2023 Passport Chronicles

Embarking on an epic five-month adventure across multiple Spanish speaking lands to reset my cultural chakras! I’ll be collecting stamps, walking countless miles and creating lasting memories solo and with beloved travel companions. Read more

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2023 Passport Chronicles Traveler
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Camino Day 16: SanBol to Itero dela Vega
August 27, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C
Total Distance: 27.8km
Step Count: 38k
Blisters to date: 2
Tortillas to date: 16

From Arroyo de San Bol, it was a long and very fun day to our destination as there was so much entertainment along the way!

We walked like 6km to our breakfast stop in the cute little village of Hontanas and from there, another 5km to the ruins of San Anton. When we got to the ruins, there was a couple volunteers who started to talk to me in Spanish. When I told them I was from Venezuela, they asked if I would dance. They said someone was going to sing so I told them if someone would sing that I’d happily dance but the music was opera! 🙃

A Russian pilgrim ended up putting on a 20min show in the ruins for donativos and it was so beautiful we stayed until the end and chatted to him for a while. Everyone else in our group had moved on and missed it!

From there we kept walking to Castrojeriz where we visited a church turned museum that projected a short film about the camino on the ceiling. After a quick bite in town, we started the climb up to Alto de Mostelares, the highest point in the plains offering spectacular views all round.

We were going to meet up with David and stay at a small chapel 3km from the top that only had 8 beds and no electricity but half way through the climb, he called to let us know that there were only 2 beds left and there was 3 of us 🤷🏻‍♀️

We had to walk an extra 3km to the following town to a donativo hostel that didn’t have the greatest reviews but ended up being another lovely place with one of the most generous communal dinners! The Camino always provides ✨

All of the Aussies on the Camino were there that night! But I spent most of the time talking to the French lady sitting in front of me on the dinner table. She couldn’t speak English so with my basic French (and a lil help from google translate at times) we talked and talked. I found out she has cancer and had already undergone like 6 surgeries, with another one coming up soon. She was also advised against doing the Camino but she was determined to show her cancer who’s the boss! She had also started her walk in France so she’d been going way longer than me. We talked about life, and love and so many beautiful things, I hope wherever she is on her journey now, she’s patting herself on the back for not giving up! I will always remember her 🥹Read more
Traveler Wow!!!
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Camino Day 17: Itero to Fromista
August 28, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C
Total Distance: 15.4km
Step Count: 20.9k
Blisters to date: 2
Tortillas to date: 17

Today was a very cruisy day (pun intended!). We were on our way to Fromista and I’d heard about a boat that navigates along the Canal de Castilla that was meant to be really nice 🛥️

So I somehow convinced the fam that we should wait until 1pm for the 20min boat ride along the Canal, equivalent to a 3km stretch of the way. This meant that we could start our day late as we only had to walk around 10km to get to the dock and after that just a short walk into the town we’d stay in.

In the morning, our group had reunited and we set off to have the longest breakfast on the Camino but the boat ride was so worth it! The sky was perfectly blue with fluffy clouds that reflected on the water. The sun was shining and we were all pretty happy to experience the camino in a slightly different way other than walking, especially when you only have to pay €2.

I spent the whole boat ride talking with locals about the area and then half an hour later, we were at our Albergue for the day. We got there so early and so full of energy that we decided to cook together a meal and I spent a lovely afternoon sketching 🎨

I also met Gordon from Australia who draws comics for fun and gave me some handy tips for my sketches 🥰Read more
Traveler I love it!!!
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Camino Day 18: Fromista to Carrion
August 29, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C
Total Distance: 20.8km
Step Count: 31.5k
Blisters to date: 2
Tortillas to date: 17
Injuries: shin splints

The walk today wasn’t the nicest until the very end but the place where we were going was. I was in a bit of pain from shin splints and the scenery was very uninspiring until the last couple of kms where there were sunflowers as far as the eye could see! 🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻

Overall, it was an easy and peaceful walk to Carrion de Los Condes where most of the albergues are under the care of one religious order or another.

We were going to stay at the Albergue de Santa María where the nuns are known to sing to pilgrims. To our surprise, the nuns were away but luckily that didn’t stop the singing. The volunteer in charge was a very charismatic man who could entertain us all for days! 🎸

The afternoon had a jam packed agenda with singing at 5pm, a pilgrims’ mass at 7 and then a communal dinner at 8. For the communal dinner, we were asked to bring something to share as they would provide the main meal. For €10 which was the cost of the bed, this was a pretty generous offer 🤍

We spent the afternoon at a bar with a funny American couple, who we’d seen over the days and we left them at 5 to attend the singing hour.

The singing was very interesting as everyone took part (which was unexpected) and the volunteers had every single person introduce themselves and share why they were on the Camino. There were laughs and tears and so many different and inspiring stories. This was the day I found out why my (soon to become) little brother on the camino was walking. Gave him the biggest hug ever!

