My Journey Home
Okay, one more then. Another story because I like it, you seem to like it and because my journey back home also turned out to be part of my Camino. It was full of experiences and adventures that I want to share with you.
The holidays are just around the corner and I have been back in the Netherlands for about two months. Actually only a short time, but my Camino still feels like a long time ago. I think about it almost every day and often miss it too. It took a while before I found the peace and space to complete this last story, but fortunately I had already written many notes that I have now been able to bundle into a complete story. I enjoyed the memories it brought back and, in addition to the text, I am also very happy with all the photos that keep the memory alive.
Get cosy in a chair by the Christmas tree with a wintery tea or a yummy glass of wine and come along for my journey home. For this we are going back to Spain. Back to the end of September, on the Spanish west coast, with a very pleasant temperature of 26 C degrees.
I had just waved Mom and Dad off by the bus going back to Santiago, from where they will fly home the next day. It was lovely to be able to share this last part of the Camino with my parents. Now I was on my own again for a while. My inner feelings told me to take some time for this transition. And well, where was the best place to do that? Without having a determined direction, I let my feelings guide me and ended up at the lighthouse on the coast of Muxia. I sat with my back against the lighthouse and enjoyed the view over the sea while all kinds of things went through my mind, a flashback on these few weeks with my parents, the past months that I have travelled by foot, the return journey that was ahead of me and how immense my gratitude is that I've gained priceless memories from this trip.
After a while I went back to my Albergue via the supermarket. This time I didn't have to worry about whether the groceries fit in my backpack, so I could buy all I wanted.
It was a pleasant household in the Albergue. The first night there were two couples, German and Portuguese, a man from Taiwan and a woman from Germany. Everyone took turns cooking their own meal, wine was shared and we all ate together at the dining tables. Experiences and moments from everyone's Camino were passionately shared. The length of my Camino was admired with respect. When the man from Taiwan heard about my Camino, his reaction was very enthusiastic, he couldn't believe it at first and a second later he even dropped to one knee out of respect. It made me laugh. Of course I appreciate that people show respect and are impressed, but it also feels a little bit uncomfortable.
Have we been taught to brush aside something we have accomplished as if it was nothing? Is it modesty? Or have I still not fully realized what I actually did?
I stayed at this albergue in Muxia for five nights. In the dormitory that had 4 bunk beds and two singles, I got the single bed under the window. Fortunately, the number of snorers was not too bad and I enjoyed not having to pack up my things every morning. My daytime activities mainly consisted of writing, walking a bit towards the sea somewhere, and cooking good food.
My last day in Muxia I visited a fellow pilgrim who I had met along the way and who was now staying at the campsite just outside Muxia. It was an 8 km walk. In good spirits, I threw a very light backpack on my back and walked north along the coast in my t-shirt and shorts. As long as I kept the sea on my left, I would automatically arrive at the campsite. It felt wonderful to walk again, I felt the energy flowing through my body, as if it was happy to be moving again after these few days of rest. Along the first stretch of beach as I left Muxia behind, a man walked in the opposite direction. He greeted me and gave me something. It was a tiny St.Jacques shell. I took it as a sign of confirmation that it was time to move on. Back on the camino, ready to continue my way, the path back home.
After a beautiful and slightly challenging walk along the rugged coastline of Costa del Morte, I arrived at the campsite. Together with Branka and Roberto we ate a salad on the terrace and shared stories from the Camino after we last saw each other 1,5 months ago. In the afternoon we took a walk on an idyllic beach and swam in the sea. This turned out to be the last time during my trip that I swam in the sea. It was chilly, but wonderful to float on the waves. There was a couple on the beach with two dogs and we started talking. One lady came from the Netherlands and the other lady from New Zealand. They had two Frisian Stabyhouns, the same breed as my parents. Beautiful dogs. The youngest immediately came to me and sat comfortably at my feet. Perhaps this is the breed that suits me. I have met many dogs along the way. Beforehand, I had heard several stories about how not all dogs appreciate the pilgrims. Fortunately, apart from that one time when I walked around a bit to avoid the dog that was blocking the way while barking and threatening, I have not had any nasty encounters with the dogs on the Camino. I did however really miss that sweet Frisian Stabyhoun from home and I look forward to cuddles when I get home.
