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Camino Frances
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  • Gabby Travels

Camino Frances

In just under two weeks I’ll begin walking across France and Spain, carrying far less than I normally do, both physically and emotionally. I honestly don’t know exactly what I’ll find out there, but I think that’s part of the magic of it. Buen Camino Les mer
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  • Gabby TravelsCamino FrancesReisende
    3Baz 13/6/14😇
    Follow the arrowsMisty morningI could've curled up in here rather than walk 25km in the heat!Keep following the arrows1This little bird followed me for a bit todayBreakfast done the Spanish wayDogs of the Camino1Hot, bothered but happy1These two gave me a lovely hug today xLaying on a stone bench in the middle of town using my backpack as a pillow. Nobody bats an eyelidSiesta timeBeautiful rural accomodationWashing done - rest time x💙1Beautiful accommodation1❤️1Summer rain in Spain

    Helpers everywhere

    13. juni, Spania ⋅ ☁️ 30 °C

    Day 20 Portomarin to Palas De Rei
    Walked 26.33km
    6.5 hours walking
    453.27km walked
    614,565 steps so far

    I didn’t wait for breakfast this morning because I knew I had 25km in front of me and it was going to be hot.
    I walked out of the hotel and it was a foggy, misty morning, which was the last thing I expected to wake up to.
    About 8km in, I stopped at a cafe. Clearly everybody had the same idea because I lined up for ages, but it was worth it, fresh orange juice and a fresh baguette with an egg and prosciutto omelette in it. It fuelled me for the day.
    I walked and chatted intermittently with Eva from South Africa, who worries she is getting dementia, and Gloria a young Canadian woman taking a 12 month sabbatical, but my heart wasn’t really in it today. I wanted to be alone, so I politely headed along.
    Today is 12 years since Baz died, and I felt lucky to be able to remember him this year while I was walking the Camino. For those who don’t know, my eldest brother had Young onset Denentia that took his life.
    The day before I left, I met Tan, my sister-in-law and Baz’s wife, in the city and she gave me a little care package. In it was a little photo collage of Baz. I popped it in my backpack and he has been with me every step of the way.
    There was a kind lady in a beautiful shady spot giving away little quotes she had made up, and she had a sign saying, “What’s your story?” So I told her about Baz. There was an Italian woman there also and I got quite emotional. They both gave me a big hug and I headed on my way a bit lighter.
    There are little moments and scenes playing out all day long. It’s really heartwarming to see young and old, from all nations, walking together.
    I had a stop and a cold drink, then headed off again. I had to climb down a narrow rocky road path and there was an elderly woman in front of me navigating it. I got through and said hello as I walked past, then I said hello to the woman in front of her and she started talking in a beautiful Irish accent — she had me right away.
    Callid, not sure on the spelling, was walking the last hundred with her mum, who I had just walked past, and her 13-year-old son.
    A nurse and mum of four, she had taken her eldest and her mum for the week to escape the dreadful Irish weather. We walked and chatted for an hour. She’s married to a dairy farmer and was just a genuinely kind person with a big smile on her face.
    I said goodbye and moved on, and now as I write this I’m lying on a cold stone bench with my backpack under my head in the village of Palas De Rei.
    It’s another town name that sounds pretty cool
    Pah-lass-da-ray.
    I’m meeting the other two girls and we are being picked up by our accommodation from the town square and heading out to Casa Roán tonight.
    Part 2
    The pick-up ended up being a bit of a balls up. We called, they no speak English, we no speak Spanish. We were so hot and exhausted and frustrated, but a lovely young Spanish tour guide saved the day and contacted them for us.
    Casa Roán is beautiful, just off the Camino, two old stone buildings, countryside all around and a really peaceful feel. After a long, hot day of walking, it was nice to be somewhere simple, welcoming and away from the crowds for the night. I’m also excited for the 3 course dinner here, I have high hopes
    I only have about 67km to go now.
    My feet are weary, but the rest of my body has held up really well.
    There’s thunder rumbling in the distance and I’m feeling lucky to be in the Spanish Countryside soaking it all in
    Buen Camino.    Les mer

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  • Gabby TravelsCamino FrancesReisende
    Beautiful gumtrees
    1SelfiePulpoDelicious 🤓Doing his spiel💚2ChurrosBathroom in my accommodation tonightFancy accommNot so fancy dinner3So soreCamino CatAhhhhhh

    Peaceful Day

    14. juni, Spania ⋅ ☁️ 27 °C

    Day 21 Palas De Rei to Arzua
    Walked 32.42km
    6.75 hours walking
    485.69km walked so far
    660,202 steps so far