After the singing had finished and all the stories had been shared, the volunteer in charge came up to me and told me a beautiful story that resonated with my journey. He also asked me to meet them at 7am the next day as they wanted to give me a surprise before I left. Why me out of everyone? Who knows… but the Camino works in mysterious ways like that 🤷🏻‍♀️

Over dinner we also celebrated Veronica, a gal who started walking from Italy and would be walking her 100th day the next day! Simply amazing!Read more
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Camino Day 19: Carrión to Ledigos
August 30, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C
Total Distance: 23.9km
Step Count: 35k
Blisters to date: 2
Tortillas to date: 18
Injuries to date: shin splints

The morning started off with a beautiful surprise delivered by the volunteers of the Albergue. I received a song, a reading from a verses from a specific part of the gospel and a book from the nuns for my journey 📚

I was overwhelmed from all the socialising the night before so I walked alone and just listened to music. My shin splints also kicked in yesterday and the music helped to distract from the pain. I also called my fam and we talked for like an hour, it’d been a while 🙃

Leaving Carrion early in the morning was quite beautiful but the stretch from Carrion to Calzadilla de las Cuezas was 17km all straight with not much along the way except for a food truck.

By the time we got to Calzadilla, I still had a few more kms in me to make the next day shorter. However, the path from here was by the road so I took a lil detour where I enjoyed some solitude and lots of sunflower fields before arriving to Ledigos where there was an albergue with a pool awaiting!

I spent the best afternoon here: chillin, journaling and then taking in the super blue moon 🌚Read more
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Camino Day 20: Ledigos to Sahagún
August 31, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C
Total Distance: 17km
Step Count: 29.7k
Blisters to date: 2
Tortillas to date: 18
Injuries: shin splints

Today we’d be hitting the half way point of the Camino and it was a short day which my leg was very grateful for, even though the shin splints had started to ease.

I had such a good sleep and woke up so late that everyone had left so I set off on my own. I enjoyed the best animal encounters meeting Bimba and seeing so many teradillos birds flying around in the morning!

Half way through, I stopped at this cute lil bar for yet another tortilla and saw Tommaso, a cool Italian guy who I’d gotten to know a lil bit over the previous days, and we ended up having a long chat over coffee. We rarely rush and even less so on short days!

The walk into Sahagun was alright in comparison to most small cities, despite the long winded path. When I got there, Lukas had sorted out an albergue to stay in but the rest of our camino family had moved on, as it happens.

In Sahagun, we got our half way certificates, went to a pilgrim’s mass and enjoyed a beautiful communal dinner with some people in the Albergue, including David as we somehow managed to meet up randomly every 3 or 4 days without even trying.

I also got to place a pin on the map, being the first Venezuelan to stay there 💛💙❤️

The albergue was run by very conservative
volunteers with a very strict no mixed dorms rules (unless you get a private room, haha) which ended up backfiring for me. I ended up barely getting any sleep because the lady sharing my bunk had a crazy fit shortly after the lights went out over another lady snoring in our dorm and for the next 2 hours, no one would be able to get any rest until she finally left the room. Ugh! 🥱Read more
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Camino Day 21: Sahagún to Burgo Ranero
September 1, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C
Total Distance: 18km
Step Count: 30.1k
Blisters to date: 2
Tortillas to date: 19
Injuries: shin splints

Today, I walked with Tommaso as Lukas started super early to try and make his way to Leon where we’d meet again in 2 days.

It was a very chill walk talking about love, faith and life. I love having conversations with people who think deeply and can appreciate and accept different perspectives on different topics. It was a lovely bonding time on the trail. I also got a tarot reading at our breakfast stop which was very interesting and entertaining 🃏

Our destination was El Burgo Ranero where according to Jorge, we might experience the most beautiful sunset on the whole camino! The town was quite cute with not much happening but the Albergue we stayed at was so serene in ways we couldn’t describe! I journaled for hours and had lovely chats with the volunteers.

In the evening, we went to find the bench we were meant to watch the sunset from but the weather wasn’t great so not much to be seen but you could see how on a good day, the spot had so much potential!

I also met a lovely group of Spanish women who were really worried about my leg which wasn’t hurting anymore but was swelling inexplicably 🤷🏻‍♀️

I was contemplating a 37km day to Leon the next day to go to a health centre and get my leg checked but the Camino always provides and had better plans for me! ✨Read more
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Camino Day 22: El Burgo to Mansilla
September 2, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C
Total Distance: 22km
Step Count: 33.6k
Blisters to date: 2
Tortillas to date: 21
Injuries: shin splints

Today I woke up worried about my leg swelling up so I started walking and checking in which town I could catch a bus to Leon which was the next big city (less than 40km away). The first “bigger” town along the way was 13km away so until then, there was not much I could do.

In Reliegos, I stopped for brekkie (tortilla #1) at la cantina de Teddy which was a blessing in disguise! The hospitalero was so welcoming, chatty and playing jokes on everyone so I asked him and his wife for some guidance.

His wife told me that the next town had a small hospital with an emergency service and suggested going there first instead of Leon because it would be faster than at a big city public hospital… boy she was right! ✨

Over brekkie I met a young Aussie/Japanese gal who was living in Sweden and we walked together until the next town. She worked in education too so it was a pretty cool and interesting convo the whole way there. She was walking further that day and I had some time to kill before going to the hospital so we had lunch together at Mansilla de las Mulas (tortilla #2) and parted ways.

The hospital visit lasted 30min all in all and it was as suspected, pain in the shins due to the terrain and overuse. The doc prescribed proper anti inflammatory medication and strongly suggested to get an ankle brace and have a rest day. I left relieved knowing that it was nothing serious and that I’d be in my way soon again! 🏥

I ended up staying in town and ran into the three Spanish women I’d met the night before at the Albergue. They had a four-bed room and offered me the spare bed so I would be free from snorers that night (so nice!). I also gave my 8 of swords card to Lorena, which I’d been carrying around for days not knowing why or what it meant until I got my tarot reading the day before and heard her talk about her life. The card was meant for her and I hope it brings her some good luck! 🃏

There was also a lovely dinner with a group I’d been seeing since the beginning and had occasionally hung out with.