It was day 1 of my return journey and day 178 of my camino. The bus journey from Muxia back to Santiago de Compostela took about two hours and went well. At least, according to the standard, but it wasn't standard for me. For the past 5.5 months, the standard means of transport for me has been my own two feet. It was strange to be on a bus, part of the traffic and watching all the oncoming cars speed past.
In Santiago I had booked a night at the Albergue where I had also slept on the day of arrival. I had left behind a number of things that I did not need on the way to Finisterre, but that I wanted to take home with me. Upon arrival I was warmly welcomed, but it turned out that something had gone wrong with the reservation. They were full. “Don't stress, I have a tent,” I said. They already had one setup in their small garden and I was welcome to sleep in it for the night without payment. To make up for their mistake, I also received a free breakfast in the morning.
There is a small business in Santiago that offers storage for people who decide they no longer need items while being on the way. I had warm clothes with me from home that I no longer needed in Spain and I had a worn out pair of shoes that I could not part with. I sent this from Irun (a town on the border with France) in a shoebox to Santiago, so that I could pick it up for the return journey. They charged me ten euros for three months' storage. A great service.
I wanted to do my return journey through Spain by train. The tickets are affordable, because it is subsidized by the Spanish government. On day 2 I first went by bus from Santiago de Compostela to Ferrol, a port town on the northwest coast. From here the Feve train runs along the north coast to Bilbao. It is a small and slow local train. Not suitable for travelling quickly from A to B, but perfect if you want to travel quietly along the coast with beautiful views of the ocean and surrounding nature.
The first day by train, day 3, I went from Ferrol to the city of Oviedo. This is where I switched from the Camino del Norte to the Camino Primitivo during my walk. I stayed in the same albergue as before. Do you remember that one time I was sick, had a lot of stomach pains, and spent most of the day sleeping in the park under the tree? That was here, in Oviedo.
The Feve train took me from Oviedo to Santander the next day. A journey of about 8 hours in which the train made more than 80 stops along the way. Fortunately, there is a toilet on board, and I also had enough water and something tasty for lunch with me. Feet on the bench and enjoying the views and landmarks along the way that brought me many memories of my journey on foot. The train drove parts along the coast and other parts through the mountain area of Picos de Europa. I sat with my nose pressed against the window, a beautiful area that I would like to return to and explore further.
In the city of Santander I got on the ferry, as I had done on the way there as part of the Camino. While I was curled up in my book waiting for the boat, a fellow pilgrim came and stood next to me who enjoyed having a chat and didn't mind that I was very curious about the end of that chapter. The fifteen minute crossing took us to the town of Somo, where we each continued our own way. The coastline here is incredibly beautiful with a small unpaved path of about 10 km long, after which it turns into a paved road of 5 km inland and ends via the Camino in Guemes. This is where Ernesto's Albergue is located, where I stayed for a week during my Camino to do volunteer work.
But after arriving in Somo, most of the day was already gone and I didn't want to rush past the beautiful coastline to reach Guemes, so I decided to look for a spot for my tent. From my walk I remembered where the small supermarket was and where I could fill up my water. With the necessary supplies in my pocket, I walked onto the beach to walk with my feet through the surf towards the east. The beach was no longer packed like it was a few months earlier, which made it more pleasant to walk on with a full pack. At a nice alcove against the rocks on the beach I sat down in the sun for a short break to continue that chapter I was longing to read.
A while later I walked off the beach and continued the walkway over the coastal cliffs in search of a suitable spot for my tent. During my Camino I had pitched my tent here in the dunes between the trees, hidden so that no one could see me, because they had warned me at the campsite that this was actually not allowed.