    Last night’s accommodation at the Casa Rural was one of my favourites.
    After a long, hard day in the heat, I felt fully at peace when I arrived there. A 230-year-old stone residence that had been renovated beautifully. There were pretty things to see everywhere you looked.
    Dinner was local meats and cheeses, seafood paella and chocolate ice cream with caramel sauce.
    After dinner, summer rain and a thunderstorm finished the day perfectly and then I slept the best I have in the month I’ve been away.
    Today was a long day 32.5km, and we had a later start because the accommodation was out of town and we had to wait for them to drop us back into Palas de Rei this morning.
    I loved this morning’s walk. It was through forests, cooler, peaceful and pretty, and leaving later meant we missed the crowds.
    I walked and chatted to Greg for ages and I think my body and mind felt the calmest they have felt in the whole trip.
    We walked into Melide around lunchtime. It was busy and I wanted to search for the pulpo man I saw on Robson Green’s Most Amazing Walks. It featured the Camino, and after watching it with Greg I said that when I did my Camino, I would find him and try his pulpo.
    He wasn’t hard to find basically the first shop we saw.
    First I asked him for a selfie and told him I saw him on TV. Big personality. And then we sat down and ate and listened to him do his thing with the customers. He was telling them they needed to open their mind and try pulpo, try real food not rubbish pizza!! It was really good, really good xx
    Then we headed off down the road for some churros, also good.
    Knowing we had a big walking afternoon ahead, and in the heat of the day, I got moving. I ran into Callid and her mum, and son the family I met from Ireland yesterday, really good, kind people. I hope I see them again at the end.
    The afternoon dragged a bit in the heat. There were school groups playing loud music, so I had to move fast to pass them, and I don’t really do fast, so I was pretty knackered by the time I dragged myself into Arzúa.
    The accommodation is beautiful, a quick bocadillo for dinner (Ham and cheese baguette) and I’ll be done for the day.
    I also have a new blister today — a friend for my other one.
    39km to go.
    I just need my feet to get me over that finish line, then I promise to give them a rest.    Les mer

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  • Gabby TravelsCamino FrancesReisende
    One of my last morning walk outs
    Only 37km to go1🐾🩷2So handsomeThese cafes are such a welcome sight2Nearly there1Yep the old dick and balls is funny in Spain tooToday's laundryJust a snack🐓This was a random surprise3Last night feels

    The Eve of the end

    15. juni, Spania ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    Day 22 Arzua to O Pedrouzo
    Walked 22km
    6 hours walking
    507.69km walked so far
    690,678 steps so far

    Yesterday was a really big day. I should’ve slept like the dead, but my feet and legs are protesting a bit now. They’re not injured, just that radiating soreness that arrives
    in the evening after a long day walking.
    I did finally drift off though.
    I was up and out just after 7am. The accommodation was booked out for breakfast, so they had made me a little picnic breakfast to take with me.
    The mornings are so cool and nice, and as an early riser I would much rather get on the road and get a few good hours in before the heat.
    I walked with Caro from New Zealand this morning. She has walked the entire French Way on her own. She is married, has two grown daughters, and manages an aged care and retirement village. She was lovely company.
    We talked about our dogs and how much we missed them. I told her my theory that Camino dogs are so sick of walkers that they are very ignorant, and she agreed.
    After walking for about an hour, I saw a cafe and needed a wee stop, so Caro kept going. I love this part of it, just little slices of your day spent with others, but no commitments.
    As I walked into the cafe, the most beautiful dog came over to me. As I leaned down, he snuggled into my leg. I sat down on the ground and he just leaned into me for a pat, and I got my dog fix. I sat there for what felt like ages patting him.
    You cannot tell me that dogs, and animals in general, aren’t therapeutic.
    There was lots of beautiful scenery again today. I know I say it every day, but nature has been such a gift on this walk. There are lots of gum/eucalypt plantations on this stretch too, so at times I could almost think I was back in Australia.
    Another young lass said hello, and I said hello back. She was quick to hear my Australian accent and zoomed in. Lovely young adventurer Sonia from Brisbane, with an open-ended travel opportunity but totally confused about what to do next, a nice dilemma to be in.
    My right foot has had enough now. I’m not sure if it’s because I know I’m finishing tomorrow, and I wonder how much of it is mind over matter. It was all preventable so a lesson well learnt.
    I’m really happy with how my body has held up physically though, it’s done its job and I think my preparation helped with that.
    We arrived at our hotel this afternoon and our luggage had been delivered elsewhere, so I’m lying on the bed, smelly and not even able to shower until our luggage is found and delivered. Kind of a nice excuse to do nothing though.
    It’s funny accommodation, full roadworks out the front, noisy workers, and not very aesthetically appealing from the outside. But the accommodation itself is clean and bright, and we have a beautiful little backyard with a veggie patch and geraniums. The afternoon sun is a bit much at the moment though.and there’s no aircon.
    Tomorrow is the day.
    I’m excited for it and also sad for it. I’m not sure if I’ll be emotional as I arrive at St James’s Cathedral, or whether I’ll just think, “Thank fuck, I can sleep in tomorrow.”
    This is 23 days straight of walking
    I have some adventures planned in the couple of days following my arrival, so that might keep me high.
    But tonight, I think I’ll just let my feet ache, let the day settle, and try to take in the fact that tomorrow I walk into Santiago.
    Part 2
    I went out for dinner with Cyn and Wendy and ordered a mixed plate of chicken, chips and croquettes, when it came out it was a full plate of chips, 2 chicken schnitzels and 4 croquettes, I’m a big eater but that’s extreme. I then headed back to the room and treated myself to a massage and a restavit - over and out xxx    Les mer

