I did it …….

Day 23 O Pedrouzo to Santiago
Walked 21.27km
5 hours walking
528.96 km walked
727964 steps taken

Today I arrived in Santiago after 23 days of walking and 528.96km recorded, with lots more walking that wasn’t recorded.
I’m proud to have done it, but not for any other reason than I had a dream that hung around for 15 years, and it came to life.
The moments where I really appreciated it were often the most insignificant ones getting washing off a line in the Spanish countryside one balmy evening and realising how far from home I was, walking on my own through tiny little Spanish villages and marvelling at how although we are all human our lives are so very different.
My body did its job. carrying a heavy enough daypack for miles each day, in the heat, up hills, and day in, day out.
Before I left, I spoke with Greg about my fears. I’m stubborn and I knew I could walk 25km, but I was unsure that I could back it up day after day. I worried that would be the side of things where I might come unstuck.
There wasn’t a moment on this trip where I felt like giving up.
There were times when I was tired, times when I couldn’t sleep and then got anxious about not sleeping, times when I was hot and exhausted, times when my feet were burning, and times when I was simply a bit homesick, but in all of those moments, I knew I would reach Santiago.
I’m not religious, so it wasn’t a religious pilgrimage for me. I do have spiritual beliefs, but I don’t need to go into that here. For me, all those years when I watched The Way, it represented adventure, freedom, space, time to think, and the anonymity to unapologetically be me.
I expected this trip to be quite a soul-searching journey. There are a few things in my life that need a bit of changing, or that I need more clarity around, but in all honesty, I haven’t had any dramatic breakthroughs.
I know I’ve loved the simplicity of my days, and the very few decisions I needed to make each day.
I enjoyed not watching the news or getting caught up in any drama.
I loved feeling those hills become easier to climb, one foot in front of the other.
I love that I had a dream, and little by little, I brought it to life.
I love that even though it was a bit crazy, everybody cheered me on.
It’s definitely not everybody’s cup of tea, and on some of those harder days, towards the end of the day, it didn’t even feel like my cup of tea, but it was the right thing for me to do at this time.
As I wandered into Santiago and got closer to the heart of the city, the old town feel was beautiful. I arrived at the church at 12:26pm.
After a 21km walk, it was foggy this morning and I worried that the continual blue skies might be absent, but just as I came into the city, it all lifted and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky.
It felt a little bit out-of-body-like. I was alone, and I was happy to finish the walk alone. The magnificence of the church is enough to bring you to tears, and when you throw absolute exhaustion and pride in there too, tears are guaranteed.
I was having a beautiful, emotional, nostalgic moment when an English couple came and gatecrashed it. They were looking at the bandaids on my feet, tsk-tsking and nodding their heads, looking at me with great sympathy, then continued to talk, talk, talk, even though they could see it was such a momentous moment for me.
Such a typically Gabby story 🤓🤓🤓
After taking it all in, I headed down to the Pilgrim’s Office to get my Compostela. You present your pilgrim’s passport with all of your stamps that prove your pilgrimage, and you get a certificate of completion of the Camino.
I headed to my motel, ordered room service, and now I’m in the spa soaking my weary body.
This isn’t the end. I have another little adventure tomorrow and will explore Santiago for a couple more days before heading back home via Paris and Singapore.
Thanks for reading, and thank you for the beautiful comments that I will answer in time.
It has meant the world to me to have everybody’s support, my family, my walking buddies at home, my friends, my customers and my new Camino friends.
I had the time of my life.

Part 2
This city is really lovely, I wandered down narrow laneways, looking in shops, and feeling like a free woman - I don’t have to pack my backpack tonight and walk 25km tomorrow and I feel content.
The pilgrims mass in the Cathedral was pretty impressive tonight, it was nice to just sit and daydream even if I couldn’t understand it.
Bedtime now xRead more