Day 33 - To O Porrino

Today I left Tui. My hotel was a ways off the trail and I had trouble getting back onto it. I took a wrong turn somewhere along the way and ended up walking for a couple kms against the traffic of a very busy freeway! There was so much traffic, and travelling so fast. I was scared and praying for safety the whole time. I could see on my map that I would have re-connected with the trail up ahead, but not for at least another 1+ km. One vehicle passing shouted something, but was going so fast I didn’t catch what he said (probably wouldn’t have understood anyway). Another vehicle or 2 honked, but that isn’t unusual. People’s will often honk and wave at pilgrims. I kept looking for a place to get off that highway, but I couldn’t.
Suddenly a police car came around a bend, saw me, put the flashing lights on and whipped over to the shoulder. One of them jumped out of the vehicle, grabbed my backpack and poles, put them in the car and quickly ushered me into the car. Then we took off. He told me “you can’t walk on this road, very dangerous!” Then they took me a few kms back into Tui to a different part of the trail, frequently telling me not to walk on that kind of road. I was so relieved and grateful!!
I was then on a nice trail. Paved road with a bit of traffic, but forrest on both sides. And other pilgrims.
Walked 17th km today.Read more