Yesterday, while getting dressed for the remaining 21km in to Santiago, I happily declared “This is the last time that I will put these hiking boots on for a while!”

This morning, we had planned a day trip to Finisterre. It was rainy and chilly.  I could not wear my flip flops as planned.   Soooo, once again, I laced up my boots, grumbling a bit.

At 9am, we boarded a large bus with a tour group. The bus was full.  We did not see any pilgrims that we knew…. and shortly after leaving the station began to realize that we were on a bus with tourist groups……. the chatter was lively and loud. They all looked nicely dressed and… no other hiking boots.

Several stops were lined up at villages and points of interests as Finisterre is about  2 hours away from Santiago (we were going along the coastline).  It was raining, but the scenery was beautiful and the tour guide informative & interesting.  Still…. first day of transportation other than my feet in over a month.  First time to be around a large group of people in an enclosed area.  First time to not be surrounded by the sounds of nature and villages “waking up”…. the noise in the bus was jarring and the feelings overwhelming.

We rode alongside the Camino pathway for a while, as some pilgrims continue on from Santiago— another 3-4 days of walking.   From the window  I could see the yellow arrows pointing the direction of the path, the markers with the scallop shells, the pilgrims with their backpacks and ponchos on.. trudging along, as we have been.   I became emotional but pretended to be dealing with allergies.

When we arrived at Finisterre, the beauty of the ocean is breathtaking, even in dismal weather.  As this part of land is jutting out into the Atlantic Ocean, you can understand how the people prior to the 15th century thought it to be the “end of the World.”  We exited the bus, walking along the shoreline as far as we could, and got a bit away from the crowd in order to experience this special moment.

St. James, the Apostle of Christ, had no idea that he was giving us this wonderful gift of the Camino…. this Way that pilgrims have walked for over 2000 years.  It is physically demanding, mentally challenging, and spiritually enriching.  How fitting that today, like the first day we began, is rainy & chilly.  How exactly right that I am wearing my boots.

As the tour was to continue on a few more stops, Dave & I decided to discontinue with the group, spoke with the guide and found our way back to Santiago.

For 33 days we have had a simple life:
Walk, eat, walk, shower, eat, blog, sleep, repeat.
I realize that I am not quite ready to re-enter the “real” world.

Tomorrow we will go on to Lisbon, meet with friends and enjoy a few days of rest & relaxation before coming home.  This next week will give me time to mentally decompress and adjust back to civilization. I do miss my family and friends, and when we meet again, I will be just fine.

Today, however, I Miss the Camino.