Day 2 - A long slow slog

“After a day’s walk, everything has twice its usual value.” – George Macauley Trevelyan

Day 2 - Uterga to Villatuerta -15.5km + 10km

Ok - I am day late posting. Don’t judge. A lack of electrical outlets at my Albergue was the culprit.

Saturday dawned cool but beautiful. I even got a quick chat in on What’s Ap with one of my daughters who was still awake at 1:40am! I was meeting someone in Puenta La Reina at 9:30 so I gave myself plenty of time. Despite apps and maps, you ever know exactly what’s ahead!

Sabrina and Paula (the German girls that I bunked with) passed me and I them, a couple of times but we walked into Puenta La Reina at 9 am. They had a rest while I walked through town and found a cute little bar (bar =cafe here) for a tea and pintoxs of toast with tomato paste, olive oil and prosciutto. Marie showed up at 9:30 and gave me back my backpack that she had borrowed. And I made my first big Camino mistake. We hung out and chatted while she ate, and started off again at 11:00. Not smart at all!!! 11:00 and baking hot. About 1.5km from town, a nasty long and reasonably steep hill awaited. I was dying. Stopping every 20-30 steps and in total misery. Eating tiny blackberries that grew beside the trail and amongst the fennel, to cheer myself upI seriously thought that due to the last start from Puenta La Reina, that I’d be the last person on this part of the Camino. I was wrong of course. But at least there were less than 5 people that passed me on this stretch and witnessed my frustration and tears.

I finally made it to Muñez which was the next town. Had a rest at the town fountain and refilled my water, soaked my hat and put it on. It was probably about 1:30 at this time. It had taken me ages to get up that hill. Decided that since Marie had told me the girl in her room had woken up with bites all over herself, and Marie was coming up with spots while we had breakfast, that I should make sure I had no hitchhikers on my small backpack. Probably too late if there were, as I had tossed it in my backpack on top of my only long sleeved wool shirt, which I had taken off just before she arrived. Anyway, no bugs present so I was relieved. Got up to carry on and my foot pain was incredible in my right foot. I’ve had this before (neglected to get it checked before I left) and it bothers me most after resting. Once I am able to get moving, it’s pretty much ok. But those first 20 steps…oh boy!

I got moving and took it slowly. Before I got out of town, I caught up with a lady named Karen from the States and we walked to the next town together, admiring the fig trees, olive groves and vineyards. We may have had a quick snack of grapes along the way :-). We arrived at Ciraqui to the sounds of music and all the people in town walking around in white (some in red) with red bandanas. It’s Festival time - for over a week! Oh it was so lovely. Decided I wanted to stay here and I knew Paula and Sabrina were too, but not which Albergue they were at. I made my way to an Albergue and found they had space but that it would be noisy. Hhhmmm. I really needed sleep, and because I had been sitting down, my foot was killing me again. I decided to take a taxi to the next town, but it would be a two hour wait. As I was on the phone, the girls came out of the hostel. Now I was In a quandary. They were encouraging me to stay but I wanted to get to the next town and get some sleep. The deciding factor came when I saw Marie’s bunkmate from the night before go into the Albergue. If she was staying there, I wasn’t. Again, didn’t want hitchhikers (the bed bug kind). I called an Albergue in Villatuerta and they felt bad that I would have to wait for 2 hrs for a taxi - so the owner came and gave me a lift! The Camino provides.

I got settled into the new Albergue and went to a bar for a tea. Ended up staying there the rest of the day chatting with people and had dinner with two older guys from the US named Bill and Rip. Lovely evening.

Early night - and yes- I finally got some sleep!!Read more