Diane - Can't answer all your questions fully but having walked the Camino de Santiago a couple of years ago I can suggest that:

1._ You will be able to leave your luggage in your hotel in Santiago - if you can't go to another one (there are tons in Santiago) - but our experience in Spanish hotels was that it was no problem - they might charge you a couple of Euros a day,that's all.

2._ Info on Spanish buses at http://www.alsa.es/portal/index.asp You need a little Spanish to navigate the site. In any case I couldn't find a direct bus from Santiago to O´Cebreiro with that company but there is one from Santiago to Villafranca del Bierzo which is about 40 mins drive east of O´Cebreiro and I know there are at least 2 buses a day from Villafranca back to O´Cebreiro. But as you may know buses are fairly good in rural Spain - just go to the bus station in Santiago and ask - I'm sure you won't have a problem getting to O´Cebreiro some time the same day.

By the way there is a webcam (for Santiago and other parts of Galicia including O´Cebreiro) at http://www.crtvg.es/CamWeb/primenucamarasflash.htm and more at http://www.virtourist.com/europe/santiago/ If you've been finding out about the Camino you have probably already looked at the Confraternity of St James site at http://www.csj.org.uk

If you still need more info re Camino Santiago etc put another email on the Travel Zine site and I'll email you directly with my phone no since I'm in Sydney too.

Otherwise have a great time...(and remember O´Cebreiro can be pretty cold - when we were there it was like Blayney or Oberon!!)

Michael from Sydney Australia