That was the year that was, let's see what this year brings.

That was quite a year! In a nutshell it was the best and worst I’ve ever had. Now let’s expand that nutshell. I’ll tell you all about December, a tad bit of Jan and what I plan on doing this year.

I made an A3 sign that read LITTLE POO in big, black, block letters and waited at the Heathrow Arrivals gate for Berni. Lots of people smiled, laughed and commented when they walked past it before she came out. The first thing she said to me after not seeing me for nine months was “You b***h”.  We hugged, went home and rested and it was as if we’d never been apart. She wasn’t kidding when she said most of her luggage was stuff for me. ¾ of her suitcase was for me wether that be Christmas presents or random gifts and food. Thanks!!

As I missed her 25^th birthday, I bought her tickets to see The Phantom of the Opera on the West End here in London, so that’s what we did the day after she got here. Berni has been obsessed with the film and watching all the original stage play clips online for years now, bought the soundtrack and forced me to watch the film. She blasted the cd so loudly that I knew all the songs by heart without wanting to. I was so focused on Berni and looking forward to seeing her reactions during the play that it really surprised me how much I loved it. That was in the afternoon, and that night she came with me to my second work Christmas party. My first was for Hanwell a week earlier. It was so nice to get all dressed up, wear a smoking dress and have a good time with my colleagues who have turned into such great friends.

At the Isleworth party it was a lot more low-key, people seemed more relaxed and yeah we drank a lot. None of which hit me until I got into the uber coming home. There were drinks, more drinks, shots and shot-challenges featuring AUS vs. GB. Australia won, obviously. I had a great time and so did Berni. All my friends loved her, she loved them, naw.

For Christmas I bought Berni a warm-ass coat, a little painting and flights to Vienna for the Christmas markets!!! It was negative 6C for the entire 4 days, day and night. It snowed the first day we had there, it was absolutely beautiful. There were Christmas trees all over the city, and lights and decorations on buildings. It fell so light and stuck to our nose and eyelashes, just like the song said! There were markets all over the city; on maid roads, down side streets, in garden squares. That’s basically how we spent every day, in and out of every market in town, drinking all of the mulled wine. All of it, all of the flavours, with cream, without, with Jack Daniels, soooooo much mulled wine. We had breakfast every morning in a café that all the locals go to, having coffee and bagels. We saw all the sites, went to castles and in every single location we had mulled wine. I mean, come on, who wouldn’t. Morning. Early afternoon. Late afternoon. Night time. Because it was so cold!!! And delicious. And an excuse to drink but still look festive! We bought the little mugs as souvenirs. Nicole was meant to come with us but due to a break down in communication, she’d booked the wrong dates and went before us, coming home the day we got to Vienna. To make up for that we caught up in London over dinner and drinks and with the help of girl talk and two bottles of vino, us three girls all sorted through some life problems. Ah, the simple things. It’s just so much cheaper than therapy. We joked that it was Nicole’s birthday to the waiter “oh if you wanted to bring us free drinks because it’s her birthday hahaha” ah yeah, he lied to his manager so that he could give us FREE SHOTS!!! WHAT!!!

We did the adult thing and bought groceries to make our very own Christmas lunch. On Christmas eve we couldn’t watch Carols by Candlelight online but we were able to listen to it, it wasn’t the same but it was still good. At night we went to mass down the road at a Roman Catholic church, sang the carols we knew and stood there with a blank face during those we didn’t. The one year we could escape and we chose to go of our own volition. Afterwards, which was one of the selling points of going to this midnight mass, we went to the adjoining hall for mince pies and MULLED FRIKKEN WINE!!! Hahaha it never ends! We went home and Skyped the parents because it was their Christmas morning. We watched them open their presents because it’s tradition. And we wished Nahla a Merry Christmas too.

When we woke up (well I woke up first and then bugged Berni for an hour before she got up) we Skyped Mum and Pa again so they could watch us open our presents. Then we roasted our own turkey, cooked all the trimmings, we made our lasagne, Berni had made tiramisu. It was part traditional English and part traditional our-family Christmas. We ate soooo much, and most of it was kept as leftovers. We had a friend over in the afternoon and watched AS IS TRADITION National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (after I had passed out on the couch for an hour with a food coma). I then had to work from 1900-0200. No spectacular jobs, but my crewmate did get me a present and I shared with him a few chocolate and biscuit treats I had.

Berni had some friends of hers in town so we caught up with them a few times. We went out for dinner and then out to a bar and danced for hours and hours and didn’t get home until 3am.

