After a wonderful and refreshing night’s sleep, it was lovely to have a lie in this morning until 8am and to get up slowly and in the light!

Yesterday was almost too full of different experiences and impressions. The walking was up and down, but easy enough, especially as it was a shorter day than the day before. It was also, after the first hour or so of relative solitude, busier and busier the further we walked. By lunchtime, we were only about 5km from our destination and Amanda spotted 2 good Camino friends in a cafe. And thank goodness we stopped to join them, as about 5 minutes later, the heavens opened. We sat it out for a while, but eventually felt we had outstayed our welcome and ventured out to walk the final stretch into the city together in the teeming rain.

Gradually, the countryside turned into suburbs and light industrial buildings, the rain eased and the roads we walked along and crossed became bigger and busier, until we reached the much ‘zapped’ giant Santiago de Compostela sign - it seems that pilgrims, like sailors, have a penchant for covering significant items in stickers!

The last couple of kilometres felt slow … perhaps because we were getting weary, perhaps because the anticipation was making everything seem like it was taking longer. A short diversion to our final albergue, in the former Seminario Menor, and we headed uphill again to the 0km marker and our ultimate destination of Santiago Cathedral. I’m still working out how I feel about that arrival - if I had been alone, I’m sure I would have gone straight to the Cathedral with my backpack and poles. As it was, I went unburdened.

I’m also still trying to work out why I did this or what it means to me. Part of it was definitely about an opportunity presenting itself and taking it. Part of it was fulfilling a long held hope. Part of it was proving to myself that I could do it physically. Maybe the biggest part was quite simply finding out what would happen and opening myself up to possibility.

Would I do it again? Absolutely! I’d love to walk the Camino Ingles some time. But maybe next year …!

Perhaps in a few days, once things have settled in my mind, I will have had a chance to reflect on what I’ve learned and maybe I’ll post something more.  But, for now, the pilgrim is signing off for a few days’ rest and tourism and wishing you - Buen Camino!