Day 8 — Santiago & Reflections

Evening Reflections — Parque de Gozo Hostel

I’m sitting in the vast dining hall at Parque de Gozo Hostel, dinner in front of me: lentils with vegetables, a squid burger smothered in aioli, and a cold beer. After 280 km in seven days, it feels good — warm, full, and finished.

But there’s also a quiet sadness. I hadn’t expected to finish so soon. Somewhere between the forest paths and ocean winds I’d decided: next time, I’ll walk slower — 10 to 15 km a day.

Derrick and Dave, two Scots sharing my dorm, sit nearby. They started in Sarria and plan to reach the Cathedral tomorrow. As I’m finishing my beer, Dave offers another — I gladly accept. Derrick, from Aberdeen, tells stories of hikes in Scotland and Austria. While he speaks, my phone buzzes — a message from Andrea: “Are you still in Santiago?”

We had walked together for the final three days, joined midway by Hani.

A Camino Shared — and Completed

I walked the last stretch from O Faramello to the Cathedral alone. Two hours after I arrived, Andrea finished her 240 km and sent a photo of her Compostela: “OMG!!!”

The Stamp Panic

That final morning I worried about one thing: stamps. You need two on the last day for your certificate. After a few failed café stops, I finally found one — barely legible but it counted.

Pilgrim’s Office

At the Pilgrim’s Office I explained my stamp problem. The man flipped through my passport — stamps from Porto to O Faramello — then smiled and added two more: one for the Cathedral, one for the office.

He asked, “Why did you walk the Camino — religious reasons?”
I answered honestly: I wanted to experience it. I’m not religious, but walking among so many people from everywhere — sometimes alone, sometimes together — felt spiritual after all.

He handed me two certificates — one listing my 280 km, and another in Latin: the Compostela.

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