An easy hike of about 20 km brings us within 20 km of Santiago. We have it on good authority (rumour) that some American seminarians have forked over the 300€ to pay to get the botafumeiro smoking tomorrow at the noon Mass. Our plan is to head out about 5:30am to get to the Cathedral in Santiago in plenty of time to attend Mass.
With only 20 km remaining, we feel like we are almost there. Probably every pilgrim experiences mixed emotions about this moment. On the one hand, one is eager to arrive at the destination he has been walking for a month to reach; however, on the other, one does not want the experience to end. Some may even be particularly ambivalent about the necessity of returning to the burdens awaiting them back home.
Twenty-four and there's ...
Much of the path is now canopied by overhanging eucalyptus trees. No koalas to be seen however