day spent in bed.

October 11, 2022:
Camino Day 38: Xuxilde(Palas de Rei) to Rivadiso about 25-30km. Luckily in the morning I had no fever and no sore throat, just a runny nose. After another ibuprofen and cough pills for breakfast, the rest of the day was going well. This time the weather was stable and later sunny. Overall, the way was exhausting because I still felt weak. When I arrived at the destination, I lay down after a shower and then did the laundry, then I went to the local restaurant, which was completely overcrowded and I had to wait almost an hour for my food. After that I spent the rest of the day in bed to continue to recover. I am now only 41km away from Santiago.


October 12, 2022:
Camino Day 39: Rivadiso to O Pedrouzo about 22km. Woke up with a sore throat and a slight pain in swallowing. The first 1-2 hours it was damn cold about 6-8 degrees and I wore a t-shirt, fleece over it and a hoody over it until the sun came out. The trail was overall pleasant to walk with a slight change of ups and downs. I also passed the famous beer garden with the bottle trees (the bottles are drunk empty, then the bottom of the bottle is e.g. provided with a wish, saying or similar and hung/glued to the trees). At the destination I made an appointment to meet Julie, Dom, Frances and J for dinner, but nothing came of it because the two (expired) Corona quick tests both came out positive, it looks like my hypothermia wasn't, but Corona, unfortunately I was able to do more quick tests don't do it because all pharmacies were closed for a Spanish holiday. It feels like everyone is coughing since Sarria and with the gigantic crowds and overcrowded cafés it was probably only a matter of time... So I canceled the dinner together and ate outside alone in a pizzeria on the outskirts of town. After that I'm in bed. Tomorrow I'll arrive at the destination Santiago.

October 13, 2022:
Camino Day 40(last Camino day): O Pedrouzo to Santiago about 20km. Started at 08:00 a.m. it went through forests in the dark, at kilometer 10 I met Julie and Dom and we ran together in Santiago (I with Buff in front of my mouth because of Corona). I am very grateful that I was allowed to walk with you despite the corona risk for the two. In Santiago we spent a little time on the main square in front of the cathedral (and met old friends there) and then ate in a restaurant next to the pilgrims' office (I with a mask and distance as best as possible), where we also met Fran and J again . Julie and Dom also got your certificates, I'll get mine tomorrow. That's the end of my camino. I'll stay a little longer before heading back to Germany. It was a really great (if often exhausting) adventure. I got to know an unbelievable number of interesting and wonderful people and I am absolutely sure that I will think of this trip often. A big thank you to everyone who supported me along the way and followed the posts with interest.