Day 34: To the end of the world and beyond

Dear traveler, 

This story should have been about us and our most awaited destination, Santiago de Compostela.

And on one hand it actually is, because yes, today marks the 34th day on the Camino. Today, we are only around 6 hours away from Santiago. Today, we'll actually reach Santiago! But is it really all only about reaching this place? Or is it much more than that?

It's kind of a rainy and dark morning today. We woke up for some time and we are excited and happy. It's just that we don't talk too much. Not even me. 

We're each within our own thoughts, retracing their footsteps back to where they walked yesterday, the day before, two weeks back. 

The backpack, is up on the shoulders, but it became one with us. Mamarmot says that she feels weird when she takes it off. 

Legs? They're in their own rhythm, not asking us a thing, not telling them anything. They just got used to take us places. 

The mind? Here is a lot to say. I've dreamed these days so much, it felt like I traveled around three earths, just our worlds, but other fantastic, fairytale worlds too. 

Mamarmot is drinking her coffee and smiles. She's very happy. She knows that this time she will get there. Dad is also happy. But how about me?

I am happy too, obviously. Just that...I will be missing these moments. The walking, the games I played with my folks, the tales, the friends. But I remember what the cat said. She said it so well. The Camino goes on with me. Whatever that means. 

Our path goes smooth through forests and I spoil myself with the moist and pleasant air. This reminds me of the first day, when we started off after a rain. Then I saw the first cloud waterfall in my life. I was a bit more little back then, but in the second day, with small steps I managed to move forward. In the third day I discovered that I can help myself reach farther with a balloon, and like that, I got closer and head towards the city of bulls in the fourth day. Step by step, I learned that happiness can be found where you less expect, as for example, in an olive orchard. I was born pilgrim but it took me a bit to learn to walk again when we started off the second time on a much beaten path of shells. On the eight day I discovered the yellow that the cat was talking about, that infinite yellow of the field. I learned about origami art from a Japanese, that offered me two paper cranes, a mom and a chick. For so many days, we were just the three of us, between earth and sky, sometimes with nothing to see on the horizon, but the friendships we created here were borderless. We had bumpy rides as well, with midnight visitors, we spent a day in the desert and then in the fifteenth day we walked the paths of sun. We may have walked like snails sometimes but we still ended up on the footsteps of templar knights. If I remember well, perhaps on the eighteenth day, we received the most beautiful sunset on the Camino as a gift. The cloud dragon came with sun and heavy rain and it led us on the trails of the green backpack and back home. But it didn't take much time that the first page of chapter three was written. In a labyrinth of bridges, I felt part of someone else's story, or was it really mine? But I found a piece of home in the Spanish mountains and with it, I found the thread of the story again...or perhaps the entire woven of stories. Day twenty fifth told me the story of the stone that wanted to be a shell and the twenty sixth day gave us the beginning of a beautiful friendship. After we sat under the shadow of the three castles, we found out that we could have more with less. Really! Galicia enchanted us with her chants and the travelling octopus gave me the kick to move forward. Day thirty two put a stamp maker on our way that made our passports unique, and then leading us to wander through an eucalyptus forest until...here, now.

I wake up like from a dream. Where are we?

We left the forest and the trail continues along the road. 

A drop on my nose, then the second. We gear up with our raincoats and continue walking. The rain doesn't bother me anymore as it used to. I think I started to feel what my folks were saying about the weather.

We hear rushed steps from behind and it's not much until Bill and Jose join us. 

After a bit of walking, the rain stops and we take the opportunity for a small break.

Everybody is happy and taking pictures of a city in the distance. 

Mamarmot explains:

-"We've reached Monte de Gozo. What you see in the distance is actually Santiago!"

So fast? I can't believe it!

I notice how each one of them has joy on their faces, a special kind of joy. They're not laughing at a joke or at a tickle, it's something that comes from within.

We join hands and continue walking. 

We descend towards the city and at its entrance, a big colored sign with Santiago de Compostela awaits. We then follow the yellow shell on the city's winding streets.

Once we get in front of the Santiago cathedral, I can't help but joyfully shout, just like that, knowing that my folks have fulfilled their dream and I did the same, along with them. Even my balloon reached this point.

Mamarmot tells me that we need to go to the pilgrim's office, to get our Compostela.

This place filled with people that stay in a queue reminds me of the place we were when we started on the Camino. Like there, a lady greets us from behind a desk and congratulates me for what I've accomplished. She hands me my Compostela. I can't understand what is written on it but this piece of paper means so much to me!

I also see Jose at a different desk, with the Compostela in his hand and tears of joy in his eyes.

We all gather in front of the pilgrim's office.

-"Where to from here?", Mamarmot asks Jose.

-"I'll be staying here and tomorrow I'm heading towards home. How about you guys?"

-"We don't know yet...we're thinking of heading towards Finisterre."

We hug and we bid farewell. We might never see each other again or at least not to soon, but we promised to keep in touch. 

Now there's just the three of us in front of the pilgrim's office and it's quite the first time we don't know where to. We don't know whether we should follow the shell, we don't know what's next.

-"Where to now, Mamarmot?"

-"Marmot, we're thinking about going to the end of the earth. Unfortunately, we don't have enough time to walk there as we would need around three days. But we'll be taking a bus as soon as we'll find one."

We found our way to the bus station. Unfortunately, we find out that the last bus to Finisterre left a bit earlier. Only the one for Muxia was left. Mamarmot doesn't seem bothered. She tells me that if there's something she learned on the Camino, then it's to take things as they come as everything happens for a reason.

We board the bus towards Muxia and the cathedral from Santiago de Compostela becomes smaller and smaller. 

-"What awaits us in this journey to the end of the world, Mamarmot?"

-"Marmot, we'll see what's there and then we will continue further."

Hm, is it possible to go to the end of the world and beyond?