Strong Camino Woman

When Pauline, a mother and grandmother, set out to walk Camino Frances, she had no idea how trying a journey it would be. She had John Brierley's guide and the best of hiking gear. Also she had read extensively about The particular camino and watched hours of video on youtube. Going solo was the only option as she could find no one who wanted to walk the 790 kilometres with her.

With her Gregory Jade backpack, North Face jacket and Black Diamond shock absorbing walking sticks she set out on the long journey from Torbay, Newfoundland to a small village St. Jean Pied de Port to begin her walk of a lifetime. Along the way she would encounter untethered dogs, difficult terrain and ambivalent situations. She would make a decision about which part of the walk to skip as time began to run out.

The generosity and wisdom of pilgrims she met on her camino would prove to inspire the author each day. She would walk beside an Australian lady who helped her cope with the huge hills and her general poor physical condition. Three Slovenian ladies later on became her closest allies, taking her under their wings and walking into Santiago de Compostela with her. A young Greenland girl helped her remain strong in her earliest days. The people she met on her camino gave her the most hope and strength. This is a story of perseverance and courage, where a 58 year old Canadian woman believes that anything is possible if you believe in yourself and remain strong.