Herald Café: Even for seasoned cyclists, the Camino de
Santiago is a gruelling ride. What was it that prompted you to take such a
trip?
Bryan Soares: My relationship with the bicycle dates back to
about four or five years when I casually took up the sport as part of a fitness
regime. I then realised that on a cycle,
I could see things that would normally go unnoticed while driving; it helped me
see Goa better. It all started with four
friends meeting every Saturday over breakfast, cycling to different villages of
Goa in search of patal bhaji joints on what we call the ‘Bhaji Trail’. It was
there that we met some hardcore cyclists who introduced us to a wider world of
cycling, eventually leading us to take up our very first cycling tour two years
ago, from Manali to Leh which was also a 500 kilometre route that we covered in
a span of nine days. A friend of mine
then gifted me a book, ‘It’s not about Tapas’, on my last trip abroad. The
story follows the tale of a young editor who throws away his job to take up the
pilgrim route. It was the protagonist of that book that prompted me to
undertake the journey.
HC: Does a journey of this nature demand much training? What
was your regimen ahead of the adventure?
BS: I have been cycling every alternate day for the last
four years, keeping myself fit. I have an active regimen that I follow every
day; hence, I did not require much training for the journey.
HC: Could you navigate the route that you took, so as to
create a visual map?
BS: I cycled the stretch by what is known as the French way.
Starting my journey at Burgos, I cycled for 500 kilometres over a span of nine
days, ending my journey at Santiago. The original French way is 800 kilometres
and takes about 13 days to complete but due to professional commitments, I
could barely devote nine days to the trip. The route is primarily off-road,
like a dirt track.
HC: Goa’s Portuguese connect is stuff of legend, and this
trail has such an option. Why did you opt for the French route instead?
BS: Honestly speaking, I didn’t find the Portuguese route
challenging enough to take up. Besides, the French route passes through the
traditional villages of Spain, which gave me a unique opportunity to experience
local Spanish culture, making it all the more exciting for me.
HC: Do you have any anecdotes of your journey that you would
like to share?
BS: On reaching the highest point of the journey, I met a
lady running a shop who told me that in her 12 years of service, she had never
came across an Indian on the path, making my journey an even bigger
achievement. She was rather apologetic, as she had a flag of every country with
a Camino stamp but not a single Indian flag. So, as a token of apology, she
gifted me a general flag with a Camino stamp.
HC: What was the highlight of your journey?
BS: On a personal front, the biggest highlight was the very
fact that I took up the journey all by myself, something that I wouldn’t
normally do. It was also a path of self-realisation for me. The journey started
as a fun project, but soon became more spiritual in nature. I had more time to
spend with myself, which led me to realise how mentally strong I can be.
HC: Were there any challenges that you faced along the
route?
BS: The first challenge was a mental one. I chose to take up
the journey all alone, after having a fall on the very first day. My wife and
friends advised me to take a flight back, and I began to question whether I was
doing the smart thing. Overcoming these thoughts was a challenge for me.
Secondly, being in a strange country, with people who don’t understand English,
makes communication a challenge. Lastly, is the niggling voice at the back of
your mind that asks, ‘in case of an emergency, is there somebody to bail me
out?’
HC: With the fairly large following of cycling enthusiasts
in Goa, do you think that your tale will prompt others to take up the journey?
BS: I hope that I inspire young cyclists to take up the
journey, and experience what I have. I feel that taking up the journey has its
positives. One being the fact that you get time to/for yourself. I got to spend
a lot of time on my own and met a ton of people along the way.
