Day 30 - San Martín to Astorga - 26km

Today was long and hard. It wasn’t longer than the day before, but there were a few tiny hills and I got caught in the heat of the day again.

I started off early, 7:30am, but by the time I hit the outskirts of town it was 7:45 which was just enough daylight to see without a flashlight. The first 7km was along the highway again but then we finally turned inward and it was back to paths and towns. I stopped at the first town and had breakfast and used the facilities (i.e toilet).

The next town was only 3.5kms away, but again, I needed a washroom so I stopped again and had an orange juice. The challenge is that every time you need to use a washroom, out of respect, you should buy something. I don’t mind doing that at all, but then buying something means I sit and drink or eat the item, which then eats up more time.

It this town, I also needed a small bottle of water for my pocket so found a man who was offering water. He was in a type of garage and it was decorated with souvenirs from all over the world, photos and postcards that pilgrims sent him. The water was by donation so I gave him 5 Euros. He was excited and then said you need to take a banana as well. Then he proceeded to take me all around his room showing me all the canadian postcards and money he had on the wall. Just as I was about to leave, he told me to wait (this was all in Spanish, but body language tells a lot). He then came out from his kitchen with a nice slice of melon for me. It was wonderful, so refreshing.

I got off again and the next town was only 2.5km but I needed the washroom again, this time for #2. I was just about to do an 8km stretch without towns so I didn’t want to do that somewhere in a bush. So again, I sat down and enjoyed a coke and a break. While there, a dozen people came in that were part of a hiking tour. They had just done 6kms and they had about 10 to go. They were all excited and proud they got 6kms out of the way. I just thought it was funny. I don’t resent these groups at all, it is sometimes the only way people can do the walk.

All these breaks left me at about noon and I still had at least 12kms to go. It was a long haul. Very little shade so when I found some, I stopped. At one point on the trail, the tour group had passed me and when there was a rest stop with a tree and a bench, many of them were huddled there. I thought I would stop and take a break, and one person said “come on over pilgrim”, so I did. The problem was, that there was one woman on the bench taking up the whole thing, so I was just standing there, with my big backpack and obviously exhausted and they didn’t offer the bench. I used the excuse that the flies were too much, and left (which they were annoying today). About 15 mins later I found my own spot and had a rest and my lunch.

I finally made it into the town just 4km outside of Astorga and sat for a coke and a break again. I so badly wanted to call a taxi to take me the last 4km. It was already 3:30pm but I didn’t do it. I walked the last 4km in and passed the spot where I was sick to my stomach in 2009 (which you can read about in the throwback).

Upon entering Astorga, I passed through Plaza Mayor. It is sort of special, as in 2009, we made a stop there and there were a bunch of people at a table we knew from along the way and they called Jörg over to join them so we did. I had nothing but smiles seeing that place again.

After settling in, I went out to find a supermarket to get some soap (just ran out), and stopped for a sangria in a plaza while video chatting with Aunt Mavis over messenger. It was nice to talk yesterday to my Dad as well by FaceTime. That is what I love about technology!

Ok, now it is time to get some sleep. Long day again tomorrow (around 20km), and it is all uphill.

Throwback to 2009 from Julie’s journal:

Today started out nice. I was walking a good pace with Joerg. The landscape changed so we now had trees, paths, hills, rocky paths … it was wonderful.

We stopped about 4 km outside Astorga for a break where I ate my yogurt. Afterwards, about 1 km in the town outside Astorga, I started to slow. I told Joerg to go ahead. After about 10 mins, I got the urge to throw up. I had to stop and sit and when no one was around, I threw up. A bike riding by asked if I was ok and I waved him on. After about 10-15 mins I started again, but in about 15 mins, I felt sick again. I stopped on the side of the trail. I saw a couple come by, so I held off until they passed. They stopped and asked me if I was sick and I said yes, but I asked then to just keep going. After, I threw up again, I started walking again. In about 5 mins, Joerg was walking towards me and gave me a hug. The couple had told him that his girlfriend was sick.

We stopped at the railway for another 15 mins, I ate a bran bar and started to feel better. We walked into Astorga and when we were in Major Plaza, a whole table of pilgrims were waiving to us to sit down. They were all friends of Joerg’s and I told him that. He said “he has no friends, all his life he is alone.” I told him they are his friends. It was Hans, a couple from Denmark (ahouse, Bjorne), Connie our friend from Germany and a new guy from Germany named Sven.

Joerg is the social one of the two of us. Most of the people I meet are because he arrives early and then talks with all the people who arrive. I know I would just be a loner if he wasn’t around. After Astorga I was feeling better so we walked the extra 5 km to here. This albergue is really nice, clean, friendly, has a middle courtyard with a bar and a nice quiet backyard with grass. It is so peaceful, I love it!

After dinner, as usual it was bed time. After a wonderful kiss from Joerg it was sleep time. I had the best ever sleep on the Camino. I slept until 4:30 where I woke coughing, then went back to sleep until 6 when my alarm went off. The blanket they had on the bed was so soft and cozy, I forgot where I was.Leggi altro