We are the Champions, my friends!

I awoke at 7:10 yesterday morning in Arzúa. I had slept through my alarm clock the first time around, it rings every 10 minutes. I ended up using ear plugs last night and obviously that wasn't such a good idea when I had an alarm clock waiting for me at the other end of dreamland. But despite the fact that I had probably helped somebody else get an "earlier" start than they inteded, I woke up with a smile on my face. This would be my last day! I felt the excitement in my stomach, a roar in my mind and a feeling of determination that I really liked. I was going to walk the 40 km's to Santiago today, no matter what. This was my 28th day, I was going to make it!!!

After a nice breakfast at the café next door I set out. My fingers tingled, my whole body writhed in anticipation. I was going to make it! I was amazed at how good my body felt. A mixture of determination and my body getting used to the onslaught of rigorous exercise must have been the reason for it. I walked alone despite all the people that were there and allowed myself to be a bit of an introvert, the determination pretty much taking care of that part by itself. I stopped at a little café and met the Swedish group that had an Icelander, sort of. Smári is his name and he's Swedish but his mother lives in Keflavík in Iceland. I met them in Palas del Rei and got to speak Icelandic to someone for the first time on the trip. I was too focused to spend much time there and too excited to get caught up in long chats or bravado. I set out as fast as I could.

Kasha was also at the Albergue in Arzúa, much to my amazement. It seems that we've been somehow bound to run into each other since Molinaseca. We had slept a few beds a part and we didn't even realize it. And the last stretch to Santiago was the same. We ran into each other a couple of times, bathroom breaks or similar things parting our ways. For the most part I walked alone the first 28 km's and ate alone. I found a great restaurant for lunch and had a Pilgrim meal since they wouldn't let me order anything else. Pilgrim meal is generally a 3 course meal, but usally I just get coffee or tea after the meal instead of desert. Originally I'd get fruit or plain yogurt but as time passed I didn't have space for any more food. I had a great meal in what looked like a 5 star restaurant, went outside afterwards and aired my feet and then headed out again.

After the 28 km's I met up with Kasha again and we walked together for 7 km's. She was going to walk all the way to Santiago with me but after 35 km walk that day she was done. She needed a bed. We had a "coffee" break in that town, I had 2 liters of juice (too much as I found out when I started walking) and some peanuts. I said goodbye to Kasha and headed off the last part by myself.

I'm so glad I got to walk these last 5 km's alone. I'm not sure if they would have had as much affect on me if I would have walked them with someone else there. Coming into Santiago was such a powerful emotion! I started quivering and crying and the song "We are the Champions" started playing in my mind. First it was the part: "But it's been no bed of roses - No pleasure cruise - I consider it a challenge before the whole human race - And I ain't gonna lose - "
And I just cried and kept on walking. With every step the emotion built up more and more. I brushed it off and said that I had to wait until I'd get there, all the way to the Cathedral. Those last 5 km's must have been the longest walks I've taken on this trip. And as that walk came to it's end at a little past 19:00, I finally got into that amazing square and saw the Cathedral. All the emotional build up came back and I was crying again. Gratitude, a sence of victory, a sense of disbelief and about a thousand other amazing emotions came crashing over me and tears were my only response. Ever since Freddy Mercury first sang "We are the Champions", millions of people have celebrated their victory's to it. Now an orchestra played it in my mind. I was here. I was in Santiago de Compostela.

I had walked all the way from Saint-Jean-Pied-De-Port to Santiago de Compostela in only 4 weeks! I walked every single day, all 28 of them, never taking a rest day! I did a minimum of 20 km's a day and the farthest I went was 44 km's! I never, ever entered a vehicle of any kind, I walked every step of the way! I carried my own backpack the whole way and everything in it (I even carried someone else's bag too for a little more than 1 km)! I only slept in Albergue's, never accepting any higher standard of accomodation! I had done it and even just writing about it is bringing a tear to my eye!

People have been telling me, even when I was on the train on my way to Saint-Jean-Pied-De-Port, that I can't make it in 4 weeks. That it's too fast and I couldn't do it. I heard it the last time 4 days ago from a well meaning Irish man that said even the fit 20 year olds were only going to be there on Wednesday so I couldn't be there on Monday. But sure enough here I am! I DID IT!!!!!

After soaking up the moment for quite a while I went round the corner and got my certificate. It's a really cool document and I've already got a spot on my wall in mind. After that I went inside the church, that's where the walk originally ended and still does I suppose. I fell to my knees in prayer and gratitude and again I felt a tear stream down my cheek. My prayer was just one word repeated over and over again: "Takk!" (translation: Thank you). I went outside and called the person I most wanted to share this moment with; my mother! I cryed a little on the phone and was so grateful to have such an amazing connection with her. Thank you again my wonderful mother!!!

Then she asked me if any of my friends were there with me. I could only say the word "no" but as I was about to continue speaking a loud "GULLI" could be heard screamed from close by. Katrin came charging at me, followed by Pia and Danielle. My friends were here to perfect the moment! Shortly after that Molly arrived and the reunion would soon be complete. We lay down on the ground in the center of the square, I, Molly and Katrin and again soaked up the fact that we were in Santiago. Then a shadow came over me and there was my hermano, Antonello. I jumped up and we celebrated together. As we all stood there I started singing We are the Champions: "We are the champions - my friends - And we'll keep on fighting - till the end - We are the champions - We are the champions - No time for losers - 'Cause we are the champions - of the world!"

We went to dinner together at a great restaurant. I couldn't enjoy the food because I kept getting some stomach cramps but the company more than made up for any loss of food and the pain I felt. It was so good to be with my Camino family again! I had to leave a bit ahead of them since check in at the Albergue closed at 23:00. After they got back everyone went to bed but me and Antonello, we stayed up well after midnight and talked to our hearts content. I'll miss him but as I've said before I know I'll see him again. As I said to him last night: "Until we meet again!"

As I lay down to go to bed it hit me: I'm in Santiago. I fell asleep with such content, such a sense of achievement, such a sense of victory, that I...there are no words!