Day 31 - 21km - Pedrouzo to Santiago

Strap your feet up, ankle bandages and compeeds on. Pack the rucksacks up. It's the last day of walking to Santiago. Today we arrive at the resting place of Saint James and our pilgrimage comes to an end.

We started the journey a month ago, walking up the hill in the sunshine with a young energetic Dutch chap called Vince. So it is only fitting that at 6am this morning he met us at our hotel to walk the final day together. We also wanted to set off early and have plenty of time to walk ahead of the crowds and arrive with time to get our certificates - we have been told this can take a few hours!

So at precisely 6am we marched out from Pedrouzo in the dark. It was chilly and misty, but we could see through the gloom of the low light and we walked along chatting with Vince about life, the universe and everything.

Unfortunately the gloom was spoiled by two Muppets with ultra high beam headtorches! They weren't around for long as we marched out ahead of them and regained out peace and quiet.

The sun slowly rose around us, driving away the mist and opening our vision to the long wide track through the trees.

We rounded the end of Santiago airport and moved into more urban areas as the surroundings slowly moved from woods, to suburban housing - large detached properties scattered in the green - into more built up areas. We stopped for a sandwich and scanned a code on the table to pre-register for our certificates. Then we walked down the hill and into Santiago.

The last few km moved through Santiago city centre heading to the old town and the cathedral. Almost 800km of hiking and following yellow arrows and they all seemed to have disappeared, with confused pilgrims slowly looking around for our guiding beacons! How can we continue without them!

Fortunately we found our way and we saw the cathedral spires in front of us.

We lost Vince. His bladder and urge for tabacco took priority, so Nik and I were able to walk the last few hundred metres together, passing the bagpipe player in the tunnel that leads to the square.

We passed through the tunnel opening and into a sunlight open square in front of the cathedral. The square full of pilgrims striking poses, sitting and admiring the building or hugging and greeting those they met on the road.

We shared a long and silent hug (and maybe one or two tears).

We have made it. 789 Kms. Good times and bad times. More than a few ups and downs. But we are in Santiago. We have completed our pilgrimage. And our sins have been forgiven.

The emotions of today have come thick and fast. At times you want to walk slower and make it last, at other times you want to march hard and get it over with. The one thing is that we shared every moment of this journey together and we are stood here celebrating this moment together, something that will be with us both forever, with many people, places and moments we will never forget. Thank you Nik for sharing this journey with me!

We had some photos and admired the sights, greeting a few of our old friends, then headed to get our Compostela, the evidence of our journey.

If there is ever a building that needs a Lean Process review this is it. It was a but of a shambles. Firstly you need a mask. Which is understandable, but after a month walking we aren't the most prepared.

Masks on. You enter, there are no signs or instructions, so you wander trying to figure it out. You need a ticket and the machine is through the entrance, out into a courtyard, down the spilt stone staircase into the garden, turn left and walk 50 metres and there is a door you can't see. In there a guy taps a screen and gives you a number. First process review. Put that machine at the entrance!

Now you wait for your number. The screen to show the numbers counting down is in a hallway crammed with people staring at a screen. We had to push through these to get into the previously mentioned courtyard.

Lean review 2. Shift that monitor to a more open waiting area!

There is actually a way to view the number countdown online that I found, so we sat in the garden with a beer. And waited.

Number called, we went through to a room, handed over our ID and our credential with all of our collected stamps, and received our certificates.

German Sandra arrived and joined us, and Vince, Adrian and Dirk also arrived.

Compostela in hand we returned to the square and completed the requested "tiktok" dance for the family.

We met many of our pilgrim friends, shared a hug and a catch up on the last few days.

It is time for a beer and a celebration. This afternoon we will go and get some normal clothes and tomorrow we will attend mass and explore the city.

Take your boots off pilgrims. We are here!