I took Berni on a few day trips seeing as she’s seen and done all the big London things so we hopped in my car and hit the M4. That’s a freeway. She’s always wanted to go to Bath so that’s where we went first, driving along, letting her see the countryside and listening to music on BBC1 because that’s all that will work the further out you get without scanning the radio for rural stations. We went into the old Roman Baths and saw the circus (circular street), Royal Crescent and the River Avon. I took her for a surprise road trip to a teeny tiny town in the middle of nowhere, where the roads are so small you need to reverse into a gap in the hedges to let the oncoming car through. Or the oncoming horse. I took her to Turville, the English country village where they filmed the show The Vicar of Dibley. We have loved this show since 1994 and I just had to take her. You should’ve seen her face! We went into the church, saw the house and the little street where Harry lived. We had lunch in the pub and then headed home. There really wasn’t anything else to do there.

I think it was the next day, we wanted a relaxed day so I drove Berni 20 minutes down the road to a neighbouring suburb to see a football ground, a park with a bandstand and then a row of houses with a patch of grass in the middle of the court. That’s right. I took her to see the filming locations from Bend it Like Beckham! She loved it. I loved it!

We’d caught up with Nicole at Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park. Every year they do it up with rides and markets and activities. I was expecting more markets and food and little places to wander all festive and things but really it was predominantly rides and games like a theme park. Berni convinced us to go onto a rollercoaster and it was amazing, it was called Looping. There were a few. A lot of drops as well. Oh and we had 3 mugs of mulled wine each that night as well.

Danny arrived on NYE! He spent Christmas in Melb with the family and then came here and we loved every second with him. We had a couple of drinks at home, and he tried Berni’s tiramisu and said “it tastes like home”. The best compliment you could give, in my opinion. And god it was. It was gooooood. I’m going to have to try to make it one day to prepare for next Christmas when she won’t be here and I’ll have to eat my own creation. We then went to meet Berni’s friends in their BnB in Kensington before heading into town. We’d bought tickets to see the fireworks. You had to buy tickets to get into specified viewing points along the Thames and they’d blocked off so much of the city that you really did need tickets to see anything. Well worth it. Ok, so we were in line waiting to get past security for hours. We got into town at a reasonable hour I’d thought (9) but the queues were insane, by the time we showed our tickets, Big Benny himself was showing 22:50. WHAT!!! It was crazy. A few of us * cough * Danny * cough * didn’t pee earlier so had to go find one now. We had such a great spot! Under Benny right on the water next to Westminster Bridge and straight across from the Eye, where they had the fireworks!!!! So! One of Berni’s friends had bought 2017 hats and headbands from Kmart before coming over and a lady in the crowd from some radio station here I’d never heard of wanted to interview us. I’d had quite a bit to drink by the time she eventually made her way back so I can’t exactly remember every word, but I basically introduced myself, said we’d been in line for hours but it was well worth it. All while Berni and another girl were blowing on their party popper things making so much damn noise. Danny filmed the whole thing laughing his head off. Yeah, I hope no one actually heard that interview. The fireworks were amazing, they came off of the Eye and the sky looked beautiful for a few minutes. They played Auld Lang Syne. We sang along. We did not sing the right lyrics. Or for the most part sing any actual lyrics at all and just hummed or mumbled. This is what we should have sung whilst hugging each other and dancing in a circle:

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,

And never brought to mind?

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,

And days of auld lang syne?

And days of auld lang syne, my dear,

And days of auld lang syne.

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,

And days of auld lang syne?

We twa hae run aboot the braes

And pu'd the gowans fine.

We've wandered mony a weary foot,

Sin' auld lang syne.

Sin' auld lang syne, my dear,

Sin' auld lang syne,

We've wandered mony a weary foot,

Sin' auld ang syne.

We twa hae sported i' the burn,

From morning sun till dine,

But seas between us braid hae roared

Sin' auld lang syne.

Sin' auld lang syne, my dear,

Sin' auld lang syne.

But seas between us braid hae roared

Sin' auld lang syne.

And ther's a hand, my trusty friend,

And gie's a hand o' thine;

We'll tak' a cup o' kindness yet,

For auld lang syne.

For auld lang syne, my dear,

For auld lang syne,

We'll tak' a cup o' kindness yet,

For auld lang syne.

I’ll try to learn them for next NYE. Hahaha yeah right.

And then all the alcohol I’d had decided to hit me all at once. After the fireworks it all becomes a bit hazy and Berni and Danny had to help me home. Egh my bad.

