Finally

AJ is an incredible young Korean pilgrim who's knee I strapped ten days earlier and who found me in the Square of Santiago.

Final destination the Cathedral at Santiago, the resting place of Saint James.
That aspect didn't really inspire me however the road is definitely a purely spiritual experience for all who travel it's path.

The 15 times legend of the Camino Inyarki (Ignatius), Wilhem (the flying Duchman), the Machine (Miguel), and myself affectionately know as Crocadillo Dundee or the fuck'in Aussie.
We have completed the Camino in 26 days under the wing of Inyarki who made sure we had every experience possible that the Camino can deliver and even though 26 days doesn't seem like a long time, you live and breath with your companions 24/7 every step of the way.
You share every waking moment with these people under the most intense circumstances imaginable and believe me it can feel like a month in a day when you walk in pain for 9 hours.

Some of the boys as we charge towards Santiago at about 7km an hour pace with 50km to go.

770km completed

Well tribe so much happening here I barely have time to sleep.
I will fill you in soon, but for now the most incredible journey so far has reached it's completion and already the next one is taking place. The Camino is an experience that cannot be articulated fully with words because it unfolds itself on many personal levels and always delivers more than you can imagine. I have been apart of an incredible group of diverse people from all corners of the globe and through intense emotional and physical ups and downs as well as mundane daily routines have forged bonds that will endure for my lifetime.
I have just spent three days in San Sebastian on the coast in northern Spain, a stones throw from France. I have experienced the Bask areas of Spain with My dear friend Inyarki who's generosity and kindness is legendary on the Camino and in San Sebastian. I have eaten food and tasted wine which is considered to be the best in the world and transcends fine dining Into an emotional experience. And just before I can catch my breath I am on a train heading for Madrid to see a person that I have found a deep connection with in mere moments on the Camino. The road always delivers!
Talk soon
Love to all.

Today only 26km however the last 10 were almost vertical.

Just out for a walk

I think this will do nicely.

Ok well I've just spent the last three days struggling with tendinitis in my right ankle and if it wasn't for Alfredo or GQ as I call him, I would be in doubt to finish the last two hundred km. Yes that's right I have 500+ km completed and we are heading into the final region of Galethia heading towards Santiago. We are all a bit cracked but not broken in our 7 man unit and the 5 x 40km days really Back to back have taken there toll on each and everyone of us. Alfredo (GQ) because he just looks great in every photo and is truly a charming gentleman with a laugh that starts in his feet and rolls out of his mouth with ease. He is a osteopath from Barcelona and has been managing the tendons in my ankle. Three days ago he collapsed while resting after our finish and Willhem the gentle giant from Holland and myself stayed with him until we could get a doctor. His feet were so badly blistered that he developed an infection and thank goodness it was caught in time. He rested for one day and caught up to us in a bus and has joined us again two days ago even though he was instructed to take up to a week before deciding wether he could rejoin. And then there is Miguel or the (Machine) who has two speeds stop and top gear, he is a from the country in Northern Spain and is salt of the earth, simple and honest with real wisdom in the few words he speaks and ridiculously funny. He has walked with two bleeding heal blisters the size of 50 cent pieces for the last two weeks and just keeps pushing on. I will give you more when I can but for now I'm smashed and need to sleep.
Love and light to all.

Sacred Jewels

We get a visit at the castle from the Eagle spirit guide, nice hey?

Cathedral in Borgos

The start of tomorrows gentle stroll!

