Bandeira to Ponte Ulla

I woke up an hour before my alarm, having had a good restful night. It's going to be a short day, so I was in no rush to leave. I went downstairs, left the key as agreed, and went out to the cafe a few doors down for breakfast.

I vaguely remembered this camino stage, there is a steep winding decline on the road, and I must have been going at a good pace because within an hour I was in Leiras, I stopped in for a coffee at the albergue, we had stayed in two years ago, one of the very best on the camino. It hadn't changed, and neither had the owner. He is a friendly guy and very interesting to chat to.

I headed on and it did not take me long to catch up with Elke, I had discovered that although she was from New Zealand, she was actually German, having moved to New Zealand when she was younger, that accounted for her unusual accent! I slowed my pace to walk alongside her and keep her company, I think she has found the camino quite hard. It's not easy walking on your own, and she had been in Europe for a while.

We arrived in good time at the albergue in Point Ulla and I got into my room, Elke was booked into the dorm downstairs, but we agreed to meet for dinner in the restaurant, and we had a very nice dinner. I met another Scotsman in the bar, born in Aberdeenshire. He had retired to live in Cartagena, Spain, three years ago and was doing the camino with a Spanish friend. I phoned the albergue in A Susanna and booked two beds, as Elke had asked me to book a bed for her as well. The albergue there is the best albergue on the camino, bar none.

It is hard to believe that in two days I will complete my camino, it has been very different, I miss having Ken with me and everywhere I look there are echoes of my time with my camino ladies from 2022, I miss them terribly.Read more