The Albergue was so nice with a beautiful garden as well as aircon and ceiling fans in the rooms! We didn’t need them anymore as the heatwave was over but this Albergue went go down as the unicorn of the camino! 🦄Read more
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Camino Day 23: Mansilla to León
September 3, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C
Total Distance: 18.2km (by bus)
Step Count: 15.8k
Blisters to date: 2
Tortillas to date: 21
Injuries: shin splints

I didn’t walk today 😔
The doctor was very emphatic on taking a rest day so I caught a bus early in the morning to León. Most of the city entrances were not the nicest to walk so I figured this would be a good section to skip without much FOMO.

I got to town so early that I managed to get some beautiful shots at the Cathedral without anyone in the square! I sat at a cafe there to enjoy my coffee with a view and shortly after I bumped into Lukas and Tommaso. Of course we’d reunite! I also met Little John (who was going through his Camino spending more by staying in private rooms to spare people from his snoring - good people still exist!).

After dropping my things off at the Albergue, we went to a mass with singing nuns (finally!). It was beautiful 😍

From there, Lukas, Tommaso and I went to the museum and then walked around the city centre as there was a big medieval festival taking place. There was music and food and market stalls everywhere.

Later that day, after resting my leg a bit more, I caught up with the Spanish ladies and we went to visit the Cathedral, known for its more than 130 church windows! Breathtakingly beautiful! ⛪️

By the time we came out, it was pouring so we found an undercover spot to enjoy some food and drinks, one last hurrah before we parted ways the next day and another bittersweet farewell. We were all headed to Astorga but they’d walk the stretch in 3 days and I would do it in 2 as Jorge would visit me on the trail there 😊Read more
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Camino Day 24: León to Hospital deÓrbigo
September 4, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C
Total Distance: 41.5km
Step Count: 58k
Blisters to date: 2
Tortillas to date: 21
Injuries: shin splints

Blippin’ longest day ever walking! Not just on the Camino but in my lifetime! - to date anyways.

What was meant to be a 34km day (a bit of a stretch for my leg and the longest day I’d have so far) ended up being 41km! All the guide books and trail info about this stage were wrong as confirmed by the locals later.

The walk itself was flat, uneventful, serene, with minimal stops, a very early start and some rain during the morning. I ended up walking the whole day with a Mexican woman who’d asked me in León if she could stick with me just to make her way out of town. It would be dark and she didn’t want to get lost but we found our way out easily thanks to another pilgrim who was heading out at the same time.

Grumpiness kicked in after 30 odd KMs when I realised I still had another 8 to reach my destination but all the aches and pains disappeared in an instant when we arrived! Hospital de Órbigo was by far one of the most beautiful arrivals to a village with its long Roman bridge and the beautiful love story surrounding it (el Passo Honroso)! ❤️

We were also going to stay at an Albergue run by Venezuelans which to my surprise was all dedicated to paintings by pilgrims. It was so colourful and reminded me of posadas by the beach back home! 💛💙❤️

Lukas and I spent like an hour painting and then went to enjoy a well deserved dinner with Tim and then lots of sleep! The next day would be a short one 😊Read more
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Camino Day 25: Órbigo to Astorga
September 5, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C
Total Distance: 18km
Step Count: 32.3k
Blisters to date: 2
Tortillas to date: 21
Injuries: shin splints

After some jewellery shopping in the morning (yay! for beautiful gold Camino mementos), Lukas and I set off to Astorga.
We took the scenic way (as you should) even though the day before we’d paid an extra 8km penalty for it! This was the first day we actually walked together.

After León, we had entered into the third phase of the Camino: the spiritual phase. We were also getting much closer to Galicia and the landscape was starting to turn very green! The contrast to the plains was incredible!

I spent most of the walk enjoying the new scenery and talking with my lil bro, a smart, sweet and very funny cookie.

About 6km before Astorga, we came about “La Casa de los Dioses”, a zen like place with lots of food available to pilgrims and passers for a donation (camino magic ✨). They even had Vegemite which Lukas didn’t like 😆

We ended up chillin’ for a while there and walked the last few Kms. Jorge was already in town when I got there so I left my lil bro with a plan to where we’d meet up again the next day.

Jorge was on a mission to pamper me the whole day (as I was still living the pilgrim life) so he took me out to lunch, dinner and a few drinks. He also brought me some more of his mom’s anti inflammatory ointment for my shins and a sweater which would save my life this evening and during many cold nights ahead! 🧥

We walked all around town and spent the loveliest of days together! We also realised we’re terrible tourists and took a few random snaps around midnight before we called it a day. One of them was actually at the Cathedral, a historical artistic monument of this beautiful town which we’d visited earlier. ⛪️

Running on Spanish time (where everything happens after 8pm!) was a bit of a struggle for pilgrims who tend to get up early but today, being somewhat sleep deprived was for a good cause 😊Read more
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Camino Day 26: Astorga to Foncebadón
September 6, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C
Total Distance: 21.9km
Step Count: 33.4k
Blisters to date: 2
Tortillas to date: 22
Injuries: shin splints

I’d planned a relatively short day today so I could sleep in a bit (till 7) and not much was open around us for brekkie so I happily accepted a ride to the next town. This would save me 5km walking out of the city (cheating? 🫣). I’d already taken a boat and a bus so this just added a bit more variety to the mode of transport mix!

