Sarria

I don’t know what got into me, but I think I have wings! I flew today! My legs feel strong, body too, and I was passing by people like nothing. I should be strong by now. There is only 100km to go. Now or never. Sarria is where tons of people enter the trail with suitcases being transported from town to town. If you walk at least the last 100km you get a Compostela in Santiago certifying your journey. Doesn’t matter if you haven’t walked the whole way, you still get one as long as you collect 2 stamps per day for the next 5 or 6 days (or as long as you want to take to complete the last 100km). It’s fine with me. I used to get a little pissy about the ‘tourogrinos’ who join it at the end with their pretty shoes, makeup, perfume, etc and then waltz into Santiago, taking a seat at the limited seating at the pilgrims mass just to see the huge botafumerio swing. Not anymore. To each their own. Maybe they have health issues preventing them from completing the whole 500 miles, maybe they can only take a week off from work, maybe they don’t have the money, maybe they are caring for someone at home and don’t have the time…and just maybe they do the last 100km for a taste of this sweet, amazing, journey and decide to return for the whole thing another year. It’s not my business, I will greet them as if they have been walking from France or Portugal like many have. It’s a beautiful thing and I know the last days will go so fast as they usually do so I won’t wast my time concerning myself with that. I’m grateful I have had this opportunity.
About today. I saw so many beautiful landscapes, cows and goats pasturing, moss growing on everything, a beautiful labyrinth, mountain trails that tried to break me, downs that tested my knees, and going several kilometers without a coffee stop (poor Tammy!!). I lost Holly for awhile too. Ugh. I got ahead of her but thought hey we’ve been doing this for hundreds of miles and she knows how to follow yellow arrows and the several who are walking this trail, she even has the app this year. I had faith in her. Well apparently she followed a silver arrow downhill to someone’s farm! Another pilgrim whistled 3 times before she realized no one around here whistles for their dog THREE times (they turnaround after one!) so she turned back to see another pilgrim trying to tell her she was going the wrong way! We had talked about our break spot earlier, so I stopped at the first one I saw to use the restroom and get a coffee. I sat there for about 15 minutes thinking no way was I that far ahead of her. When I turned off to the cafe I looked back saw a pink shirt like hers and hair like hers so I was certain she saw me turn off into the cafe. When I came out of the bathroom there was a woman in a pink shirt, hair like Hollys, but not the same pants. Shit it wasn’t her. So I downed my coffee and got back on the trail. A few Km ahead there was another cafe and there she was with her cute orange backpack yelling “hey you, I’m here!!!!” She had asked most people in the cafe if they’d seen me and one person had at the last stop. Sylvia, Brian, Susie, Brad, Bianca…she had them all involved. That’s Holly, my little networker 😂. She finished her tea and we were off to finish the last 5 Km TOGETHER! We arrived in Sarria by 1pm, showered, went and did our laundry, and then off to have some great Italian food at a restaurant that had amazing reviews. I had the lasagna and it was the best I’ve had, ever. Brad and Susie showed up and we had a great visit, learned more about their lives in Australia and came back ‘home’ to pack up for tomorrow into Portomarin. We have about 23km to walk and a 50% chance of rain. Let’s hope it either does it tonight or after we arrive at our destination tomorrow!? Time for sleep, more tomorrow! ❤️😘Read more