The first day of 2017 was perfect. We had a lazy morning (I was recovering and the other’s were just tired) followed by coffee in a really cute café near mine that reminded us of something Westgarth has back home. We walked around for a little bit and Danny took photos of the side streets and the flats there. I’ve completely lost all interest in them, the novelty of seeing the Victorian and Edwardian style flats had worn off months ago for me. I just think about all the silly billies that decide to get sick on the top floor, making us carry them all the way down. Get sick on the ground floor! Hahaha how rude of them. Anyway, then we ended our night in the best way possible, at the pub near my place. It sits right on the Thames and as it was a Sunday, as is custom here all pubs have a Sunday Roast, so that’s what we had. We all scoffed it down then went home to bed.

Day 2 was a big one indeed! Danny had never been to the UK before so we wanted to show him the city. We went to London Bridge, then climbed Monument, walked along the river to the Tower of London, walked across Tower Bridge to the south side. There they had more Christmas markets so, no we didn’t have mulled wine but Danny had mulled cider. We walked back across to Waterloo where the Borough Markets are but they weren’t running that day so we stopped to have mulled wine (giggle, giggle, yes we did) and passed right through. We walked west along to The Eye, over Westminster Bridge to Parliament and Benny again. Around to Westminster Abbey, to the pub for another classic English dish. Fish and Chips. It’s big here. Ah then through St. James Park to Buckingham Palace, down Pall Mall to Trafalgar Square, up to Leicester Square, past M&M World to Piccadilly Circus. Down Regent Street, into Hamleys, down Oxford Street to Hyde Park and Winter Wonderland. We had a booking for ice skating there. It was Berni’s first time, I’d done it once before and Danny a few. It was fantastic! So pretty. And I had THE most spectacular fall. Danny had gone off the ice because the cheap rentable shoes were squeezing his feet to buggery so it was just me and Berni left of our little group of three. I’m skating ahead, do a nice little turn to the left, then as I turn to the right, my skate catches on some loose ice, I stumble, try to correct the turn, flail, step step step, more flailing, think I’ve done it but no, I spin 180 degrees , arms up and superman land on my stomach. Thank god my coat had tonnes of padding, I didn’t feel a thing. I look because I know, I just know… yep she saw. Here she comes skating up to me pissing herself laughing. Yeah.  

Ok ok what else is there? Oh yeah so Berni and I took Danny to the Borough market on the Friday before they left and we spent a bit of moolah on cheese. It was great cheese. A kind that only a handful of farms still make in Britain. And some goat’s cheese and flaxseed bars low in GI for work, presents for the fam back home and sampled some of the coffee everyone in London claims is amazing. Yeah it was. Holy poop, I need to go back and get some more. Everyone, it’s the Columbian Coffee Co. That’s where it’s at. We regretted eating lunch when we ‘taste tested’ the samples of cheese 10 minutes later though but that’s why we spent so much money, so we could take it all home to eat it. We rushed over to Baker street, to number 221B and had a look around in the store there because it cost 15pounds to get into the museum! And plus we had somewhere more important to be. That’s right. We had to go home to change into something decent because we were off to a secret bar. I’m not going to tell you the name of it or where it is, only that you need to be in cahoots with those in the know. Once you book a table they email you with the code word to say to the guy who just stands in the middle of a random street, in regular clothes, you just need to know that that is the person you need to talk to. We walked up to him, he asked us what we were doing around there so I said that we were there to see the Captain, he passed the message on and we were showed through a door towards the Underground, downstairs into a 1940s themed bar set up like the London Underground post war. Cocktails galore, nibbles and lovely music.

After our drinks we went out for dinner at a salsa bar and all had a dance. Not surprisingly I have no coordination and thanked the lord when Em wanted to go sit down as she was hot and tired, I just had enough of looking like an idiot. We drank more and more margaritas, tried to get Danny drunk by spiking his drink with a tequila shot but to no success, he just got mildly tipsy and bopped a bit on the d-floor. None of the pole dancing we were hoping for. Nicole met up with us once she’d finished work and we all went out for more drinks and dancing and we didn’t get back until 3am. I think. Thank goodness for the night bus. City to home in under an hr for only 1.50 quid.

The next day we had a lie in, ate cheese and fruit and then made our way to Heathrow to say goodbye to Berni. I bought her some snacks for the plane (pringles, chewwies, Haribo bears and mints) and Em bought her some trashy mags. The essentials, obviously. She showed her ticket and passed through the gate and I didn’t even cry. Not one tear! Look at me maturing. That’s a sign!

