“It’s your road and yours alone. Others may walk it with you, but no one can walk it for you.” ~ Rumi.

I haven’t read back through my camino posts but I imagine there’s a thread of the camino imitating life. In the simplicity of the routine, moving, way markers, eating, space, outdoors and community there is a guide, a way to live with ease.

My initial arrival into Santiago was an emotional one. Aside from the phenomenal outcome of educating 25 (nearly 26 girls) for One Girl I was unsure how my legs would be. Could I continue on to Fisterre, to the end of the world? This was always my intended end point. After receiving my compostella for walking the 799km pilgrimage along The Camino Frances I still feel the pull to walk on.

One Girl update!

Total funds raised so far – $7,790.00. Goal achieved, and then some! Thank you.

If you’d like to contribute it’s not to late you can do so here.

Frances Antonia – Do it in a dress.

There are many reasons I want to continue on. Mainly because I want to walk across the entire country! Also the history of the the walk towards Fisterre appeals to me on a personal level. And lastly because after such a brilliant first 26 days of walking like a mountain goat I wanted to finish like that and to finish with my sister walking strong (my damn ego).

A few days rest and a check with the local Dr and tendonitis has been confirmed. The treatment – rest, ibuprofen gel and tablets.

So we’ve eaten out way around the tapas bars, drunk a few beers and Rioja reds. My favourite tapas bar if you’re in Santiago is A Taberndo Bispo. Friendly service, tasty tapas, local seafood, smooth house wine and locals galore!

On this third day of rest the pain has disappeared and I think I could walk tomorrow. Except I’m not going to, I’m on the bus. I decided not to let my ego win! I think most of us battle with our ego along the camino as it teases and tests our purpose as we walk. I chose another camino lesson and that was to simply move.

What I needed most today was to move. It doesn’t matter how I move just that I do! Arriving in Santiago was a place to land, to rest, to await a few of the friends we met along the way. But it wasn’t where I was going. Sitting idle, dwelling never is … it’s one my biggest camino lessons and the challenge I’m taking home with me. Dreams and living them takes work and challenge (and the ability to adjust).

I’ll finish my walk across this country! It may be one I’ll do with my family later this year or maybe just one of my older two. Maybe with a friend. It’ll be slower, less busy and more historically relevant than the last 100kms of the camino (Sarria to Santiago – the busiest section). Perhaps I’ll leave walking the camino to my kids, they can choose if they want to walk their own camino. Find their own way along this spectacular path.

But today we’ll make our way by bus and to spend some days on the coast. Returning home well and ready next week and able to move with vigour is more important than stepping into an ego driven walk tomorrow. As hard as that is!!!!

So we move … to the beach, the end of the world and towards a gentle 6km hike to enjoy tonight’s sunset over the Atlantic Ocean.