Day 34: Olveiroa to Fisterra (Auna)

Day 34: Olveiroa to Fisterra
22 Miles
Total: 545.1 Miles


      I have mixed feelings this morning as we set off for our LAST day off walking on the Camino. We have made it far, further than most people. I'm still alive! I may have some scratches and bumps and a few toes that I have yet to get feeling in for a while but I have gained so much. I feel like I appreciate things more, I don't care as much of what other people think, I believe in myself completely, I have a new outlook on life and the way it should be lived and I have gained new friends. I love the Camino and I love walking but I do miss my family and friends so I am a little excited to finish and accomplish this journey I have been tackling for a while now. 

       You would think that we are all experts on the trail now... Well we're not exactly.. Yesterday Deija got a little confused on the trail and took a wrong turn but not even five minutes go by, her and March reunite! By the way, people get lost on the Camino all the time, it's still safe, you just turn around and follow your trail back till you see where you messed up. I now know from experience.. The last day on the Camino I get lost. I went up a trail that I thought the arrow was slightly pointing to and it gets me about 1.5 miles of dreadful, steep, and quite down hill and then once I reach a town I realize I had done something wrong because there wasn't any arrows. I walk and part jog my way back up, and by this time it is a horrible, hot, VERY steep up hill. I cursed myself the whole way up.. It was clearly my fault that I got lost because I then see a clearly marked trail that I should have chosen. About 5 minutes of walking I see    March in search. I apologize for putting a damper on the last day, all was okay. (: 

       I had imagined this Kodak moment for when I first saw the ocean.. It didn't happen. Once I saw the ocean from on top of the mountain I was extremely tired and could only pose for a picture. Once we meet up with Deija and Bree I take a short break and then we are off! We see the ocean and can touch it but we are still only at our half way point. We had to walk along the boardwalk and it made me so jealous and pissy seeing all the locals swim in the ocean and lay in the sand, today was definitely a challenge that I struggled with. 

      We find our albergue and wait in line but we got a spot. We go set up our bed and immediately take off for Finisterre "The End of the World!" which is about 3K away. Deija and I try to get March and Bree to hold our hands as we all finish but they shot us down, haha. So DEIJA and I walk, hand in hand, to the end point. In the begining we wouldn't have even thought about holding each others hand, we have definitely grown on each other. Deija and I have more like a sister relationship, we fight and yell at each other all the time but we are still there for each other, we have to be. (; 

       I was extremely proud of myself standing there, I didn't want it to end but I have been waiting for that moment. Looking out to the Atlantic Ocean I felt like I had earned it fair and square for all of the beauty it had. I grew up in a coastal town when I was younger and I have been to the ocean many times, I never once remember feeling like that. You have to experience at least one time in your life, I know why March takes kids on these trips. It is his way of "giving back" and I am so lucky that I have been able to do this. 

        Deija and I go find a rock to sit on. There is no beach, the earths rocks just crumble into the ocean. We eat a muffin and cherries that she had bought moments before. Twenty or so minutes go by and we walk back to rest. We rest,  find some wi-fi and talk to family, then choose to go take a dip in the ocean. (: we found this spot where nobody was at earlier but since then, people have took it over. We walk over and put our feet in, it's very cold! We don't see how all these people are swimming in it. The water is a turquoise color but not warm like it was supposed to be. We kind of slowly wade in and I decide that I was just going to go for it. Since I didn't bring a swimsuit I was just going to swim in my small basketball shorts and sports bra. I took my shirt off (which ended up getting wet anyways) and threw it to the shore and I went in deeper. I bet Deija that she wouldn't go in as far as me, sure enough she did! Then she tried to out do me so I had to go back in and get even. The water didn't seem as cold after a while and we swam around but we had plans that night so we got out. At first I had only gotten wet up to my chest, then I bet Deija, because she was over in the shallow part squealing about the cold. Then she kinda just ran/waded past me and went completely under and started swimming! I then of course went in all the way as well, and we both found out that it gets a bit better once your in the water for a little, but not much.

      After our shower we see that our friend, Min, and his friends have cooked up a delicious dinner. Earlier they had invited us so we have been looking forward to it all day! Mins friend is a chef and he had two different pastas. One had octopus, we tried it (: I thought it was going to have a squishy, slimy texture but it was good and chewable! I liked it! We didn't want to eat all of their food because we were extremely hungry so Deija and I went to get a sandwich. We come back and it is a little past 9:00 I grab my coat, she takes a blanket and we head up to Finisterre to watch the sunset. Everyone goes to see it, I know why now! It was beautiful, I sat directly in front of it. I watched the calm, majestic, but yet strong and swift waves. I sadly forgot my camera but I don't know if you could capture all of my feelings in the picture. It was an  unbelievable sight. I really felt like I was sitting at the end of the world. Everybody clapped at the end and we all headed back. Deija and I head out for some coffee and warm milk before bed. (: we had some good cake too! We have to catch a bus tomorrow morning so we decide it would be smart to had back to the albergue. We fall asleep to the seagulls squawking and I surprisingly fell asleep quite easily and peacefully to it, I think we all did. 

Auna