So why did I choose a camino? To be really honest I still don’t know. What I do know is that I woke up one day and just thought, if I died what would people remember me for? and someone close to me suggested I give it a try, which at first I stuck my nose up to it and then thought why not. 1) to prove to myself I could physically and mentally do it. 2) to prove to other people I’m not just posh, and there is some fire in this girl. 3) to step outside me comfort zone. 4) to find happiness and contentment with life.

What did I learn on camino? I learnt very quickly that I can adapt to my surroundings, hostel living wasn’t bad at all I must say. I did envisage before the camino having to shower in communal places and people walking around naked by none of that occurred, and i even slept well. I can also survive with very minimal clothing, without makeup and without a hairdryer and straighteners. On reflection these are just items of luxury and not items for survival. I am also very impressed that I ate the local food as I am a very fussy eater abroad.

What did I learn about myself and reflect upon? Lots! I didnt realise how much of my life I strive to impress others or to live by other peoples values. I didnt realise how unhappy I actually was until I started the camino. The camino has taught me it’s my life and I have full control of it. There are going to be times I disappoint people in life but ultimately I need to be happy! Looking at my camino photos I look the happiest I have been in ages with a smiley grin and a sense of relief and freedom of my worries/past life. I also completed the Camino with my best friend and soul mate and I will be forever grateful that he encouraged me to do this.

Would I do I again? Yesssssss! As much as it’s hard work and you think fuck why am I doing this, I actually enjoyed it. It’s a different style of relaxation but one I dont think you will find anywhere else. The feeling of walking into santiago is electrifying and the sense of achievement is enormous!! The primitivo certainly lives up to its name and is for sure the hardest route and camino but I wouldn’t change it!

It’s the final countdown!!! Woke up like it was christmas this morning and with an anxious belly.

The pension last night was lovely and the hosts made you feel like you were at home and were very generous with wine and food. Met some lovely ladies around dinner. 2 had walked from Holland and the other lady was from cardiff just completing the last 10k she was unable to complete last year due to injury. The discussions about Brexit started as most people ask us British what the hell is going on and the conversation was in good flow.

Started out at 6:30 as normal. Today’s walk certainly felt different. It was like walking into disneyland the whole way. There were swarms of people completing the last stage with smiles on their faces and in good spirit. You could certainly tell the people who had walked the distance as we hobbled along.

The camino always has the last laugh though. Mount gozo was the last hill to climb before the decent into santiago.

The walk into santiago town was long and felt like forever. The walk through the tunnel as the bagpipes played gave me goose bumps all over and onto Santiago square just felt overwhelming with a sense of relief.

I am a bit gutted I didnt cry as the thought of santiago previously made me well up with tears.

I think it was generally the overwhelming feeling of seeing everyone in our primitivo family, hugging and kissing us and the fact of “omg I’ve made it!”

I’m going to enjoy now a lovely beer, shower and clean clothes. I will update the blog tomorrow with my thoughts and the bis answer of why a camino!

Started out early doors again at 6:30. The baby last night was very quiet, shame the Spanish pilgrims were not! Knocking and banging items at 11pm right until early hours. Very disrespectful I thought as eticute would say as pilgrims you are in bed by 10pm and packed.

Once out in the countryside the beautiful clear skies shone the stars brightly. The blisters were giving us jip as we started out but soon got into our stride and 7k down before breakfast.

Being in a town last night was strange, so many people and the hectic atmosphere felt overwhelming. Funny how a few hills and countryside can make you forget about life.

Up and down terain today and dogging the disneygrenios as the paths get busier. Headphones in as soon as the singing and barging started.

Funny to think the camino ends tomorrow and there will be 25k left of this journey. The camino frances route certainly has a different feel to it. Just cannot wait to meet the primivito family tomorrow.

So it’s the final day on the primitivo route today. Its sad to say we have finished this route as the vibe of the camino left us very quickly due to the newbies and their laziness. Tomorrow we join the camino frances on the route into santiago.

The albergue last night was very modern and eco. The newbies keep booking a head so we were lucky to find a bed for the night. Ended up with a private room for €15 each and the pilgrims menu sounded disgusting so we ate tapas at the local pub.