This time I wanted to see the sunset and not hide among the trees. The busy beach area was behind me and I found a small viewpoint right next to the walking path. Surrounded by pampas grass on one side and the sea on the other. To the west, the sun began to set over the city of Santander. I sat down to enjoy the sunset while I made and ate my dinner. Earlier that day I had bought wraps at the supermarket with fresh vegetables and a spread. There were still a few people walking or jogging past who were also enjoying the sunset, but it became more quiet as the twilight approached. The twilight and peace made me feel confident and protected so I started setting up my tent. As I was inflating my sleeping mat, I saw a bright point of light to the east over the hills. Wow, that's bright evening lighting was my first thought, my second thought was the moon. It was a full moon!
Strong and bright, the glowing ball came over the hill to brighten the night. The little tension I had about pitching my tent in this spot was gone, because this made it more than worth it. That evening I thoroughly enjoyed the beautiful nature around me. The sound of the sea below me, the feeling of the wind and the beautiful moon and stars above me. Even as I closed my tent and laid my head down to sleep, I could just peak between my inside and outside tent and saw a patch of sea on the horizon with some stars above it. A magical image to close your eyes and end the day with.
The next morning I opened my tent and lay for a while to watch the morning red across the sea from my sleeping bag. There really is a bit of magic in the welcoming and ending of a day. Today was day 5. After packing my things I walked further along the coast with the sea on my left towards the east. It was only a short 7 km walk to Guemes. I had a lot of time today for rest and relaxation, so I went to the beach for a few hours! I found a spot where I could put my backpack on a rock and sat on the sand in the sun. My book was fascinating and went towards the end, so it was no punishment to finish it.
In the afternoon I left the Spanish coast behind me and walked inland via a paved road. The area here is hilly, sparsely populated, with lots of farmland and eucalyptus forests. The coastline and this part of the interior were special to walk back through. So many camino landmarks along the way, from the road itself, the trees or the cows that I had seen on the way there, to the spot where I peed in the forest last time. It's special to remember all these details and see them again on the way back. I have often spoken to fellow pilgrims about walking the return journey and how difficult it would be mentally. For me the distance was too far to walk all the way back. But I really enjoyed walking short stretches of it. It feels good in the body to walk and the wonderful memories of the way there give a warm feeling.
Up the last mountain to Ernesto's Albergue. I stayed here for two nights in my tent. Enjoyed the good meals they serve to the pilgrims, the lectures by Ernesto and the conversations with fellow pilgrims. But most of all I enjoyed the moment after all the pilgrims had left in the morning and the place was peaceful and at ease. I spent this time in the hermita with my tablet to put my thoughts and memories from the journey on 'paper'. Seeing Ernesto again, as well as the cook and the handyman, was really nice. It was a great time and I'm glad this place became part of my return trip.
On day 7 I left Guemes and walked 7 km to the town of Beranga. Through hills with farmers' fields, eucalyptus trees and pampas bushes. Meanwhile, a gadfly had decided that my hair was a nice place to settle. Every time I managed to pluck it out from between my hair, it decided to come back. Persistence won, it never came back, but I had to fish it out from between my hair at least 8 times. In Beranga I bought some fresh fruit and bread at the small village supermarket and ate lunch in the train station booth. Waiting for the Feve train that took me to Bilbao in a few hours. I visited Bilbao with mixed feelings. I enjoyed visiting this city and its highlights on the way there, but now that I had already seen it, I felt little attraction for it. I stayed at the Ekoos Hostel which was beautiful, modern and eco-friendly, and had dinner that evening at La Camelia Vegan Bar, where I had eaten last time. The temperature was still pleasant for a spot on the terrace.
The next morning I had to get up early to catch the FlixBus. This took me to the station in Hendaye and thus directly across the border from Spain to France. In Hendaye, France, I knew my way around and walked straight along the boulevard to the beach, accompanied along the way by a beautiful blue hummingbird that flew in front of me along the waterfront. Left and right I was overtaken by people who were also walking along this path, but no one had an eye for this special bird.
During my pilgrimage, Hendaye was the place where I first came to the sea after 3 months of walking. Today, day 8, was unfortunately the last day I would see the sea on this trip. It was no longer swimming weather, but a last walk on the beach was wonderful. I left my backpack and shoes on a rock to walk barefoot through the always comforting seawater.
