Torneiros

Woke Up: Casa Alternativo
Destination: O Porrino

As promised we were woke at 7, but not with any music, dramatic opera. It was as if we were preparing for war.

I guess in someways we are. Either we are body or mind, or in my case both.

Breakfast was by sunrise outside, lit by candles. Big fan of breakfasts by candlelight. Enables a slower mindset for the day.

I couldn’t eat the breakfast - was bread! But I had decided on a late one when I got to O Porrino.

With my arrival times lately being at least 90 minutes over the eta. I decided on getting just to o porrino today, with the intention of getting to Redondela tomorrow. A classic stage.

However leaving at 8am, I underestimated how long it would take me to get to the city. Meaning I got to the town at 10:30.

And I’ve booked my accommodation so there’s no going on. But it’s okay. I could do with an afternoon of nothing - including sightseeing.

And there’s not much to do here! And I could do with doing some washing - repacking etc.

Did feel the loneliness again, setting off. I was the second to leave. The two Brazillian gentleman left first. Then me, then 4 germans and 1 Dutch who met on the Camino’s and are now walking together left after me.

I thought I’d made a good pace despite the first steep climb back to the riverside Camino. - And I bumped into a Spanish gentleman walking to Fatima still with a head torch on who wanted me to take a picture for him - But they’d caught me up within the first 45 minutes, but they had brought Otto the dog from the albergue for a walk to O Porrino. So I walked with them for a while, but it was clear I couldn’t match their pace so I slunk to the back.

It felt a bit crappy for a while. But I remembered I belong to the Camino, right now, not people. And of course the lessons I’ve been telling myself for years now, that it’s only my pace that matters and the fact I’m still going.

Yes I miss my original Camino family. But I also needed the challenge of no one. Just me and my actual brain. And body. And I’ve got it!

I knew it was going to be tough so I don’t know when I am surprised exactly.

But as I’m having all these thoughts coming into O Porrino, Louisa calls me, checking in. She’s up ahead in Pontevedra, and who has also broken away from the group she was walking with.

I find a brunch spot! And wait there till the albergue opens. I want to get there early to bag the bottom bunk, not a fan of the top ones.

I do. And I manage to get the first laundry too which I share with the next Pilgrim, Victoria 🇩🇪. We exchange feet horror stories and take care of our feet. Hang our clothes, eat trail mix before heading out for some food. We headed only towards a lil tiny kebab place, nearby. But I felt lightheaded and shakey as soon as I got there. Possibly low blood pressure, possible just tired. But it made me mild panic - so I took my food to go.

Although so close to the end now, I’m more dubious of my food. And my appetite is lower, when worrying if it’s okay to eat. Never had an issue before, but then I’ve never had to keep my body right for multiple days hiking on the trot.

Grainne 🇮🇪 messages me to say that she got super ill between Caldas de Reis and Padron. And that she needed a doctor to come to the hotel, to inject her to stop her vomiting! She doesn’t know what caused it but told me to be weary of that stretch, to keep out of the sun etc. and careful of what I’m eating/drinking. She’s also not going to make the final day to Santiago now, she will take a bus. This knowledge. - I think - gives me psychosomatic symptoms of illness.

Anyways, I feel a little better back at the hostel. And aiming for an early night.

So today is just a day.

PS: Lora cut her Camino short due to an illness, and flies home today.

Body check - as per usual
Highlights/Small things:
O Call from Louisa
O Finding the immediate steep hill much better than i thought
O walking with Otto for a lil while - dogRead more