My Camino - the podcast

Nick Sassan is a young pilgrim from the United States with one of the most unusual Camino stories you’ll hear. While most walkers arrive armed with sturdy hiking boots and meticulously tested shoes, Nick set out on the ancient pilgrimage in… Birkenstock sandals. And yes — he walked all 800 kilometres of the Camino Francés in them. By the time he reached Santiago, he'd worn right through the soles.

Ken Huang RUNS the Camino!! In this episode of My Camino - the Podcast, Ken reflects on her life of long-distance running, her experiences during her adventures, including the Camino and the contrast between the anticipation of enlightenment and the reality of a blank mind. Ken discusses the instinctual navigation that takes over during these experiences and the subsequent reflections that occur a...

Arlene Laskey is a Canadian author. Her debut novel is 'Quest for the Enlightened Pilgrim: Walking the Camino'. The book is inspired by Arlene's real-life experiences on the Camino de Santiago and her study of the Master Key System, a fascinating look at how our thoughts empower our future. There's also a Camino journal you can take with you on your Camino to keep a record of your wonderful pilgri...

I've just returned from the Camino Portuguese and loved every moment. I have a brief summary of our trip PLUS a very inspiring story of an Australian man who is walking the Camino to raise awareness of depression and suicide across the world. Here's a link to Geoff's campaign

Jean-Claude Benazet wrote the Camino hymn 'Ultreia'. I was delighted to get the chance to interview Jean-Claude, to talk about the history of the song, what it means to him and what it means for the hundreds of thousands of pilgrims who walk the Camino each year. This episode is a snapshot of kindness, of love and light. Much love to you, pilgrim. Dan

Elle Halliwell is a Sydney-based journalist, author and motivational speaker. Her incredible story was the subject of her book A Mother's Choice where she details her journey of cancer and motherhood. Now Elle's a pilgrim having just returned from walking part of the Via Francigena to Rome. This is a wonderful story of belief, hope and discovery.

I've just finished walking the Camino Portuguese. Please enjoy this rewind episode of my chat with Rebekah Scott. I first spoke to Rebekah three years ago. Her new book 'A Furnace Full of God' is simply magic. It's not your usual Camino book. This is a spiritual diary; a journal of a pilgrimage of the heart and soul. You can find A Furnace Full of God on Amazon....and Rebekah's non-profit organisa...

In this episode of My Camino, host Dan Mullins engages with a group of friends from Alabama who share their experiences walking the Camino de Santiago. They discuss the significance of friendship, the balance between companionship and solitude, and the spiritual aspects of the pilgrimage. The conversation highlights the challenges faced along the way, including an accident that tested their resili...

In this conversation, Dan Mullins interviews Marion Roach Smith about the art of memoir writing, particularly in the context of personal journeys like the Camino de Santiago. They discuss the importance of writing what you know, the distinction between memoir and autobiography, and the significance of transcendence in storytelling. Marion emphasizes the need for daily writing habits, the power of...

In this episode of My Camino, host Dan Mullins interviews Sean Dietrich, known as Sean of the South, who shares his transformative experience walking the Camino de Santiago. Sean discusses the deep connections he made with fellow pilgrims, the spiritual awakening he experienced, and the lessons he learned about kindness, love, and self-discovery. He reflects on his personal history, including the...

In this heartfelt conversation, Veronica Soebarto shares her transformative journey along the Camino Primitivo, exploring themes of surrender, companionship, and spiritual awakening. From her initial motivations to the profound realisations she encountered along the way, Veronica reflects on the importance of letting go of control and embracing the unknown. The discussion highlights the beauty of...

This week I'm joined by my wonderful friend Rocco Rossi. Rocco has walked 21 Caminos - most of them off the beaten path. In this episode, we discuss the lesser-walked Caminos - the Invierno, Aragones, Madrid, Baztan, Mozarabe, Lebaniego and Vasco. Rocco's amazing insight will help you prepare your Camino. Make sure you stay until the end for his incredible Camino story AND a special treat right at...