That afternoon I boarded the train in Hendaye, which dropped me off a few stops later in Bayonne, a little further north on the French west coast. There I changed to a train to Lourdes. It was a very luxurious train and also turned out to be a lot more expensive compared to the subsidized prices in Spain. The conductor was very helpful by choosing a more favourable fare for me. The tour went along the foot of the Pyrenees with beautiful views over the mountains.
Lourdes was not necessarily a place I wanted to return to, but on my return I wanted to travel via Le Puy en Velay and then the journey automatically goes via Lourdes. Sometimes it's nice to be in a familiar place and I can't deny that Lourdes has something special. I spent the night at the same albergue of Jean-Louis as the first time and also slept in my tent again in the garden with a view over the beautiful basilica of Lourdes. A mother and daughter from Indonesia also stayed there that night and would start their pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela the next morning. They were quite nervous, saw me as a great inspiration and asked questions with interest to calm their nerves. That evening, after dinner, we walked together to the cathedral for the light parade when I heard them say behind me, “I want calves like that too!” It made me laugh, I've never had compliments about my calves before! I didn't see my big calves as something beautiful before the Camino. Now that they have supported my walk for thousands of kilometers, they have certainly not become any slimmer, but they have become something to be proud of. It was nice to meet this mother and daughter at the start of their Camino and I hope they had a magical way.
Day 9 was another long train day, from Lourdes to Figeac, about 6 hours of travel. Although the train in France is a lot more expensive than in Spain, I found it a pleasant way to travel. Better than with a FlixBus. Although the bus is sometimes faster than the train, the bus goes via a road where traffic constantly buzzes past, opposite the train often runs through a naturel area. I was well prepared for this train journey with a delicious lunch that I bought in the supermarket in Lourdes in the morning and I had a great time reading a book along the way. The joys of a journey by train.
In Figeac I actually thought I would go to the campsite, about 3 km outside the center, but according to the information center it turned out closed. In retrospect, I should have just relied on my wild camping experience, but the employee recommended a gîte where I could pitch my tent in the garden. Despite staying in the garden I felt enclosed in the town of Figeac, there was mainly a lot of traffic so I was happy to move on again the next morning.
It was the first cold night. I didn't expect it because I hadn't felt even a little bit cold in Lourdes. Anyway, it was a new day again and the sun seemed to be doing its best to bring us a beautiful day. The other pilgrim staying here left early and I was a little jealous of him, he got to walk today. I took on the hitchhiking challenge on day 10. I walked to the mainroad leaving Figeac and found a spot along the road where it was possible for the cars to stop. I'd made a note with ‘Espalion’ on it and held it up while giving a thumbs up. My first time hitchhiking alone, although I had done this once before in Australia. It was very cold and I wondered if this would work. How long would I have to stand here? I started keeping time. Don't give up too quickly. Maybe this just isn't for me. I like to be kind of self-sufficient, now I literally stand on the side of the road asking for help from every random person that passes by. It felt like some kind of begging, even though I am asking for a service that this person is already going to provide and does not have to go out of his way for it. Fortunately, my perseverance paid off, after about 20 minutes a work bus stopped. This man told me that he was going to Rodez and that I could easily get a ride from there to Espalion. I was done with standing on the side of the road and was grateful that this man stopped so I got in. After an hour I thanked Francios-Xavier for the lift and he thanked me for the pleasant conversation. I imagined him that evening at the dinner table with his wife and children, talking about how today he gave a lift to a lady who had walked from the Netherlands to St.-Jacques in Spain.
In Rodez I stood at the turn to Espalion and was picked up by a pick-up truck within 2 minutes. A charming looking man who had an appointment in Espalion for which he was actually almost 10 minutes late. I thanked him for taking the time to stop for a stranger even though he was already late. Espalion is a picturesque village that I remembered well from the way there. By now it was lunchtime and I found a spot in the sun to eat something.
