The scallop shell Luis gave me just before we left the house clanked against the side of the bus. I had my own shell now, just like the one I had seen on all the websites and at the Ultreia bar. Because he was my first caretaker on this path, Luis wanted to be the one who gave me the shell to attach to my pack. These shells are a symbol of the Camino—their lines converge at one point on the base. Although each person’s journey may have a different starting point, they connect along the way and become one in Santiago de Compostela.