Heading back soon

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Almost time to bid farewell once again 

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Mollymook to Barcelona - Half the world away

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I have returned to Spain - starting from Mollymook last weekend and arriving in Barcelona yesterday - half a world away.  This Camino experience will be different.  Instead of following one particular path, I will be walking sections of  different routes and taking detours in various places - more free wheeling, as well as volunteering as a hospitalero for a couple of weeks. A hospitalero/a is someone who looks after Camino pilgrims in an albergue - a type of hostel manager (more on that in coming days) Another difference was that this Camino started with a pilgrimage to watch Collingwood play Geelong in Melbourne (Collingwood lost 😞) and the opportunity to visit family and leave from my sister’s front door.  I walked to the tram and took a bus from the city to  the airport, then checked in my pack and prepared for the flight to Barcelona via Dubai. The war in the Middle East had been a concern. After 14 hours, I reached Dubai and had a short stop over. Dubai s...
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Scenes from an albergue

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Pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago cannot live on paella alone. They need other food and wine, and song, and company, and solitude, and a good sleep - and help at times. At Albergue de Peregrinos at Villadangos del Paramo we are doing our best to provide!  David and I are approaching the mid point of our volunteer Hospitalero gig. The days are filled- in fact it is surprising how little time there is to be still. We have been to Leon a couple of times for groceries  We have been catering for between 5 and 17 pilgrims each night - it varies day to day. Each group is different. Sometimes it’s like this:  Other times it is like the United Nations. Last night we had 14 guests, and 10 nationalities. Sometimes there are mostly men. Other times there are mostly women. Well someone has to do the check-in! We have even had a couple of canines along with their humans. One specifically requested that I stamp his credencial - ‘of course!’ Today David and I took the bus to Leon again ...
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Salceda to Santiago de Compostela- Arrived!

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Today I arrived at Santiago de Compostela Cathedral. There was much celebration. Friends ahead of me friends behind me - we watched each other walk in - memories of steep climbs and descents, being alone, being together on the path - came flooding back. There was no need for words - just smiles and hugs, and plans to get together tonight. Head light primed for an early start. I organised with friends further along to meet them for breakfast - I had some kilometres to cover. It was dark. Fortunately, I (sort of) knew the path. I had walked it in daylight - and in the rain and dark before. I stayed here once . . . Years ago, a good friend came back to this place to see if I was alright. It was cold, dark and wet. I had been ill and he checked on me. We walked together to the Cathedral, even singing ‘Volare’ towards the end when I came good. I made breakfast at O Pedrouzo- how wonderful! Everyone wished each other well- some I had seen each day, others not for ages. After breakfast, we bi...
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