Today was a bit of a trip down memory lane. We left our busy park-up and took the back roads. It’s amazing how there were about 20-30 campervans and motorhomes parked there, but we didn’t see one on the road today.

As usual, we took the squiggly roads while they probably took the nearby motorway. But the back roads didn’t disappoint. We saw so many storks high up in their nests, hanging out with their giant babies. I am just so obsessed with these birds. Poor Mike having to stop all the time so I could get photos.

Then we came into Sarria, where the last 100 km of the Camino starts. I don’t remember it being such an ugly city, but thankfully we only touched on the outskirts due to my expert navigation.

We saw the pilgrims walking in looking a bit worn out. And then we started recognising places. In Samos, a couple of carved wooden pilgrims that I remember taking photos with. And up and up and up we went until we arrived at the proper Fonfria this time. I stopped and took a photo of the round-shaped building where we had a pilgrim meal, and the albergue up above.

It’s amazing, having spent 2 weeks driving here, to imagine we walked all this way. At the time it didn’t seem like a big deal, just one foot in front of the other, making our way between towns. But when you’ve driven here in the comfort of a van, it kinda does seem like it was a big deal. And strangely enough, we’ve spent almost as much time driving it as we did walking!

And then further up was the bit I always remember from my Camino: the outlook at the top of a steep climb. I remember climbing that never-ending hill that just went up and up, and it was one of my favourite parts of the Camino, reaching the top where the view was incredible.

And today, we stood trying to see that same view, but it was covered in clouds. There were still glimpses of the farmland below, though. We took a short walk down and watched the pilgrims struggling to walk up, thinking how glad we are that we’re not doing that again!

Then we continued on, turning back onto the back roads. It was another beautiful drive, a narrow road hugging the cliffside and a sheer drop below. There was a guard rail, but it probably wouldn’t help much in a slip or an earthquake. Or a car coming fast the other way. But we put those thoughts aside and just enjoyed the wonderful drive.

And then, in the middle of nowhere, I saw a camping car place surrounded by the hills. It was only 3pm, but we pulled in and had a little nap. We woke up at 5pm and decided we’d stay as it was a gorgeous spot. And we were all alone there.

There was a path leading up through the trees, so we followed it to see where it went. After about ten minutes we came to a tiny little village. Just a few stone houses built into the hills.

We wandered up and down the little lanes, not really sure where we were going. I felt a bit awkward, like we were peering into people’s everyday lives. One man was pottering around in his garden, another was sitting on his deck, and there we were wandering through with a camera.

Only the cats seemed bothered by us, eyeing us suspiciously as we walked past before darting off into the bushes. Everyone else just carried on with whatever they were doing.

By the time we wandered back it was 8pm and time to settle down for a game of Monopoly Deal. No one else had joined us here, and we were all alone.