France
Spain
Two trails, one summer
Just the two of them again. The packs told a story before the walking started: Nicki's came in at 6.5 kilos - his first camino pack, back in 2019, had weighed 16. Mike's was just under 9, including the spare shoes Nicki calls his "Granny Shoes." They met at Frankfurt airport ("Into my arms…"), spent the first night in Hendaye, France, and started walking from Irun on July 11.
A few days on the Norte - rain-delayed starts, negotiated like treaties (7:30? 8:00?) - and by July 14 they were in Ponferrada, picking up the Camino Francés for the run west to Santiago. High summer meant early starts, laundry logistics and the hunt for shade. And one night they slept in a tent, which Mike reviewed on the spot: "The best bed of our entire trip. Guaranteed. I love this tent."
They reached Santiago around July 22 - Nicki green around the gills on the final day, reporting with a pilgrim's economy: "Really puked, now I feel better." He was fine by morning. Madrid followed, then the split on July 24: Nicki home via Bilbao, Mike staying on for Toledo - where he bought a train ticket for the wrong day, got it refunded, and admired the sword-and-knife shops - and a few big Madrid days (36,000 steps, the royal palace, the taco place) before flying home on July 28. Nicki's final tally: 1.5 kilos lighter.