The next mission went to Nasbinals. On Google Maps I could see that the road by car went via Saint Combe d'Olt. This village was a 10 km walk away and I was ready for some movement. I missed nature around me and the slow pace to enjoy it. It was wonderful to walk again. A beautiful nature reserve with forest paths that I had missed. Along the way I met a number of pilgrims. Most looked at me with great interest and surprise, some asked if I was walking back and one even thought she hersef was walking in the wrong direction. Here and there were some places along the way that I recognized, after all I had already walked on this same pilgrim path on the way to Santiago, it was special to walk part of it in the opposite direction.
In Saint Combe d'Olt an old couple spoke to me and I tried to explain in my bad French what I had done and received a response full of admiration. They asked if I needed anything, food or shelter. I thanked them kindly and told them I had everything I needed. Just outside Saint Combe d'Olt I raised my thumb again for a lift to Nasbinals. Pretty soon a car stopped and this nice man took me to my final destination for today. With 3 different rides I had covered 131 km today, of which I had walked almost 10. Not bad for a first hitchhike adventure!
In Nasbinals I walked to the campsite just outside the center. This one was also closed, the camping season had ended, but the lady at the informationcenter said I could spend the night there anyway. Via a dirt road I reached the last field of the campsite where narrow passages between the fence gave access to the field. Perfect. I looked for a nice spot in the grass where the sun last set behind the hill and decided to eat first before setting up my tent. I had couscous with lentils left over from yesterday and added some seeds and nuts to it. Not seeing anyone in the meantime, so I felt comfortable to pitched my tent for the night. It cooled down quickly and I wrapped up warm for a cold night. Made myself a cup of tea and crawled into my sleeping bag to read as the night fell.
Just before I went to sleep I stepped out of my tent to pee. Out of my warm sleeping bag and into the cold, but it was definitely worth it because I was treated with a fantastic starry sky. I could see the entire galaxy and tried to recognize some zodiac signs. After a pee and a moment of enjoyment, I went back into my sleeping bag. The night was cold. Very very cold. Too cold for me and the equipment I had with me. I had on 2 pairs of long pants, 2 pairs of socks, a shirt, fleece vest and my down jacket, my beanie on and my sleeping bag completely zipper up so that relatively little of my face was exposed to the outside air. Even though I slept poorly because of the cold, I was happy and grateful with this night in this place connected to nature.
Daylight arrives earlier here than in Spain, around half past eight. The first thing I did was get out of my sleeping bag to pee. The plants on the ground showed frost on the leaves. Perhaps the first frost of autumn. My camping nights are almost over, this is getting too cold for me. I crawled back into my sleeping bag and prepared my breakfast, oatmeal with banana, dried berries and a spoonful of peanut butter. First I boiled 500ml of hot water and made tea from it. I drank half of it, warming myself inside, and made with the remaining half my breakfast porridge. I really enjoyed the peace and quiet in nature. The cows grazing next to me in the meadow, the donkey braying in the distance, the birds whistling and even a wasp-like bird buzzing past. Yet the time came to return to civilization. The sun was shining nicely so luckily I could take off a layer of clothes. In my shirt and leggings I walked back into Nasbinals.
Day 11 became part 2 of my hitchhiking adventure. After a few minutes with my thumb up, an older man stopped who was on his way to Aumont-Aubrac. Perfect. The scenery along the way was beautiful and I was very happy with my choice to hitchhike this road which allowed me to see this Aubrac national park again, although the experience was very different from walking. If I had taken public transport I would have bypassed this park and now I went straight through it. As if it was meant to be, my hopes came true, because the man drove straight through the village of Aubrac. We passed the tower where I had spent the night and the restaurant where I had eaten the local Aligot (cheesy mashed potatoes). By luck, the owner and her wolf-dog were also outside on the square, so I caught a glimpse of them while passing. Just what I wanted to reminisce my memories. The Camino magic still seems to be with me.
