Dispatches - 10 August 2025 - Getting Ready to Start Again

Jack Rogers
Aug 10
6 min read

In this Dispatch:

Weekly Dispatch

This last week has been one of moderate highs moderate lows. Taking the bus along the Camino de Santiago has been both a great and grinding experience. On the one hand, I have been able to visit cathedrals, convents, and monasteries that I wouldn’t have otherwise. I simply would have been too tired and my feet too sore to walk around provincial capitals and up to hilltop medieval castles. At the same time, this is my least favourite style of travel. Bus one day, city the next. It is the exact style of travel I actively discourage people from engaging in on their annual vacations. The routine has also been a morale killer, mainly because the routine has become the focal point of my first Camino rather than the journey itself. Everything revolves around the bus schedule, and I absolutely hate that.

That said, I am getting ready to start walking the Camino again tomorrow (I am writing this on Saturday instead of Sunday, because I have a long walk ahead of me over relatively flat terrain). I am sending my backpack ahead with a baggage service (at the cost of 6 EUR a day) and only walking with my daypack containing my computer, sheet and towel, and a change of clothes (basically what I need to survive if my bag gets delayed). This is not how I wanted to do the Camino, but it is better than not doing it at all or getting hurt again.

Along the way, only two people have been naysayers and judgmental; one Mexican woman and one keyboard warrior online. Everyone else has been encouraging and supportive. I met the man behind the Camino Lovers Instagram page today, and he was all about my Camino. To him (rightly so, I think), the Camino is about the Camino, the journey, not the stages, the walk, the pack, the shoes, the timeline, or even arriving at Santiago de Compostela. He regaled me with stories about “purists” who see the Camino as a challenge to be conquered or done in a certain manner, and he was in no uncertain terms not a fan of that attitude. By taking such a serious view towards the Camino, they miss out on the cultural experiences, the cathedrals, and beautiful views, all in the name of a manmade, self-imposed deadline. The pilgrims of old didn’t have high-speed shoes, lightweight backpacks, or stages to guide their time, so we should enjoy our time on the Camino with the niceties of modern life, at least in his mind. I have to agree to a large extent. While I wish I could carry everything on my own, both out of pride and out of a desire to be a true vagabond, my physical limitations mean I have to take advantage of things like the baggage service to facilitate my Camino. Two weeks ago, that prospect was distressing, deflating, and heartbreaking. Now, I am at peace with it.

Al, a British guy I met today, talked about how hard the Camino is. He works out all the time, hikes, runs, and he said this is the hardest thing he’s done. Blisters and long days of ground-pounding are taking its toll, and he took the same perspective as my dad: there is no sense in doing the Camino if you cause lifelong injuries along the way. Sure, there are 60+ year olds who do the Camino every year with just a small pack, but for regular people, it is not an easy endeavour. For those with pre-existing injuries like me, there are added considerations. Al’s words were reassuring and gave me a boost of confidence as I prepare for the morning.

Separate from all that, I have spent the last two days in Leon, Spain, the capital of the province of, well, Leon. It is home to a beautiful cathedral built over a 200-year period in the 1200s-1400s. It cost 7 EUR to enter and comes with an audio guide, so it was absolutely worth it. The nearby Basilica of San Isidore was free to enter and only slightly less impressive. I have to say, after Burgos and Fromista (my last city), I was glad to be able to visit some churches without charge. (For more on my views about paying to enter churches, be sure to check out Part One of my upcoming Week Two videos!).

As far as the Wayfarer Expedition goes, at least this part is (hopefully) getting back on track. Turkey, however, is going to be totally different. This week, I redesigned my time there to track Islam and the Ottomans across the country from southwest to northeast, covering almost the entire country (during my last trip to Turkey, my loop to the archaeological sites only covered about half of the country). I won’t be walking, but it will still get my expedition goals accomplished. While I have zero interest in converting to Islam, understanding it and its influence on what many Sunnis consider the Third Caliphate (the Ottoman Empire) is something I really want to do.

Iraq and Morocco are still on, as is Christmas in Madrid. After that...vamos a ver. I might meet a girl in Colombia; I might walk the Estrada Real in Brazil. Yep, it’s official, life took a hard left somewhere along the way

Join the Adventure! I need travel partners!

I have two guided treks coming up later this year, each less than two weeks. I am seeking one, ONE, additional person to join me on each of these unique excursions. I promise you; they will be experiences like no other! (Ok, I put the emphasis on one additional person, but to be honest, I’m open to more if we can make it work!)

Zagros Mountain Trail – 15-29 November 2025 - $2500

This trail is a historic trade route through the Kurdish mountainside. The original route travelled from Iran, through Iraq, and into Turkey, but has long since fallen away since modern technology and roads have taken over moving goods, services, and people across countries. In Iraq, however, a private organisation is restoring the trade route to be a hiking trail. This trek will cross the majority of the trail, starting and ending in Erbil, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan. The price is all-inclusive (including airport transfer and English-speaking guide), except for flights, visas, and tips. Contact me if you are interested, and I can send you more details.

If you want to go, but are (understandably) concerned about going to Iraq as a tourist, shoot me a message and we can talk. I went to Iraqi Kurdistan as a tourist in December 2023, and it was beyond safe. While Iraq as a whole has a dangerous reputation, the semi-autonomous region of Iraqi Kurdistan is wholly different from Federal Iraq. It has its own security forces, visa regime, and political situation. Is the risk there? Sure, but I’d much rather walk around Erbil than Chicago.

Sahara/Atlas Trek – 12-24 December 2025 - €2340 + €69 Booking Fee

This trek is a bespoke adventure put together especially for me. We will start and end in Marrakech, a beautiful city that is stereotypical of the Middle East and North Africa. From there, we will take transportation out to the desert and the mountains for wonderful hikes and beautiful views. We will occasionally take transportation to new areas, as the Atlas Mountains are the barrier between the desert and the rest of the country. The point of this trek is to explore Morocco’s pre-modern history and culture, including nights in Berber camps, former military outposts, and a few climbs up mountains. The price is mostly-inclusive (welcome to Morocco), with a few meals at the beginning and end on our own and tips excluded.

I COULD REALLY USE A PARTNER ON THIS ONE. To do this trek as a solo traveller is going to be expensive. While I am going either way, even just one person going will SIGNIFICANTLY reduce the strain on the relationship between me and my bank account! If it entices you more, I will be flying to Madrid, Spain, on 24 December to enjoy Christmas and New Year’s in one of my favourite cities, so I can play tour guide if you want! Contact me if you are interested, and I can send you more details.

Check out this week's videos on YouTube!

Wayfarer Vlog: Camino de Santiago | St-Jean-Pied-de-Port to Estella (Part One)

Wayfarer Vlog: Camino de Santiago | St-Jean-Pied-de-Port to Estella (Part Two)

Check out these videos from the first year around the world!

Travel Vlog: Sevilla | Vibrant Culture, BEAUTIFUL Scenery, and Building our Love of Bullfighting

Travel Vlog: Bordeaux | A Quick Trip Through Bordeaux