Em, Danny and I went back home, straight to the pub around the corner from my place for dinner and there was a white husky-cross sitting at a table next to a spare one. I sat down next to the puppy (7 MONTH OLD PUPPY!!!!!) called Leo. It was still too early after tea to go to bed so Danny came back to mine, we watched a film, ate a crap load of dessert and then went to bed.

Danny and Em both said their flights left from Heathrow Terminal 2 around 8am so that’s where we went at 5am. Em checked in to her flight to Morocco just fine but Danny couldn’t access his. He sought help at a desk and then realised he’d made a really silly mistake. He didn’t read the part on his e-ticket that read LGW, as in London Gatwick. WRONG AIRPORT!!!!! Lucky we were really early. He bought a ticket for the shuttle bus and still got to the correct airport early. We hugged and waved and I said goodbye and then I went home. I didn’t even nap (should have). I watched the latest episode of Sherlock instead(can’t believe what happened, shock horror, poor Watson).

So now I’m back into the swing of things, nearly everything is back to normal. The silly season is all packed away in a bag in the cupboard where the washing machine is, the fridge is clear of leftovers, the freezer doesn’t have frozen desserts in it, and aside from the packets of Mint Slices, Tim Tams and BBQ shapes Berni brought me over, there is no junk food in the house. Yesterday I walked to the gym, went to my yoga class and bought veggies on the way home, made two types of soup and for lunch I had avosmash. Followed closely by 5 Tim Tams and coffee. But hey, it’s all about small lifestyle changes that I can maintain over a long period of time. Plus once they run out I can’t buy anymore and I miss them!!!!

So I should let y’all know now that I’m coming to visit in March. AND THE CROUD GOES WILD!!! I can hear trumpets sounding and drums announcing my arrival into Australia. Women fall to their knees and throw rose petals on the floor in front of my feet. Men take off their shirts and wave them around in the air. Kids giggle and run along with me. It shall be a joyous month for all. So I’ll be getting in on the 9^th if my calculation is correct, or thereabouts. Just give me a day or two to adjust to the right time and I’ll be ready to see you.

I’ll try to get around to you all but there are lots of you and one of me so I may just have to do the whole ‘BBQ at mine, BYO everything” and I’ll supply the ‘Me’.

I’m leaving April 3^rd and when I get back my roster goes back to relief shifts so nothing stable. Which means it’ll be hard to plan holidays. This year I’m going to hike Norway with my Camino sister Alex and I’d like to do Vietnam. If terrorism wasn’t so inconvenient to my travel plans I’d be going to Turkey but those pesky little people are in my way for the time being. How rude.

I think that’s all for now. I’ll write another in a month’s time with the lead up to my visit back to Melb and how work is going. The forcast for the next two months is night shifts pretty much every weekend. Awesome.

Cheerio, TTFN.

Hang a shining star upon the highest bough...

It’s the first week of December! November was a blur, geeze this year has just flown by. So, ok I’m going to start with something I’m super duper excited and passionate about… MY FIRST EVER REAL CHRISTMAS TREE!!! Natalie took me to the park around the corner, we picked out ornaments and decorations and trinkets for the flat and then we went outside to the trees! Oh they were all lined up in different sections depending on sizes, and of course Natalie went straight to the end with the biggest trees. There would have been close to a hundred trees there. We compared quite a few and judged them on height, size, shape, bushiness of the branches and green-ness. It was wrapped up to make it easier to take it home, but it was so big even all wrapped up that the front seats were pushed all the way forward. I was right up against the dashboard, thank god we only had to drive 1km down the road. We got it inside and had to saw 1in off the bottom, shove it in water in the stand and tighten it. Godl twinkle lights went on first and then the decos came out! Natalie likes it colour coordinated, all silver and gold and shiny. I miss ours back home where anything goes, it’s colour-madness and ordered chaos and it was beautiful. Our tree this year is a different kind of beautiful, plus is smells magical. There’s no tinsel on it but I made up for that by shoving it all over my bedroom, and 4 rows of twinkle lights and a fake mini tree and spice-scented pinecones. I think I want to go buy more.

Listening to carols every day!

I’m overdosing on C-Grade Christmas movies that are on Sky TV. I don’t have any of the classics on DVD here so I have to hope they come on TV so I can record them to watch over and over again later. I mean Love Actually, The Santa Clause, Home Alone and The Holiday, National Lampoons Christmas Vacation. Oh! And I’ll Be Home For Christmas.

