You can read part one of this blog series here.

We arrived by plane in Galicia to an overcast but warm afternoon with clear signs that there had been constant downpours. Our weather forecast was mainly positive - for most days. We headed to Sarria, a small town 117 kilometres and 5 days away from our intended destination of Santiago. This last stretch is known as the Camino Frances.

I have to admit we were a little nervous about what lay ahead in terms of how hilly it would be and would we be able to find our way from hamlet to hamlet given that most of the journey was on paths away from the main roads. Frankly, the signage was spot on all the way. I guess a thousand years of well trodden paths and recent skilled curation with stone markers, has resulted in few people going missing along the way, unless that is they have deliberately decided to stay on in one of the bars/snack bars one finds along the way.

The distances themselves were not unreasonable but what made it challenging was the terrain. Certainly, way more hills (and longer ones into the bargain) than we had anticipated - and yes the guidebooks did warn us! Of course, if you go up at some point you must go down and steep descents challenged the leg muscles though using poles for the first time made a difference from the second day on.

The scenery was spectacular for the rich green vegetation everywhere and many tree-lined paths created both welcome shade on the hot afternoons and an enticing atmosphere for the senses. I suppose in some ways it resembled parts of Ireland but with better weather at that time of year.

We averaged around 22 Kilometres per day though one day had to extend our day to walk 28 km and that was exhausting because it was also the hottest day we had. Still, somehow, we managed to get up the next day and kickstart those legs into autopilot. We collected our stamps at little resting points along the way.

I took a week’s supply of podcasts and charged my earphones, however i never used them - the rhythm of footsteps and my single pole clicking along was hypnotic enough to send me into the “zone”.

We met some truly inspirational people along the way such as a family member who was in the early stages of a fast progressing debilitating disease and a remarkable lady who had been walking on her own the whole way from the Pyrenees across Spain for over a month, inspired to do the walk by the film “The Way” just as I had - though in my case I did only the last part. 

We were referred to as “pilgrims” and indeed it is a thousand year old pilgrimage route well-trodden by past generations, though I would say most pilgrims, from the four corners of the globe, are there for their own personal challenges and not necessarily for direct religious reasons - that said, there was definitely an emotional and positive aspect to walking in such beautiful countryside, and for me it truly boosted the spirits.

A couple of times when the going got tough, I shook myself from my grumbling by remembering where I was four years ago when just after discharge from hospital, I was hobbling on a stick barely able to move 100 metres never mind climb stairs. It didn't take long to appreciate just how far I had come and how fortunate I was to have aching muscles after an uphill walk of 22 kilometres!

We made it to Santiago at the end of day five and while, it is without doubt a spectacular city, we missed the rhythm of the walk and the daily adventures, and it even felt quite claustrophobic. Thanks to the Camino, to Galicia for a fantastic welcome and, to Victoria for being a great companion in walking the adventure with me.

Eugene wrote about his experiences and lessons learnt from hospital and beyond in his book “The Journey Continues” which is available on Amazon. All proceeds from the book go towards advancing care for heart and lung patients.