I'm joined by George Greenia, a scholar of pilgrimage studies at the College of William and Mary in the United States. We chat about the profound themes of hope and community found in the Camino de Santiago. We explore the motivations behind pilgrimage, the evolution of the Camino experience, and the transformative power of shared grief and healing. Pilgrims walking with rebellious hope. George sh...

Imagine you get to your sixties and realise you're not who you thought you were. How would you react? Would you want to know the details and key players? That's exactly what happened to the American pilgrim Bill Wrobleski. This is an incredible journey of discovery and the Camino played a major role. You can find Bill's blog here

American teenage pilgrim Gavin Smith finished high school this year and decided to walk the Camino to honour his grandpa. This is a wonderful story of dedication to family and taking risks to learn who you are and who you need to be. This is a wonderful episode, like Gavin, full of hope and dreams.

In this episode of My Camino – the Podcast, I reflect on the Camino as a quest — a long and sometimes difficult search for something meaningful. I talk about the beauty of walking, the challenges pilgrims face, and the quiet moments of discovery along the way. I'm joined in the studio by British journalist Caitlin Powell, author of Notes from Down Under and Footnotes from the Way. Writing can help...

Episode two of my two-part interview with Jack Hitt who wrote Off the Road: A Modern-Day Walk Down the Pilgrim’s Route into Spain  the book that was the inspiration for the movie, The Way. In this episode, I ask Jack what the rest of the world should make of what's happening in the United States right now. His honest insight provides a shapshot of an America of old, and an America of promise. He a...

Happy St James Day!! A very special BONUS episode to celebrate the feast day of the saint who inspires us all as pilgrims. Jack Hitt wrote the book 'Off the Road: A Modern-Day Walk Down the Pilgrim's Route into Spain'. The book was inspiration for the movie The Way - and the rest, they say, is history. This a chat about learning, yearning and being in the right place at the right time for YOU. The...

Leanne Robertson wrote to me to tell me about her family Camino. Initially wanting to walk alone, Leanne soon started to understand the true gift of walking with her daughter, and later her husband and son. Leanne's deep Christian faith guided her on this path - a path of discovery - and now it's part of her life back home, even though her life didn't pan out the way it might have. It's still a be...

This week Dan is joined by two special guests: Cam Wust, a teacher from Central Australia, and Steve Parry, a pilgrim from Canada, who met on the Camino and have remained great friends ever since. Their shared journey led to a creative collaboration—Cam wrote a moving song called Field of Stars, and Steve produced a stunning video to accompany it. In this heartfelt episode, Dan explores how the Ca...

Women are so often anything but themselves, daughters, sisters, wives, girlfriends, mothers. Well what if you took the time to get to know YOU and empowered yourself to undertake a pilgrimage. Renée Hartleib's new book is called 'Solo Camino - an Empowering Guide for Women'. It's about providing you with the information and transformation you need to walk the Camino so you can come to learn how v...

Nichole Lariscy is an academic at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, who presented at the Sacred Journeys conference in Canberra a paper titled “Celtic Pilgrimage from St. John's Eve to Queen Maeve's Procession: A Spiritual Passage from Santiago to Sligo.” In this week's episode we talk about the spiritual parallels between Ireland and Spain, between Queen Maeve and Santiago, between the Cam...

John K Moore is Professor of Spanish; Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs, at University of Alabama at Birmingham. He's also a pilgrim. I met John at the Sacred Journeys conference in Canberra this month, and he presented his paper "The Pilgrimage Paradox: Finding Peace through Suffering". I knew I had to interview him. This is a wonderful exploration of pilgrimage from someone who doesn't just stu...

Brian Gibson's life is full of blessings, but he wanted to walk the Camino to shed a few pounds because he was tipping the scales at 380lbs. What Brian found was an opportunity to deeply consider the joy in his life, while acknowledging he has experienced loss, and it's the wonder of joy and the challenge of loss that makes life such a blessing. Enjoy this chat ~ it will warm your heart.

Leonard Vance's new book is called 'An Atheist on Pilgrimage : Tales of Humanity from the Camino de Santiago'. He walked the Camino after seeing the movie The Way - and soon learned there was more to the famous pilgrimage than simply walking. Leonard's transformation provides and insight into what the Camino holds for us fortunate enough to be called to walk its winding path. You can find Leonard'...