Things at work are good, I was working with a great guy but he’s gone on holidays so I’m stuck with randoms every day. I don’t dislike anyone at work but some people you just don’t get along with as well as others; like 50yo gentlemen and the only thing you have in common is food. Strangely enough, ok not so strangely, there were no awkward silences on those days. Man, can I talk about food. I’ve been really lucky and have been paired up with some great, strong women, it’s nice to be around them.

Unfortunately, I’m still having trouble with my license so I won’t be able to drive for so many more months. Yes, I’m angry about it. Yes, I’m going to have to start at square one again. No, no one can help me with it, I just have to order more forms, fill them out and send them off again. My original forms were lost, then they found them but they were out of date at that point.

Life after the Camino is a hell of a lot better. I feel stronger and I know that I can handle all those tricky things next year has in store. Apart from the license issue, I don’t let anything annoy me, I just shake it off. Because nothing can be more annoying than some douchebag tearing you apart and pushing your buttons when it’s week 4, you’re already super hangry after 6hrs of walking (30km down with 8 to go), sharp shooting pains through your knee and ankle with every step and not wanting to complain about it, everyone you know is an hour ahead of you, your last rest was over 2hrs ago and have only had an ugly industrial landscape to keep you company. I can now tolerate anything with a smile on my dial.

I have my Berni arriving shortly so I’m looking forward to pretty much nothing else. I have warm clothes ready for her because Melbourne winter doesn’t even begin to compare, even without the wind-chill factor here. As soon as the sun sets at 4pm! Mr Jack ‘The Jerk’ Frost sets in. She arrives next week at 0630, I’ll have to have caffeine IV in order to cope. I think the day she lands is the only day until after Christmas that I don’t have planned. I’m going to sew her to my hip and we shall not part. Sorry, Berni, YOU. SHALL. NOT. PAAAAARRRRTTTTTT. I bought her plane tickets to VIENNA FOR THE CHRISTMAS MARKETS! and a present to unwrap on Day 1 but also something little to open on Christmas day. I have the entire menu all sorted for Christmas, it’s part Christmas-from-Home and part Embracing-the-Brit. Danny will be here for NYE and Berni and I are determined to have him absolutely smashed for most of it. Sorry Danny, but you and your liver are doomed. DOOOOMED! We all have our Christmas jumpers at the ready woohoo! We have tickets to watch the fireworks in the city. All the pubs will either be ticketed or packed but I’ll try to find a half decent restaurant with drinks and bring some sneaky hipflasks into the city.

I’ll leave it there for now, I’ll write something after Christmas!

"The most enjoying traditions of the season are best enjoyed in the warm embrace of kith and kin. Thith tree is a thymbol of the thpirit of the Griswold (O'Farrell) family Chrithmath."

"Well, isn't that a pretty picture, Santa rolling down the block in a panzer. Well kids, I, I certainly hope you've been good this year, cause it looks like Santa just took out the Pearson home. Incoming!"

Buen Camino

Buen Camino.

Those two words meant so many things to me along the Camino and even now they resonate deep. Directly translated they mean ‘Good Way’ and they’re said to peregrinos (pilgrims) to wish them luck, good fortune, safe travels on their journey. It’ll take too long to make this a tutorial as to what the Camino is, and it’s too hard to explain. The best way to understand is to walk it yourself. You walk the camino for yourself, and no one else.

I have a friend, Amanda, who walked the Camino Frances from St. Jean Pied-de-Port to Santiago last year. It struck a chord with me, it sounded like something I was meant to do. Then once she first mentioned it I heard it everywhere and I knew I had to.

The Camino won’t give you what you want, it gives you what you need. You might not even realise what that is until it hits you in the face. Walking through the blazing sun with no shade, endless wheat fields with blisters and sore tendons I realised what my issue was. After that I didn’t have nightmares and I wasn’t scared. The people I met along the way helped me in so many ways in realising why I was really there and how best to overcome these problems. They each addressed different parts of me, helped bring out the good, test the bad, clear the haziness and show me the paths laid out in front of me.

Tim and Wendy. Mel. Kerry. Gina. Joe. Lucas. Neil. Pricilla and Casey. Rich and Joe. Cassandra. Ben (HOWQUA – his stage name, look him up). Chunghee. Drew. Andrèas. James.

Alex.