Woke up later than normal as the distance was short today. All you could hear was noise and banging as the newbies woke and rolled their suitcases down the corridor.

The €4 breakfast in the albergue was tasty and a good start to the day. Shame about the conversation as the newbies spoke about how 27km was too much. The newbies really have changed the vibe of the camino and I still think it’s wrong they get the same certificate as myself as I have walked longer.

28° today’s as we walked the route of boredom, headphones in a singing along soon passed time. A 300 metres climb over a mountain brought so much joy as we took over the newbies.

10k completed  by 12:30 and lunched in a small cafe before the downhill climb with melide in site.

Booked ahead today for the albergue. Modern again but we have a small family with a baby in the room. Wonder how much sleep we will have tonight? Tomorrow we have also booked in a small pension (hotel) as we head into santiago on thursday morning. The reason for the pension is that pilgrims wake earlier on the last day and we are in no rush to hit santiago for the lunch time pilgrim mass where your name is read out if you get in by 11am.

A lovely night spent in the 4* hotel but felt strange being away from our camino family. Menu del diar/perigrino menu last night was spaghetti carbonara, spicy pork with egg and chips. Followed by proper baked cheese cake. We were accompanied by Brian and Jake and had a barrel of laughs as the municipal albergue sounded awful.

Lugo town was shut due it being Sunday, typical! Walked through the town tho and had a look at the cathedral, but it felt like winter!

Whilst walking around town I noticed witches outside shops. A ‘de ya vu’ moment was had. Prior to me coming on camino I had a dream a witch stood outside the albergue to warn me of bed bugs.

When I googled why witches were everywhere. Apparently it a galician celebration of a saint. But felt weird being right across from the cathedral.

Today was only meant to be a 20k walk as the clock ticks down to santiago. 20k was done by 12:30 so we decided to walk another 7k onto Ferreria. 4 blisters today which is my own fault as I should have tighten my laces. But today the camino felt different, we are now joined by ‘Disney gerinos’ as we all them. Our camino pals must have left earlier and we were walking with new pilgrims who are basically wimps and only walk the last 100k.

I could feel the anger building in me all day. How unfair is it? I’ve walked 321km at the end of this and get the same certificate as someone who walked 100k. They dont even carry their bags and roll very large suitcases into the albergues. One even turned to our friend Jessica and said “this is easy!”. I thought to my self ‘ you cheeky mare, I’ve worked hard to get to this point and you say this is easy!!!’.

To calm the anger we plugged the headphones in. Bounced along then to Elton john, ABBA, queen, lady ga ga, jesy j, but dont think my singing impressed!

73k to the finish, 3 nights left in albergues, 6 blisters and still a smile on my face!

Hooray no more hills!! Walking on flat is bliss. To our advantage we ploughed ahead today and got into the hotel in 7 hours. Today is treat day!

Not much to see today which was a tad boring. As much as I hated the hills at times, I kinda hoped there would be a hill just to spice it up. The smell of pine has now left us but the smell of cow shit continues lol. Saw a sleeping cow today, funny how they sleep and never knew they did sleep.

As we walked into lugo the hills appeared but we have a habit of walking into towns/ cities when everything is closed.

Met Brian and Jake and had tea with them. Amazing the people you meet on camino. Brian is a pharmacist and Jake is a chiropractor and they live in Amsterdam. Its funny as they speed pass us every day so it has been nice to chat. Jake and I have the same ‘whitty thinking’ so we had a giggle.

Menu del dia- wow €10 for a 3 course meals. Tried melon de jamon last night. Basically melon with ham. Lush!! Steak is also lush and I can now eat it in many forms. Santiago tart also yummy! I will miss the food when I get home but we need it to power through daily!

99km to go now. Wow have walked 221km so far.

The camino is not about the survival of the fittest its about the survival of ‘you’ as a human being! I sat back today and watched lots of ‘damzles in distress’, waiting for their rescuers which was quite funny but also annoying to watch. If they haven’t figured this out yet when why do a camino?

Out again at 6am and by ourselves most of the way. I’m pleased today is the last of the mountains, my feet are killing and I would happily allow someone to amputate them right now. 2 blisters and a few spots but nothing major. The up and downs are ruining my feet and knees.

