I woke early and grabbed my bag and went out into the hallway to start getting ready for the day ahead. No one else was getting up till 5:30 but I was keen to set off and was wide awake anyway as we had someone in our room that sounded like a train snoring!! I had tried to book my flights back to Dublin last night for Saturday night but the internet wasn't great so I booked them this morning before I set off, wasn't really sure how I felt about it all.

It was another foggy morning and no one was about that I knew of anyway but after about 20minutes of walking I could see a light in the distance behind me so I knew people weren't to far behind. I walked around 5.8km before stopping in Castañeda for some breakfast and boy did I have a feed?? as I finished up a few of the people I had met the night before were just arriving for their coffee, so we had a quick chat before I headed off again.

As I walked on I started thinking about returning home and I just couldn't get my head around the fact that in two days I was going to arrive into Santiago de Compostela. Don't get me wrong I was so happy at how how far I had come but I wasn't sure how I felt about returning to 'normal' life. I imagine it will be a shock to the system but I know it has to happen, I just hope that I can take what iv learnt on this journey and incorporate it into my every day life.

The further into the walk I got the more busy it got, as we were now walking the most popular section of the Camino. I wasn't used to seeing so many people ahead of or behind me, at the same time though it was funny how you could spot the ones who had just started, they were all fresh and and they weren't limping like the rest of us lol
The walk into Melide was like something I'd never seen just crowds of people from all walks of life heading into the city to find accommodation for the night. I had arranged with the guys from last night that we would meet there today and have dinner and stuff but the hostel we were planning on staying in was booked out( this was the first time that this had a happened$ and it was then I realised it was going to be like this for the next few days! So I went to the next one and it was the same thing, booked out!

I was getting hungry so I just thought I'll sit and have lunch near the hostel so if the others arrive I'll see them coming in. I decided to FaceTime my brother Stephen back in Sydney and we had a laugh, I was explaining to him tho the situation and he's says to me 'sure just walk in to the next town pidge, you've not done 26km today' I was like 'eh Ye the other 600km on top of that' ???? anyway I had decided that if is not seen them before I finished lunch I would just walk on to the next town as I had to get somewhere to sleep for the night. As I walked off I meet them coming into the town in the opposite direction, they looked so happy to be finally here so it broke my heart to tell them the bad news... Their faces looked so disappointed but we all knew walking in was are only option, so off strolled.

It was actually a lovely walk all thorough a beautiful forest so even tho it was the hottest part of the day we were well shaded from it. It take long till we had arrived and we knew we would all
have beds because we called ahead to reserve then?? we all got settled in, the others say on the floor stretching but I knew if I did that I'd be there for the evening, so I made my bed had a shower and then lay down for a while. I most have slept for at least an hour, when I woke it was nearly time for dinner so i went and found the others to see what was happening. It was just going on 6pm so we said we'd eat at 6:30pm in the mean time we sat in the sun with some wine(well deserved may I add!)

Compared to last nights fun and games at dinner tonight's was very different, we were all so tired and could hardly string a sentence together. We all agreed that we were all getting a bit irritated with the noise and the crowds, it was nice to know that it just wasn't me feeling that way.

8pm and I'm in bed typing this, eyes are heavy so on that note I'll say goodnight.
*734.1km down *55.9km till Santiago??