Alex deserves a whole blog to herself. I met her on day one, we came together after a week of walking and didn’t leave the other’s side. We laughed together, cried together, struggled up every hill and through every dull city-outskirts. She challenged my thinking, my heart, helped me push my body further. I would not be the person I am now at the end of it all without her. Her strength gave me strength. She also gave me gummy bears. Oh the Haribo bears were just so addictive, the best flavours being white and red but you’d always get a bag full of yellow. Yellow?! Who wants that much lemon? We’d keep a packet in our pocket and when we felt really low or grumpy we’d have one or two. On one occasion Alex felt so yuck that she ate half a packet, and then felt even worse. She was a lot faster than me that day and I found her lying on a bench trying to recover from her gummy bear OD. I learnt my lesson from seeing her like that.

Day One I was excited and scared for all that lay ahead. I was right to be scared, well, maybe not scared, no one died (it’s happened before, and people have become lost) but it was hard. Really hard. This is not just a walk.  Day one is over the Pyrenees and that day it was cold with strong winds, rain and even hail. I had to put my cap on to protect my head. I put on my long sleeve top and my rain jacket with the wind blowing it in every direction which didn’t help me and had to open up my backpack rain cover which I had never used before. All I could do was laugh. Stand there in the pouring rain absolutely drenched and laugh.

They say that the camino is broken up into 3 phases; body, mind and soul, and that the three regions of the walk represent those phases. From St. Jean to Burgos is loosely linked to challenging the body. Burgos to Leon, the Meseta, challenges the mind. From Leon onwards is for the soul/spirit.

I didn’t train for this. I decided to walk the Camino just a few months before I left so all my spare time was spent working overtime so I could go. Having said that, my body had been pushed beyond anything it had done before. In the beginning I walked 20-25km per day and felt absolutely exhausted. I didn’t want to nap because I wanted to sleep all through the night. But I went to bed early most nights so woke up early every morning, was always too warm and had nightmares. I didn’t realise until half way through my Camino that napping for an hour would ensure I slept right through to my alarm. At 6am. Every day. I busted my left knee on day one going down a steep hill. After that I had to rely on my right side, which with all the compensating, meant that my right knee and hip hurt shortly after. My shoulders hurt for the first two days but a friend helped me massage that out. My pack was light and I only carried with me the bare essentials. I had an amazing checklist from Amanda and received many compliments. Some packed too much and had to either leave things behind, send them home or send them on ahead to the finish to wait for them there. I have so much more stamina now because as the weeks went on I was increasing the number of km walked. Towards the end we pulled some incredibly long days, between 30-37km [sometimes because we didn’t think ahead and had to in order to reach our target (of Santiago by Friday) on time].

I had a guidebook with me that outlined the terrain, distances between towns and what each town contained. Most people used it as a bible, only walking each day as far as the book dictated. I walked that way initially because it was the most logical distance for my body but after a few days the stages outlined in the guide crept up to 30km days, something I knew I couldn’t do yet. So I broke it up into small stages, which meant losing pace with a lot of people I’d come to enjoy walking with but it was the right thing for me. And thankfully my closest friends did the same thing. There are 33 stages in the book and it is recommended that you incorporate at least 2 rest days for yourself. I didn’t realise how much I needed one until I took it. Lying in bed at 8am, having a long, hot shower and getting dressed in my cotton top and thongs (flip-flops) and then just meandering around Leon felt rejuvenating. I completed the walk from St. Jean to Santiago in 31 days, including 1 rest day. Now, that was me. It doesn’t have to be anyone else. I did push myself but it was a healthy challenge. Trust me, I am now resting like never before. I’ve been home for a few days now and apart from the grocery shop and one very important movie date with myself, I have not left the couch.

I used the guidebook as a diary for my reflections. It saved on having to carry another book because everything you take with you, you carry, and I didn’t want the extra weight. Each stage had quotes or extracts from poems, some of them helped and I kept thinking back on them throughout the day.  Some like:

“If you can be happy with little then you have a lot to be happy about.”

“Here inside me is a force that makes its own weather, winning through thickest clouds to the shining sun.”

There was much debate amongst everyone that had seen the film The Way, starring Martin Sheen as to whether the meaning and feeling of the Camino had been captured or lost. I think that you can’t explain to someone the Camino, because everyone walks it for different reasons. It’s impossible to capture all of that and put it into one, Hollywood style film. It wasn’t a documentary, those had been done before, it was a film. Love it or hate it, its message for me was a strong one: You don’t choose a life, you live one.  

Without telling you my deepest reflections, I know you all genuinely care so here are a few thoughts I had along the way.

