The end to a epic journey "voices of the night"

Santiago; - Was to be my final destination of travel, after being away for so long from what many call home, it was truly time to call it a day.  I had been preparing for my return over the duration of the Camino setting my mind straight as best I could to deal with such a change in life, I thought so much about everything, it just felt like the right move. Many of my friends had told me to to return and some of my family members thought it was a good idea too, those voices  started to haunt me in my thought’s.

One morning over coffee and much thought, I switched on my phone and connected to my data that hooked me to that invisible signal of today’s youth, I bit my lip and brought the plane ticket two weeks prior to arriving in Santiago for a great price that I could not resist of £40. For my return I had made the decision to keep my head down for a number of weeks once back in the country so that I could easy myself into the lifestyle that awaited for me in that now golden autumn corner of the world that many mistake as a miserable time of year, where leafs fall to the ground in array of spectacular colours and the ground sparkles from the hard frosts that crunches underfoot, rain droplets freeze in the cold like crystals hanging from a chandelier.

As I searched online and found that price ticket that would end this amazing journey, I punched my details into the system and entered my credit card details, I took a few deep breaths, questioned my sanity,  hit the button “Confirm” As I felt my finger touch that ending option, visions of this trip  flickered past my eyes as if it was the end of my life, It took me back to where I had left my life in April 2016, It took me to the person who I was when I left, and who I was now, what I had learnt along the way, the paths I had followed since my departure, nodding my head as the transaction got past through the wormhole of today's interaction.

I sat there for awhile in silent at what I had just done, “Was this my choice or the choice of voices that echoed in the night that gave me restlessness night's. It was the right thing to do I told myself, people are right it’s been to long and I am getting older, too old for this crazy life style as some had indicated. I felt lost and yet happy that I had now made my plan that I was guided to, I would soon be seeing and surprising many people.

I had reminisced on so much whilst walking the  Camino about my journey, about the U.K friends and family members,  the people that I had meet, and the many adventures that I had found myself on whilst away, the dangerous situations that I came across and got myself out of, I had yet again been very lucky, again pushing the boundaries where possible, I had meet so many great people along  the way, remembering their kindness and generosity to a stranger they never knew, many of them invited me into their homes and lives, they feed and cared for me well, always asking me to stay longer and caring much for my welfare as I was very much on my own, how they spoke about their ways of life, how they taught me the ways of their land, how we became friends with in a very short time, they put their trust in me, and how I put my trust in them, Sometimes venturing into dwellings where many would not go, I just had to hope someone was looking down on me from above whilst laughing to myself saying  “Ops here we go again”

“Memories held close”

There is so much to write about this trip and others that I have walked upon over the many years of my traveling career, and yes it truly spins me out whilst writing and reminiscing, I have learnt so much about myself, constantly moving forward in life, this time  around I have got to know myself extremely well once again in this life that I have been gifted to walk upon as a free spirit that many recognize me as and love me for.

Making that decision to return back to the U.K had been a truly hard process to make, if only you could've seen how much I battled with myself over such a move in life, many sleepless night’s, questioning much, it was the right decision I kept repeating to myself. My mates not all, had influence in my return for sure. Like I mentioned many of them told me it was time to come back,  that I needed to recharge, I could sense their worry towards my life. They told me much about what I needed to do, I listened greatly as these people have known me for many years, I respect, Love and appreciate their views and friendship greatly. One mate sent me a link about how travel is not always the right path for happiness, I didn't really read it all I got bored of it and come to the conclusion that it was a crap read. I did picked up on his hidden message that he felt I needed to look closer to what he called home for a type of happiness that he believed I searched for. “Had I been unhappy in my travels I asked myself” I guess they could see something that I could not.  It’s interesting to be reminded and told what to do from time to time by friends and family from afar as they see things from a different side, a more stable normal side of life that they each seem to have “What is a stable life I asked”

Santiago:

Rocking up in Santiago, having coffee, phoning my parents, holding back my news, collecting my certificate, sitting watching people, thinking about friends and family, visualizing surprising people, the journey, the life style, memories, holding the air ticket in my hand. I was set and ready, 24 hours to go it was done.

The last day…

That day in Santiago something significant happened to me, I stopped and thought to myself what the hell am I doing, “I am happy”  People are wrong, I had been getting inundated by people's thoughts and opinions. It had been so confusing, listening to distant souls and not my true self. At times I had found myself unable to relax because of this, getting distracted from what I was happy in doing “My traveling career”

A different life, a life that many have not experienced. For me it is a true education, an education that was crafted specifically for my soul, gaining Spiritual insight, Wisdom, Love, empathy, self discovery, self confidence, a education that taught me a different side away from the system, an education that taught me how to help others,how to care for Mother Gaia as she cares for me, how to Survive in this beautiful world I call home.

It was now truly time for a shutdown away from the voices who distracted me from my happiness “The voice of the night”

I pulled out my flight itinerary from my well traveled rucksack, looked down at that official piece of paper, smiled, and set fire to it with joy. Watching as the last bit of small print to that official deceleration smoldered to the end of my fingers, rubbing the ashes into the palm of my hands as if I had just carried out a Shamanic ceremony. I looked back around to my bag where a few seconds of thought was lost, grabbed my kit and hit the road once again, knowing that what I had just done was the right move, I had truly listened to myself and now had no one else to blame for my decision if it came tumbling in around me.

“Voices are dangerous live your life”

Shaun Freebody.

