Barro

Out the door for 8.

Not as early as I had hoped due to not sleeping well.

But out the door straight on to the Camino.

Feeling a slight pain in my left foot and calf pain in right leg.

Felt a bit frustrated without my pole now.

And dozens and dozens of pilgrims are overtaking me. This is fine. I know I have the time. Plus most are walking without rucksacks and started 2 days ago.

The walk is relatively quite flat which is helpful, but I do start to need to the toilet. Holding out hope for a cafe soon.

The pain is growing in my foot.

The couple from yesterday catch up with me. I tell them about my foot and they lend me their poles. I tell them to go on ahead and I will give them the poles back on Caldas but they remain with me.

I skid slightly on a rock and it jars my foot and a sharp pain happens. And then it feels as if there’s a crackle sensation happening in my foot and the pain worsens.

Natalie tells me she has something for the pain. And we stop and use gel and take ibuprofen.

I move on. They find friends from day before I walk on. But Ross comes back to say they will stop at a cafe in less than a KM. And to find them there.

I do. But the pain is more. And from here I may not get another chance to get help. I check Uber. Nothing. I ring two taxis - they put their phone down on me without Spanish.

So I ask at the cafe. They are so helpful. They give me ice and ring a taxi for me. They come collect me and take my bag for me. And the driver is a female who knows Portuguese 🙏🏼

A Danish man also consoles me. A 100km is the pilgrimage and you’ve already done plus 200km. Camino is just as much about acceptance than the challenge.

Words I need to hear as I cry for the second time.

I arrive at my albergue. I am welcomed with a beautiful stamp, a sangria and a donation of poles from past pilgrims.

I also am given ice packs for my feet. And when telling her I’m worried about my cough keeping people awake she just says she will move me to a different room. A dorm with no one in. Not only this she gets me sports tape and looks up a tutorial on you tube to dress my foot.

Meanwhile Ross and Natalie have arrived and have asked if I need anything. I say a brace and sports tape. They FaceTime me from intersport and a pharmacy with options.

And then meet me opposite the albergue. I grab them an ice cream as thanks - even though they reiterate the Camino is about precisely this.

They also gift me cooling gel and an ankle brace.

I hobble to find some tea. But also still majorly nervous and cautious of eating made food I eat a few mouthfuls and nothing more.

Tomorrow I will likely stay to rest the foot . Unless a miracle happens overnight…Read more