During the fortnight of her walk, Monique encountered many challenges, sore feet not being the least of them. There was rain, heat, blisters, accommodations too far from the Camino, bad beds, uphill, downhill, and the last also being very hard on her toes. But through it all, she kept a steady pace and good spirits and walked her way up to the cathedral at Santiago. Even during the moments when she got tossed back and forth between going on and giving up, she just got tougher and went on.

We met her Sunday evening at the train station in Tunes, where it all started 15 days ago. She was so happy to be back, seeing us, seeing her dogs again and sleeping in her own bed. But most of all, to be back after having achieved her goal through all the ups and downs.

Because, you know, when the going gets tough, the tough get going!

I asked Monique when the hardest day was, and she told me it was actually the one but last day. She woke up aching all over and feeling quite unwell, as if a flu was coming on.

Paracetamol (several of those during the day) kept her going. And the last day was a piece of cake, a walk of only eight kilometres to get where she wanted to be, the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela.

She’s very happy to have achieved this. It was a big help to have had such great support from all over the place. Encouragements and financial support for the fixing of the puppy accommodations. The total tally so far is….

But, having made that public, does not mean you cannot donate anymore. The puppies under the protection of The Friends actually need some more money for their accommodations to be repaired and functioning properly. So, if you still feel an urge to do something, please don’t hesitate. The Friends, their doggies, their volunteers, and above all their puppies will all appreciate that enormously!

Related article:

https://www.theportugalnews.com/news/2026-05-01/big-footsteps-for-little-paw-prints/1010046