Walking out of Puente La Reina: I feel like I did the right think in choosing to walk with these people (Tim, Wendy, Mel and Chunghee). I like these pilgrims, we can laugh and walk slowly. I felt lethargic and most sore walking into Estella, the miserable weather taking its tole on my spirit. My soul feels brighter with the companionship of my Camino family. The camaraderie has made me feel connected to the human energy here, everyone is polite, happy, we’re all in pain somehow but show only joy. Bad knee and hips and shoulders and things on the inside but only ever smiles and Holà’s and Buen Camino! I need more. I’m addicted to this positive force.

In Viana: Can’t believe I’ve found someone like Alex, but it’s hard knowing she doesn’t live anywhere near me. I know I always have a place with her in Arizona and wherever I am, she can be too. I have a new temptation to drive across the U.S., I haven’t really wanted to go before. Every day the sound of church bells chime inside me, they keep me going. It’s a small-town feeling that I’d like to take with me back to London, something I hope I don’t forget when I’m being drowned out by airplanes. I’m charging my phone, all ready to take more photos tomorrow in a vain attempt to capture the moments I experience. The sunrise, walking in the dark then the rolling golden fields. My body has almost healed, bring on tomorrow.

In Sanbol: My body needs a rest. My mind needs a rest. My soul is excited and desperate for more.

I met a couple on my way, I can’t honestly remember which country they’re from or what their first language is or even their names but they spoke a little of English which helped us get by. The man had tied small bells to his backpack and it was really nice to hear as we were walking along dry, dusty gravel roads, it gave some character to the moment. Alex and I passed them one day walking through a forested area and he and his wife told us they believed that the forest held healing properties and they were cleansing their auras with burning sage. They offered to cleanse ours and we let them. Right there and then, we really accepted that if they believed it would help us, then it would. I did feel lighter after that moment, even if it was for just a few minutes. Thinking for hours on end is exhausting and maybe my aura did need to be cleansed, it was a heavy burden I was carrying with me for so long. I was finally learning how to process things and let it go.

On a lighter note, I just have to mention the pig. If that was what it actually was. One night in Leon, the city was having a food festival celebration – of sorts. They erected a marque in one of the piazzas and sold market type food from stalls. I pointed at the massive wok in the back and said I’d like some. Actually, I asked what it was first, and the lady behind the counter who didn’t speak English typed something into her phone on Google translate and showed us, it was “from the pig”. Uhuh sure ok, I said I’d have a plate. She typed back that it was “large”. Righto, Alex and I would share a plate then. Again, with everything in this country it came with bread and that was the best part of the meal. Honestly. It was a dark brown mush that left a bright yellow stain on the plate, it smelt funky and tasted, ah interesting. I think Alex and I ate it just to soak up the alcohol we’d been drinking. We have no idea what it was, just something from the pig, some part, all parts probably. They were playing music over a loud speaker and Bed of Roses came on by Bon Jovi so I started singing along. Alone. No one else knew the song! Ok one girl, the other Aussie we were with that night but not the Englishman, nor the American, Norwegian or the Irishman. I was just utterly disgusted. So I belted out the rest of the song and it was followed by anther Bon Jovi song, Always, so I belted that one out even louder. Was Bon Jovi only big in Australia?! Crazy!

We all had a bit of alone time in Leon, which was just what we all needed at that point. I think we had started getting on each other’s nerves and spending 24/7 with the same people will do that. I sat in front of the cathedral and scribbled some notes in my guide-book/journal:

It really is about the climb. Once you identify the hill, the up is the hardest but most memorable part. You can look down at all that you’ve conquered. And be proud. “You’re sure to do impossible things if you follow your heart” has been stuck in my head for days now thanks to a sign that read “Follow your heart” and the really catchy tune. (It’s a song from the film Thumbelina). Walk your own camino. “Hold your own, know your name and go your own way and everything will be fine.” So many nightmares, essentially one per night, I ended up with what I needed. I’ve accepted the happiness of others and that I can be happy for them. I slept soundly last night with my only dream a happy one about holding onto a fast train, loving the experience and feeling the wind in my hair. “Enough. Enough now.”

Santiago: I’ve made it, but my Camino doesn’t end here so it doesn’t seem final. I had a moment when reaching the cathedral. Overheard a lady say to me and Alex: “Well done, you’ve made it.” Thinking back, that’s what made the day for me.