We were enjoying some seriously delicious tortillas for brekkie and bumped into Szab and Ben, a Hungarian dad and son who were doing the Camino together (so adorable!). Ben and I had met many days earlier and bonded over the amount of weight in our packs allocated to journals! Ben also seemed to have everything happen to him: blisters, pains, aches and today’s latest, a whole bunch of crazy bites on his feet and arms that were all scary swollen. Despite this, he was one of the most upbeat and optimistic people I encountered on my way.

We gave him the famous ointment and then it was time to say goodbye to Jorge 🥺 and get on with the 20km I still had to walk that day. 🥾

A bit into my walk, I got a message from Lukas saying to keep an eye out for the guy who made these wax stamps we all wanted on our credentials. No one knew where we’d find the guy and it was a lovely addition to our collection! It’s a beautiful and clever way to fund the Camino too.

All the towns along the way today were roughly 5km apart so it was easy to take a bit of a rest every hour or so. The last 6km would be all uphill under the scorching sun to Foncebadón which was up in the mountain. The town was beautiful and left us a mere 30min walk from la Cruz de Ferro where we’d enjoy sunrise the next day.

I finally met Lukas at the parroquial albergue in town which offered beds for a donation (great for people with a tight budget). There was only one bed left so we asked Fernando (the hospitalero) if he’d save it for a friend who was behind us and needed it more than we did. He was surprised by our thoughtfulness and concern for others that he offered us mattresses on the floor (which we kindly declined) and then invited us to join them in the morning for breakfast (which we promised we’d join). Kindness begets kindness! ✨

We were exhausted so after feasting at La Taberna de Gaia (a really cool medieval restaurant), and quickly bumping into Mark (best hugs on the Camino!), we called it a day. Yay for sleep! 🛌Read more
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Camino Day 27: Foncebadón to Molinaseca
September 7, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 27 °C
Total Distance: 21.9km
Step Count: 33.4k
Blisters to date: 2
Tortillas to date: 22
Injuries: shin splints

An early start paid off today as we caught the most beautiful sunrise leaving Foncebadón! Before setting off, we popped by the parroquial albergue to say farewell and thank you to Fernando, the hospitalero. He welcomed us with coffee and gifted me a small shell for my pack. I’d heard that you should never buy them for yourself but rather to gift so it felt special to receive one.

Shortly after leaving we arrived at the Cruz de Ferro, the highest point on the whole Camino. The tradition is to throw a stone, usually brought from the pilgrim's place of origin or picked up along the way. Placing it at the cross before entering Santiago symbolises a release of burdens. 🪨

The rest of the day would see us passing a few very beautiful villages on the mountain and an endless downhill to Molinaseca, where we enjoyed an epic swimming spot under a beautiful bridge!

We stayed at the Albergue Santa Marina, a highlight of my journey! The albergue was so spacious, with a beautiful lounge, garden and dorms. The hospitalero was so lovely too! We ended up talking for a couple hours about the Camino, it’s history, Spain and life in general. Even got a free beer and another beautiful token for my pack! 🍻

Szab and Ben also stayed here and we met more beautiful people around the dinner table. Communal dinners are one of my favourite things on the Camino! 🍽️Read more
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Camino Day 28: Molinaseca to Villafranca
September 8, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 27 °C
Total Distance: 31km
Step Count: 44.6k
Blisters to date: 2
Tortillas to date: 22
Injuries: shin splints

Today was meant to be a 24km day but we were told that if we could walk a bit longer, we should go to Villafranca del Bierzo, which we were glad we did!

The walk was very enjoyable and full of surprises! Even walking through Ponferrada where everything was closed due to the town’s festival led us to finding cocosettes! These yummy Venezuelan wafers would accompany our coffees over the next couple days. 😋

After Ponferrada and a couple kms walking through an industrial zone, we rejoined the actual Camino and ran into little John who we’d walk with for the rest of the day. We also met Anna from Germany in one of our coffee/beer stops. We had so many stops today we thought we’d never make it to our destination but we couldn’t say no to coffee or beer or ice cream or Venezuelan arepas! I had literally manifested arepas that morning and the camino provided! ✨

Little John treated us to lunch (so sweet!) and we found the most beautiful of chapels along the way too.

We also got stopped by a truck that was passing by when were walking through Cacabelos and the driver told us to grab some grapes from the back… we hadn’t quite realised what was happening but we were so surprised and grateful when we did. They were delish! 🍇

The final Kms were all uphill which my shin splints were really appreciated. It was also cloudy which we all appreciated!

Walking into Villafranca was absolutely beautiful! The town is set in a valley surrounded by mountains and greenery. Apparently, it also has around 10 churches (crazy for a town that size!) but all the ones we saw were closed. However, we did make it to dinner before the downpour! Everyone ran inside the restaurant but a few of us just kept eating and 15min later it was all over! 😅Read more
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Camino Day 29: Villafranca to Trabadelo
September 9, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C
Total Distance: 13km
Step Count: 21.6k
Blisters to date: 2
Tortillas to date: 22
Injuries: shin splints

While today was a very short day, it was all up on the mountains! Nothing like a bit of a sleep in and a steep climb to get the day going. The walk itself was simply stunning!

