29.3 miles to Palas de Rei - Only 42.3miles left to Santiago

So I decided last night whilst eating a beautiful pilgrims menu that I was going to combine another two stages. As much as I am enjoying this walk I just feel like I am ready to go home now. I plan to hit Santiago on Wednesday and then decide about Finisterre. I am either going to walk it and get a bus back on Saturday, hanging about the Cathedral at 7pm to surprise David and Nadia or I am going to jump on a plane Thursday or Friday, possibly visiting Finisterre by bus. I just feel that each day doesn't bring anything new. I find that the nearer we get to Santiago the less considerate and unfriendly people are. The Camino was absolutely packed this morning though I did accidently oversleep until 7am. I had to really race along to out walk the crowds. That is the good thing about doing a long day as by the time I start the second stage of the two I am combining, the Camino is virtually empty. A downside is that the Albergues are often full when I turn up at 6pm, but I manage to find somewhere.

The food was great last night, as I said it smelt. I gave it 6* out of 5, it was that good. Minestroni soup, meatballs and chips and some triffle thing. It all seemed home made. I am unsure why I was the only one having the menu. So I decided that I am done here now and I just want to get to Santiago. So tomorrow the plan is to walk 29.7miles to Arco do Pino, if I am up to it. Then Wednesday I will leave early and stroll 12.5miles into Santiago. I looked at the distances I have done over the last few days:

19.4
29.7
19.2
18.7
24.8
29.3

Pretty good going.

So today. As I overslept I ate my breakfast as I walked which was a half eaten ham and cheese Bocadillo from yesterday. The Camino was so crowded, counting 17 people right in front of me which I had to squeeze past and over take. I tried to enjoy the moonlight walk through a lovely forrest but it was hard with the crowds. Again everywhere smelt like sh*t which was lovely. I came across a lovely little cat sat on a wall, I think he had a home as it looked well fed and clean. He was such a pest! He loved being stroked and he climbed up the front of me and sat on my backpack. I took a few pictures and then realised he was chewing on the collar of my fleece and on the tassles of my bag. Took me ages to get him off. I would post the pictures but this place is closing soon. They will be among all the others when I get home. The only other exciting thing was bumping into someone from Orisson. Jane the South African who was walking with her son Mike, not sure if I mentioned them. I hadn't seen her since Puerte la Reina. Mike left her at Burgos as he only had so long but she planned to go all the way. After 400km she got bad tendinitus (sp) and so got a taxi to Sarria and is walking the last 100km over 10 days. It is such a shame, I hope she makes it. She is in so much pain but she battles on. Again it made me think how lucky I have been.

I stopped for some lunch after 30.2km and had a massive plate of chips, fried egg, bacon and pork. It was great and gave me the energy to go on. Not much to report about the walk. It went through some gorgeous forrests but a lot of it was along the road. I didn't really talk to anyone today. Had a lot of brief conversations but nothing further. The first Albergue I went to was full and I had to wait about 15-20minutes for someone to turn up to check me in at the next one. Very basic, one toilet between a room of 8. The girl on the bunk behind me keeps putting her rucksack against the ladder and putting her jumper over the rungs. I had to move her jumper to climb up but she has put it back. One example of how people just don't seem to be aware of others. It was never like this before, maybe I happened to be walking the same stages as a lot of nice thoughtful pilgrims but I have now left them behind.

So that is it. All being well I will be posting from Arco do Pino. My last long walk before Santiago and even if I go to Finisterre the longest will be 19miles. So close now, strange that it is nearly finished. Feels like I have been walking for months. Will be strange to go back to normality, will miss walking rediculous distances each day but as I said, I am ready to go home now.