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  • Gabby TravelsCamino FrancesReisende
    1When Gabby met Gabby
    1Today's walk1This beauty poked its head over the bank as I walked pastWax stamps7Yes I did do it x🩷Santiago Baby1Here I am xx1🩷41My trusty kit3Nice to sit and thinkRoom service and shoes offGood for my tired and sore body1Just for you Jac xxx

    I did it …….

    16. juni, Spania ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    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 x    Les mer

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  • Gabby TravelsCamino FrancesReisende
    1Ponte Maceira - incredibly pretty
    💙1Finally at the coastNew friendsCheers1Local seafood15💙😇1💙Tony and Carol1Pretty little laneways everywhereSantiago alleywaysFrocked up xJust casually strolling past St Jame's on my way back to the hotel last night 🤓

    The Deep Blue Sea

    17. juni, Spania ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    Yesterday I took a bus tour out to the coast.
    Finisterre is the official end of the Camino, the end of the earth - where the 0.00km Camino marker sits. Many people walk the extra 90km from Santiago to Finisterre. I’m not one of them!
    I love the ocean, so it seemed a fitting way to end my trip.
    Bag packed, I headed off to the meeting point with my swimmers, a towel, and a much lighter backpack than the one I’ve carried for the last few weeks.
    It was so nice to just sit on a bus. Even nicer that on my end of the bus there were no English speakers, so I could stare out the window and daydream about the almost five weeks that have just passed.
    Ponte Maceira is known as one of the most beautiful villages in Spain, and I can see why. It was like a cottage garden in a river.
    It was our first stop. I was heading back to the bus when a small but mighty non-English speaking woman dragged me back to do a photo shoot of her. I kept telling her we were late for the bus, but she grabbed me by the top and would not take no for an answer. First, she posed in many different ways while I took photos on her phone. Then she grabbed me again while she got her real camera out and repeated the whole photo shoot. No thank you, not even a smile. I watched her do it to other people all day.
    The coast was beautiful. I can’t complain about the weather I’ve had, blue skies nearly every day.
    Beautiful fishing villages, the smell of the sea air. It took me back to being a kid at Batemans Bay on family holidays. I’ve been to the beach many times since, but a particular smell yesterday took me right back to that time.
    I made some new friends who I shared a local seafood lunch with
    Trish from England, an older woman who had walked the full Camino on her own. She was a ceramicist.
    Gorgeous young Carol from Hong Kong who has just messaged me to see if I would like to ‘hang out’ again today
    Simone from the Netherlands.
    And Tony from Taiwan.
    I think the young ones must have been missing their mums, because they hung around me all day.
    I had packed my togs and imagined I would soak my weary body in the salt water, but there weren’t really any opportunities to get close to accessible water. Each time a swimming friendly beach flashed by, I felt a bit disappointed. There were many rules on the bus, and I suspect salty, sandy passengers would have broken most of them.
    The last stop at Muxía was beautiful, but the ocean had chopped up. As desperate as I was to get my feet in the water, I didn’t want to be the Aussie tourist swept off the rocks in Spain after walking over 500km, so I just took it all in visually instead.
    I was tired and a bit flat yesterday. I think after being on the move for so many days, I was always destined to hit a brick wall once I stopped.
    I also left Baz’s photo at the memorial at the end of the earth.
    That was emotional.
    He walked my journey with me, and it felt like time to let go. He loved the ocean, travel and adventure, so this place felt right.
    At the cross, with the sky wide open and the ocean nearby, I said a quiet thank you x    Les mer

