I never planned to hike the Portuguese Camino. In fact, I didn’t even really know what a Camino was until just a few days before I started walking one.
“Bom caminho” is Portuguese and means “good journey” or “have a good Camino,”
a traditional wish of encouragement shared among pilgrims.
My trip to Spain had a purpose. I was dropping my son off at college in Madrid, where he would begin his freshman year at university. We traveled together for a couple of weeks before I stayed in the Madrid area for another week, giving him time to settle into his new life, find his rhythm, and get his international college experience underway.
Everything was planned up to that point.
Then came two completely unplanned weeks.
I had no idea what I was going to do with them. A couple of people suggested, “Go to Portugal!” So, why not?
While in Madrid, I had been enjoying the tourist experience, visiting places like Málaga, Seville, Pamplona, and San Sebastián. I had seen beautiful cities, explored, and soaked up the culture. One night, I found myself out salsa dancing with some new friends right there on the street. It was so much fun! Eventually, my friends called it a night, but I wasn’t quite ready to be done. So I kept going, because that’s what I do.
Somewhere along the way, I met another woman who was traveling alone. We started talking, and she mentioned something about a Camino in Porto, Portugal.
I wasn’t entirely sure what a Camino was, but I knew I enjoyed hiking. And the thought of a little peace and quiet, away from the crowds and busy tourist scene, sounded pretty appealing.
That conversation happened on a Saturday night.
I woke up Sunday morning knowing that was going to be my next adventure.
I figured I could give it a couple of days. I even knew of a few places along the way where I could catch a bus back to Madrid if I decided hiking wasn’t for me or I simply wanted to call it quits after a few days.
So, Monday, I hopped on an overnight bus to Portugal. By Thursday, I was officially on the trail.
And just like that, I was walking the Portuguese Camino.
Porto, Portugal, where it all started.
A Little Less Planning Than Usual
My first day was pretty quiet. I only saw a couple of people along the way. I remember sitting down on a curb to eat an apple when two guys eventually passed me. I caught up with them a little later, and they seemed pretty amazed that I was hiking with nothing more than a small waist pouch.
They asked about my gear, and I proudly told them, “I’m a minimalist.”
“The Minimalist” and I didn’t even use the boots!
And I meant it!
By the end of the Camino, I would discover that I probably could have left a couple more things behind. I really do love traveling light!
One thing I hadn’t really thought through, however, was where I would be sleeping that night.
Since this entire adventure had come together in a matter of days, I hadn’t booked accommodations. I wasn’t even sure how far I would make it on that first day.
As it turned out, the two guys had very different approaches to planning. One had every night’s accommodation figured out, while the other was winging it much like I was.
Eventually, the guy with the organized itinerary headed off to his planned accommodations, leaving the other gentleman and me to figure out where we would spend the night.
We made our way to a nearby albergue that offered accommodations for pilgrims. Little did I know, I was now officially considered a “pilgrim”! Along the Camino, many churches and hostels provide simple places for travelers to rest. Typically, you can find a bunk for somewhere between $10 and $25.
Perfect! Just what we needed.
Except there was one little problem.
Welcome to the Storage Closet
When we arrived, the people at the church spoke Portuguese, and neither of us spoke enough to communicate very effectively. Through a combination of gestures, a few words, and some creative interpreting, we eventually figured out that they were telling us they had no beds available.
Great.
We were both exhausted after a long day of walking (I walked about 18 miles!), and the thought of having to find somewhere else to sleep wasn’t particularly appealing.
Then, somehow, we managed to communicate that they could put a couple of mats down for us on the floor in a supply closet.
A storage closet.
At that moment, it sounded absolutely amazing!
I mean, I was tired. There was a floor, there were mats, there was a roof over our heads, and it was only going to cost a small donation. What more could a girl ask for?
And honestly, the cleaning closet wasn’t that small. Haha!
We accepted the offer, dropped our things, and I went off to take a shower. I was feeling pretty pleased with how things had worked out. We had a place to sleep, and we hadn’t even had to spend much money to get it.
But as I was getting ready to head out for dinner, something suddenly occurred to me.
Wait a minute.
I was about to spend the night locked inside a storage closet with a man I had literally just met that day.
Now, under almost any other circumstances, that would sound absolutely insane.
I stopped and gave that a little more thought.
I had been perfectly comfortable with the arrangement when I was exhausted and just needed a place to sleep. But now that I was cleaned up and had a little time to think, the reality of the situation was starting to sink in.
I began paying much closer attention to my new Camino companion. I watched his behavior, listened carefully, and made sure I wasn’t overlooking anything. If I had noticed even the slightest red flag, I would have been out of there.
Fortunately, there weren’t any.
Everything worked out just fine. We had a place to sleep, got through the night without incident, and lived to tell the story.
This is the actual storage closet where I stayed in Vila do Conde with a complete stranger,
outside a loud market that was being prepared at 4 a.m.—but let’s save that for another story.
A Lesson in Spontaneity (and Maybe a Little Planning)
Looking back, that first night pretty much sums up how the whole adventure began. I hadn’t planned to hike the Camino. I hadn’t planned to go to Portugal. I hadn’t planned where I would sleep. And I certainly hadn’t planned on spending my first night in a church storage closet with a stranger.
But sometimes the best adventures aren’t the ones you plan.
They happen when you leave a little room for the unexpected, say yes to an opportunity, and trust yourself enough to figure things out along the way.
That doesn’t mean throwing all common sense out the window. I learned that part, too. Being spontaneous is wonderful, but being aware of your surroundings and making smart decisions is just as important.
Needless to say, I paid a little more attention to my accommodations from that point forward. I may be a minimalist, but I decided that sleeping arrangements were one area where a little advance planning might be worthwhile.
The Portuguese Coastal Camino begins at Porto Cathedral in Porto, Portugal,
and follows the coast north toward Spain.
And so began my Portuguese Camino.
All because of an unplanned two weeks, a night of salsa dancing, a conversation with a fellow solo traveler, and one very unexpected storage closet.
Sometimes you just have to take the first step.
Even if you have absolutely no idea where you’re going to sleep that night.
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