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Shantelle's Camino50
  • Itchy Feet

Shantelle's Camino50

After years of dreaming and months of planning... it's time!!!
I'm about to embark on a transformative adventure and legendary pilgrimage that is the 'Camino de Santiago' - A 1000 year old pilgrimage predominantly across northern Spain 🇫🇷 🇪🇸 🥾🌳 Leer más
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  • Itchy FeetShantelle's Camino50Viajero
    The end of the world is marked with 0,00km!!
    2Such a change of scenery to the last 6 weeks!12Souvenir shop next to the lighthouse1Peter the hippy muso, shining his light!This building used to emit a sound to warn sailors when it was too foggy to see the lightI'm hugging left right and centre these past few days!Lisa, looking very longingly out to see!Finisterre lighthouseTop of the hillBottom of the hillBack in Santiago... this is a queue for a yo-chi type shop at 5pm!Streets of Santiago

    Day 43 - Day trip to Finisterre

    3 de julio de 2024, España ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    I took the public bus this morning out to Finisterre about an hours drive away - but 2.5 with all the stops! 😬

    The name comes from the latin 'Finis Terrea', which means 'the end of the world'. The romans gave this name to Finisterre, as the village is one of the most Western points. They saw the rocky place as the end of the world (🥂 google 😝)

    I hadn't really done any research and just rocked up only to realise that you have to walk 3.5km from town to reach the end of the Cape! No problemo, my feet were itching for another walkies! 👣

    It was so beautiful to see the ocean again ... you see it every day at home, but it's taken for granted! It was a pretty and scenic walk with a slight ascent. My legs were ahead of me most of the way 🤣... I was surprised how raring they were to go! Or maybe it was because I didn't have a pack on to weigh me down?!

    Upon walking into the carpark up top, I heard a guy playing the didgeridoo... so I, of course, stopped whilst everyone else walked on by! We chatted for a bit about his music, and he talked about how he'd worked for a year in Australia. You could hear in his voice that he absolutely loved it and that the memories were
    etched in his heart.

    He then gave me a sound vibration healing with the didgeridoo! I took my shoes off and shut my eyes while he walked around me playing. I could seriously feel my skin tingle as he moved around! Very spesh! 🙌

    Then a lady came up to me and said she had a photo for me! ... she had taken a pic when he had hugged me and wanted to share! I then chatted to her for a while - she had just finished walking the Portuguese route - lovely lady!

    I got back down the hill in time to catch the 3pm bus back to Santiago. It only took an hour this time!

    I was so hungry and went to the restaurant downstairs to get takeaway, but the kitchen wasn't open for another hour, so I ended up at KFC! 😬

    I'm off to Madrid in the morning on the fast train that will take 3 hours to do 600kms! I'm ready to leave... the noise around my room at night is starting to really grate on me!

    Where I'm staying in Madrid is an interesting story too... but I'll save that one for tomorrow! 😴    Leer más

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  • Itchy FeetShantelle's Camino50Viajero
    Check out the speed Mum!!1See the temp sign!! ...39° 😱

    Day 44 - Santiago to Madrid

    4–6 jul. 2024, España ⋅ ☀️ 38 °C

    Today, I leave Santiago to catch a fast train to Madrid for 2 nights before leaving for Oz on Saturday. I could have sworn I booked a forward facing seat, but nope... I sat backwards the whole 3.5hrs! 🤣

    When I put my pack through the security machine, I met a lovely lady called Patricia from Sydney. She had also just walked a section of the camino after losing her sister 2 months ago. We chatted until we boarded our separate carriages.

    It just occurred to me today that I am away for exactly 50 days! Ironic in my 50th year... just saying!

    So a few days ago, I decided to call upon my friend Jose from Madrid, whom I met on the bus over from Pamplona to St Jean Pied de Port....way back in my 1st week!

    He ever so kindly offered to be my tour guide AND invited me to stay with his family in Madrid!! I was so humbled and happy to accept as it's not every day you get these kinds of opportunities! How lucky am I to be getting the full cultural experience! 💚

    Jose & Lissy picked me up from the train station and took me back to their apartment where they live with their 3 boys - Guillermo 17, Ignacio 19 & Javier 22 (I've definitely spelt them wrong?!) Ignacio is away at present, so Javier has kindly given me his room while he sleeps in Ignacius' bed🧡.

    It was already 35° when I arrived and having only hiking gear, Lissy leant me some comfy light threads to wear! 🙏

    We went out for lunch then got on the city e-bikes and off we went down the massively long straight main street called Castilleno - it's 7km long!

    They even have a separate dedicated bike road next to the cars here, so cool! We rode for 45 minutes and pulled up at El Retiro Park for icecream and a wander! From here, we travelled by foot - walking here, there and everywhere and I had so much fun!!

    Then, to top it off, we went to a cool outdoor bar for a G&T... this bar had little pools for your feet!! Super cool idea, and it was just what my footsies wanted after walking for a couple of hours!

    Then, as we were walking to catch the metro train back, there's this big concert right in Porto del Sol!! We took 5mins to soak up the vibe then headed 'home' for dinner with the boys! ... it was like 9pm by the time we arrived back! We had an awesome chat at the dinner table about our cultures... again, I say, 'How fortunate am I!!'

    Their boys are gorgeous and actually, this whole families english is amazing!! 👌... they're teaching me some Spanish too!

