Early in the novel, the pinboard Kate saves when she fears her house will explode from the grenade represents the way she is still clinging to Cam and memories of her old life. The pinboard encapsulates the relationship between Kate and Cam, as well as the future they anticipate. That Kate puts in the pins in the places she wants to see reflects, first, Cam’s devotion to her, but also it foreshadows that Kate will, in future, be traveling alone. When she realizes that she alone placed the pins, it signals another stage in Kate’s feelings of loss and parting from Cam. It also reminds her of how much he supported her and how he was a part of her planned future.

Kate’s pin in Norway represents the top of her bucket list, her most wished-for adventure. The red pins they placed together are physical markers of the experiences they’ve shared, the substance of their relationship. At the conclusion of the book, Kate feels like she is still on Kate & Cam’s Excellent Adventure, which symbolizes how she has integrated her love for Cam into her life and feels like he is still a part of her, both her past and her future.