Sarria to Portomarin

After months of making new friends, today two very old and very dear friends were going to join me on the trail.

Shane and Laura were flying into Santiago and making their way to Portomarin where they'd start their mini two-day Camino.

I had butterflies in my tummy all day because I was so excited.

Our surroundings on the way were lush and green thanks to the rain the night before, and we were joined on the road by herds of cows and sheep, so I was kept busy taking videos and selfies with various livestock!

After walking 22k, we were greeted with a really long set of steps to enter Portomarin (why, God, why?!) but it was worth the final push as the hostel had a bar next door :-)

With Shane and Laura not arriving til 9pm, there was plenty of time to relax with the gang. I had a coffee al fresco with Martine, and a very civilised glass of wine with Davide, Janne and Tano in the bar. Davide told us of the story of time he fell asleep on the beach in Spain and was robbed of his backpack, including his glasses and contact lenses!

Later, Martine, Manon, Ines and me went food shopping in our ponchos and flip flops, navigating our way down steep cobbled streets that seemed designed to send pilgrims to their deaths.

When the French girls are cooking, it's going to be good and tonight was no exception - we feasted on yummy, creamy spaghetti carbonara :-)

Then, Shane and Laura walked through the door.

In seconds, old friends were chatting with new friends. It was kind of surreal and kind of beautiful - my two worlds coming together so effortlessly.

Shane treated us all to a giant box of Hotel Chocolat, such luxuries are not often found on Camino so he cemented his place in the gang pretty quickly with this gesture.

We spent the rest of the evening chatting, talking and catching up, before having a relatively early night, ready for their first day on the trail, looking forward to what their mini adventure would bring.