Camino Day 35: Fonfria to Sarria

Date: May 5th, 2022- My 31st Birthday!

Distance: 34.7km/21.5 miles

Time: 9 hours? 8:45am-5:00pm

It brings me so much joy to write about this day.. my Camino birthday!!

This was such a special and unforgettable day… maybe one of the best days ever. I woke up to birthday wishes, hugs and thoughtful little trinkets from friends… even a little foot pendant from Nickie to remind me of my Camino blisters… haha. For breakfast, I treated myself to a croissant with chocolate and a cafe con leche.

Little did I know that I’d be completing a birthday scavenger on the trail! Frances had gone ahead, and she had left little handcrafted presents and poems (wrapped in kinesiology tape) along a 9 kilometer stretch. Oh the joy! I picked up letters from fences, hanging in trees, on windows… which spelled out HEY CASEY.

I was out there walking and smiling so big. My was heart bursting with happiness and gratitude… especially when I passed all the little tape hearts Frances had also placed along the trail.

Can you spot the last one in the tree?!

Soon after we finished coffee at the first stop, we realized Frances was waiting 4km away in Triacastela- ready to celebrate with mimosas and tarta de Santiago. We practically ran there. I did actually do a stint of running, which felt great. I gave her the biggest hug when I got to our table because… what an incredible and thoughtful human being she is for putting all that together.

Doesn’t get much better than a surprise mimosa and cake break with my Camino fam! They even gave me a sweet card signed by all of them. If this birthday is any indication of my year to come, it’s gonna be a great one. Cheers to 31!

The afternoon fun continued with 20 questions, discussions about celebrity crushes, wine from Frances waterbottle, wine and snack stops, and selfies with the cows.

The last stop before Sarria is where things get a little fuzzy… hah! We drank several pitchers of Sangrias, because more friends kept arriving and joining, and let’s just say we were not expecting them to be so strong. Frances was cracking herself up telling Scottish jokes that only she understood, & we invented some games with the ice in our drinks.

By the time we left that stop, we were in no shape to check into an albergue and be around others. We waltzed (more like stumbled), with our arms around each other, into Sarria to an Airbnb Chris booked last minute… where more fun ensued. A bubble bath. Balcony views. Wine. Card games. Champagne sent from my Camino bestie.

Like I said, unforgettable. An absolute blast.

I can’t believe I’ve barely known this crew for 3 weeks. They all went out of their way to make this a special day for me.

Chris, Frances, Nickie, Nuno, Tash, Oregon- Thank you for the love, the hugs, the little gifts, the poems, the FUN, & the best company a girl could ask for. I love y’all so much, and I am so grateful for each of you.