Day 39 - Sarria to Portomarin - 22km

Wow, all I can say is WOW. I thought I was prepared, but you are not really prepared until you witness it. What I am talking about is the mass exodus from Sarria.

I started at 7:15 this morning. The temperature was to go into the 30s again today and I had 22kms to go, so I wanted to get here as soon as I could to avoid the heat of the day. Well, that didn’t work, it was still 3:30pm when I got here.

I started without the headlamp but we soon left the lights of the city so it was time to put the headlamp on. When I was putting it on, Joyce (from Netherlands) asked if she could walk with me with my headlamp. So we walked together for 3.5km. That was the spot for the first break and the sun had risen. The place was huge and the crowds were just as big but only 2 people working there. It took at least 15 minutes to get my breakfast. The nice thing is that it was bacon and eggs. Normally when you travel, you are excited to have the local food, but after 39 days I was so excited to have food from home!

Then it was time to walk again, but I realized soon I needed to use a washroom, so in another 5km, I had to stop for a break again. Well, this place was even busier. I had to wait at least 15 minutes for the washroom, and then 10 mins just to buy a bag of chips (so that I could use the washroom).

I then stopped another few kilometres away for my lunch. I was going to keep that short but got talking with a guy from LA who is doing the 100km. So because of all the long breaks, I was again stuck in the heat of the day. The good part this time, is that I had a great sleep last night, so even though I was a little tired because of the heat, I still had energy when I arrived.

After lunch, it was less than a kilometre to the 100km marker. I had to do a double check that it was the right spot, but it was. The camino path has been rerouted in many places, so this marker needed to obviously be moved. In the pictures, you will see a picture of Jörg at the 100km marker and you will see me with it today, in a completely different place.

After showering and getting organized, I ventured out and found the supermarket. Got some water, but I couldn’t bring myself to buy some bread for the road (kind of tired of it). I have some trail mix and nuts in my bag, so that will hold me until I need real food tomorrow. I think it is 8kms away.

I ran into Joyce again, so we went to dinner together at a nice Italian restaurant. The forecast for all of next week is in the 30s everyday until I reach Santiago, so I really have to discipline myself to take shorter breaks, I think I will try to set a timer on my phone.

Ok, time for bed --- wash, rinse and repeat all again tomorrow. Almost there.

TTYL

Throwback to 2009 from Julie’s Journal

We ran into Joerg’s girlfriend a couple times again. The second time, she came up from behind us as were sitting at a bar and she rubbed Joerg’s shoulders. Joerg was quick to point it out. I eventually said to him “I don’t mind when she touches him because I know I am the one who can touch him anytime”.Okumaya devam et