The Camino Will Provide

As soon as I started researching the Camino, I found that this saying and this conviction, surround the concept of the way inextricably. I may have thought it overdone, but today for us, very, luckily, we discover it's a real thing.

I was up late last night revising and reconsidering our plans. Brad's leg is not getting better, rather worse. This morning we went downstairs for breakfast to discuss options. Surprise, our Camino family crops up again, as I spot Uta chatting to a young man. She ended up in the municipal alberge across from us last night. They are discussing him taking a taxi to Redondela, as he has severe blisters. We suggest sharing, and Brad raises his pants leg to demonstrate why. The young man says "may I" and looks closer. Oh yes, he says authoritatively, you need antibiotics. That's cellulitis. I'm a doctor, and I can assure you, you need antibiotics.

What are the chances? Young James,it turns out, is an Irish GP. He speaks Spanish too, and insists on taking the taxi with Brad to the pharmacy, in case he needs to write the necessary scrip.

As Brad seems in very good hands, I'm going to set off solo. We're only about 15 km out from Redondela, so we book a hostel and arrange to meet there.

How freeing, to be walking alone in the morning fog. I can hear my steps, and the birds, and little else. Even for a directionally challenged person like myself the Camino is easy. Follow the arrows, if you don't see any indication to the contrary, continue on as you are.

I stop for a coffee and twist myself a little leaving, but sort it out within 50 metres or so. There are lots of pilgrims around me, many exchanged bon Caminos, but I'm happy to pace on on my own. It's luxurious, this time to think and experience and just be. I love that Brad is with me, absolutely, but there's an alchemy of a sort, when you are alone with your thoughts.

I have a lot, many reasons this journey seems vital to me. So many threads in my life, of love and loss, grief, hope, anticipation, fears, family...I hope to weave them all into something I can comfortably wear.

With my thoughts for company then, I climb rapidly then descend towards the bay that Redondela is situated beside. I run into a German couple we met in Valenca, they had seen Brad getting into a taxi in Mos and wondered what had happened. As they say, you can be alone but never really alone on the path.

Entering Redondela, I come across a festival. Such crowds, music and busyness! There are incredible floral carpets constructed in the streets, and it's such a pleasure to wind through them, to the hostel. Where Tito the host tells me, as if we've known each other for ages, oh Brad's down at the restaurant, I just saw him there

We receive an email from James, checking in on Brad as we head into town to catch the end of the days festival. Excited kids, families, music, dressed up older and younger couples, it's such a joy to walk along and just people watch!

And last note of the day, we've met a woman, Beatrice from Wales, whose claim to fame is that her friends and choir members participated in the wedding episode of Gavin & Stacey, a UK show we really enjoyed - which also features a young James Cordon.Read more