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Published: October 23rd 2018
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Meet at the Rooster on the corner at 6.30.
It’s not code.
It’s a statue of a Rooster.
The meeting point.
Today was very different.
First, I woke to an alarm, and second, the destination of Santiago was no longer a goal. We all arrived.
O Pedrouzo was chilly at 6.30 am but I didn’t notice. I had a date with Santiago.
Leaving in the dark was nothing new, but we were looking at, or I should say, not looking at, no daylight for the first 2 hours of our walk.
A full moon providing the first light, we approached Arenal, and Janet and I waited at a breakfast bar for the others.
Too long.
We wandered back, and found a roughly assembled search party scouring the roadside for Lisa’s phone.
Kids, what do you do with them ?
Seriously though, I’ve seen this happen before and the trauma is real. Photos, contacts, communication; it’s all in that little bit of technology that we are slaves too. Poor Lisa would have been very worried and we needed to find it.
Doing anything in the dark has risks, as
First Light At Lavacola
We started at 6.30 this morning so it was , hello darkness my old friend, for a couple of hours. I found out by putting socks on off centre and causing blisters, and a quick photo and popping the phone back in your pocket to have it drop out, won’t be noticed in the dark. She noticed quickly and Darcy located the phone safely resting in the grass , not too far back.
After breakfast it was nonstop to Santiago, through hamlets, past the airport, Monte de Gozo was a quick look, and we rolled into the outer suburbs at about 10.30.
Another hour and we entered the Plaza to the haunting sound of Galician bagpipes. Chilling and exciting.
I can’t describe how I felt to arrive, and to arrive with friends I had shared so many experiences with. Other pilgrims, and we really were pilgrims, I had met were already there, or gradually walked through the tunnel into the sun filled, welcoming Plaza, straight into happy hugs and sighs of satisfaction.
We had arrived. 780 Kilometres from France, across the Pyrenees, and through to Santiago, with the trip to the Coast with Tim to come. It’s remarkable , and having done it before has not diminished the buzz you feel having achieved it.
The
Putting In The Hard Yards
Last Day To Santiago. No pain, just enthusiasm. Camino is a feat you cannot imagine unless you have done it, or at least some of it. At least Sue has been there and done it.
The line in the Pilgrim Office was quiet; everyone seemed tired and just needed to receive their Compostela, and then prepare to walk to Finisterre, celebrate, or pack up and go home to resume a normal life. The days of sleep, eat, walk, repeat are over and there is an adjustment to make. Five weeks may not seem long but strong bonds are formed, through slow hours of walking and talking every day. Secrets are revealed, and conversations held, that reveal more about yourself than in normal life. Thankfully for me ageism does not exist, people are taken on face value, and the Camino seems to attract kindred spirits.
I’d start again tomorrow if I could but I’ll have to wait until Saturday.
The next few days will be spent relaxing, observing, losing myself in the narrow ancient laneways that aimlessly wind their way through the historical Santiago.
Tomorrow at 4pm, a big group of us will gather for a final photo and I’ll treasure the intermittent company of
The Moon And Me
Thanks David. A memorable moment with a full moon to guide us. this band of people forever. It’s been great fun, very therapeutic, and I’ve learnt so much about myself from these people.
I’ll have breakfast in the morning with Janet, Darcy and Dave and bid them a sad farewell. If I ever go to the States, and I used to doubt it, Arizona is high on my list. Bad luck guys. I’d love to see that lifestyle first hand, and renew old acquaintances with Sue.
If you are on the Camino, you join a very special group who can rave about every step to each other, and bore our friends witless, all at the same time.
I could go on but I may have reached the boring flashpoint.
I’ll wind it up now, bye.
Did I mention we made it? Yahoo !!
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Marcelle
non-member comment
Well done
Congratulations Steve on completing your journey Enjoy your time with Tim