Well, I made it another 27 kilometers today, but I’m feeling a bit blah right now. The albergue I am at is nice, but very quiet. None of my Camino friends are here and I miss them. Or, maybe it’s just that I don’t feel like being alone with me right now.
Since my leg started acting up I feel like I have fallen behind, but I haven’t really. That’s the funny thing. I’m on schedule to reach Santiago by the October 24th. It’s probably because my buddies aren’t here. It doesn’t help that the landscape around me is so barren and flat – it leaves me feeling kind of empty. Weird. What’s with that?
Part of me wishes I kept on walking to the next town and maybe the next one after that., but I’m afraid my body won’t cooperate. I was being logical and stopped at only 27 kilometers. Doesn’t that sound messed up? Only 27 kilometers. I never thought I would ever hear myself say that about that kind of mileage.
Maybe I’ve just got ‘stuff’ coming up right now. Maybe I need to ask the rock something, like for clarity or for guidance.
Today’s walk was boring – mostly a flat landscape and a straight gravel path. I couldn’t help, but plug in my ear buds.
The first stretch of nothing was 17 kilometers. My first mistake was not looking at my guidebook before I left the albergue in Carrion. If I had, I would have made sure I had food with me.
My normal routine is to stop for a café con leche and a chocolate pastry at the next town which is usually only five kilometers. Time dragged on slowly without my morning fix.
By the time I arrived in the next town, Caldadilla de la Cueza, I was so hungry that I walked straight to the first bar I could find and ordered a heaping plate of fish, fries, deep fried cheese, salad, bread and a large, cold glass of cerveza.
Other pilgrims were wondering how the heck I was going to walk after that.
Suzanna from New Zealand sat down with me and I could see Xavier from Australia sitting at another table at the other end of the patio.
After I gobbled up my lunch, I visited with him and another pilgrim named Sam who is from a tiny European country located in the Mediterranean Sea south of Italy called Malta. I remember seeing Sam get blessed by the priest back in Carrion.
Xavier and I walked the last stretch into Terradillos de los Templarios, but he had to stop and get a rock out of his shoe. He said he would catch up, but I haven’t seen him. Maybe he went to a different albergue. I haven’t seen Hedi or Michael today either and Andrew messaged me yesterday saying he was making the 38 kilometer walk into Leon today.
Everyone has their own plans and of course they would! I should too! I do! But, yeah, I guess I miss my Camino friends. I know I can’t dwell on that. I’m here to deal with me so I guess I need to pick myself back up and give my head a shake. It will be dinner time shortly and then I will have a good sleep tonight. I’ll wake up early tomorrow, pack up my things, put my head lamp on and walk. I’ll just keep walking that road and keep thinking along the way.
