Days 15-18 The Last Post

So, I’ve got a bit to catch up on before I finish this blog.

I’ll start by saying that I’ve made the decision to end my Camino and go home early. The bus to Madrid is booked for tomorrow, with an evening flight to Bristol.

Now that bombshell is over, let me rewind the last couple of days, and the thoughts behind that decision.

Firstly Leon! What can I say? Leon is big and busy. I arrived on a Saturday afternoon and the city was bustling. I’d booked a nice hotel as I was there for three nights, as I wanted to watch the Queen’s funeral on Monday, and couldn’t get a seat on the bus from Burgos to Leon on the Sunday night. My hotel was 0.16 of a mile from the cathedral. It’s certainly an impressive cathedral, probably the biggest I’ve seen. You literally turn a busy street corner, and there she us, in all her glory. I didn’t go in, and was just happy to walk around the outside.

In all honesty, I found Leon to be quite intimidating, especially at the weekend. I was happy to walk through the back streets and find a quiet square with a view of a lovely building, and order pizza there. I did this Sunday and Monday. Hey, if it ain’t broke….

I watched the funeral off my iPad in my hotel room. It was a part of history I couldn’t miss. Nobody does pomp and ceremony like the Brits, and it certainly didn’t disappoint. A fitting send off to a British icon.

I wasn’t sorry to leave Leon yesterday and walked the mile to the central bus station at 7.15am where I was catching the Alsa bus to Hospital de Orbigo to start my walk. I was ready to start walking again, and chatted with other pilgrims on the bus. I managed to get off at the right stop, and received my rucksack from the hold. I then had to use the Camino Ninja app to find my way back onto the Camino.

Soon I was back walking, and feeling happy. In fact, this was one of my happiest days on the Camino, which might make my decision even more curious. I had been feeling isolated in Leon, and sad at leaving my friends behind, so was open to chatting and meeting new people.

The Camino provided again, and gave me a beautiful Camino Angel from Sydney, named Marissa. Marissa and I got chatting, and chatted the whole journey. We had so much in common it was unbelievable. We stopped together at a fabulous Camino donativo oasis run by another gorgeous Camino Angel called David. He has set up a fabulous retreat under some trees, where he has everything you could possibly need. He didn’t stop the whole time we were there. He was boiling eggs, cutting mangoes, cutting melons, making coffee, squeezing limes for fresh juice. He says it does it ‘to serve God’. He even had a massage bed and hammocks set up. It had such a good vibe, I didn’t want to leave.

Even the trail was fabulous today. It was a beautiful winding path through amazing countryside. A stunning day, where everything was exactly as it should be.

Apart from one thing.

The heat. It reached 38 degrees again, and there was little shade. My legs were strong, I could do the 12 miles no problem (apart from slight aching at the end), but I could feel my body hurtling back into heat exhaustion. I couldn’t eat again. I had spots in front of my eyes, ringing in my ears. I felt faint and dizzy. Here we go again.

Marissa and I stopped as soon as we found a bar ( an Irish bar!) in Astorga, and I had a few mouthfuls of pasta, but couldn’t eat much. My mind was whirling. We set off for our respective hotels, with a tentative plan to meet up later.

By the time I got to the hotel I knew what I had to do, I simply can’t face walking in that heat for the next 17 days or so. I am not prepared to get up and walk in the dark solo for hours just to avoid the heat, when it means also avoiding the scenery and people I want to experience.

I rang Lyn and told him. He was understanding. I had not made a knee jerk reaction like I wanted to do last time, this was a week later; a week where I’d rested and hoped the temperature would drop, and it hadn’t.