On our way, we had a long break at the top of the mountain and then another one in Pradela, a cute little village where we enjoyed a delicious lunch (omelette as there was no tortilla) and played with the cutest kittens and cats! So many stray cats in Spain 🥺 I also bought some blueberry jam 😋

We barely saw one other person on the trail and loved having the mountains all to ourselves. It was all blue skies and sunshine until like 2km before our destination when it started to drizzle.

The day before, Lukas was being all infects out whether he wanted to stay at Trabadelo or keep going to Las Herrerías so he could do a stretch horseback riding. I was hoping to stay at Casa Susi, a very small Albergue (10-12 beds) established by an Aussie woman who has a beautiful and inspiring life and love story (feel free to ask me about it). It’s one of those stories that make you believe more than ever in the magic of the Camino! ✨

When I called to book my bed, there was only 1 left and I took it as Lukas was uncertain as to what he’d do. They said that if he stayed in town he could still join the communal dinner and that they’d call me if any cancellations (very slim chance).

So we are on our way and Lukas decides to stay in town. One hour later, I receive a call about a cancellation and just like that a bed at the Albergue had become available. Coincidence? Camino magic? I prefer to believe the latter and so did Lukas when he finally and wholeheartedly manifested he wanted to stay there. 🏡

The Albergue was so beautiful with a huge veggie garden which is used to make the communal dinners for pilgrims, access to the river, and the closest thing I ever got to having a “private” room in a shared dorm!

The dinner was one of the most fun nights we had to date, the food was unbelievably delicious and we befriended the whole lot on the table! Everyone went around sharing their story and why they were there. The rest of the night was filled with funny tales (anyone know much about the witches of Pamplona?), so much laughter and finding out that all the Aussies on the table (like 8 of us including the Albergue owners) we’ll be reuniting in January in the Blue Mountains! ⛰️Read more
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Camino Day 30: Trabadelo to O Cebreiro
September 10, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C
Total Distance: 19.9km
Step Count: 32.4k
Blisters to date: 2
Tortillas to date: 22
Injuries: shin splints

Another beautifully perfect day on the Camino, full of greenery, farm animals and mountains! ⛰️

Today we officially crossed into Galicia after a bit of a climb to O Cebreiro, one of the most charming towns with jaw dropping views all round! Galicia would mark the nearing end of our journey.

It was a short day so we stopped a lot! Tried “tarta de Santiago” for the first time, had a melt in your mouth Spanish ham and goats cheese toast, dunked my head in every water fountain I could find and the spent the whole afternoon chillin in the town.

Spent a lil while with a lovely group of people we’d come across a few times, all from different places who’d met in the early stages and started walking together till the end. 🍻

I needed so downtime after that and sat a bar nearby when Tommaso appeared and decided to join me. He was keen to try out my watercolours so we shared a couple hours of silence while he painted and I journaled. 🎨

An Italian girl and a couple of her friends eventually joined us as well as Lukas who had been in Siesta mode. We were all going to have dinner together but somehow we managed to lose the other group, so it ended up being the three of us enjoying another pilgrim’s menu. 🤷🏻‍♀️

The food in Galicia is so yum!Read more
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Camino Day 31: O Cebreiro to Triacastela
September 11, 2023 in Spain ⋅ 🌧 20 °C
Total Distance: 22.1km
Step Count: 33.1k
Blisters to date: 2
Tortillas to date: 23
Injuries: shin splints

We left O Cebreiro very early today as we were going to try to walk 30Kms and it was meant to rain in the afternoon (spoiler alert: ‘twas an epic fail!).

I walked with Tommaso and Lukas today and they spent hours planning their walk to Porto after reaching Santiago. I was zoned out for most of the walk enjoying the scenery! It was another gorgeous section and we walked way too slow for a 30km day.

A few kms before Triacastela, we decided we’d stay there and parted ways as we were all by now wanting to go at different paces. I was the first one to make it into town. The guys were meant to follow but Lukas kept on walking and ended up staying like 10km further ahead. I figured that would be the last we’d see each other until Santiago. 👋🏼

I was on my own for a while so I sat at the local bar, enjoying a tortilla. I hadn’t had one in days and I was starting to have withdrawals 😅. I also hadn’t spoken to Jorge properly in days since Astorga so we talked for like an hour on the phone while I ate and doodled my way through the menu.

Tommaso eventually popped by the bar to let me know he’d be cooking dinner and invited me to join. Until then, he went wandering and I stayed at the bar to paint for a bit.

I thought I’d picked a low key table hidden in the corner but everyone passing by would stop to watch me and start commenting and asking about my water-colouring. It was very hard to finish the postcard with people constantly interrupting as I’d be working through some details. This included a group of women from Perth I’d met over 2 weeks ago and a group of Spanish speaking women I’d ended up befriending and walking with for a while the next day!

A few more interruptions later, I gave up on painting (when good is good enough!) and it was almost dinner time. Tommaso made us some pasta and we went back to the bar for dessert 😋

I was planning on going to bed after that (which would’ve meant some proper sleep) but ended up staying back and chatting with the Spanish/Colombian women for like an hour instead to the point we almost missed our Albergue curfew! So lucky we didn’t. 😅Read more
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Camino Day 32: Triacastela to Barbadelo
September 12, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C
Total Distance: 25.3km
Step Count: 36.1k
Blisters to date: 2
Tortillas to date: 24
Injuries: shin splints

Today, I started a bit worried about what would come the next few days as everyone who has done the full Camino or was already ahead said that the Camino magic is lost after Sarría, which I’d pass today. This city was towards the end of this stage and just before the 100km mark. So many people start their walk from there as the last 100km are the ones required to get the Compostela (certificate of completion of the Camino de Santiago) so they’re considered a different type of pilgrims.

