Allison Cowie

O Logoso to Muxía / 19 miles

• Seeing “moderate weather warnings” for wind and rain, but low likelihood of thunderstorms, so setting out before dawn while some older pilgrims were looking for the bus schedule
• Stopping 1.5km in, already wet with rain, to do a weather radar check and eat a second breakfast
• A very friendly white cat that jumped into my lap and tried to share my chocolate croissant with me
• Seeing a few other pilgrims set off and feeling emboldened by them to continue on into the storm
• Taking the right fork to Muxía where the path split between Muxía and Finisterre, which turned out to be by far the less popular option — I only saw one other pilgrim all day
• Driving forward into the wind and rain, feeling a little bit crazy but also so invigorated, remembering Kelley O’Hara’s mantra “the only way is through”
• Reaching a town about three hours in where I stopped for a Colacao and a tortilla, which powered me through the afternoon
• Blue skies taking over as the afternoon wore on, a big relief after 6 hours of rough weather
• Emerging from the forest to see water ahead
• Jeff waking up at 4:30am his time to talk me through the final 5k
• Arriving in Muxía and smelling the salty air
• Soaking my feet in the cool ocean water
• Collecting my Muxiana certificate, confirming I’d walked to the sea
• Feeling the sense of arrival that I’d been missing in Santiago