In 2017, after an incredible five weeks of walking, blisters, and getting caught in the Pyrenees in a snowstorm, Marlo Pelysz, a 30-something single woman from Toronto, Ontario, reached the end of her first Camino de Santiago completely underwhelmed. Disenchanted, she swore to never return. But when her life stalled in 2019, she started planning for Camino number two.

In the months leading up to her trip, she was dealing with a lot: scans to eliminate the possibility of cancer, the early stages of perimenopause, questioning her choice to be single, and a general state of malaise over the size of her waistline.

So along with the carefully curated items in her backpack, she had unknowingly packed a lot of emotional baggage, which ended up being heavier than the backpack itself.

BAGGAGE is an honest and sometimes hilarious account of her journey to the end of the world, and discovering her answer to the ultimate question, “what do I want?” Along the way are beautiful landscapes and plenty of wine; whirlwind romances and deep friendships; searches for bathrooms and hostels and taxis; and yes, plenty of walking.