"The Camino way. Quick, Easy and for Fun" the first joint book by Maxim Behar and his wife Veneta Pisarska

The hike that will change your life

Host: Hello this is "Good Morning Europe" on Euronews TV Bulgaria. The hike that will change your life. That's how many avid travelers describe the El Camino challenge. That's the view of my next guests, who set out on this journey together as a family and are now here to launch their first book together. These are Maxim Behar, whom we know very well, and his wife Veneta Pisarska. Hello and welcome. Let's show the book.

Maxim: The first autographed book we're giving to someone.

Host: Thank you and this is your first time on television. Why did people like you, who travel to many places around the world and love to travel, decide to take this road? Which is far from the easiest in the world.

Maxim: We named the book "The Camino Way. Quick, easy and for fun" because we really chose an easy route that wasn't that long, wasn't that hard and we had a great experience. We figured Venetta was the reason because she has had it in her bucket list for 20 years..

Host: Where did you get that idea?

Veneta:  We wrote in the book how this idea was born - 20 years ago in France, a colleague retired and claimed that the first thing they were going to do was walk Camino. And I thought it was a little strange, but I got interested and read a little more. And so, for 20 years that idea has been with me. Until, at some point coming out of Covid, we had to do something, and it was the most logical and natural thing for both of us.

Host: OK, but didn't you have that question in your head. Are we ready for such a hike? Because I have heard and read that 20-25 kilometers a day are being walked. Which route did you choose? I know there are 7 routes in May.

Maxim: We chose the shortest, the easiest one. It is 126 kilometers. It's the shortest one on which we can get a certificate.

Host: For how long?

Maxim: 10 days.

Veneta: It's the shortest route to get that certificate. There's a whole ritual in receiving it. You get your name written out in Latin.

Host: How did you prepare?

Maxim: We didn't prepare specially. You know the moment we make the decision it's already 90% of the way through. It's all about making the decision, buying comfortable shoes and what we've described in detail in the book. We wrote it with the idea that it must be practical. We discovered something there that I never thought of, that it's the most wonderful social network in the world. Because you meet people that you would never meet on Facebook or Instagram. But by the time we'd made the decision, we'd already gone halfway.

Host: You are now able to give advice. What advice would you give to people who are about to visit this place? Why should they choose it? They say you literally are reborn there; everything changes for you. Is that true?

Veneta: It's just that it's a place where you realize that maybe mundane things and tasks are not that important. What really marks my path is that all the time no one asked me what I was doing, what I was working on. We had conversations with people asking why we are doing it, why we are here. You're meeting people you would never meet under other circumstances. And I think that's part of this change that people talk a lot about and it should change your life.

Maxim: We entered a society that does not exist anywhere in the world. We walked between 15-25 kilometers every day. We stopped all the time at small bars where there was everything to eat, coffees, soft drinks. And you could take and leave as much money as you wanted. You can't find such people and atmosphere anywhere. And it's not that tiring. We arrived in the evening where we had to. We'd put our feet up on the wall and check our emails, return missed calls. Then we'd sit down to dinner with the local Rioja wine, jamon and cheeses. And that was very filling for us. And as Veni said on day 3 or 4, "Well, my legs are going off on their own". And indeed, they did. When we got back to Bulgaria, I suggested to Veni that we climb the peak "Dupevitsa" in Lyulin mountain, which is not so low. And we just put on a T-shirt, climbed Dupevitsa Peak, and it was like a child's toy. It's not so much the walking, because you can walk 20 kilometers in Sofia too. It's more in the whole atmosphere and the fact that we had a challenge, we had to overcome it, we had to pass it this time. And on the last day, as Veneta and I were walking, I said, "Let's write a book, because this is super interesting, and a lot of people will be interested in the practical part." What to carry in your backpack, what patches to take, what medications to have with you, how powerful your external battery should be for your phone. These are important things. In addition, Veneta spent a lot of time describing the different routes in detail. So that those who want to walk the Camino and read this book can make their choice.

Host: What is the story you will never forget from this trip?

Maxim: The whole trip will always remember it and make it new.

Host: Will you go there again?

Maxim: Maybe another time.

Host: You've enjoyed it.

Veneta: Yes of course.

Maxim: We've enjoyed the Portuguese way from Porto along the coast. It's much longer and we'll do it, probably next year.

Host: And Georgi Milkov, fellow journalist, and a famous traveler, says this is a textbook on the Camino. What would you say to people who are wondering if they can make it? What should they invest in and carry with them? Then tell us about the premiere.

Veneta: I think all people can handle this challenge. Along the way you see people in wheelchairs, crutches, canes, and you see people of a very dignified age. I think anyone can do this journey if they want to.

Maxim: Good mood, comfortable shoes, and a good external battery for your phone.

Host: Perhaps the most important thing is good company. Because if you weren't together as a family maybe it would be different.

Veneta: I think a lot depends on the reason why you go on your Camino. Because a lot of times you meet people who are alone with themselves, who are going through something that has taken them there, and in that case maybe company is not necessary. So, it depends on the reason that makes you go.

Maxim: One of the last nights we were having dinner in a castle with an English lady, and she asks us how many kilometers we've walked, and we tell her 100. We ask her how many kilometers she has walked, and she tells us 1415 kilometers. A retired schoolteacher setting off from Manchester. I then ask her, "Alone?" she replies, "You can never be alone on the Camino". You go alone and you always find company somewhere along the way. A wonderful and unforgettable experience. And we advise all your wonderful viewers to try this time. We are launching the book on 18 September in Borisova Garden, and everyone is invited.

Host: Thank you both very much. Good luck on the book I think next time for other trips you can visit us.

You can watch the whole interview here.