We left today from Hontanas around 630am. It was drizzling and grey outside. The roads today were mostly dirt tracks through endless rolling fields of every green you could ever imagine!
The Albergue we stayed at last night was lovely. The meal was amazing and we ate with the lovely Australian couple we had met earlier that day. We laughed and compared Albergue horror stories and had a great night. There is one quote that keeps getting bought up when the topic of theft arises... It is 'Trust in God, but tether your camel' - this especially is relevant in the bigger cities. It means that you should do all you can to secure your valuables, but don't walk in utter fear that it will be stolen from out under you.
Sylvia and I ended up in a room of 7 pilgrims with one epic snorer (not bad odds on this Camino!) I woke a few times in the night but all in all rested well.
We walked about 9km to our first tea stop! And a break from the rain. Sylvia and I both procrastinated here by having 2 hot drinks! Then it was packs back on and away we went again.
We left the nice town concrete paths and started on the mud - the mud that was cold as it flicked up on my bare legs, the mud that clung to my shoes like leeches, the mud that increased my height by least 2 inches due to the accumulation of it on my soles. I slid around on it and each step was heavy and hard. Then I thought about it. If I were 5 years old, I would be laughing and having an amazing time in the rain and mud. Why is it that when we are children we hone in on the puddles and the mud, then progressively as we get older, we work to avoid them? I continued down the sticky muddy path with a smile on my face!
After I hit a sealed road, I scraped the mud from my boots to lighten my load. Then I saw it ahead... A 1.2km, 12% ascent. It was an amazing climb. I did it without stopping (hell yes I am fit!) and at the top it was the most amazing view... Postcard worthy.. Big print worthy! Not digital camera capture-able! Then I began the descent! It was a (!) descent (because one a day keeps the doctor away!) Just as Sylvia and I were heading down, we met a crazy Norwegian photographer who took our photo! He was hilarious! He joked around for a bit with us then quickly said, "I must catch my wife!" Then he proceeded to run, yes, run down the bloomin' hill - the hill that everyone was hobbling down slowly trying to avoid a fall!
From the bottom of the hill it was only around 5km until we arrived at our day's destination. We trudged through more mud, red this time, yep, worst day ever for white socks!
We got to our Albergue by around 1130am and were the first to check in (got the bottom bunk - woop!) There were 2 showers, so we rushed to get them first as our legs were covered in mud! Usually the pressure in the showers is very minimal, so I turned it on full pressure and hot as hot! (only 9 degrees today!) it was heavenly! All of a sudden, the water was no longer pouring on my, but I could still hear the shower running... Confused I looked up... The shower head had gone from a horizontal position and flicked up vertically due to the pressure, spraying on the vanity (with my clothes on it) and into the light fitting, turning off the light in the bathroom...and actually cut the power to entire dorm... Standing under the shower in the dark I pictured the entire restaurant that adjoined the Albergue, with no power, no power for coffee or to cook dinner for all the residents... And what if I had cut the power to the whole town... I decided then and there that I would act in complete denial! There was no way I could admit to such a devastating event... There was a knock on the bathroom door and a voice who asked "Is your light out?" "yes" i responded with a surprised sound to my voice, "what do you think is wrong?" I asked (lier!!!!!!) Then the light came back on... RELEIF! "Dunno" the voice said, "But its back on now!". Bit of a funny moment.....in hindsight!
So that concluded day 13 of walking... Have done a walking plan and should be in Leon in 5 days... Amazing! And would have well cracked the 1/2 way mark... But for now, it's one day, one town, one kilometer, one step at a time.
A quote I heard and like: 'knowledge is something you take in, wisdom is something you give away'... :)
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