Abadin to Vilalba, Spain

Fantastic trail today, I kept wondering what the catch was! The map showed we had quite a climb and decent after a few kilometers but I never felt it was anything. We had a gradual uphill and downhill and then little tiny ups and downs all day but NOTHING like yesterday. It was easy forested paths, fields with cattle grazing, more corn fields (so much corn yet we are never offered it in restaurants-must all be for the cattle?), the greenest pastures you’ve ever seen, and ONE coffee stop in the entire 14 miles. That was fine, we have become accustomed to not relying on places to be open even if they guide says there are food/cafe options along the way. We usually pack a banana, nuts, chocolate, and sometimes a little bocadillo (a super plain sandwich in a baguette with a thin slice of meat and thin slide of cheese-no condiments). It’s enough. Today I had to make a real effort to not focus on my pain. I’ve done so well up to a couple days ago. My body had adapted to this daily demand I’ve put on it, and I have been feeling strong and determined. Today my shin/bend in my foot & leg was really aggravated. I took ibuprofen before I left, rubbed on some Voltaren gel and figured that’d do me for several hours. It didn’t even touch the pain. Before I left for this trip I visited my Dr and requested a prescription for antibiotics in case I got sick while here and some Vicodin. She gave me a Zpak (Zithromax) and 30 Vicodin. I’m so glad I asked for that. On our break I took one, along with ibuprofen applied the gel and made it to Vilalba in ok shape. I’d have been crying otherwise. I have quite a bit of swelling and pain. As I write this I am facing backwards on my bed with my legs stretched straight up on the wall to help bring the swelling down. 6 days left you guys. I can’t cave to this pain. It’s awful, but like I said, I’ll cut the damn thing off before I quit hahaha!! I’ve been kind to my body. I’ve been shipping my pack to my end point every day, booked all our rooms to our end point (that takes time and effort!!), kept fluids in me, rested when I need to (it’s hard to stop because getting going again is hard too), trying to eat properly (which is very difficult when you burn 1800 calories a day), so as far as I can see, I am doing all I can. It’s just hard. I have to make it at this point. I will, my pace may have to slow, but I will make it. After tomorrow there is no opportunity to skip ahead and have a rest day. You need to get 2 stamps a day from here on out to show you’ve walked the last 100km. If you don’t, no Compostela, no certificate. No fricken way have I come this far for the last month to give up now. I may be broken when I get home, but I’ll heal. I’ve received 4 Compostelas in the past so it’s not like I need another, but this Camino has been the most challenging in so many ways, length, time, pain, you name it, it has stretched me further than any other, so it’s important to me. I have come far both physically (you should see my muscles lol), emotionally, and spiritually. This one has spoke to me in ways other caminos have not. I feel blessed to have this time for myself and my mental and spiritual health. Unreal the growth I have felt. Hard to put into words. Although I try with these crazy long blogs I write with my iPhone! Please forgive my typos and grammar. I am a grammar freak so it bugs me I can’t be more ‘edited’ however, I think you get my drift as I write.
So we arrived in Vilalba and had laundry to do. Had to go to a laundromat, so Holly took our things and went to do that (she’s come so far—she used to get lost just going around a corner 😂.) I stayed in the room and got all our bookings done and backpacks service all squared around for the next 6 days. Took a couple hours for both of us to get our chores done. Then we were both absolutely starving and it was only 6pm. Dinner here is at 8. For the first time here I got ‘hangry’. Like really. Between the pain and no food I was definitely going to chew my arm off by 7. But, had to wait. At 8:01 we walked into a restaurant and I ordered the biggest steak I could. Ate every morsel of it. Finally I felt the energy and was revived. I feel like today was all about survival mode. Hopefully tomorrow brings less pain, more enjoyment (only hiking 12 miles!!), and more rest.
Goodnight friends and family. If you’re the praying kind, please send one up for us today. We need all the support we can get for the next 6 days! ❤️Read more