From Los Argos to Torres del Rio, Day 9, 8km

So this first bit is me writing the night before - on the 6th day from the top of my bunk bed... Feeling a little tipsy! (but not intentionally, I promise!) I had a beautiful dinner, one of the best! We were at the main bar in Los Argos. As my Canadian friends of mine and I were leaving the bar where we had dinner, I spotted the sorbet! I have been craving one for ages! So, I went to pay for it, then they happened! An American woman and two German folk...we had sat on neighboring tables tonight and had shared a 'cheers' or three...

You see, as. Pilgrim, in most towns we get a special menu! It's strangely enough called the 'pilgrim menu'. Usually it consists of 3 courses, 1st - salad, or vegetables or pasta of some sort (can differ from town to town!) the 2nd course is meat - either chicken, beef, meat balls or pork with chips then the 3rd course is dessert - icecream, yoghurt or fruit.... And, a glass of vino! But tonight was really nice and between the 3 of us we had a bottle... Plus one more glass as a pre-dinner starter!

After dinner, feeling full and happy I made my way to the bar to pay for my sorbet all innocent like. Then, out of no where, I am offered a shot of bright yellow liquid! 'why not?' says the husky German from my neighboring dinner table... In all my wisdom, I replied 'yeah, why not!' so I drank it - I mean it was for medicinal purposes as it 'helped with digestion, and gives you a 'kick' ' - so the American woman said! So yeah, why not! I took a mouth full and it was quite nice! I was sipping on 'Orujo de hierbas' (that last word is 'herbs' -see, good for you!). I then decided to ask the girl to write down the name of the drink! It was so nice! So she did, then poured me a 'Orujo de cafè' shot - a coffee liqueur... And oh my, considering I have not had a coffee since I left Australia, and this was amazing!

Then... Feeling very high spirited, I decided that bed was good! It was either the voice inside me saying, 'if you stay, they will buy you drinks all night and it will be good of you let your hair down considering tomorrow will be easy'... Or it was after the German man said to me 'oh you look so Tasmanian, you are Asian and Korean mix, very Tasmanian yes?' - haha, yeah, time to go! Time to sleep!

Day 6 was nicely completed :)
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Day 7 on the camino was an easy one... 8km and by 930am the Canadian duo and I arrived at our next stop... Torres del Rio.

The Albergue was at the top of the town and was closed when we arrive. They don't usually let pilgrims in until 130pm so they have time to clean after the last lot. Because this Albergue is close to the last town, not many people stay here, so we got in early. The woman here speaks no English - it is half hilarious, half frustrating the hell out of me! It took her 1/2 hour to have my credential stamped and my feet were so sore standing at the counter! So happy mothers day to me... A day off!

I am a daughter without a mother and a mother without a daughter so it doesn't really feel like mothers day. Not that mothers say really means much to me anyway... apart from an excuse for receiving handmade cards and taking Esther out to dinner... I know that mothers day is a day to be grateful to your mother, but I can tell you this, I am ungrateful to a handful of mothers out there for bringing people into the world who have hurt people I have loved.

My mother was one of a kind... A strong exterior with a hurting soul. I have one memory of her that sticks out as being a picture of who she was. One morning before school, she took me outside to talk me through the changes she was making to the garden (she spent a lot of time in her garden and took a lot of pride in it). I arrived home and and mum wasnt home. I looked outside to see what had been done. Mum loved her pots of flowers and have a few scattered around the garden. One in particular was missing - a heavy concrete pot who's weight would have been more with dirt in it. I scanned the garden and saw it sitting on the other side of the yard- about 30 meters from its original place. My darling mother had moved it herself. It would have taken her a long time, but her determination and will power conquered any physical limitations. She was a strong woman... Hardened by life, softened by God, and fighting a never ending battle with her past within. I loved that woman for all her heavy moments, her light moments, the moments she was just break into a loud spurt of laughter! And her hugs... I loved them and miss them heaps. And I know she now experiencing great peace, and eternal happiness...this makes me smile.

It's nice being with these Canadian ladies - they have kind of made me feel like their daughter (and refer to me as such)...

I went down the street today and sat at a bar for some lunch. It was here I met Patrick from Belgium. This is his 9th time on the camino so he knows some stuff! I told him about my fears for not being able to finish the camino. He said that there should be no fear on the camino, and that if you plan past this day, you plan too much. Together we worked out my journey and I have to walk around 25km a day (at a minimum) to make it in time to Santiago. Can I make it??? I hope I do. I really don't want to bus this thing!

Tomorrow I am walking to Logrono where I am going to ship home some things that I don't need. I need to lighten my pack if I am going to make this. All the winter stuff needs to go - thermals, leggings, my inflatable pillow, anything I don't need! It's time to further minimise! So watch out in the mail Anna for a big smelly package! Haha don't worry about going through it. I will sort it out when I get home! The temperatures are around 25-30 degrees and it's only going to get hotter!

I am sitting on my bunk bed in this crazy little Albergue and I might go and catch some sun rays!

Ciao for now my dear amigos xxx ... Day 7, dusted!