I’m someone that tries to avoid the heat. At a push I can be ok on a sun lounger next to a cold pool, where I can hop in every minute, then back out, whilst sipping a cocktail, but walking up hills for miles at a time, with a rucksack on my back was never in my plans. I actively try to avoid the heat in the summer; my last three summer holidays have been in Scotland and Norway to give you some idea of the lengths I go to! Naively I though September would be much cooler than it is. Many people are managing fine, so I wouldn’t want to put people off. This is just my experience and my reaction to it. I just cannot go though the rest of my time here being sick and unwell.I was convinced the rest would help me, but unfortunately the heat won. I had booked up my accommodation for the last 17 days, all the way to Santiago. I had to cancel every booking last night. I just can’t be as ill again as I have been, it’s not worth it, and not worth risking my health for.

Maybe strangely I don’t feel sad or upset about it. My last walking day was almost perfect. I made a new friend, Marissa and I had dinner together and chatted non stop. We have swapped numbers, and I know we will keep in touch.

Astorga is beautiful, my favourite place on the Camino by far. I’m more than happy to spend my last day here. It has a beautiful Gaudi Palace that I have been around today, an incredible cathedral, and just a relaxed vibe that I love. Last night I sat in front of the cathedral having a drink, and watched the old people who just came out to chat on benches in front of the incredible buildings. Oh, and it’s a walled city filled with chocolate. What’s not to love?

Obviously when I started off I wanted to walk the Camino, the whole 500 miles of it. I didn’t anticipate sending stuff on ahead, or catching buses. I had to readjust my expectations quickly, and that’s fine, that’s Camino life. When I dig deeper though, I’m not sure it was always about standing in front of the cathedral in Santiago, and getting a piece of paper to validate what I’d achieved. It was always about the journey, the experience, and more importantly, my journey, my experience. And I’ve definitely had an experience. When I think back to the nerves and tears getting on the train all those days ago, to where I am today it feels like a lifetime apart.

I have seen the most incredible scenery. From the valleys and mountains of the Pyrenees from days 1 and 2, where the cowls clanged their bells as I looked over low lying cloud for miles and miles, to the vineyards, olive groves and corn fields if more recent days. All incredible. From big busy cities, to tiny sleepy towns like Los Arcos and Villamayor de Montjardin. From the huge cathedrals of Leon, Burgos and Astorga to the church in tiny Navarette which was filled with gold. All memories I won’t forget.

The places I’ve stayed; from lovely hotels with the bliss of my own bathroom, to dormitories where I shared with up to 50 people. From quiet bliss to a raging fiesta outside all night. From sleeping in comfy beds with crisp sheets to sleeping on a stone floor.

Most of all, the people I’ve met. The people I met randomly due to being chance dorm mates, albergue mates or bunk mates. From the people whose faces I kept seeing until it felt rude not to speak. From the people I swapped smiles with to the people I swapped numbers with. Joan, Alun, David, Luna, Laurel, Marissa, Julie & Dom, you have all played a huge part in my Camino, and I will never forget you. I will be cheering you on the rest of your way. You were all sent for a purpose, and were there exactly when I needed you. Thank you.

As for me? No regrets. I’m proud of me. I had the balls to start it, even if I didn’t get to finish it. When I become Queen of the world I will make it 18 degrees every day, and maybe come back and finish it then. Otherwise I’ve done incredible things. I hauled my sorry heat exhausted ass up the Pyrenees on Day 1, puking every 10 steps and collapsing until I dragged myself up to walk and puke some more, only to surprise myself by blasting the next day as it was windier and cooler. I’ve spent lonely time by myself in impersonal cities. I’ve walked for hours by myself in the pitch dark with a head torch, scared. I’ve had to organise myself and stay organised. I’ve had to navigate myself. I’ve had to make decisions. I’ve had to cope with a different language and master different transport options. I’ve had to go out of my comfort zone many many times. I’ve definitely made memories, and that is what it was all about.

So now tomorrow I’m on a bus for 6 hours to Madrid, then I have 6 hours in the airport then I fly home to my family. For all of you Camino friends still out there, Buen Camino and Ultreia. For all of you thinking of doing the Camino, just start, worry about the rest later. And for all of you who supported me, encouraged me, followed me, messaged me and replied to me, thank you. Diolch.

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