“It’s nothing you’re expecting and everything you’re looking for,” said UW-La Crosse senior Karley Clayton about her adventure on El Camino de Santiago. With little discussion, she and her friend, senior Liza Malchovick, set out for a journey they would never forget.
Clayton had studied abroad in Spain and heard of El Camino before. When she brought up the idea to Malchovick, who had been watching the film about the walk, the plan was settled. Sophomores at the time, the friends had no idea what they were about to do.
The pair boarded a plane right after finals last semester, with only a backpack to survive on and no guidebook. The first night involved a 17 mile walk at a steep incline, not to mention the 70 mile an hour winds, hail and sleet.
Clayton said the best part was arriving at their sleeping area for the night and feeling a sense of security. After sharing such a difficult experience and enduring the first walk, the women found a sense of community among the other travelers. Clayton added that when she saw everyone eating and laughing, she immediately knew that everything would be okay.
Along the way, Clayton and Malchovick found an appreciation for the simple things in life. Malchovick remembers loving the chicken wings that she was fortunate to have a few times that summer. Similarly, Clayton explained that at the end of a long hike, nothing felt better than a coke from a glass bottle. The trip produced lifelong friends of all walks of life and from all over the world for both women. They commented on how amazing it was to them that it was possible to communicate so well with people who did not know any English.
“It is possible to have a connection with anyone,” Malchovick said. “You just have to be willing to seek it.”
Throughout the month-long journey, both women said they learned a lot about themselves and other people. Clayton said that even though neither of them is religious, it was a very spiritual journey. Malchovick agreed and added that she felt completely different afterwards. Both agreed that it was amazing to strip away all of the material possessions in life and find that people are inherently wonderful.
Clayton described the journey as, “one big metaphor.” She said that the walk was just like the walk of life, “You can go at your own pace and choose who you want to accompany you on your way.” She surprised herself and learned that when push comes to shove, sink or swim, you will find a way to swim.
On an average day, everyone would walk 12.5-15.5 miles, starting around 5 a.m. Along the way, the women said that there is nothing to distract from learning a person’s true self. Everyone would share stories, usually with people they had never met.
There is no commitment to walking El Camino de Santiago; anyone can stop at any time, and people walked at different paces so it was easy to see friends come and go.
Both Malchovick and Clayton would recommend it to anyone looking for a humbling and symbolic adventure. They agreed, “If we can do it, anyone can.”

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Karley Clayton