Postcript

Colourful pumpkins on the last morning near Santiago

It's been 14 days since my arrival into Santiago: time to absorb the benefits of the walk from a distance, time to settle back into home routines,  and look forward to babysitting duties ahead. There has been time to marvel at the donations received and to offer thanks for the trust and generosity of people I know and those I don't know.
A huge donation of almost €8,000 has brought the total benefit to Breakthrough Cancer Research to over €11,000 - a sum I would never have thought possible from a simple walk along the Camino Portuguese.  Thank you from the bottom of my heart to all who have given so generously.  Thanks to my wonderful daughter Sarah for inspiring us all, and thanks to Breakthrough for the revolutionary cancer research they continue to promote and encourage.

A sunny break by the river - Day 12

My backpack is safely stowed on board Tango and is spending the winter in Vigo.  The boots have come back with me and will bring me through autumn and winter walks nearer home.  The lure of other caminos is still strong - who knows where to next?

Tango's winter quarters in Vigo near Santiago

Journey's End

The journey is over - the goal has been reached!
On Thursday afternoon I arrived at the great cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in glorious sunshine.  It had been a very wet night and rain-gear was donned on setting out from the modern albergue at Milladoiro, an easy 6km walk from Santiago.  But after an hour the rain cleared and the clouds blew away, and I was able to appreciate the newly cleaned facade of the cathedral from a vantage point in the Alameda, a green space at the edge of the old town.  A kindly stranger took my picture there, as did another right at the end of my walk. 

Arriving alone was strange.  Friends I had made on the way,  being so much faster,  were already en route to their respective homes.  However, the Camino office has a welcoming service which proved to be a godsend, and next morning having obtained my certificate of completion I attended an intimate mass in English in a side chapel of the cathedral, followed by a relaxed session at the Camino centre.  It was a fitting end to what has been a wonderful experience.  The Breakthrough Cancer Research tee-shirt carried the message "Hope lives here".

The significant bit is near the end!

 152 kms over 13 days gives a pretty poor daily average,  but I found this probably the best camino experience ever, and savoured every moment.  Some days were tougher than others, some nights didn't offer a lot of sleep, but overall the magic of simple pleasures, shared stories, and warm companionship cheered the heart and made it all worthwhile

Thank you all who have contributed to the charity, either through the Everydayhero site or directly to me.  Please let others know and spread the word.

Almost there!

It's 6.00 am on the 13th and final morning of my Camino.  The rain has been pouring down most of the night and my wet gear is in readiness by my bunk.  It has spent all this time deep in the bottom of my backpack, adding to my weight, but now its day has come.  Galicia, like Ireland, isn't green by chance.  12 days of glorious sunshine have finally yielded to the inevitable!

I am in a sparkling new albergue in the dormitory town of Milladoiro  7 km from Santiago.  As my daily average is a puny 12km, this will allow me reach journey's end by early afternoon, not in time for the packed midday mass when pilgrims' nationalities and points of departure are announced, but rather for the more intimate evening services.  I still don't have a confirmed bed for tonight, but no doubt one will be provided!

Here are some more photos from the last few days,  when Frank came to join me and get a taste of the adventure!

Sunny smiles

Ten days on the road

It's hard to believe I am into my 10th day of this amazing walk!  There have been wonderful encounters with very special people, aged from 19 to 82, some on their way back from Santiago, others heading there for the first time.  Most are carrying their packs, but many are opting for the excellent delivery service and walk relatively unencumbered.

Glorious swathes of countryside lead onto shady woodland paths, ancient villages and tiny churches delight the eye, and there are mercifully short stretches along busy roads.

The Camino Portuguese has improved hugely since we were last here in 2009, and has become very popular. As Friday was a bank holiday in Portugal hundreds of cyclists used the opportunity to get to Santiago and back, so the paths were very busy: today all is once again tranquil as I head for a Franciscan monastery a couple of hours away.  Santiago awaits!

Thank you all for the wonderful support: if you want to spread the word the Breakthrough Cancer Research donation site link is to the right!

En camino!

I am in a lovely liittle village near Vigo enjoying a lay day after a hot and unintended 22 kms yesterday! Having originally planned to start the walk on October 1, this is in fact my 4th day on the road, and the miles were beginning to count.  So far I have mostly stayed in public hostels run for pilgrims by voluntary bodies, but yesterday a new-found friend booked me into a posh private place in Porrino, and for the extra 4 euro we had sheets and pillowcases and relative privacy which was delightful.  Tonight though I am back with the plebs in this lovely place only 5.6 kms walk, with time to catch up on my washing and recover my strength.

There is a big hill to be tackled in the morning which will be in the cool before the 28 degrees expected (as today) so I feel well up to it:  last night I didnt arrive til 8.30 pm which is not ideal.

My walk began in Ponte de Lima and I had a relatively easy day to Rubiaes as a kindly local wine grower/taxi driver transported me over the mountain pass which would have been impossible for my first outing.  Sunday was an easy 15km to the border town of Valenca with its fortified old town overlooking the river, and then across the bridge into Tui in Galiciafor a change of hour and long long hike through gorgeous countryside.

Below some borrowed pics which I hope will transport.   Valenca on the top, Tui Cathedral opposite which we had breakfast yesterday, and my abode in the hills near Vigo









So far the camino has been all I had hoped for: glorious countryside, great weather and a wide range of people to befriend and with whom to share experiences.  The spirit of cooperation is very strong and there are many instances of generosity.  Because of the long day yesterday I didnt think about my cash situation, but discoverd on arriving here that I barely had enough to cover the hostel, and there is no ATM for miles! However, I have been able to run up a tab at the excellent taperia across the road and the owner and staff have become new friends!  I will dine there tonight on pimientos de padron and chipirrones, two of my favourite Galician specialities.

I have taken masses of photos but sadly lack the techincal know-how to transfer them from my phone to this municipal computer which allows me ease of typing, but we will have to wait until a techie comes to hand to get over that hurdle!

Tomorrow will probably be a simple 15 km or I could push an extra little bit and be beside the sea.  We wait and see!  Buen camino to one and all, and many thanks for the continuing donations

Hasta la proxima!