I don’t actively seek the scallops or the yellow arrows but as we settle into this month long trip along the North coast of Spain here they are again! Of course it’s not surprising given that the Norte Camino route towards Santiago weaves it’s way along this part of the world. I do like the reminders though … to follow the ‘way’.

When we first landed in The Netherlands we had an experience in the ‘expat’ housing system that led me to an unfamiliar place. A place where even though you do what’s right you can still get hurt. Sometimes no matter what you do a situation just can not be fixed, your decision has turned into a bad one. I like to live in a trusting world and so feeling like I’d landed in a mistake because of my trusting nature was a tough one for me to navigate. Even with all my wildness I still follow rules … so when a party doesn’t play fair it’s a challenge for me. The whole situation had me re-evaluating every decision I’d made in the past few years it shook me hard.

It’s a situation we moved away from but for a while it stole something from me. Trust. Thankfully I had the camino for One Girl to anchor me. Without the connection to One Girl it would have been easy for me to walk away from walking the camino. The trust I lost is the kind that is rooted in my core (my soul) … trust that the universe would be kind as long as I’m kind and honest. Perhaps it messed with my pre-conceived notions of karma.

Now, with some space between the darkness of that time and the light the of the camino and all the acts of kindness* along the way. I trust the ‘way’ I’m living and wandering about in this life again. And I’m enjoying this dip into uncertainty that always comes when I step into a new adventurous experience. The unchartered new perspectives and thoughts that are sparked by my curiosity and love of unplanned travel. Clarity, will in time unfurl the ‘way’ for me so long as I surrender to trust.

Without trust it’s easy for fear to win don’t you think? And when fear wins we don’t dare. Dare to try, dream, believe – to trust in ourselves and the universe. It’s easy for the beasts of fear and doubt and modern day expectations to hold us prisoner but I’m not surrendering to them. I’m not going down the garden path of fear, expectations and complacency without a fight. As my sister says … ‘those who take risks and live adventurously always end up ok’. I will forever be walking my own camino and embracing that I have a choice in how I tread that path. Even when it requires re-writing old stories and always by creating new ones.

Bilbao – home of a Guggenheim museum. It was a stop we didn’t manage last year. We were hightailing across Spain to escape the Portuguese heat waves. City stops in a camper are not always the easiest and for us they’re often the first thing we cross off our ‘where we want to go’ list.

As with any museum there were exhibitions that appealed to us and those that didn’t. I’m glad we visited … although if you have kids the staff aren’t shy about shaming you if they step anywhere near the art (be prepared). It’s definitely not a museum you can let a toddler loose in because you can get up close to amazing pieces of work and in our case the Joana Vasconcelos exhibition. No photos as it wasn’t allowed. If you get a chance and this exhibition makes it to your country I’d love to chat about it with you if you see it. I’m still thinking about it.

Then we basically just wandered, got soaked, ate the best tortilla (ever), enjoyed a picnic baguette and spent our own time back at camp sinking into the freedom and space that comes with #vanlife. The view was a €15 per night postcard. We also wore through all our clothes as there wasn’t a one stop shop** with washers on the way in to Bilbao from San Sebastián. Not like France.

We stayed two nights and left with three bags full (of washing and contentment). Seeing our kids as themselves is the most beautiful gift. Even running out of smalls can’t dampen our spirits … we are in our travel and family element (and we can hand wash). So with a car loaded after a big old food shop (can’t speak highly enough about stocking up) it’s onwards. Towards the beach for the luxury of that salty smell, a surf for the grommets amongst us and a washing machine!

Buen Camino,

Fran xx

*Kindness. Yes, I’m talking to you lot: the messages, the crystals, the artwork, the sage sticks, the spells and mostly the trust. The trust you put in me to do something that mattered and by encouraging me with all your support. It was everything, it kept me tethered.

** if you’re reading this and planning to Camper … we found a big carrefour in the industrial part out of town (Bilbao). The Repsol (petrol station) had an eco laundry attached to it.

Camper tips:

City stays!

We’ve done a few. The easiest ones are the ones that have a metro, bus or train station close by. If you’re lucky you can find a park up within walking distance (San Sebastián and Girona – awesome ones). Mostly for the big cities we have stayed in caravan parks. Rome, Barcelona, Lisbon all convenient but be prepared to transport in. We made it all the way to Madrid only to decide we’d give it a miss. The caravan park (the only one) was pretty gross and it was a bus and tram away … and in 40 degree heat, not fun with kids. There is a freedom in embracing flexibility and spontaneity, in not ticking every box and in choosing easy – the possibility of something even more wonderful. Freedom from stress, isn’t that one of the things we go away to remember?