Done and done, and I mean done!

Walking to Finesterra was definately the way to go, it was great to decompress for a few days alone before reaching 'The end of the world', and seeing the ocean. Not many pilgrims on the road from Santiago to Finesterra, which was nice...

Finesterra itself is right on the coast which had a beach with small waves that was nice to relax for most of the day. The tradition is to go tothe end of the road where the lighthouse is and burn your things, I got to burn a pair of socks, thought about burning a pair of underwear, but...well I still need those..

Flew to Austria yesterday to stay with Nick and Ghadi for a week or so, it'll be nice to unwind for a bit before heading home to the states...Cheers

I made it!!

So at 4 weeks to the day (Sunday morning, i know im late in posting), i walked in front of the cathedral of Santiago! 800km later and who knows how many lost items and blisters, here I am! Lots to tell, but ill only say that I'm not done walking...

Heading to the coast to see the ocean before leaving Spain, its another 87km, but ill reach it tomorrow...heck, i walked 42km alone today!!

More later, bye!

I'll reach Santiago in 4 days...maybe 3

Lost on my birthday

Im 26 now, a birthday marked by breakfast and a morning hike with a good friend, followed by enjoying the view solo for a bit. I told my friend that i would catch up with her soon, but when I got to the bottom of the hill, she wasnt there! I went another 45 minutes on the
Route before backtracking and leaving notes on the ground for her to find in case she was behind me. If it weren't for the Georgia trio of students and their extra book they lent me, i would have never made it to the landing llace for the day...andlost about 2 hours of the book being wrong coupled with te backtracking!

Long story short, she made it to the town, we took different ways to get down the mountain, so we were separated but back together again!

Had dinner at the albergue: vegetaruan meal complete with gespatcho, hummus, and vegan cake! All in all, a good day to turn 26!

One step closer!

Back into forest-y territory!! The bleak road ended right after leaving Leon, where I planned on taking a day off, but the albergue run by nuns was full before noon (no boys allowed they said!) so I continued onto the next town...

Left Astorga today, great city known for its museum of the Camino housed in a building designed by Gaudi, and a chocolate museum! Guess which one i went to?

Getting chilly here, mornings are brisk but clear with great visibility, compared to others where fog was so thick, it was hard to tell where the road led ahead...

Now off to bed! Another chilly night, but thankfully had a hearty meal pepared by fellow pilgrim Doris, and albergue is supplying blankets. Bye!

(p.s. of course I went to the Gaudi musuem...honestly...)

Typical hostel room

The Road less travelled...

...is less travelled for a reason. This morning I thought I´d take a detour that was mentioned on the map, a sort of scenic way to get to the next town. I walked for about 45 minutes without seeing any sign, plus it was cold and really foggy out too, so visibility was about 100 yards all around. I was about to turn around when two Italian guys caught up and said that this is in fact a road on the Camino and not a dead end. I kept thinking of that scene in An American Werewolf in London where the two guys backpacking are lost and any minute something is going to come out and attack... The road eventually became marked (too marked in fact, so many arrows pointing the way), and made it to the first town for breakfast right as the fog was clearing.

Just hit the halfway mark today! Was half expecting to see a gigantic sign saying 400 km left! but no luck, did celebrate with a beer a lunchtime though. Met an Aussie yesterday that´s been travelling around the world for the past two years straight, and he was thinking of camping tonight. He invited a group of us to camp in the trees outside the town, but we already paid for the hostel and it was cold out too, so maybe soon.

Almost to Leon as well! About two days walk and will take another day off and sightsee.

Oh, believe it or not there was this cool bar that played old time music the other morning as I came in for breakfast, and sure enough, one of the songs played was Louis Armstrong´s All That Meat and No Potatoes. That song takes me back...

Cheers!!