The next three days to Finisterre felt more special, especially seeing the water for the first time. That was momentous; I could see why pilgrims walked to the end of the Earth. We watched the sunset on the rocks, and I thought that if I don’t do anything else, I’ve done this incredible thing. It took walking the Camino to realise for myself that I love how much I love, I love how much I’ve grown and I love how strong I really am.

Walking on to Muxia, a perfect ending to this part of the journey. Here Alex, James and I wrote our very own 12 Days of Spain. Alex and I met two men from Michigan who wrote their own lyrics to the Christmas Carol 12 Days of Christmas. So at the end of our journey in Spain, we wrote our own. I’ll skip to the end.

On the 12^th day in Spain, the Camino gave to me…

12 painful blisters

11 pilgrim menus (a typically 3 course meal of simple touristy type food for us, pilgrims)

10 cafes con leche (coffee with milk)

9 hundred kilometres (after walking from St. Jean Pied-de-Port to Santiago, then on to Finisterre and then Muxia)

8 euro bunkbeds

7 walking sticks

6 daily food breaks (we seriously did)

5 pilgrims! (I walked most of the way with Alex, James, Drew and Andrèas)

4 donativos (pilgrim hostel you donate as much as you want as the cost of a bed)

3 compostelas (certificate you get upon reaching the end, we received one for reaching Santiago, Finisterre and Muxia)

2 (too) many churches (you have no idea how many. I have no idea how many)

And a tan only on our left side! (walking only west)

Activities along the way included me learning all 50 states of America, including the 3 territories and writing a homework list for Alex of all the CLASSIC movies, tv shows and music artists she hasn’t seen or heard. I was appalled by the lack of Bon Jovi.

So for all of you playing at home, these are the towns I stayed in along the way.

St. Jean Pied-de-Port

Roncesvalles (The Spaniards don’t pronounce ‘LL’, instead its like a ‘Y’ sound)

Zubiri

Pamplona

Puente La Reina

Estella

Los Arcos

Viana

Navarette

Santo Domingo

Belorado

Agés

Burgos

San Bol

Itero de la Vega

Villacázar de Sirga

Ledigos

Sahagún

Reliegos

León

Hospital de Órbigo

Gabino

Molinaseca

Villafranca del Bierzo

Herrerías

Triacastela

Barbadelo

Ventas de Narón

Ribadiso de Baixo

San Paio

Santiago

Negreira

Olveiroa

Finisterre

Lires

Muxia

I can’t write a packing list for you because everyone will have different needs, some people will send packs ahead each day and some will carry them so instead I’ll write a few “must have’s”

-       - a rock from home. This symbolises your struggles, pains, issues, the reason you’re walking, so many things, and you leave it behind at the cross at Cruz de Ferro. You carry it with you and when you leave it behind, feel lighter. I did.

-       - Really good shoes. Walking shoes, hiking boots, look just make sure you’ve worn them in and they’re somewhat waterproof because it’ll rain or you’ll get wet in the puddles and wet feet mean more blisters and a grumpy you. You’re in them most of the day, every day, for the entire length of your Camino. They should have good tread, ankle support if you need, and also consider insoles. I had to buy mine half way through as I wore down the sole under my heels.

-       - Blister prevention and treatment. You will get blisters. Embrace this fact. Now, to minimise blister occurrence, there are plenty of opinions and I can only tell you what I did. I only had blisters under the two little toes on each foot. Wear two layers of socks, a sock liner and then a hiking/walking sock. Merino wool and smart wool are the way to go. Comfortable and quick dry. You can tape areas you think may blister as extra prevention. Now if/when you get one, sterilise a needle, pop and drain, cover with a Compeed (I had to put a Band-Aid around my toes to make sure the Compeed stayed on). It should fall off on its own after about a week. You will be blister-pros when you’re done.

-       - You need a strong will to complete your Camino in order to get you through. There will come a time when your alarm goes off at 6am, or you’re half way along a seemingly endless stretch of gravel road that feels like death under your feet, or staring up at a massive hill, or you’re in immense pain or you’re lonely in a crowd and you wonder why on Earth you thought it was a good idea. Whenever that time comes, if it comes, you need to think of that good reason you had that brought you to your Camino. Find that spirit and keep going. Just put one foot in front of the other. Find strength within yourself and just keep on keeping on.

But the Camino is never truly over. You never do stop walking it. It is part of your every day and even now back home, I am keeping the Camino spirit alive in me.

I’ll probably write more about the Camino in my next blog, it’ll always come up, but if there’s something in particular you’d like to know, leave a comment. I’d be more than happy to tell you about it.

Buen Camino.