I met up with the spanish speaking ladies from the night before and off we went! The day was cool and the walk was beautiful, mostly in the forest. A few kms in, I lost the ladies as I was walking faster and also lost the trail for a bit (distracted 🙃). By the time I realised I was off the trail and walked back to the junction I missed, I met up with the group again and also met Mercedes (another lovely lady from Mexico). I ended up walking with Mercedes for a while until we lost each other in one of the stops.

I kept on going aiming to do a quick detour to check out a very unique place: “La Casa del Alquimista”. This 200 year old rural house was set up by a man who works with minerals as raw material for his art, which is showcased all over the house. The man passed away a few years ago but his son took over the place and it was very interesting to see the contrast in their styles. 🖼️

The lady who welcomed people there was so lovely and asked for our names. When I said mine, she was like “Oh! You’re Lukas’ friend! He stayed here last night and left like an hour ago”. I was like “Ah, so that’s where he went?, he just left without saying much… I think he was trying to get away from me haha” to which she replied “Oh I’m certain he cares for you very much because he talked about you a lot!”. 🥰

Shortly after leaving the alchemist’s house, I was going down a road with a cafe when who do I see sitting on a table as if he hadn’t left me the day before? My lil bro, Lukas! I knew he’d miss me haha and I annoyed him for the rest of the day.

Lukas and I ended up staying at the cafe for like an hour or 2 waiting for Tommaso to catch up and in that time we met a couple of Dutch men who were doing the camino together and the first Venezuelan pilgrims along the way.

After we were all reunited again, we kept on walking and decided we didn’t want to stay in the big town so we pushed on for another hour after to Barbadelo which had a beautiful Albergue with a massive garden and pool. It was too chilly to swim but we relaxed during the afternoon drinking sangrias.🍷

At dinner time, we asked everyone around us if they wanted to join tables and we ended up meeting Jan and a few others. Lots of laughter and an endless debate about coffee marked the end to another beautiful day on the Camino where the magic had not yet been lost! ✨Read more
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Camino Day 33: Barbadelo to Portomarín
September 13, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C
Total Distance: 17.9km
Step Count: 31.3k
Blisters to date: 2
Tortillas to date: 25
Injuries: shin splints

Today started with the most beautiful moon and the biggest coffee I‘ve probably been served in my lifetime! ☕️

There was a bit of excitement as we’d reach the actual Km100 mark although the Camino would end very quickly after that.

Close to our first coffee stop for the day, we reunited with Mercedes and Little John, and we’d all spend most of the day walking together.

Despite the loads and loads of pilgrims on the way, the trail was so beautiful and full of cute animals, shadow from the trees and so many other lil surprises like the man playing the bagpipes and so many cool stamps! 🐴

Short days and stopping every so often had become our new thing! So was getting our drinks on. 🍷

At the last cafe, we bumped into Christian and his friend. After a few (way too many) jokes, Chris ended up gifting each one of us a pair of tiny Dutch clogs. He’d been gifting them to special people along the way. In exchange to this lovely gesture, I offered a watercolour (at his own risk obviously) which he happily accepted and that’s how my own camino stamp came to be! 🎨

We were all also commenting on the crazy amounts of people and in an attempt to create somewhat of a bubble that would hold our camino magic, we all agreed to meet up for dinner in town. 🍝

The entrance to Portomarín was so beautiful, crossing the bridge over the reservoir. In town, we also went to see the Church of St. Nicholas which was relocated stone by stone when the reservoir was built. You can actually see the numbers on the stones that were carved to make sure it was rebuilt exactly as it was in its current location. ⛪️

For dinner, we ended up at a proper Italian restaurant (the only one we ever encountered) and indulged! Tommaso picked some flowers for all of us too 🌺

There was so much laughter over dinner and at one point we decided that for 3 minutes, everyone was going to speak at the same time but in their native language. There was around 7 languages on the table and it was a fascinating and hilarious experiment. 😂

It was nice to still have this bubble and before calling it a day, we all agreed we’d aim to do it all over again at the next town!

Only 84km to go 😬Read more
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Camino Day 34: Portomarín to Palas deRei
September 14, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C
Total Distance: 25.6km
Step Count: 36.9k
Blisters to date: 2
Tortillas to date: 26
Injuries: shin splints

The morning today was very foggy which added a dramatic effect to the beautifully green landscapes of Galicia! The trail was jam packed with people so we had slowly became more focused on the destination for the day, getting there quick! Maybe it was the feeling it was all soon coming to an end too 😕

At one of our first stops, I had to have a tortilla as for days they were nowhere to be found. Tortilla withdrawal is a thing! But somehow, always encountering uphills every time I decide to stuff my face with food had also become a thing!

Today I was more whiny about this than usual so Lukas dragged me up a hill for a solid 5-10 minutes! It was actually working and so many people looked at us like we were crazy but we knew deep down they were jealous haha. If this isn’t solidarity and support at its finest, I don’t know what is!

In one of the towns we went through, we also came across a donativo albergue run by South Americans offering pilgrims treats and drinks for a coin donation. It had a very fun environment and I especially loved the gratitude bell they had outside! Great seeing people ring it, including me. I was definitely feeling grateful. They also gifted me a postcard to make sure would end up in the hands of a person I’d like to send a special message to.

