Click is the sound of my waist clasp on my backpack as I do it up. After 4 months of travel it feels like a part of me. I have it packed too full for the Camino walking, but my shoulders are used to it now and I feel strong, organized, and capable.
Click is the sound of my hiking poles along the path. I’m back to covering longer distances again. My feet are in great shape, other than one spot that I’m keeping a close eye on. I love the rhythm of my steps as I walk for hours.
My brain feels like it’s clicked into place. I’m present, grateful, and not over thinking things.
Click is the sound of my camera as I take pictures of the countryside. The past few days I did 1 foggy day on the coast, then crossed inland through vineyards, fields, and over the highest point on this Camino.
The last couple of days my guidebook suggested a long day (33.8kms) followed by a short day (18.3kms). There are a handful of alburgues (accommodation for pilgrims) that the guidebook labels with a gold star, indicating that they’re recommended. I’ve been trying to stay in as many of these as possible (some of which have deserved this rating, and others not so much). So I decided that I would reverse my days to do a short day (19.7kms) to stay in a recommended place, followed by the long day. I like to walk at sunrise because I love the sounds, light, and peacefulness, so I arrived at the alburgue really early, about 10:30. There was a note on the door saying that it opens at 2:00. No one was around, so I relaxed in the beautiful garden area for a while, then decided to do my laundry. Just after noon the hospitalera came home and told me that it was all full for the night (from advance reservations). She asked why I didn’t call, and Planny rolled her eyes. Then she proceeded to tell me that her place is *not* for people who ‘race’ through the Camino and don’t use it as a meditative and spiritual experience. I was pretty offended that she had judged me this way, so while I was packing up my things I explained to her why I like walking at sunrise. Then she told me that she did have 1 bed on the covered balcony that I could stay in if I wanted. Because of the way she treated me I would have said no, but I wasn’t sure how I was going to hang my wet laundry on my backpack and I had no dry socks.
As I settled in, she warmed to me and I realized that perhaps I had surprised her a little by making myself at home in her yard. We chatted and connected, and later in the afternoon someone cancelled their reservation so I had a ‘real’ bed after all. She cooked a huge delicious meal for us 10 pilgrims, then started pouring port wine and pumping the tunes for a kitchen dance party. I was one of the youngest pilgrims there, but everyone was singing and dancing together. If you ask me if I participated in the Macarena I must plead the 5th, your honour! Anyway, it was one of my best nights of the journey and definitely gold star worthy.
The next day I realized pretty quickly why my book had made this the short day, as it was definitely the most challenging hike so far. There was another ‘gold star’ alburgue and when I arrived they had only 1 bed that hadn’t been reserved in advance. This ‘go with the flow’ thing seems to be working out.
