From Barbadelo to Castromaior, Day 31, 28km

I am currently sitting in a small cafe in a tiny village approximately 2km from where I have reserved a place... May have gotten a bit lost and kept walking past. The idea of having to walk back wasn't appealing especially as it was raining and I hadnt packed for the rain. I found a small 'pension' - a house that has basic rooms and a shared bathroom. This will do me for tonight.

I slept so well last night and thought that would get me through today, but still I have developed yet another blister (makes 2) and my leg is aching. I woke early, went through the same routine, draining the blisters (using sterile equipment!) then coating my feet in vaseline - a known prevention method for blisters. But not for me! Makes me feel disappointed in my body for not having yet gotten used to this yet. 4 days to Santiago. Deep breath.

Yesterday was good. Brad, my American friend and I stayed at the same Albergue. We set ourselves up for the afternoon on 2 deck chairs over looking a beautiful valley, drinking beer and eating potato chips. As I have said before, the Camino breaks down your walls and you cannot help but become the person you really are - not the person you necessarily want to be. Together Brad and I talked about our personal experiences with death and exchanged some very real details about our lives. After a rather 'light' day of walking, this depth and sharing of emotion was unexpected but also good. Brings in a sense of 'seriousness' and reality. He told me about a huge burden he carries every day. We shared our tears, truths and would every now and then exchange some homeland sayings to lighten the moments.

The dinner was beautiful. I ate ensalada mixta (mixed salad), then meatballs with chips. This the usual for the first 2 courses, however, in Galacia, I have noticed a new item on the desert menu, 'Santiago de tarte' - an almond meal- ish cake. I had watched the previous night as a pilgrim ordered it and the waiter had poured some 'Orujo' on it. This was the liqueur I had tried back in Los Argos. There are many different versions of this liqueur. The base is made from the byproduct of wine, the grape skins and flesh, then there is the 'original' flavour, a herb one (they say it's medicinal!), a coffee one etc. I ordered my santiago de tarte last night for desert, then asked the waiter if he had any 'Orujo de cafè' (the coffee flavour)... He gave me a knowing smile. My desert came out, he pierced it with a knife and poured in the liqueur..... Hmmmmmmmm great ending to a good day!

Brad and I decided that with the new pilgrims on the Camino, we would book ahead. So he is 2kms behind me in a rather nice Albergue, while I am in a cold room with no internet and a shower that at full pressure was an excuse for dribble! Well, I guess that's Camino. We are all in the place we need to be at the time.

Today's walking was pleasant, but included a few hills and therefore was tiring. The sun was mostly behind clouds, but this morning, the sun and the moon both shone equally as bright. I walked though little country towns and on dirt roads. To begin with, I loved walking through these towns, but now, the intense smell of sulphur from manure makes me feel nauseas. It burns your nostrils and if you breathe through your mouth, you taste it. There is no escaping it.

Galacia is alive. The birds, the hens, the roosters, the cows, their bells, the dogs, the crickets and overhead planes all provide a layered sound track while walking the rocky roads that snake through the grassy mountains. Each town today seemed to blend into the next.

I walked part of my journey today with Ian, an Irish hairdresser. His camino began today. Rather quickly, we have covered the essentials and had progressed into the deeper side of camino. We talked about the drugs on the track. Brad had told me that at one Albergue, when the pilgrims were asked why they were on the camino, most answered with sex or drugs. I thought this was strange as I had avoided all of this. Yesterday in fact was my first encounter with a Spanish walker so high, that he had sweat pouring from him, spoke a million words a minute, had decided to walk 100km in two days and although he seemed to be walking fast, he stayed at my pace. He was a mess. Chewing 'tres portions' of gum, looking terrible, he shook my hand and disappeared off ahead. I told Ian about this and said that why would you want to walk the Camino high and risk missing some of the beauty hear, closing yourself up to the impact that it can have on you, and putting yourself at risk of becoming lost. He then told me he was carrying some weed with him. He said "It's funny you should say that. Today is the first day in years that I haven't added weed to my cigarettes. I just didnt want to." He is on Camino to find some peace in the loss of his Dad from 7 months ago, to be cleansed from a health perspective, and to experience some solitude. I hope he finds all this. But my experience with Camino is that nothing quite works out the way you think it should. Much like life.

Many new pilgrims have now started. They are easy to tell apart. They aren't limping, they have started their day with cologne, they wear jeans and their shoes are bright and new! There are a lot of younger ones too. I guess this because Santiago is only 4 days away, it's easy to get the time off work or school. The pilgrims that walk the month are mainly retirees. There is a strong bond now forming between the St Jean pilgrims. It's almost 'us and them' with the fresh pilgrims. But ultimately, our destinations are the same and the pain they will feel is the pain I have felt.

I was thinking today that everyone has a past. Everyone has experienced pain and we each carry our own weight on our shoulders - and although this weight varies, to each individual, it is heavy. Sometimes, it becomes easy to forget this and our initial reactions towards another can be judged by our own standards. But to change this and first act with empathy and compassion is rare and beautiful.

I have around 2 1/2 hours to waste before dinner. Part of me wants to keep walking, but I am showered and have paid for my room. Thus, here is where I shall slumber.

84km left of wondering and wandering (apparently I get these confused!)...