So, I made it and am home now!

It's hard to capsulize in a blog the last 5 weeks of walking and living "the Camino".  The last 5 days of hiking was so different than the first 4 weeks  but had it's own charm.  I met so many new people and reconnected with many I had "lost" over the weeks.  The hike from Ribadizo to Pedrouzo was supposed to be about 22 kms but came in close to 27.  We left the Albergue early in the morning, thankfully, so made it to Pedrouzo before the heat arrived.  Birgitta and I had decided to get up around 5:30 and sneak out of the dorms before daylight so we wouldn't battle the heat.  We are really good at getting dressed and out extremely quickly and quietly and both managed to get up and out in a few minutes.  I grabbed my shoes out of the shoe closet (yes, this is a "must" in most places to keep the smell to a minimum).  The closet was in the dorm closest to the exit so getting the shoes quietly in the dark meant remembering where it was and which shelf I put my shoes on (while holding my pack).  Success!  And quietly open the door and sneak out!  Whew!  And then my elbow hit the switch on the outside of the door....which apparently controls the main lights in the dorm rooms.  ACK!  Find the switch, turn it off and feel really bad about turning the lights on for all those sleeping people.  I think that I need to tell Birgitta that we better get out of this place quickly before we are killed.  I am sitting on the couch by the door, tying my shoes and getting all sorted for the day and Birgitta makes the same exit I did from the dorms, all quiet and contained and ....yep, her elbow hits the light switch too.  Now we really have to make a fast exit!  Who would put the main light switch for the sleeping rooms on the outside?  I wonder how many times that has happened?
So, off we go and have a pretty good hiking day.  We arrived in Pedrouzo by noon, just as the heat started in earnest.  We found our Albergue and had showers, did laundry, the usual chores and headed up to the main street (Calle Mayor) to find lunch...pretty hungry by then usually.  The heat was like a punch in the face by then so we staggered up and found some salads and of course, Clara.
We saw some police and ambulances race by back the way we came and wondered what was up.  Sadly, a pilgrim was killed crossing the highway just a few kms back on the second last day of the walk. It's horrible to think of it happening to anyone but how horrible to happen then and probably so far from home.  Some of the highway crossings were scary, on curves and busy highways.  In the heat, you just get into walking one foot in front of the other and maybe not pay close attention.  I don't know what happened for sure but it shook everyone up.
 The rest of the afternoon was pretty much lying on the bunk waiting for evening to come and the heat to abate.  Salad again for dinner because that's all that I could manage.

The last day into Santiago, we were up and out of the Albergue by 5 am and into Santiago by 10.  It was supposed to hit 30 by noon so we wanted to miss that.  It got hot but much later so we had some extra time.  We hiked in the gloom with a headlamp for more than an hour through the forest tracks. By the time the sun was up, we were into the industrial area and near the airport. It was a bit strange to suddenly be out of the rural area into industrial and when we found our spot for "second breakfast"...This one being the first as we only had a pastry and coffee from a machine in the Albergue before we left...14 kms before.  It was strange going to a place where they asked you to keep your shoes on (on the trail, shoes come off right away when you sit down) and we could only get a cafe con leche and croissant.  We've been having omelette for our second breakfast when we can as it sticks with us better than bread.
Arriving in Santiago means many more kms on sidewalks through the city to the Cathedral.  The bagpiper under the archway to the Cathedral is pretty great to hear.  The area has a strong Celtic influence which is lovely.

 In front of the Cathedral is a reunion of many people we have seen over the weeks. We found the pilgrims office and got our Compostela and certificate of distance.  There was a line up but it was worth it. We went to the Pilgrims mass at noon after dropping our stuff off at the hotel.  Took a taxi back to the Cathedral...weird taking transportation other than my feet!  There was standing room only so by the time the mass was done, I was done and snuck out of the Cathedral to sit outside and wait for Birgitta.  I sat on a bench beside this family who felt sorry for me as I almost fell asleep sitting up.  They talked away to me and finally figured out that I spoke English and kindly let me know that at 1:00, I could get lunch from the Nuns for 1 Euro.  I must have looked pretty bad...well, I did look pretty bad!
A loose organization evolved and we decided to meet at the Cathedral at 6 to have a farewell dinner together.  Arriving there, we found 50 or 60 people, mostly familiar faces.  Lots of hugs and congrats.  Some of us ventured off to dinner together.  Most of the younger ones headed off to other ventures.  It was a great way to end the journey though we were shocked to find out that our wine with dinner cost $18 euros each.  We were so used to having the wine included in the 10 euro price of dinner that it was a complete surprise to us.  City life has returned!

Off to the hotel and crashed into bed.  Up at 5 to catch the flight to Madrid/ Paris and say goodbye to Birgitta.  I managed to NOT get a cup of coffee or anything to eat until I arrived in Paris so I had a coffee and sandwich in the Paris airport.
An afternoon wandering in Paris, hanging out in the gardens by the Louvre and picking up a couple of souvenirs was about all I could manage. I still managed to make a whole lot of steps, even without trying and just meandering.  Dinner at an Italian restaurant near the hotel and off to bed.  I woke up in the night, totally confused about where I was and where Birgitta was.  It took me ages to figure out that I was alone and in Paris and didn't have to get up and walk anywhere!
So, then the trip home was long but uneventful and I am now adjusted to being back in my own bed.  I had the same "where am I" experience the first night in my own bed. AND I got a mosquito bite on my eye that night and my eye was swollen shut by morning.  I looked like I'd been in a fight!  Too funny.
So, it was an epic adventure and a great accomplishment.  I still can hardly believe I managed it but I'm really glad I did.  At this point, I don't see myself doing it again (as many do) but maybe something shorter and less crazy.  The "community" of the Camino is a big part of the experience.  It's like a United Nations experience, meeting and living with people from all over the world.  Everyone is friendly and open and communicates and supports everyone else as much as they can.  The day I fell and got road rash on my leg, the young Italian girl used some of the last of her water to wash my leg off.  Bandaids and blister remedies are shared as is chocolate and hot tips on great places to stay or eat.  Slogging through the last kms of the day is tough but as soon as you find your bunk and shower, you feel better and start planning the next day's trek.  Evening dinners, mostly shared with whoever is staying the the same place or village, are great and always connect the group.  It's hard to explain but it's pretty awesome.  So grateful I was able to do this and that my body managed it.