I'm only 12 miles from Santiago de Compostela, and will finish the Camino tomorrow. My plans are to stay in Santiago two nights and then travel to Portugal. I'm ready for a different experience, even though doing the Camino has been one of the most meaningful and interesting travel experiences I've had in my lifetime.
The end of this journey is anticlimactic. Since Sarria, the closest city to the last 100 kilometers of the Camino, the culture of the Camino has changed. There is a bit more foot traffic, although a lot less than I expected. Most of the people I've met the past two days are walking without packs and are clearly on a short vacation. There's nothing wrong with that, but it's as if people are out for a weekend jaunt. There's less camaraderie among people and fewer opportunities to meet others. The bike traffic has increased, which poses hazards for those if us walking on the narrow trails. Prior to the last two days the walkers and the bike riders traveled well together. Even the landscape has changed. There's less dramatic scenery and more signs of the modern world. It's good in that it's helping my transition into the world outside the Camino.
I'm not at all disappointed, since the value of the Camino for me is in the journey itself, not its completion. I've immersed myself in two new cultures, that of the peregrino, the pilgrim, and a bit of Spanish culture. I'm proud of myself for walking so far, and reaching out to others. I've journeyed through an amazing wild and varied landscape. Best of all I've met so many different people, all of whom have interesting personal stories to tell. I've heard of death on the Camino; two people died crossing the Pyrenees the day before I started, and new life; a young couple on their honeymoon with whom I spent some time found out mid-camino that the women is pregnant. I spent some concentrated time with a number of people to whom I had no chance to say goodbye. We all assumed we'd see each other each night, but we lost one other traveling at different speeds. I really hope I see some of them arriving in Santiago since they can't be too far behind.
I am looking forward to being home. I miss everyone. It will be interesting to me to see how it feels tomorrow at journey's end. My backpack is broken, finally I'm ravenously hungry, and my feet need a rest.