|
Woke up "late"
this morning, my body was hurting, but my feet seemed OK. I was still very
tired. The backpack seemed to weigh twice as much today. Felt soooo heavy. We
(José, Arnau and I) went for breakfast at the hotel across the street. Good
breakfast – eat-all-you-can buffet. While eating I felt like NOT walking
today... - My body was screaming for rest... Yesterday was really hard... but
I can only blame myself... I could have stopped several times... but whenever
my mind is set upon something... I just go for it... and sometimes that is a
good thing... but on this trip I really need to listen to my inner voice...
Will I ever learn or do I have to be taught the hard way....?
I didn't
know what to do.... should I stay or should I walk with the boys? .... Or
should I take the bus and spare my body today. I could probably stay another
night at the albergue... but first... this village is not exactly
exciting... and secondly I'm afraid I will not make it to Santiago in
time... The road today will be on asphalt all the way to Almuña... it will
be hard on the feet and legs. 30 km. - Should I stay or should I go...? A
question that kept popping up in my head.... If I started walking, there would
be no chance of taking the bus... and would I regret it if I didn't... I
don't know why this is such a hard decision...
I ended with
the decision... take the bus...! Promised myself that I would listen to my
body... I had already been ill and have just got rid of the temperature... I
didn't want to press my body into another week of a temperature and illness.
This is my journey... and I want it to be a wonderful memory...
....Hmm... I
really was trying to listen today... I looked up into the sky and shouted...
“What are you trying to tell me??” …No busses to Almuña today... only
towards Gijón and I've already been there... So.... I went to the railway
station... the only train today had already left...!! .... and just to make
everything perfect... I was not allowed to stay another day at the
albergue.... OK....!! - I started walking, my body was not happy about
it... I kept thinking what am I doing here... am I not supposed to enjoy
this? And then I had to remind myself that I can only blame myself for
yesterday... and yesterday is the reason I'm so tired today... Is there lesson
in this? - I'm not sure that we are supposed to learn something every time we
meet a little hardship... but..... ??
I was
alone... The chicos had left hours ago... and I would not be able to catch
up... also this would be my chance of walking by myself at my own pace... I
hailed a taxi.... I paid him to take me as far as he could for € 10.... which
would be a little more than halfway... we passed the boys... which would mean
I got a "head start".... I was left by the roadside... a little village was
very close.. I "flipped" a coin... go check for coffee or continue....
Coffee.. ! - It turned out coffee was not available in this tiny village...
even the church was firmly closed and locked... - I have discovered that on
this Camino all the churches are locked and bolted... I wonder why... Are
they afraid that people will rob the church...? I remember that all the
churches on the Camino Frances were wide open all day.... (Except for the
Cathedral in Burgos).
I left the
village.... and found shortly after that I was not alone... I had got a new
friend... a dog...!! He walked 5-6 m behind me... When I stopped to look
for him... he barked at me (??) - When I tried to call him... to come
closer... he would stop... looking at me as if he was frightened by
something... I tried to send him back... and he would just bark at me
again... I continued on the road... he was walking behind me... Cars were
honking their horn as if to say... “Don't bring a dog on this road...!!” -
And I found it strange that the dog was not afraid of the cars... - well
maybe he was...?? I didn't feel safe and I can imagine that he didn't
either... Every time I stopped, he stopped.... Was he my guardian angel for
today?? This was my first day walking alone... and yet I was not alone...
Where did he come from, who had sent him... whom did he belong to... - As I
walked into Almuña I turned round... to look for the dog... - and he
disappeared.... Why did he follow me all this way...? How? Why? Who?
Questions I will never have an answer to ...
I got to the
albergue..., tired - although I had covered 12-15 km by taxi... - The
hospitalera was very kind... and received me with a warm smile... I went to
bed to have a rest... I guess I fell asleep the second my head hit the
pillow... - I woke up when the chicos arrived... they seemed happy and
tired... - The hospitalera asked them a question in Spanish... the boys
smiled and said... si! - (??) I asked them what she had said... José said
"she asked if you were still asleep when we arrived".... Still?? - “She has
been checking on you a few times”... (She is so sweet). We went out for a
very late dinner... it was not possible to get anything to eat before 9:30
p.m. ... Strange...!!
- ... Where
tomorrow will take me I do not know... the next pilgrim’s albergue is only 14
km away... and the next one after that another 14 km. It all depends on how
my body feels... As I went to bed, I felt a calmness... there is a
wonderful peace here... a wonderful energy... you can almost feel that your
batteries are being "recharged" with new power...
|