Well hello everyone, from the successful Pilgrim. I came into Santiago de Compestella yesterday Tuesday on the 29 th day since leaving France.
It was 820 kms ( give or take , depending on which maps you believe) of which I took a bus for 75 kms and had 3 rest days ( which equalled the walking distance I got the bus)
I left yesterday in the dark at 6 am to ensure I got there in time to register ahead of the 12 md Mass.So Margaret walked in slower a little later. I was there just before 10 am having sighted town at 9 am. I wasn't sad but happy and excited, I skipped and yahoo'ed, and very timelessly sang loudly to Neil Diamond who I happened to be listening to at the time.
I got my certificate to say I'd done the walk( Latin name on it is Carolam) then went to the Cathedral and my German friends who we'd lost a week ago were there in the front row. So I plonked my sweaty smelly self down with them. Then as I went to turn the phone off Netta rang to congratulate me and tell me she is joining me later in July! Fab.
And then to top it off at the start of the Mass they read a list of numbers who have completed the walk from each country ( they stopped calling the actual names) and there was UNO ( one) from Australia!!! Me !!!! I did a big thumbs up!!

So folks I did it !
Why I don't know. It is tedious for 100 's of kms only really picking up scenery wise after Leon, it wasn't one of my better ideas( yes another crazy idea) but let me tell you I have the sense to know once is enough!!! Oodles of people we met are doing it for 2 or 3 time!! Or if it was the first they are already talking of next time! Why , I ask them? Then feel like some insensitive ooff as they rave how great it was !!! Yeh whatever!!!
But - I have today set off alone (Margaret is getting the bus) to complete the extra 90 kms to Finisterre on the coast( under the Milky Way still where the Pilgrims walked to the end of the known world until Christopher Columbus proved otherwise.Remember this Pilgrimage goes back into the 800 's.)
So I am a bit crazy, and today was actually a hard day, very hot as I left late to accompany someone to ensure I knew where to go,
I have booked hotels along the way so am carrying minimal stuff, but it is still more than I have been and I really felt it. Tomorrow is my longest day yet so will go very early again to avoid hours in the heat. So it is 3 days of walking to get there and I will come back on the bus Friday night and have Saturday to look around S de C.Then I fly out Sunday AM.
8 of us had a lovely dinner last night then we had samples of 2 terrible licquers offered, thought my head was going to fall off !
I have just had a nice little nap after going and buying some nice stone fruit.
So all is well with me and my world - may be a different story tmw!!
Thanks for emails and texts.
Carol.

Tomorrow. How right I was!
The wheels fell off today with my right knee seizing up big time. I struggled for over 6 hours to walk at a reasonable speed, not looking at the distance markers so as not to fall in a depressed heap. I actually ended up doing the 33 kms in a much better time than I expected as I resting every km in the end. Anyway I can not walk now without my stick and will not be doing the 35 km walk tmw over the Mt and along the coastal path. I will be lucky to get to the bus stop to bus there!!!
So my walk is over after 800 kms of walking and 110 kms of the bus!
Now I have to worry about Courtney and my flights next week to Nice after the Iceland volcano has grounded much of Europe.