This is Injarki (Ignatius) our Guide and father figure

This guy is the Angel of the Camino, he has completed it 10 times on a bike and four times on foot. He is constantly rounding up stragglers or anyone who's having problems and sorting them out. From where to buy what, to where to eat and in which hostel to stay, Injarki has it organized. An average day for us consists of getting up as noiselessly as possible as there can be anywhere from 10 - 50 people in a room. Grab a coffee and a piece of bread and jam and hit the road in the semi dark, we have been walking 8-9 hours a day in an attempt to get ahead of a huge increase in pilgrims starting closer Santiago and making it difficult to get rooms. We stop for coffee and a change of sox after 2 hours, constantly eat chocolates and drink coke. Lunch will be fritata on bread or Bacon and eggs and diner at night will be genially at a restaurant that caters to peligrinos with a three course meal that is basic tasty and cheap,generally around $8 euros. We eat bread constantly and it is better than anything I have ever eaten in OZ. You stumble into the Hostels around three or four in the afternoon, have a shower when there free, wash your cloths by hand and hang to dry, have a quick walk around the village to get water, fruit and chocolates for the next days walk, go to the chemist for body repairs, go out to diner and collapse in bed, bottom bunk if your lucky and then attempt to get some sleep with the farting and snoring. Doesn't sound very appealing but we have a great group of irreverent and reverse blokes and have a lot of laughs, mostly at ourselves..

Confessions anyone?

The local church

We approach the village for the nights accommodation exhausted but a happy group, see the Castle on the hill in the background.

Hi all, well four days averaging 40km a days on the trot and Surviving. There are 7 members of our group that all started out alone and have organically formed into a tight unit. I have so much wonderful events to share and have had experiences that have shaken me to my core emotionally, party through the energy of some amazing places mixed with pure exhaustion.
I have attempted to write this email every night, but yield to fatigue before I can create the time.
I will share what I can can when time evils itself to me but for now sleep beckons me.
Love and light Scott.

Check out the sacred geometry in the front of the Cathedral.

One of dozens of rooms in the Cathedral

Cathedral at Burgos

Today I sent my backpack ahead to Santiago and purchased another, I seem to buy everything twice. It weighed 5kilos empty, and after walking 41km today without Achilles or hip pain it was worth every dollar. We visited the Cathedral in Lagros, one of the most beautiful in all of Spain and it was incredibly moving even for a non religious pilgrim from OZ. There is unbelievable comradery between we peligrinos and four of us ( the 4 musketeers ) are planning a special walk next year. Tell you more later.

Last nights albergue (hostel) amazing atmosphere, twice as old as OZ

Today we took it easy with a 6 hour walk of 23km as we have a grueling 30km day ahead tomorrow. I now have 180km under my belt and about 560 to go to reach Santiago.

The name of the guy with the long hair is Jesus. He does looks like one of the gypsy kings,

This man turns up out of the blue just when I'm having terrible Achilles and knee pain and changes the fate of my Camino. I take of my backpack to buy him a coffee and he has disappeared as quickly as he appeared.

Another days walk begins

Lodging at the hostels costs about $5-7.00 euro per night

Little Jack the Frenchman who walked out the front door of his house 40 days ago

Enjoying some tapas & Rioja red wine in the streets of Logronos

Big hello from the crew, having a cold one in Najera Spain

Just a mad Frenchman Jack and my big Dutch mate.

After walking for 7hours it's nice to unwind with a walk into the town centre to scope out diner options.

30km today, as we enter the beautiful city of Logrono

Just go down the road a bit and turn left.

Bridge leaving Estella

The Road Begines

Hi all,
Well the anxiety got the better of me on Sunday morning, after seeing several Camino walkers pass me in the street, together with the thought of another day in a large city was enough to motivate me out of my hotel room a day early. I've just completed my forth day on the Camino, today 30km, the others averaging 25km. I'm sore in both legs from my toes to my behind but in good shape considering no preparation for trekking. My pack and equipment including boots are not suited to this type of hike but I'm adapting well. Some days I've walked alone for some time and it's great and others with other pilgrims from all over the globe. Today myself and a Duch guy walked and shared our stories and philosophies. We left at 4am and walked until 1.30pm, so the first 3 hours hike was by the stars as it's dark here until 7.30ish. There is a comradery starting to unfold amungst the group that are averaging 25km days and diners at night are becoming more enjoyable before we jam into double bunk dormitories for a few hours Kip.
At this stage with niggling injuries your just hoping that your body adapts and blisters stay manageable so you can keep moving.
Love to all talk soon.

Sacred Jewels

Pamplona, bride and groom walked into view as I took this shot.

Bishops Palace ( old feelings of secret societies and hidden truths).