In Aumont-Aubrac the nice man let me out in the center and I wished him a nice day. The village looked familiar because I had walked through it with Morgane. Another lovely memory. From here there were two roads that went towards Le Puy and Velay, but neither were direct, which made hitchhiking a little more difficult. At first I tried one road and after a while the other. Here I was picked up by a man from Corsica. He was on holiday here and went into the woods with friends to collect mushrooms. This was the right season, it might be fun to do this myself one year. He dropped me off in a small village because he said this was where the exit would be. It turned out that I was quite a way off my planned route and I felt a bit awkward about it. Not useful, but okay, thumb up again. After a while, a man in a van van stopped on his way to the city of Mende. He told me I had a better chance of getting a ride from there to Le Puy. I trusted this man on his words and got in. He turned out to be a teacher at a small university in Mende and said that every spring they take students into the Aubrac area to count the diversity of flowers. I can still remember the beauty of flowers when I walked here a few months ago, including many daffodils and violets. Now the area was mainly brown and barren after a warm summer.
In Mende there were signposts pointing towards Le Puy and I thanked this man very much for his help. By now it was midday and there was a bakery at the roundabout where he dropped me off, so I decided to have something to eat first. After this I picked myself up and stood on the side of the road again, it is still a bit of a strange feeling. Being helpless and dependent on the kindness of humans. But this is equally a beautiful process, in which one learns that a fellow human being may be asked for help. After a few minutes a man stopped in a campervan with a beautiful dog, a kind of Aussie with bright blue eyes. The dog was sweet, the man didn't speak English, but seemed nice. He drove leisurely and seemed to enjoy the view and the sunny October weather, just as I did. He took me halfway, about 45 minutes away. He dropped me at a junction where a line of cars was waiting for the exit to Le Puy. One of the car had the window open and French rap music playing, I held up my ticket and he nodded and gestured for me to get in. This young man dropped me off at the roundabout from where I walked to the center of Le Puy. It was about 4 o'clock. I got into the first car around 11 o'clock that morning. 4 cars, 146 km and 5 hours later I was in Le Puy en Velay.
At the pilgrim accommodation where I had spent the night on the way there, I was warmly welcomed by volunteer Andre. He was very impressed with my trip to Santiago and looked with admiration at my credentials full of stamps. In the evening during dinner, my credential was enriched by Andre with a mini watercolor of Le Puy en Velay and by another pilgrim with a watercolor of a pilgrim on the GR 65 Way of St. James. Amazing, one of those souvenirs that's not for sale.
I decided to stay in Le Puy en Velay for two nights. These were the last two days that this pilgrim hostel was open, the hiking season had ended. I slept comfortably in a bed there and enjoyed not being cold. I had already visited all the sights on my outward journey, so I spent most of the day in the park reading and writing. It was pleasant sunny weather which I enjoyed in my T-shirt and my bare feet in the grass. After the afternoon in the park I walked back through the city to the pilgrims cafe. I was received as a pilgrim and taken to a meeting for pilgrims on their way to Santiago. I indicated that I was on my return journey and my story was listened to with wide eyes and ears. Impressed and full of respect, I received nice reactions and many questions from everyone. They said things like; “I am glad to see that you are so strong and energetic after completing this long pilgrimage.” Which gave them confidence that they can do it themselves, because many people are nervous about this. They appreciated my tips such as massaging your feet and calves, drinking plenty of water and most important of all, listen to your body, every day again!
Perhaps this was my calling for the way back, inspire people and give them energy and confidence on their Camino. While I was initially completely unaware of this, it was a beautiful task to perform unconsciously. I really look back on this journey with nothing but joy and enrichment. Everything that has come along on the way has a reason and a place and I have appreciation and admiration for all of it. This Camino has brought me much more than I could have imagined beforehand and has turned into an important chapter in my life.
The second evening at the pilgrim hostel in Le Puy en Velay I walked into the communal kitchen to prepare my dinner. I was looking for a spot at a table when the young man in the kitchen turned and looked at me. Hey?! What, how….?! It was Andrea, a pilgrim from Italy whom I had met on my camino in Lourdes, where he was going to start his. It turned out that he had some delays along the way, had bought a bicycle and was now making his pilgrimage by bicycle back to Munich, where he lives. I never expected to unexpectedly see someone I knew on my way home. It was a pleasant evening and we enjoyed the roasted chestnuts that he had brought from the forest along the way.