    I'm now in bed, exhausted but very, very satisfied - it's 1am!! The latest I've stayed up this whole time in Spain! 😱😴    Leer más

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  • Itchy FeetShantelle's Camino50Viajero
    1Some creative work with Jamon (ham/proscuitto) ❤️4The Nigerians... look closely for the ropesIllegal selling on the MAIN street?! 🤔Metropolis buildingCheers to my 1st Vermut!Plaza Mayor - not a pretty history of what they used to do here!The artwork on this building caught my attention!Royal Palace2This is Javier - the eldest son of 22!How interesting is this clothesline! 😱2Jose in the kitchen1Run forest run!!! 😂🤣1Plaza Mayor

    Day 45 - Madrid sightseeing

    5 de julio de 2024, España ⋅ ☀️ 39 °C

    Another exciting, fun-filled & sweltering day in Madrid with the temp reaching 39°!!

    Jose took the day off work today to be my tour guide 🙏🙌. We left on the metro around 10.30am and headed for the city centre where he showed me soooo much history - Malasana, the Royal Palace, Chueca, Sol, Plaza Mayor! - to name but a few - seriously, the sights & attractions are endless in this place!

    The beauty in the architecture, the gardens, and the people are enough to make you want to come back for more! ❤️

    I was introduced to Vermut (maybe we call it Vermouth?!)... we sat outside in the sun with the complimentary olives 🫒 drinking our fortified vino!🍷...very nice!

    I saw the most interesting scene today, which made me laugh... so we are walking up Grand Via and I see all these Nigerian men with tarps laid out displaying bags, shirts, sunglasses etc... but they are holding ropes?! Why?! 🤔... this boggled my mind, so I asked Jose what they were doing!!

    He explained that they are selling illegally! So if they see a policeman, they can quickly pull the ropes to close up all their wares and RUN 🏃‍♂️!!! 🤣

    It's like a game of cat & mouse as this is what they do ALL day! About 30mins later, I saw this exact scene play out in front of me and caught it on video! ...love this footage, which is attached! 😂

    We ventured back to my 'home away from home' around 2pm and met Lissy, who had now finished work. We then had some lunch and a siesta! 😴

    At 6 p.m., we left Jose to watch the Madrid vs. Germany soccer game, and we headed to a shopping centre for some retail therapy!

    He was a very happy chappy when we got back, as Madrid had won! 😄👏... we had a bikini sandwich (ham & cheese toastie) with some salad and tortilla for la cena (dinner) 😋

    I have absolutely loved my Madrid stopover and have been blessed by these amazing people who've taken me under their wing as one of their own! From a 3 hour friendship to now feeling like I've known these guys forever, it is yet another example of some camino magic! ✨️❤️    Leer más

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  • Itchy FeetShantelle's Camino50Viajero
    2This lovely scene greeted me upon arrival - check out their t-shirts! 😍🤣
    2

    Day 46 - Goodbye Spain, hello family! ❤

    6–7 jul. 2024, España ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    So that's a wrap, folks! I hope you've enjoyed my journey as much as I have!

    I'm so appreciative of all your views, likes, hearts & comments! ... I truly am surrounded by awesome people! 💚

    Jose gave me this map of Madrid this morning! He's gone and highlighted everywhere we've ridden, walked & had experiences at - such a thoughtful gesture! ... He's even written 'Nigerian runners' & 'Vermut' 👌🤣

    As he would say.... 'It's not about the materialistic things... it's about the experiences and memories that we create for ourselves and each other' 🙌

    I was so excited to see my family upon arriving at Perth Airport and LOVED the t-shirts they were all wearing! 🤣    Leer más

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  • Itchy FeetShantelle's Camino50Viajero

    The Spirit of the Camino

    7 de julio de 2024, Australia ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    I came across this exquisitely written post that wholeheartedly sums up the Camino experience...

    💚 It’s been a little over 2 weeks now since my last day on the Camino de Santiago & in the space of that time, the memory & the mourning for being back on The Way has its moments of feeling palpable. The journey you’ve all followed me on through the photos I’ve shared does little to truly harness the emotion & humility of being a pilgrim. Contrary to the blue skies & wildflowers, what the photos don’t capture is the pain, the tears, the comradery, the willpower, the love & power for change that exists within the confines of the Camino.

    Your life suddenly becomes very simple – Each day you wake before the sun rises, quietly repack your belongings in the dark & you find a reason that compels you to put one foot in front of the other. That reason compels you to walk through pain, through shin splints, tendonitis, blisters, rain & hail. You walk, you eat, you laugh, you sleep, you repeat.

    You cry. You cry because you’re happy, you cry as a result of pain, you cry because you’re humbled & you cry because of the deep love & respect you have for nature, the path & the people on it. Often you cry without reason at all.

    The Camino makes you family; everything you have you must be willing to share. You share your last Compeed, your wine, your burdens, your humour, your thoughts. You share of yourself without limitations, hesitation or personal gain. What you share becomes the testimony of your experience.

    You share with strangers & quickly learn that 1 step back is more valuable than 100 steps forward in order to help another without thought for yourself. This lesson quickly breeds change and you see the best version of your Self reflected back at you in the eyes of those who you’ve stopped to help.
    The compassion, both given & received, cracks your heart wide open & makes it impossible to not be unequivocally changed by the experience of being human. By the experience of being a pilgrim.

    The Camino compels you to look within, to be vulnerable, to let yourself need & be needed, to be compassionate; to dig deep into the confines of your heart & to learn about yourself. It tests your limits of physical & emotional pain & spins what you find into the most valuable possession you’ve ever held in your own two hands – The most authentic version of your Self you have ever known.

    The journey to Santiago de Compostela is not an endurance challenge, a test of fitness, a competition or a walk about kilometres or miles. The Way is a journey into yourself. A journey into friendship, contemplation, silence, nature, humility, spirituality & gratitude.    Leer más

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    Fin del viaje
    7 de julio de 2024