A Quest for the Unexplainable

The Mysterious Disappearance of Two Camino Trekking Poles

Oct 15, 2023

Seven years ago, in October 2017, my father and I embarked on a journey that had been a dream for us both. We decided to walk the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage, starting from the city of Sarria, the final 100km stretch on the Camino Frances route. Our destination was the Cathedral of Saint James, where pilgrims from all over the world converged and paid respects to Saint James, who inspired this journey to self-discovery and physical and spiritual transformation. The idea had been brewing for years, ever since we read about Paulo Coelho's awakening experience in his book "The Pilgrimage" (which led him to write “The Alchemist” and propelled him to fame). However, it took us over five years to turn our dream into reality due to life's busy nature. But when my dad turned 70 in May of that year, we made the bold decision to go.

But today's story isn't about our Camino journey; it's about the trekking poles that accompanied us through the rugged terrain of central Spain. These poles, I found out today, might be enchanted. But I'll let you decide! Share your thoughts in the comment section below.

Me (via WhatsApp): Dad, something strange happened today.

Remember those trekking poles we used on the Camino?

During the pandemic, they sat patiently in my car’s trunk to one day accompany me in one of my hikes. But they never left my trunk. Selalu lupa kalau dah sampai hiking track nya… padahal ditengah jalan perlu. (I always forgot. It wasn't until I was in the middle of my hike and the terrain became challenging that I remembered them).

Today, I joined a new hiking group. In anticipation of a challenging hike, I proudly carried my Camino poles!

As fate would have it, the group arrived late, and we ended up taking the less strenuous route. Suddenly, these poles became more of a burden than a help.

Things took an unexpected turn when we encountered a water canyon leading to a waterfall. The path grew rocky, narrow, and steep, requiring us to use ropes and navigate tight passages. At this point, the trekking poles became more of a hassle than a help.

After marveling at the waterfall, we had to retrace our steps through the rocky streams and narrow passages. This proved even tougher because we were already tired. In one particularly narrow area, we decided to let the strong stream carry us down, almost like a water slide. And in the midst of this swift descent, I threw the trekking poles forward, intending to retrieve them at the bottom of the stream.

To my surprise and to the astonishment of my friends, the poles vanished!

One of my hiking friends swam and dove multiple times to search for them. He found one rubber sandal, wooden sticks, and various items left by other hikers, but not my trekking poles.

How could two sturdy trekking poles disappear like that? The water pool below the stream was not deep, and the rock formations around it would have prevented them from going down the stream. We searched every possible corner of the pool but found nothing!

So, Dad, with a heavy heart, I regret to inform you that our Camino trekking poles are no more. They were good poles, carrying countless memories of our pilgrimage. But they won't be waiting patiently in my trunk any longer.

And Dad, my friend suggested that the water pool under the stream might be a portal. Perhaps the poles got sucked into it and now reside in a different world or dimension. Who knows what they might bring back—hopefully, good things?

💬

Dad: All day, I felt like something was missing. When did we walk the Camino?

Me: (quickly searching my Google Inbox)

💬

October 2017!

Dad: October 2017 to October 2023... Hopefully, replacements will appear. The story continues.

Me: From the magic portal and beyond

It didn’t escape me that this disappearance happened during the New Moon-Solar Eclipse period. Some said the veil between the world of seen and unseen was thin. Who knew?

Later, the friend who invited me on the hike—who still couldn't believe my poles vanished into thin air—offered to return to the trail and hike to the waterfall to search for them. Since their disappearance, these poles have inspired my hiker friends to continue chasing the waterfall. That day, the hiker friend who dove while trying to find my poles later confessed, “I didn’t really want to leave so soon. Trying to find your sticks gave me an excuse to dip myself back into the water.” Now, my friend and I are contemplating a return trip to the waterfall. It’s an invitation too hard to decline. Who knows what other magical experiences we'll find?