By this stage my foot was really hurting so I hobbled for about 5km to the next town and stayed there overnight and caught 2 buses to Valenca which was on the boarder of Portugal and Spain. Walking over the bridge from Portugal and Spain a sense of relief washed over me, I was in familiar territory at last. I had some chance of understanding the signs and I knew how to order coffee and beer! I walked another 5 km until I found a lovely pilgrim café that let me hang around until 4pm when the place I was staying  opened.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The next day I walked about 10 km until I got to a train station and waited for a train with a German pilgrim and a South Korean pilgrim. I took the train to Pontecesure and found a lovely albergue to stay. Only 2 days to go.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MY last day of walking was only 12km, so I decided to start super early. I was up and gone by 5:30am. Walking along the outskirts of Santiago I grew more and more excited. I was almost there! By 8:20am I made it to the cathedral. Words could not express the feeling of joy and accomplishment that I felt, despite my poor start to the journey, I had made it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To celebrate I found a a café and ordered hot chocolate and churros, yummo!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After my churros and hot chocolate , I made my way to the pilgrims office again and waited in line  with my fellow pilgrimsfor about 45 minutes to get my final stamp.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I didn’t get a certificate as I didn’t walk the full last 100 km to Santiago but that didn’t matter to me. I had given it a go and to me, that’s what mattered.