Day 48

I walked the slowest I have walked ever today. The vertigo makes me feel like I am walking on balloons, thankfully the Way is mostly flat and wide paths, we are walking in more forests of gums and old oaks. It’s not too hot and I have had my backpack carried.

The pilgrims on the Way are jubilant, most will arrive at Santiago today. Early in the day a large group of young pilgrims walk past me reciting their Hail Mary’s in unison. There are many day pilgrims walking the 20km into Santiago and because it’s Sunday many Lycra cycling Spaniards.

I arrive and rest the nausea is overwhelming the medicine helps a bit. I managed some dinner later, I talk with a French pilgrim for a little bit, he started at home in France 3 months ago. He seems very impressed that I am Australian and that I started in St Jean.

Lavacolla (washer in Spanish) was a significant stop for Medieval pilgrims, this is where they would bathe and purify themselves before going into Santiago, I did shower but no energy for laundry today, hopefully they will let me in tomorrow.

Distance Walked 9.6km

Elevation 300m

Distance to Santiago 10.2km

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Day 49

I wake up feeling slightly better (I think) but then I realise I’m not superhuman after all and quickly arrange to have my bag carried.

I call Ron early because it’s his birthday, Happy Birthday Dear!

I have some toast and jam and tea staple breakfast on the Camino. I start to feel a little better as I walk and my pace is definitely better than yesterday.

There are two hills and a long stretch into the city, it’s warming up fast. At Mount Gozo (Mount Joy) named because this is where pilgrims get their first look at the Cathedral. The emotions of the day start to kick in other pilgrims are getting excited too.

As I finally reach the arch and hear the Spanish gaita (similar to bagpipes) I know I have arrived, the further in I go though I can’t see the Cathedral but I do see my friend Jenny from Blue Mountains Camino and whom I caught up with in Logrono. It’s all overwhelming I finally see the Cathedral which is to the left, then it’s a call home to Ron a few tears, photos and it’s done I’m actually here!

Jenny and I go and find something to eat and drink, then we head to my accommodation – not a bunk in sight!

A very long shower a cup of tea (after the shower not in the shower) I chat with a Spanish guy staying here he has just completed his 21st Camino.

I need to get to the pilgrims office to get my Compostela, it’s very organised when I arrive I have to enter my details into a screen then go and speak with a volunteer when my number is called. I get to speak with Thomas from the US. I think he said ‘You’ve had a long journey’ let’s just say I should get an award for the most tears in the Pilgrims office today – the floodgates opened, I had a wonderful chat to Thomas and received my Compostela and distance certificate. Job done!

At 7:30pm I went to the Pilgrim mass with two pilgrims I met along the Way and bumped into in the plaza, it’s in Spanish but I heard them call out Australia and New Zealand which got the floodgates going again.

We met up with Jenny and had a great meal, in one of the many restaurants surrounding the Cathedral, I had a delicious salad with walnuts, goat cheese and honey mustard!

I’m back at my hotel, it’s a small private one right near the Cathedral it’s nearly midnight, downstairs people are still eating and drinking and there is cool Spanish music playing I have a double bed with sheets and towels and there is a bathroom across the hall from my room full of bottles of soaps and shampoo and I feel very lucky indeed.

Distance walked 10.2km

Total Distance walked 779km

Elevation 370m

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PS. The other day I sat with a fellow pilgrim at a coffee shop, I had never met her before we chatted a bit and then she said her friends at home had been asking if she had had profound thoughts while walking for so long on her own, she said she hadn’t and asked me if I had. I said no but that I had had a lot of thoughts of writing a Standup comedy sketch about my Camino. We had a laugh and moved on.

I am not sure if you would call it profound but it occurs to me that doing a Camino is like a human relationship it can be all things a relationship can be and then at some point it ends and we can’t physically see the person anymore, they are in our heart and we still love them just the same, but we can’t visit or see the person any longer. A Camino is like that, an intense relationship followed by an ending. Now I have a Camino as part of me it’s in my heart forever.

Thank you for reading along and sending such wonderful comments, encouragement and support it’s meant a lot to me to know people are thinking of me and wishing me well.

PPS. I’m staying in Santiago till Thursday, stay tuned for a trip to the sea and more!

Xx