This is the last one...........& a big Thank You

Made it home safely.....a very long & uncomfortable trip as we were surrounded by babies & little kids for the whole 25 hours....Not a lot of sleep happened.....!!!

Had a lovely evening Fri with our friends who surprised us with a get together......so nice to think that people care about us so much

Off to Melbourne towing a trailer today to deliver Emmeline's many belongings to her....we will almost have a spare room now for visitors!!!!

Now a little reflection on our Camino......we have found that we don't really need very much to have a good life....as long as there is food........ a warm, dry bed.....a shirt on our backs (doesn't even have to be clean).....it's the caring, love & support that we get from our family & friends that are the most important.....& these are what we have found.....& in plentiful supply.

So a grateful, loving THANK YOU to all of you who have supported us through this....it would have been so very much harder without you all behind us

Our love to you all

We're on our way home......

leave Heathrow tomorrow arvo 10/06 at 8.30pm & arrive Bris Thurs morn approx 7ish.
Hard to believe it is all about to be over but at the same time we're ready to come home....
Went to Windsor yesterday....lovely hot day....millions of very white Poms out & about with their shirts off....not a pretty sight..........but we did wave to Liz who was home for the day.........not sure whether she saw us though!!!!! John wanted to call in for a cuppa but we think she must have been a bit busy..........
Still nice & hot today..... a real change after the weather we've had recently...........catch up with you all soon
love to all

Finisterre.....& beyond.......

No we haven't cut you all off....just not had access to the keyboard for a few days.......
Anyway....we did get out to Finisterre...though it came close to us not getting there...the buses were really dear & took 3.5 hrs each way....so we would have had a really short day....the few tourist buses that rdo the run cost 50€ & we didn't really want to do it like tourists....luckily we were able to hire a car as Doug had his licence & being Canadian was usedto driving on the WRONG side of the road.....we got a Hyundai Altos...smalller that a Getz....but plenty of room for 4 bums....the weather was beautiful & clear...we couldn't have asked for a better day.....the Atlantic was as calm as a millpond....we could see forever.....we could see "the edge of the world"....what a leap of faith it must have been for Columbus etc to set sail for the edge & beyond!!!!! We had a fair bit of time out near the lighthouse for a bit of deep thinking & retrospection........then headed back into the town of Finisterre for a beautiful seafood lunch & the requisite vinos on a terrace overlooking the harbour......very civilised.....all up it cost us only 20€ each for the car hire.
Had a bit more of a look around the old town of Santiago when we got back....also went to give St James a hug from behind as the queue had been too long the day before.........bought a few momentos for ourselves & Mar-Mary you'll love your Chrissie present part 2!!!!!!!!!!
Packed up & flew out of Santiago on Wed morn........a bit sad & glad that it is all over.
We have been unable to get hold of John's foster brother so had a nice night in a B&B in Bishops Stortford then headed to London for 2 nights.....as some of you know by now we were able to get cheap tickets to see "Lord of the Rings the musical" for thurs night....John was in 7th heaven being in middle earth again......still a bit boring for me but the special effects were stunning......beforehand we had a bottle of wine & nibblies at the same bar in Covent Garden that we had visited last time....still just as much fun listening to the buskers & drinking!!!!
Yesterday we spent in Oxford Street as the weather was a bit too overcast to go on the London Eye as I had hoped....maybe next trip!!!
Today we have come out to High Wycombe to see our friends Ann & Paul for a few days
Now for the big announcement....we're not coming home..........only kidding!!!!!
Meant to say we are coming home early as we know you have all been missing us soooo much!!!!!
We are flying out next Tues & should be in Brisbane by next Thurs morn
See you soon......love to all

Santiago...

WE DID IT....WE ARE HERE....FINALLY MADE IT....& what a haul this last day was....it was really boring..... especially as we had to walk around the runway of the airport....we were so close we were at the very end of the runway....could see all the lights etc......thank goodness we were still able to walk on a dirt track & NOT on the bitumen I thought we had to walk on....we got our last bit of mud!!!! The actual walk into Santiago was a real anticlimax....just suburbia....couldn´t see even the spires of the Cathedral......it is quite a small Cathedral....& much in need of a major overhaul...to the extent that there are weeds growing out of it....all over it.....& it needs to be sandblasted....it reminded John & I of some of the temples we saw in India nearly 30 years ago.
Anyway had a bit of a teary moment when we finally rounded the corner to the front of the Cathedral....didn´t think we would ever get here......it has seemed such a long time & at the same time has gone so quickly....I know that sounds a bit Irish!!!!!
We got our certificat....no queues as we had been warned.......our names written in Latin!!....tomorrow we will go to the Mass at 12 noon then some shopping.....we have been lucky to find a lovely pension that has only been open a month....so everything is still new.....will stay here until we fly out on Wed.
We have been out with Wendy & Doug (Canada) to celebrate for all of us reaching Santiago....they have done over 300kms & we have done about 500kms....so we have already had 3 bottles of wine & while Wendy & I make use of the free washing machine....we have sent the boys out for some cerveca....not quite ready for the night to be finished yet!!!!! Also sat in a great Tapas Bar (Doug & Wendy haven´t had Tapas yet) & made pigs of ourselves on great Tapas for dinner......feeling a bit bloated now!!!!!! especially as we had "helado" (icecream) on the way bakc.....will soon have any weight I´ve lost back on again!!!!!
Will talk again soon..............love to all

re Mar-Mary Xmas pressie..........

Mum....why do you think we mentioned it....we´ve had "value" from mentioning it already!!!!!!
It´s going to be a long wait to Xmas......................................!!!!

Arca......

Well this is our last night before we arrive in Santiago tomorrow.......although the signposts say we have 18kms to go, we suspect it will be more like 23-25kms....and a lot of that will be through very boring industrial estates......also we will pass the airport which is 12kms outside town....and we have to walk right around the runway which crosses the Camino!!!! Apparently very, very boring. Anyway we caná wait to see the spires of the Cathedral in the distance & know we are getting close.
Had a lovely walk today through more eucalypt forests & some pine forests....even a spruce forest....the smells are lovely. As Wendy (Canadian) has been a bit unwell she got a taxi yesterday & today we sent all the bags ahead to our accommodation (except John who wants to carry his all the way) It definitely feels strange to walk without my pack on....I find I use a totally different gait & hence have different aches at the end of the day. Can´t make up my mind yet whether to send it on again tomorrow or to carry it all the way.
We have prebooked out accommodation the last few days as it has been absolutely horrific trying to get a bed....arrived in one place onñly to be told all the beds had been prebooked....& we had another 6kms ahead of us to try to get a bed!!!!! It makes a great difference knowing we have a bed booked & can relax & enjoy our walking.
Short blog but stand ready for our successful completion blog from Santiago........
love to all

Mar-Mary....

we have your Xmas pressie....you are just going to love it!!!!!!! & so will everyone else!!!!!