This was unnerving, I knocked on this huge ancient door and pressed a bell. Pushed open the door to an inner courtyard and after some jabbering I was given my Credencial del peregrine or my pilgrims passport which enables me to stay at pensions(dormitories) designated for pilgrims where I get my stamps at each point along the way of the Camino de Compostela. Again I haven't spoken English to a sole for days, got to tell you it is getting to me this constant solitude within large crowds. Occasionally I see other Pilgrims with there tell tale Camino symbol of Scollop shells on there backpacks as they push through the tourist crowds destined for there next stop. Shit I feel very under done guys, these people move like serious hikers and there packs are half the size of mine. I'm not sure what else I can jettison and I suppose some training may have been advisable. Well there seems to be a theme building for me here and I don't won't to say to much before I've even completed one leg of this journey. I've simply got to take a leap of faith on Monday morning the 4th of April and head out on the road alone and see if I can get through day one. My first leg is 24km ish from Pamplona to Puente la Reina.
Wish me well, blessing to all.

Inspector Montalbano seen in Modica eating mucho chocolate.

Barcelona a sea of people

Hi all, well I've managed to post home excess clothing at quite a cost and very little confidence of there arrival and the experience was a lesson in patience, needless to say I won't complain about our postal system again. Barcelona is filled with magnificent buildings from Gaudi to Gothic, however after 6 weeks of these ancient Roman, Greek, Norman and Arab wonders they're all feeling very heavy energetically to me and i'm sure much to your relief i cant be stuffed taking to many snap shots. I'm feeling more than a little challenged with what lies ahead for me as I near the start of the Camino, however I long for space and time to reflect and think with a clear head without someone up my cranny every waking moment of the day. Definitely nervous and at the moment it looks like I will be on the road alone in a few days from now.
Talk soon,
Cheers

Sacred Jewels

Little B & B in Modica Sicily (famous for it's chocolates mmmmmmm) my last night.

Goodbye Sicily, beautiful to look at but hard to love.

JIJI and SKEFF jaded but ready for more adventure.

Shit a few stairs and I'm stuffed, confidence not high for the Pyrenees.

Goodbye Sicily, hello Spain.

Hi Tribe, well the last three weeks have been intense to say the least.
During this time I have completed the 14 days PDC intensive program here in Sicily at Villa Francesca, been smashed by a fever and virus that has left me quite low in energy and several pound lighter and managed to finish the circumnavigation of this Island with my trusty companion JiJi in our now very crusty, gutless but reliable Fiat. I have just managed to buy a ticket, board a plane to Barcelona make my way into the central city and find a room for two nights without understanding one word of the process. Sicily as a whole is a land of contracts,every region has a different feel and vista, filled with dramatic land scape, breathtaking views, unfathomably inconsiderate and reckless motorists and no obvious pattern of form for how day to day life takes place. There is no central shopping district in any town, the signage and directions are uncomprehendable, traffic regulations are non existent or appear optional and forget about relying on Internet data. There is either no signal and if there is there is little if any infomation available. They say that the Sicilians invented there own hand signals and sign language so they could communicate to each other when they were forced to speak Italian instead of there own dialect and i feel i this place is functioning behind closed doors, you simply are in dark when your outside looking in. Barcelona definitely looks and feels like I imagined a large European city would look like. I'm certainly working through levels of overwhelm as i navigate my way around, as you all know I can get lost in my own back yard.
First nights task, get a micro sim card, find a laundromat and locate a post office so I can return gear that simply won't make the Camino as I'm carrying to Much weight. I am completely rudderless without my IPAD to tract locations down and fact find so after being told for the third time that I must have a contract to get Internet access ive handed the process over to spirit and got out of the way. As your reading this obviously the 4th attempt was a charm, an Angel in a shop here booted my system back to life. In a city of 1.6 million people the first two people I happen to meet that helped me out in a laundramat were two Melbournites, god bless em. In the morning Im going to try and find the post office and the main train station so I can buy my ticket to Pamplona which is roughly 4 hours Away. From there I will see how my recovery is and start the Camino. Love to all, talk soon.

Sacred Jewels