There is nothing more difficult than leaving
It's about stopping and facing yourself.

Learning life on the road, and cultivating one's heart through footsteps
Reflections from a Veteran Traveler

This book is not simply a record of a pilgrimage.
There is a silence of the road that lingers longer than the excitement of travel, a movement of the heart clearer than the scenery, and another lingering feeling that does not disappear even after returning.
Every step towards Santiago was engraved with life.
The road was not just a series of scenery, but a journey through which a person's life slowly flowed.
As the dawn mist rises over the golden fields and cobblestone roads of Spain, the author unfolds his inner self on the road, as if retracing a forgotten time.
Crossing the ridges of the Pyrenees and treading the dust of the Camino, the author learns to let go of the burdens of life.
Even in the midst of the hardships of the day, I find comfort in the smiles of strangers, and encounter faith and peace that dawn faintly like the morning light.
What I discovered on the road was not religion or a destination, but ultimately, a 'return to myself'.
This book speaks quietly to those who want to stop the pace of life for a moment and start walking again.
Your next journey has already begun.

The original plan for this trip was to camp and hike the GR11 route, which runs from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea through the Pyrenees Mountains, which form the border between Spain and France, for about 45 days.
I purchased guidebooks and maps from Amazon and booked my flight two to three months before departure.
And then, whenever I had time, I searched for travel stories on the Internet and read guidebooks.
We prepared everything we needed for 45 days of camping, including camping gear, clothing, and side dishes, and checked them several times.
--- p.10

I came out of the cafe and entered an alley in the neighborhood, when suddenly a car behind me honked its horn loudly.
No, it was a quiet alley in the countryside where not many cars were passing by, so I stood by the roadside and watched, wondering what the horn was, and it was announcing to the villagers that a truck carrying bread had arrived in the village.
--- p.33

As we entered the village of Granyon, a young Korean woman sat wearily in the shade of an alleyway, while a man was talking to a villager about finding lodging.
Granon was a smaller town than I thought, and there were only a few albergues.
I tried to visit the albergue down the alley, but it was already fully booked.
I went to find out about a church-run lodging facility in an internet guidebook.
--- p.56

The albergue doors opened and registration began.
After you sit down in a chair in the lobby, register in order, and are assigned a bed, a volunteer will explain the accommodations and guide you through the bedrooms and other facilities.
While waiting, we greeted each other and talked about our pilgrimage.
The big guy who gave us the peaches was from Quebec, Canada, and this was his second time.
In addition to English and French, he is also fluent in Spanish.
--- p.79

I woke up at 5 o'clock, and the festival was still in full swing.
As you leave the village, listening to the sound of music, there is a deep valley with flowing water on your left, and a steep mountain on your right.
It feels like you're walking somewhere in Jirisan or Seoraksan.
Since I usually don't eat breakfast or just eat a piece of yogurt or fruit, I substitute breakfast with coffee and a tortilla or croissant in the first town I come across while walking.
--- p.112

Until now, albergues were usually old single-family homes or independent buildings, but as we move from villages to larger cities, they are now located in a building in a forest of buildings along a large road.
The registration system has changed from writing in a ledger with a ballpoint pen to entering information on a monitor, and the kitchen is ultra-modern, with all the cooking utensils from IKEA.
It's very convenient for guests, as they feel like they've been transported from the Middle Ages to the modern era in just a few days.

--- p.133