Hola Amigos,

If you’re here to find the link to donate that’s here Do it in a dress – Camino Finisterre.

And here I am! Finisterre. Where the Roman’s considered the world to end. If you see a sunset here and you’ll understand why. This final leg that had taken me across the country! I’ve literally walked across Spain.

I hiked out early under the moonlight! It was something … spectacular. It was much darker than yesterday and I may have walked a bit slower knowing there was a pilgrim with a head torch 200 metres behind. Walking in the month where daylight savings is ending – a head torch is definitely worth packing.

BUT! So you know I practice what I preach … I stood at a crossroad this morning. Finisterre to the left and Muxia to the right. I will hike to both this trip so the order didn’t matter. The ‘head torch’ pilgrim was going to Muxia. Do I take the scarier path on my own in the dark or do I follow the head torch? I nearly followed the torch and then I turned walked my own walk. Fear did not make my decision. I think when your ‘adulting’ you need to know when fear is stealing your freedom. Somewhere along the way we get some conditioning and it’s nice to stare in the face and consider if we need it. (Fear of security, change, image, failing, control, trust ya da ya da.)

I walked 15kms without a soul in sight until I hit the town of Cee where I stopped for breakfast. It’s quite something this contrast on the camino – to walk hours through the country side and then all of a sudden to be wandering through a charming village. How about those bench seat tiles!

At the 28km or so mark there she was … the ocean. Staying on the path was not a consideration, not for me and not for any pilgrim walking the camino. Zero consideration was given … taking your shoes off to walk with your feet in the water was instinctive. A celebration of feeling alive and connected with nature. Did I even mention pagans once walked here to worship.

Ok so for those of you who love the people I meet along the way story … here you go. Once in Finisterre I found a bed at an albergue. I have to say (and there’s a photo up there, it’s dark I just took it) this is a luxury. That’s my bed with the light. Each bed has its own light, power supply and locker. Also sheets, a towel and a doona are supplied. No chance of bed bugs here. And all for €13 per night.

Sorry digressing. After securing a bed I walked in to get my Finisterre Compostela and who do you think I saw? Yes, you’re correct – Christian. We had a beer and and chat about our walk. He hadn’t yet found someone to write in his diary. And then … Jisca walked past. She was the French lady from the pilgrim meal at A Pena. She joined us and of course wrote in the diary.

Eventually a German girl from the next table also joined and also wrote in the diary! And then three super interesting Portuguese women sitting at the table behind us joined the conversation. They had just completed a different camino – the primitive way. I WISH I’d hiked a day with these adventurous women! There are some people you meet that you wish lived in your hood or that you’d see on the trail the next day so you could talk more. These three were those people.

I watched the sunset on today across the Atlantic. For many that sunset signifies the end of the camino. Not yet for me … I’m only halfway. Tomorrow I’m meeting Jisca early to begin walking to Muxia together. She started her camino in Paris seven years ago and each year she does a little more. She also speaks a number of languages, I don’t know much about her but I like that we ran into each other again … I’m interested to hear some of her stories. Tomorrow.

Buen camino friends,

Fran xx