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  • Gabby TravelsCamino FrancesReisende
    Packed for the last time
    View of the pilgrims rolling into Santiago from the church roofErika from Mexico1The Botafumeiro (swinging incense burner) once helped mask the smell of road-weary medieval pilgrimsGoodbye to Cyn and Wendy1I thought my walk was hard xSeeya Santiago

    Adios

    18. juni, Spania ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    Today was my last day.
    I feel really content with how everything went and I’m ready for home.
    I finally slept well for the first time in weeks last night, my psyche must know the job is over
    I hit the jackpot at lunchtime today with the nicest meal I’ve had in five weeks too and I’ve decided, we do food really well in Australia.
    I never quite knew what to expect when I ordered something over here and there were a few surprises along the way!
    I did the rooftop tour of the Cathedral this morning. It was fun looking down from above. My attention span for tours really lacks and history isn’t really my thing, but the view was nice.
    I’ve seen enough churches over the last month to see me out now, they have all merged into one.
    I wandered the laneways again in an attempt to do some gift buying but had little success. A bit too souvenir-ish for me. At this point my presence at home will need to be their present 🤓
    I spent the afternoon sitting in the square people watching. I could do it for days.
    Today I ran into two people from days gone by and the buzz of seeing familiar faces in a foreign country is so exciting. Lovely Erika from Mexico and Cathy from Newcastle.
    Cathy had sprained her ankle and was bruised up to her knee but still managed to finish the walk. That’s bloody tough.
    A few funny observations from the last five weeks:
    • Distances are up the shit. Do not take notice of signage. It can say 22km then 2km down the road 15km - very disheartening when you’re on foot
    • Daylight at 10pm was never going to be good for this early bird.
    • The pillows are long and thin and seem to be the width of the bed. You mostly only get one.
    • No doonas in Spain. I wonder if that’s why I slept so badly. I need the security of a doona.
    • I’ve barely eaten a vegetable since leaving Australia. Basic salads yes, actual vegetables no. They aren’t on the menu, not available
    Bring on the broccoli.
    • My little skort with bike shorts underneath was one of the best things I packed. I’m converted.
    • My walking poles were used to hike, dance and bounce along to the tunes in my head when the days got long and the delirium set in. Thanks Noah and Hayley, they gave me them for Christmas before I had even committed to the walk.
    • There are so many young people walking the Camino.
    • Supermercado is a supermarket.
    • Café con leche is basically a latte
    •Bocadillo de jamón con queso was a baguette with cured ham and cheese, my favourite over here
    • Agua con gas is soda water.
    • Santiago gets rain around 180 days a year and I dodged it.
    • Big chimneys on old houses meant more wealth.
    I was incredibly lucky with the weather. Five weeks away and maybe two light showers, a couple of overcast days and not once did I need long pants or a jumper.
    Tonight I fly to Paris, tomorrow I start the long journey home.
    Five weeks ago this all felt a very long way from reality. Now home feels close
    I’m sad it’s over, happy it’s over, sad to be leaving and happy to be going home.
    I think it’s a good sign that it was exactly the adventure it was meant to be.    Les mer

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  • Gabby TravelsCamino FrancesReisende

    Airbnb!!!

    19. juni, Frankrike ⋅ 🌙 23 °C

    Just to give you a giggle
    My flight from Santiago to Paris was delayed, I had booked an Airbnb room near the airport because a hotel was $800+ and I’m only going to be here for about 6 hours.
    I’ve arrived at midnight, knocked on the door of a house up a long driveway and nobody answered.
    I’ve been communicating with Joseph and he’s been really helpful and reviews well!
    So I tried the door and it opened, lights on, Tv on standby, a door saying toilet, another saying shower and a door saying mancave and another door, I avoided the mancave and tried the other door but it was locked.
    I then thought, ‘shit I hope I’m in the right house’, I walked back outside and I got a message from Joseph that said ‘hello’ and I told him I was here.
    He said my room is upstairs so I came in and lugged my suitcase up the stairs, a bit noisily too it’s heavy and I’m tired😳
    Paris is in the middle of a heatwave and it’s still 25° at 1am in the morning and no aircon, the room is a hotbox.
    I crept back downstairs to have a shower and from the bathroom, I think a family live here, there’s kids toothpaste and toothbrushes.
    So I’m back in my attic and wondering what the morning will look like, will I be having breakfast with my new family that I’m yet to meet? , One of the weirder things I’ve done 😳😜    Les mer

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    20. juni 2026