Day 22 - Hontanas to Boadilla - 32km

32kms ... done and done!

Last night, I stayed out and watched the sunset from my albergue. It was nice because I quite often don’t get that chance. Then it was off to bed. I was up at 6:30 and then out the door just after 7:00am. By the time I got to the trail, I didn’t really need my headlamp anymore.

I stopped in Hontanas to grab a sandwich and a coke for the road. It was a cute little town. When I passed by a bar I immediately recognized it, I thought, I sat right here. Most of my memories from 2009 are because I have photos and journal, but there is a rare time I will pass something and know that I saw this before, even without the physical evidence.

The day was quite steady. I kept to my routine and rule of stopping around every 5km and I think it really helped. By the end of the day, my feet and muscles were tired, but not extremely tired. I think I could have gone further if needed.

For the last 8km, I needed to pull out my music to keep me going, mostly because there was wind and I had a strange squeaking in my backpack (it was the plastic bags, this is the first time, so tomorrow I will take a closer look at that)

When I got to the albergue, I got a great warm welcome from Eduardo. When I came in, he was on the phone and there was a line up to check in and he immediately pointed to me and I pointed back. At one point, there were ladies behind me, and he told them to come forward (as he knew they were a fast check-in) and he said “that is just Julie from Canada”. When it came my turn, he came out from behind the desk and gave me a big hug. It was wonderful. I felt very special. He also gave me a wonderful bed in a dorm with only single beds. I am sure he saved it for me. Any other place, arriving so late (I arrived around 5pm), I would have most definitely had a top bunk somewhere.

Dinner was very good, two soups (vegetable and white bean), salad, beef stew, and an ice cream bar for desert.

I am exhausted now, so I won’t be posting online today at all. Tomorrow I have a room on my own, so hopefully I will get caught up then.

TTYL

Throwback to 2009 from Julie’s Journal

I showered, washed my clothes, then went out for a little walk and then a drink with another German named Martin. I had a couple glasses of white wine. Joerg was a little silent, I suspect he was a little jealous. I hope someday he will realize that there is no one better than him for me!!Read more