The Way the End Begins Page #2

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I have walked the Camino

to the Atlantic Ocean three times.

There and back.

I will do it once more,

on my 70th birthday.

God willing, of course.

Daniel was my only child.

We can also offer cremation

if that is a more suitable way for you

to transport the remains back home.

- I'm sorry, I don't speak French.

- Oh, do you mind if I sit here?

Because there's

no other seats available.

Hi. I'm Joost. I'm from Amsterdam.

- Tom.

- Hey, Tom.

I saw you on the train this morning.

We came from Paris.

We were on the same train.

You're not a pilgrim, are you?

A pilgrim? A trekker? A peregrino? Huh?

You're not here to walk

the Santiago de Compostela.

- No, I'm here on family business.

- Ah.

Well, it's not for everyone, you know.

In fact, somebody died

on the Camino this week,

only one day into the trek.

Yeah, such a tragedy.

Yes.

But it's no mystery

why I'm doing this trek.

You see this gut?

My older brother is getting married

in Rotterdam in December

and I want to fit into my old suit.

You could just buy a new suit.

No, but it's the third time

that he's getting married.

But wedding or not, I mean...

A bit leaner, a bit lighter.

It would make my doctor

and my wife a bit happier.

No? Ah!

Oh!

It's for energy.

Listen.

My doctorate...

I'm not gonna finish it.

You mean this year?

I mean ever.

I can't learn about the world in school.

You're not just

in school. You're at Berkeley.

Take a semester off, sure,

but don't throw away

the last 10 years of your life.

When was the last time

you travelled abroad?

And I'm not talking about for business.

Nepal. Morocco.

India. Papua New Guinea. Europe.

I gotta go to these places.

I gotta go. I gotta go.

- Captain.

- Mr Avery.

I want to cremate the body.

I'm gonna walk the Camino to Santiago.

Mr Avery, if you pardon me, please,

you are not prepared to go on this trek.

- You have no equipment or...

- I've got Danny's backpack

- and all his stuff.

- But you haven't trained for this walk.

And no disrespect,

you are more than 60 years old.

So it'll take me a bit longer than most.

You will be lucky if you finish

in two months.

Then I'd better get started.

We're leaving in the morning.

"We"?

Both of us.

Okay.

Here we go.

Came to give me

another pep talk, Captain?

I came to wish you buen Camino,

Mr Avery.

And to give you this.

- Is this a good-luck charm?

- Something like that.

You'll know what to do with it

when you get there.

- Get where?

- Cruz de Ferro. It's on the Camino.

You'll be there a month from now.

You can read about it in the guide.

It's a place of much significance.

Mr Avery, do you know why

you are walking the Way?

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