In true camino style the ups and down were steep. You think we would be use to it by now, but each hill just gets steeper but the views are beautiful at the top.

A good few k in before the sun shone down on us today. Again not so many services along the route but apart from a few wrong turns in the mist we were ok.

100km to go tomorrow and everytime I think of santiago I well up in tears, so who knows how emotional I will be at the end.

Well a poor night sleep had due to the tunes of snoring in the open dorm and the shaky bunk beds. Out at 6am again and 5k in before the day dawned. Stopped for breakfast on some table and chairs outside a closed shop, for the owner to then only tell us to move on like naughty children.

Another up and down day hill wise, and I will be glad when the hill part is over if I’m honest. Some of the hardest ‘mother f***er hills’ I have climbed. Today the sun was out 37° and shining on us all the way for last 12k of today, so even harder as we sweated away climbing 1000 metres. To then only finished the day with the steepest ascent there has been. Lungbursting was not the name for it. Walked into the albergue not really knowing what’s going on and just wanting to lie down and rest my feet as they were numb.

Half way now to Santiago with 156km to go. Last of the hills tomorrow and the rest is all flat. Yipee!!!. Coping well with no serious injuries!

Last night I slept well and had a better head on today, which meant I could enjoy the camino. What I figured out yesterday is that I have a lot of control in life, and know body can control me! I think going through the hard bit of yesterday has really helped and has given me the determination to keep going and work through issues I would normally shut down instantly.

Day by day I feel I am physically getting stronger and whatever the camino throws at me, I just deal with it, grit my teeth and get on with it! A motto I have learnt from my parents which is getting me through the hard times.

Today was the 1000 metre steep decent down the mountain. A shorter day but still challenging. We are still walking with Dominique and having a barrel of laughs along the way. Going down hills is hard work and I am by no means quick at it, but we sailed through it and saw some lovely views on the way down.

The sun shone as we hit the bottom of the mountain, pass the hydro electric dam and then up another hill to where we are staying tonight. I’m sure the camino just wants to have the last laugh at the end of the day, when you turn a corner and then another hill to conquer.

Staying in a municipal albergue tonight €6. Lovely to see all the people we have already met and meeting new people along the way. The pilgrim menu tonight was tasty €10 for a 3 course meal. Mixed salad, chorizo sausage and chips and flan washed down with a vino Tinto.

Yesterday evenings meal was something I never want to experience again. It looked like something you would find in a toilet ha ha ha.  As Jessica the German girl said, “you will fart like a trooper!”

We started out again at 6am with Dominique in tow. I’ve got leaving the albergues down to a tee now and I am super quiet and well prepared for the days ahead. Dominique however, was not so quiet and was quite funny to watch as she tried to pack her bag in the dark and prepare for the day ahead. Not sure if the other pilgrims appreciated the noise as she slammed the front door on the way out.

According to the guide, today is meant to be the hardest day of the route. A steep mountain climb to 1250 metres, with the ascent being over 10km. Lets say yesterday the thought of climbing the big one was not appeasing. But the mountain was kind to me or I am just getting fitter by the day and the lungbursting moments have now passed. But 30k with no services meant no toilets and a heavier bag as we carried supplies and a few trips to the bushes!

The views at the top were amazing

Its a shame my head would not allow me to enjoy them as I looked like mr grumpy walking up the mountain as I battled with inner thoughts and insecurities. Today was the first day I really felt alone with my thoughts and alone on the camino. They say this can happen on camino as your brain sorts out stuff, but it was horrible to experience. I’m quite lucky I only have a few things to deal with. I have met pilgrims that have left their homes, businesses and booked a one way ticket to the camino. I suppose on reflection they are looking for peace or a purpose again. But hats off to Simon from the Czech republic and Mattais from Germany, they have been walking for the past 3 months and from their home towns. Amazing people!!

We arrived at the albergue at 16:30 and towards the end my feet were numb. The last 3k is always the worse and you have to just suck it up and get on.

Tomorrow is the big decent. 1000 metres over 10k. Sore knees and feet tomorrow