We’d also received a recommendation to stay at albergue San Marcos at Palas de Rei (which had the only yellow stamp we’d come across!) and Lukas and I scored the last bunk! We dropped everything and went to find lunch. Little did we know that we’d end up at the bar from around 3 till 10pm!

Every single person we knew started showing up to the point we drove the waiter and other staff crazy with our orders! They wanted us to order on the table which meant a joint bill so we started going individually to the counter instead. They weren’t happy about this but hey, over 10 people and 7 hours consuming go a long way even for grumpy Spaniards if you explain and ask for things politely. They loved us by the end of the night! 😊

Another wonderful evening with this newish camino family and only 66km to go! 😬Read more
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Camino Day 35: Palas de Rei to Arzúa
September 15, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C
Total Distance: 30.9km
Step Count: 45.1k
Blisters to date: 2
Tortillas to date: 26

Today was all about food! 😋

We had been told on endless occasions that we had to eat Pulpo in Melide so we planned our starting time to be there around lunchtime.

Surprisingly, we also had like 2 hours at the start of the day where there was hardly anyone on the trail, absolute bliss! We figured that most people wouldn’t walk further than Melide so they had no need to start early.

This small city was roughly half the distance we’d plan to cover today so we embraced the slightly longer day for a good cause. A great cause actually because it was one of the best meals we had on the whole Camino! 🐙

Mercedes and I seriously feasted on octopus and shared zamburiñas (a whole other level of deliciousness!). This did leave us with a slight food coma and the rest of the walk would be a bit slower than usual 🙃

By the time we got to Arzua, we were beat! We went to find our beds, did some laundry and napped for a couple hours until dinner time. Mercedes was staying elsewhere so Lukas and I went hunting for a place to eat.

We ended up at the Albergue Café de Ultreia where we ended up enjoying the most elaborate pilgrims menu on the Camino and I finally got to eat Lasagna which I’d been craving for weeks! And a salad that wasn’t an ensalada mixta! 🥗

Lukas wasn’t feeling that great and we were beat so we went to get some fruit for brekkie the next day and called it a day. Less than 40km to go 😯Read more
TravelerOMG that looks amazing!!!!
10/4/23Reply
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Camino Day 36: Arzúa to Lavacolla
September 16, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C
Total Distance: 30.1km
Step Count: 44.5k
Blisters to date: 2
Tortillas to date: 26

While it was a relatively early start to a long day, Lukas wasn’t feeling all that great so we were walking very slow. There wasn’t that many people on the trail and we stopped a every time one of us was craving something.

At one point the boys picked up the pace on a hill and we lost track of each other. After like 2 hours, Tommaso messages me their location saying that Lukas is feeling unwell. They had stopped at a cafe but I never saw them so I was already like 5km ahead. There wasn’t a doctor in the lil town where they were so we agreed they’d catch a taxi to O Pedrouzo (the next big town) and I’d meet them there. I was only like 45min away.

It turned out Lukas hadn’t been eating much the prior days leading to exhaustion and dehydration. In town, we accompanied him to the hospital but without insurance it was outrageously expensive to be seen so we just followed the guidance of the chemist and reassess in Santiago. 🏥

Tommaso was set on making it to Santiago that day and I was stopping at the km12 mark. Lukas couldn’t walk anymore so he decided to catch a cab to the town I’d be staying at and get some rest. It was 10km from where we were and he was doing ok so I went walking. I left him getting a bite to eat and we’d meet up at the Albergue. Luckily Mercedes found him shortly after I’d left so he had company the whole time.

The last 10km to Lavacolla (which literally means “wash the bum”) were so beautiful and I got another couple of really cool stamps!

When I got to the Albergue, Lukas was already out! He slept for like 5 hours straight, got up to go grab some dinner (the worst we ever had on the Camino) and then back to sleep. Poor thing 🤒

The day ended receiving messages from those in our group who were all arriving to Santiago that evening, so much shared joy! ⛪️

There were only 12km to go for us but they’d have to wait till the morning!Read more
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Camino Day 37: Lavacolla to Santiago
September 17, 2023 in Spain ⋅ 🌧 19 °C
Total Distance: 12.2km
Step Count: 24.8k
Blisters to date: 2
Tortillas to date: 26

Woohoo! We reached Santiago today!

It was an early and slow start with my lil bro still a bit unwell but he powered through to the end. It was only a couple hours walk, all flat and easy.

Mercedes messaged us quite early too to meet up on the trail and we met up 800m before the cathedral and walked into the square together ☘️

We weren’t tired and didn’t know how we’d feel but as soon as we walked into the cathedral square, we were encountered by a few pilgrims we knew who were there waiting to meet and congratulate us! And a few minutes into all the hugs and excitement more people we knew showed up and we didn’t really get a chance to process or take in anything. It was done and we were still surrounded by so many beautiful people full of joy and gratitude for the joiurney, the company and all the experiences and lessons learnt. ✨

When it dialled down a bit, my lil bro and I laid down on the floor taking it all in for a few moments before we had to go get out certificates and make it to the midday mass. Five minutes later, the international bunch had appeared and joined in. ⛪️

Lukas and I had a bet about me crying on the day which he ended up winning because as soon as the church organ started playing, I was overcome with so many emotions that tears were inevitable. The mass was beautiful and the music so powerful. 🎶

After mass it was time to celebrate but a few people staying in Santiago had to go sort out their beds so it was only Mercedes and I who ended up going to lunch together. We were the only ones leaving town later that day.