On day 13 I had booked a BlaBlaCar, which is a kind of carpool or ride-share, where people post their planned ride via an app so that others can book it to travel with them for a small fee. This ride brought me to the city of Grenoble on the south side of the Alps. Fellow pilgrim Genevieve has been living here since a few weeks. After completing her Camino, she had changed course and moved from Marseille to Grenoble. I visited her and together we reminisced about our days on the Camino. Very nice to see a pilgrim in their daily life after the Camino.
The surroundings of Grenoble are beautiful, we visited 'Monastery de la Grande Chartreuse'. The monastery itself was not open to the public, but the silent area surrounding it was a beautiful and relaxing place to watch the sun set behind the mountains.
After a night on Genevieve's couch, it was time for another ride with the FlixBus. This took me from Grenoble to Chalon-sur-Saône and there I boarded a local bus that took me to Autun on day 14. Autun is a city in Burgundy, located in central France. During the bus journey I saw the sun setting and it was almost 8 o'clock when I arrived at the campsite. The reception was closed, but there were some campervans on site and a single tent. In the dark I looked for a suitable spot for my tent and wrapped up warmly for the night. Pleasantly surprised that it wasn't as cold here like in the south at the Aubrac National Park, which is significantly higher.
The next morning I left after breakfast, it was 9 o'clock and the reception was still closed. In my mind I sent a thank you note for this free night.
Autun is located southwest of the Morvan National Park. I walked one of the most beautiful stretches on route in France here, which was fairly early in my camino, in May, and unfortunately I was unlucky with a lot of rain. But the park left such a beautiful impression on me that I wanted to go back now that it was not raining. Just like the Aubrac in southern France, the Morvan is also an area where public transport is not an option. Just outside Autun I gave a thumb up and was picked up by a lady, the first time a woman stopped for me. About 20 minutes later she dropped me off at the intersection where our paths parted and I continued on foot. My mission for today was to walk the 'Gorge de la Canche'. This fairytale forest had made a great impression on me the first time. Now in the fall there were a lot of yellow tones and all kinds of fungi, instead of the young green I had seen in May, but it was still a beautiful oasis. The trail runs in the middle of a dense forest through which a river with several waterfalls meanders. The first time I found this trail quite challenging to walk, and it also involved some climbing. Now on the way back, I thought it wasn't that tough and the bit of climbling was actually fun. The Morvan area is beautiful and I would absolutely recommend it. If you go there, be sure to visit this 'Gorge de la Canche'. I hope to come back there someday!
From here it was about 10 km to Anost, there was practically no traffic, so I started walking. Walking on asphalt is still strenuous for me and I felt like the 10 km took a very long time. During a short break, a van suddenly passed by, thumb up, and sure enough, it stopped. “I'm going to Anost, which is only 3 km,” he said apologetically. That's perfect, I shouted happily, there's a campsite there. He knew where it was and took me there. This campsite also turned out to be closed for the winter season, but I found a tap with running water and everything else I needed I had with me. As I settled in for the evening, I thought about how interesting our willpower works. On the way towards Santiago I wouldn't have even thought about raising my thumb for a second, because the last 3 km were too tough for me. On the way there I walked every km, hard or not, fun or not, I walked. Now I'm on my way back and the 'hiking mission' has been completed, it turned out to be mentally very difficult to walk those last 3 km. I had nothing left to prove and was allowed to accept help from a fellow human being. That evening there was another beautiful starry sky under which I slept sweetly.
From Anost my journey on day 16 continued north through the Morvan. From Anost to Planchez, then Montsauche-les-Settons, Quarré-les-Tombes and Saint-Germain-des-Champs before finally arriving in Vezelay. It was a total distance of 68 km, which directly would take just over an hour. I left at 10 o'clock this morning and arrived in Vezelay with my 5th ride around 2 o'clock. The people who offered me a ride were all interesting in their own way, a woman with two dogs in the backseat, an artist from Paris, a man who made me doubt whether he should drive because of the smell that I only noticed after I got in, but also a teacher and a pensioner. They all spoke English well and the conversations were interesting. The weather was beautiful with bright blue skies and the first autumn colors already showed in the leaves. Fun roads to drive through the Morvan nature park.