Day 23 Via de la Plata

I finished the Via de la plata on day 23 averaging 45 km per day, arriving at Santiago early on a Sunday morning witnessing the other pilgrim's drifting into Santiago where all the caminos meet in the city square outside the Cathedral of St James.

I sat there for a while with my boot’s kicked off to one side, my rucksack sat behind me whilst I lay back on to it watching the pilgrim's souls as their epic journey came to an end, or where a epic journey was now in full flow. Many limped into the square from where blisters had occurred whilst walking, others carried injuries from sprained ankles or pulled muscles from around various parts of their bodies. Perhaps struggling a little  but finding the willpower to carry on for whatever reason they had that invoked them to carry out such a call to one's life.

There was a great deal of mixed emotions in that square and around, some came in with a tear or two, others laughing smiling,hugging, dancing. Some bewildered and lost. Others seemed to have clarity of life that shone bright in their eyes.  It was a very interesting time watching all these random souls young and old come to this sacred spot of Christianity where many had found their answer to life or perhaps just a piece of jigsaw that may of been missing for many years. Whatever their reasons, it was a great experience to be part of that.

La Plata:

After Zamora, North of Salamanca, you have to make a choice – whether to continue on the Via de la Plata in the same northerly direction to Astorga, and then to join up with the Camino Francés to continue to Santiago, or to go directly to Santiago along a route known as the Galician variant or the Camino Sanbrés which turns to the north-west and goes through Ourense to Santiago. Both routes are around 1,000 km in length. However I have heard joining up to the Camino Frances is more scenic that I don't know.

I found myself more interested in branching North-West because it is a more quieter route and less trodden, I found the countryside once again but was soon following roads from time to time, with the rush of traffic whizzing past me and the honk of air horns in a show of support to the quest of the camino. I found this pretty amusing so I started giving each lorry driver a dance routine as they came closer that kept me occupied whilst laughing to myself. I would dance on the spot like a little lunatic in hope for a honk,honk, as they zoomed past leaving me in a spray of grit and dust, wishing I had body arma for the hail of plastic bottles, beer cans and other human waist that I wish not to describe being thrown up from the verticals vapour trail, that left me searching for the light once again in my march to religion where I had decided to be baptised once again in the holy bath of wisdom and light.

I remember in my much younger days I was baptized where I struggled to hold my breath as I was dunked in the holy water. I thought to myself whilst surrounded in that mystical source that they must of mistaken me for a witch as they held me down a fair while as I gulped down bucket loads of this magical stuff.  I am sure social services would have something to say about it in today's modern health and safety rules and regulations. “Still I'm sure the vicar got a good tip out of it.

Then the good old Guardia civil came chugging down the road, I love and respect them so much so I gave them my best funky chicken dance  combined with a famous move from  Michael Jackson  that I questioned after I had done it, visualizing myself in a cell for the night followed by a batten to the back of the legs, but to my amazement a got a honk "Phew what no handcuffs and dominatrix"

The Caminos.

Unfortunately all the caminos do take you along a lot of roads, this is unavoidable in today's world. And the Camino dose mean “road” so over the years some parts of  the actual pilgrim routes have been made into main roads for today's modern transport. But the good news is not all the roads are big and bad, there is a lot that are beautifully quiet.

“Don't leave home thinking you will be inpowered and surrounded by forest all day long because you will be greatly disappointed do your homework or just go”

The caminos throughout Europe takes you through some breathtaking scenery and history that throws you back in time, a great deal of the villages you pass through are extremely rich in  historic history, many thing’s will capture your mind and interests to life. You will meet many people with many stories, some stories will make you cry others laugh. And more may give you inspiration to your own life. You will find yourself,and lose yourself, after a while you will feel each pebble underfoot and question your sanity in that moment, trying not to focus on how many kilometres are left in the day, or left to reach Santiago, you will question how heavy your pack is having your mind ask why you brought the “just in case kit” You may very well meet friends for life, and friends on the day you wish to lose very quickly. The wine you taste will be cheap but tasty and extremely up market. But then I don't play games with my drink seeing how many times I can swish it round my glass, then using it as some hi-tec mouthwash.

If drinking in between routes you may find yourself later a sleep perched up against a oak tree with the sun on your face, may be your wake with a cow's tongue in your ear if you're lucky, or an angry farmer shouting  “Get off my land you dirty smelly pilgrim and take your socks and your posh whizard like Staff with you”

Perhaps your life would of changed on your journey where you will not be going back to the shadows that you came from, or decided not to go back ever. You may fall in love with the person of your dreams, you may also fall out of love with the person who you thought was your dream. Whatever happens the camino will work you, and this journey will be one that will never leave your soul, it will capture you in many ways that is guaranteed.

The accommodation: If you are using the Albergues. Be prepared for little sleep, snoring talking, bright lights on at odd times, smelly feet, smelly people, minimal privacy,  great company, bad company. 50 Alarm clocks waking you up as dawn approaches, or perhaps still in the middle of the night for the night walkers who set of at 0:00 hours. You will go crazy at times, you will love it, you will hate it, and if you have not encountered this before just be aware of it. “spend money on extremely good ear plugs. And be prepared  “zero privacy 1 hour sleep that way you will not be in shock” I could tell you more but this is the basic survival guide for you on today's blog.

There are many good and bad points about the camino, for me to say go or not to go would be wrong for me to do so, this is a journey for you to decide everyone is different in life and only you truly hold the key.

Belive in yourselves.