Mio el Camino de Santiago de Compostela -20

Day 20 Santiago de Compostela --> Home


Time to go.


Early in the morning I visited the cathedral which was a few steps away from the hostel to say a little prayer, give my thanks and bid goodbye. At the cathedral front ground, I took some more pictures for the last time. Then I walked around to buy some souvenir items. But when I was in the store, I was staring at the items for sale and yet I felt no urge to buy anything. Not for my friends, not for my family, not even for me. I thought I was here not for a vacation. This was a journey, not a trip. The memory was far more than enough.


I wished I could attend the noon mass but my flight was at 1:00pm that I had to get to the airport before 12:00 noon. I was supposed to stay here for two full days. I was thinking, what if I continued the last leg of my itinerary as scheduled? But then again, there was no point thinking about what I could have done and then feel sorry about it.


So there I was, standing in front of the hostel waiting for a taxi. I looked at my luggage, my packaged bicycle, and I looked around. I was suddenly saddened by the notion of leaving. I thought, did an episode of my life just end? Was there something I missed? Was there anything I learned? It felt unfortunate that I could have had one more day here if I didn't get sick a couple of days ago. I felt like I didn't want to leave. I was about to feel really down when the taxi came. My luggage was hurled into the trunk and I slipped into the passenger seat. I was sure I'm going to miss this place.


As we drove away from Santiago de Compostela to the airport, it felt so comfortable. It was a sunny morning. I saw the bright road signs and remembered, just until yesterday, how much I depended on them on my way to Santiago de Compostela. I thought that although it felt comfortable in that running taxi, it was traversing the very same road where I experienced so many hardships on my bicycle. I got teary again. It would have been embarrassing had the driver noticed. But in case he'd have the curiosity or the audacity to ask, I've already made up an excuse that it was just the sun hurting my eyes.


I had my breakfast at the airport before boarding the plane. When the plane was taxiing, I saw the end tip of the runway. I know that beyond that runway, just right beneath those big runway guide lights, was the path peregrinos take to get to Santiago de Compostela. I bade my last farewell as the plane lifted off.


I'm going home.
.