We found a lovely restaurant with shelter from the rain and had a feast! And of course, it wasn’t long before our 2 people table had to make room for like 6 other people. This was one of my favourite things about the Camino: running into people you know when you least expect it! This included reuniting with people I hadn’t seen in days/weeks.

A few wines later, it was time to say “see you soon” to everyone in the group. With some luck, I’d see Mercedes when I’m in Mexico City and the rest, I’d see in 2 days for a big reunion that was planned in Santiago. 👋🏼

PS: Just as you’re about to walk into the cathedral square, there is someone playing the bagpipes. My theory is that it’s there to make you think it’s more exciting than it really is? 🫣Read more
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Camino Day 38: Fisterra
Sep 17–19, 2023 in Spain ⋅ 🌬 18 °C
If I had more time, I would’ve walked to Fisterra (the end of the earth) but instead, I caught a bus in the evening, aiming to have a full day in town before returning the day after. I arrived at my albergue and after collecting the last stamps to complete my pilgrim’s passport, I went to sleep and for the first time in a couple weeks, I didn’t have to set my alarm. 😴

In the morning it was raining so I enjoyed a very long breakfast and then set off towards the Km 0 point near the lighthouse. Since Fisterra is still part of the Camino, it wasn’t a surprise bumping into Standa on my way up. He was part of the last 100km crew.

It was a short 3km walk there and the ocean views along the way and from the lighthouse were stunning! At the top, I found a comfy rock and sketched for a couple hours, reflecting on my journey and everything I had experienced. 🎨

When I finished, I went back into town to sort out dinner before returning to the lighthouse again to catch the sunset! It’d been a while since I’d seen the sun set on the horizon. 🌅

Seeing the sunset here was also quite special. For thousands of years, it was believed that this place was the end of the world and that beyond this point there was nothing more than a place where the sun went out every night among sea monsters. 🤷🏻‍♀️

After the most spectacular sunset and twilight, I walked back in the dark and went straight to sleep. A bus tomorrow morning would take me back to Santiago for one last hurrah before leaving for Madrid. 🚊Read more
Traveler Wow 😍
10/10/23Reply
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Camino Day 39: Last night in Santiago
September 19, 2023 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C
My 3 hour bus ride to Santiago turned out to be a 1 hour bus so I arrived earlier and was in desperate need for a coffee. ☕️

I checked to see who was available and a cup of coffee with 2 peeps was quickly followed by a few tintos de verano with half of the last 100km crew who’d we’d bumped into walking about town: a blessing in disguise!

I told the crew that soon I’d have to go pick up my suitcase and check in at my hostel but when I told them where I was staying, they let me know that poor Bence had stayed there the night before and that there had been bed bugs. He got bit a lot and ended up in the hospital.

Luckily I was able to cancel my booking but I still had to pick up my bag and find somewhere else to stay, enter the Dutch crew who pointed me in the direction of their Albergue which fortunately had beds (with no bugs) available!

Mid afternoon, I went to meet up with David who had walked into Santiago that morning. We’d met 39 days prior in Saint Jean before we started walking and it was lovely to hug and celebrate at the end. 🤗

After a long chat in the square sharing reflections about our journeys, we went to meet up with my lil bro and a few others for dinner to celebrate reaching Santiago and Judy’s birthday! We didn’t have to say goodbye yet as we’d all meet for coffee in the morning.

It was around 10pm and a few of us weren’t quite ready to call it a night so we went to the bar where we thought we’d find the Dutch crew for one last drink and to say goodbye as they would leave Santiago early in the morning. 👋🏼

When we couldn’t find them, we thought it was a sign to go to sleep but as we walked towards our Albergue, we spotted them at a random bar! 🍻

It was so nice to be able to say goodbye to so many people who I’d met along the way! And surprisingly I didn’t get as emotional as I thought I would. That is until I found myself alone at the station waiting for my train to Madrid to depart and tears just came from nowhere: so many feelings and so much gratitude for the journey.

I’d walked over 1,000km and my body was intact, as if I hadn’t walked a single day! More importantly, I’d met beautiful people, made new and hopefully long lasting friendships, opened my heart to love again, was showered in generosity and kindness from strangers and had seen and enjoyed Spain in such a unique way!

It was a very bittersweet moment realising that my Camino hadn’t ended but I wasn’t walking on it anymore. ✨Read more
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Madrid reunions: take 1
September 21, 2023 in Spain ⋅ 🌧 16 °C
I couldn’t believe I reunited with Erika today after more than 12 years! She took the afternoon off work and offered to pick me up in Madrid’s city centre (so sweet!).

The first stop was her favourite Italian restaurant for lunch, yum! yum! yum! 🍝

We were then gonna head out of the city to a beautiful town in the mountains with a Monastery but on the highway she decided we’d go elsewhere. 🤭

We ended up at the Palacio Real de la Granja de San Ildefonso, the best example in Spain of a formal French-style garden. It was raining a bit but still so beautiful to walk around. Most importantly, we were talking nonstop like 2 parrots and laughing so so much!

Before heading back with a breathtaking sunset, we went to Segovia and I got to see the aqueduct, a monumental civil engineering feat and one of the best-preserved Roman works.

And, naturally, we couldn’t say adiós without sharing one final drink! It was a beautiful day spent with one of the most incredible people I know! 🤍Read more
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