Finding treasure on the Camino de Santiago

SATURDAY 2nd JULY 2016 – O’CEBREIRO TO TRICASTELA

Km’s walked – 22, 77 ; steps taken – 34692 ; flights – 54

“Start by doing what is necessary, then do what is possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible!” St Francis of Assisi 

Well, I thought doing Comrades made me a hero, but I knew nothing about the Camino. Every major achievement in life starts with a dream and my dream to walk the Camino started five years ago when we were in Le Puy at the cathedral and I saw a shell and asked Warwick about it. To be honest I thought it would be a dream forever. I never imagined I would get so lucky that my husband and my Company agreed that I could follow this dream. 

The Camino is so much more than I expected. It is tough, it is grueling, it is compassionate, it is harsh, it is kind, it is beautiful , it is relationships and it is addictive. It quietly makes its way into your very being and it just sits there and waits for you to react and to become more than you ever imagined.It gets better and better as you get tougher and tougher, it tests you when you least expect it, and most of all it shows you that you are more than you ever imagined and you are a hero. Everyday I get up and everyday I cannot believe what I see. It is not possible that everything can be this beautiful all the time. Today, another spectacular day and a lovely walk with Jennie who I happily reunited with last night (after somehow our paths separated for three days). We walked through mist, fog, light rain and beauty that cannot be described. 

My crown from Kyle has been my good luck charm, my “I believe in you” photo my motivator, and my what’s apps from Warwick my energy every day. The Camino has been my call and I have not once thought to myself “enough, I can’t do this” ! It calls me everyday at 5 am, and I get up and I start again. So we do these things to get away from routine, and we get to the Camino and we create new routines that make us smile and keep moving. We walk, we unpack, we eat, we drink wine, we chat, we sleep, we start again tomorrow. Such simplicity. How does one duplicate the simplicity of life here later?

As I said in my first post weeks ago, ” I have no words in my mouth….!” This journey is coming to an end in six days, but I have a feeling my real,journey is only beginning.

Then a lovely lonnnnng lunch in Tricastela. One of the best Pilgrim menus ever for 11 Euro. Crazy stuff. 

AND NOW, I HAVE (OFFICIALLY ACCORDING TO BRIERLEY) DIPPED TO 140KMS TO SANTIAGO!!!! SO BITTER SWEET!

(An 800 year old chestnut tree in Tricastela)

(The views of the valley and beyond on the way to Tricastela)

( we passed a few Dairy cows on our way)