Vézelay is a small pilgrimage village located on top of a mountain surrounded by vineyards. The center consists of a small street that leads steeply to the basilica, but it is incredibly picturesque and located in a stunning area. One of my first favorite places on the way to Santiago. I stayed here at the campsite as I had done before. The young man at the reception appeared to recognize me from my visit in May. From the campsite I walked through the vineyards into the village, snacking on the last blue grapes that remained on the vines after picking. The pilgrimspath to enter Vezelay is very steep and consists of uneven pebbles. It was an intense experience on the way there as a pilgrim, like so many before me over the past thousands of years. This was the first place on the route where I strongly felt the history of the pilgrim, a pleasant place to return to and relive this memory.
The travel adventure continued on day 17. In the morning I got a ride from a church man who took me to the village of Avallon, another charming village. The next two lifts took me to the town of Auxerre where I had a few hours to look around. A beautiful old city center, through which another pilgrimage route runs. I had booked a BlaBlaCar that would take me to Reims that evening departing from Appoigny. I made my way there with a local bus from Auxerre. The journey from Appoigny to Reims went via Troyes and took about 2 hours and 45 minutes. The landscape clearly changed from the beautiful nature reserve to open agricultural fields. Characteristic of the north of France are the endless rapeseed fields. At the start of the evening I got dropped off in front of the youth hostel I booked. My room had a single bed and a shower, the toilet was in the hallway, but in a creative way the shower was also suitable for a pee. The big city felt strange and I was happy to move on straight away the next morning.
Suddenly it dawned on me how close to home I already was. On day 18 I crossed the border to Belgium from Reims towards Namur. I had crossed France again and was back in Belgium. During my pilgrimage on foot to Santiago I walked through France for a total of 3 months, now it took me 11 days.
My hitchhiking days were over and I moved on to public transport. From Reims I took a train to Givet, from there by bus to Dinant and then boarded another train to Namur. It was a beautiful trip through the Ardennes and along the Maas river with many landmarks from my hike. While walking I sometimes came across a train in places and thought how nice it would be if I could return that way. Very grateful and happy that I was able to complete this journey home in my own way. It feels like an extension of my Camino, as well as a trip through memory lane.
I arrived in Namur around noon and met up with Eva. A fellow pilgrim with whom I walked parts of Spain. Together we reminisced while sitting in the city park, visiting a public outdoor exhibition of nature photos and having a nice bite to eat. That same evening I boarded a FlixBus that took me from Namur to Maastricht. And just like that I found myself back on Dutch soil.
I stayed in Maastricht at the Green Elephant Hostel in a dormitory. I arrived late in the evening and left early in the morning. I had to go into town to get a present. Because hey, why would I extend the return trip any longer if I could be home with family for my niece's birthday. Of course I enjoyed keeping this to myself until I was actually home. I hadn't given any updates in past few days until I called my mother at the station this morning. “Where are you?” was the first thing she asked when answering. She already had a suspicion that I would be very close to home. “Mom, could you please bring my jeans to the birthday party?” This way I could walk straight from the station in Venlo to my brother's.
Today was the 19th day of my journey home, and the very last day of my entire trip, day 196. Arriving in Venlo, I decided to first visit the St. Martin's Church to end my pilgrimage there. My beginning may have started at the Chapel of Genooj, but my very first stamp came from this church and that is where I also went to get my last stamp. I was done. My pilgrimage was over. I had made a complete circle. Oh so grateful for this.
The surprise of my homecoming was a success. My niece and nephew flee around my neck with the biggest hug and even my brother came rushing down the stairs with his back still wet in his boxer shorts because his sister had unexpectedly returned. My family is dear to me and something to be grateful for. When we return home after a long trip like this, we are all made aware of this again. I was also greeted at home by the Frisian Staby with recognition and enormous joy.
Christmas is just around the corner and I wish you all very happy days to celebrate together with family and loved ones, people and animals around you. Enjoy each other and all the beautiful memories you have made this year. Good fortune for the new year and hopefully many beautiful things on foot. Enjoy the life you have been given.
Thank you all so much for taking the time to read my stories and your lovely comments.
For now, I wish you all the best,
Haije!
