Day 22 - Same old, same old

“Walking is how the body measures itself against the earth." - Rebecca Solnit

Day 22 - Ponferrada to Cacabelos - 15.6 km - approx 3.5hrs

Today is one of the rare days I wish I was going further. However, as I seem to have beaten my bag to the Hostal (again), it isn’t possible!

I left my hotel around 7:30 am but went back for some hot water to add to a little insulated bottle I purchased yesterday. Once I saw the breakfast offerings, I decided to stay for breakfast too. Mistakes 1 and 2 of the day hahaha. Insulated bottle isn’t insulated and I pretty much burned my hand on it. Cold drinks in there from now on I guess! I started walking at 8am on a full belly and there’s the second mistake. I felt horrid! It’s the first and last breakfast I have before walking! If I eat before lunch, it’s generally after I have been walking for a while. Now I know!! Walking fasted is the way to go, for me. As long as I am hydrated, I am good to go!

Within a couple of kms out of town, I caught up with an America woman named Kathy. I only slowed down to chat for a moment and find where she was from. We then walked the next 13 km together at her slower pace. Again, lovely to have someone to chat to and the kms go by a lot quicker! There was nothing extraordinary about today’s walk. Just another day walking in the Spanish countryside. There was a lot more road walking than some days, a few hills and lots of dust. Same old, same old :-). We had one rest stop for tea (me) and soda and ice cream (Kathy) and of course, the baño.

I got to Cacabelos just before noon and could quite happily have continued to the next town approx 4km away. This would have made tomorrow a shorter day, which would have been great. C’est La vie. I am learning to live with my choices - all of them. There is likely a reason I am not going further. It is just as likely I won’t know what it is, but that’s up to the universe. This is a great place to stop and I sat in the sun and drank my sangria knowing I was at the end of my walking day.

I managed to find a Dia grocery store today. I have been looking for one for almost a week - since Nancy told me of the lovely gazpacho soup they sell. Perfect for a day on the Way, as it is easy to drink while walking and has lots of good veggies in it - something that is generally lacking in a pilgrim’s diet. As this town is much bigger than it looks, there was a Dia not too far away from my Hostal. I finally got the gazpacho - and it was as yummy as promised! Combine this with a chicken empanada, and I have a cheap and cheerful late lunch. The best kind.

The evening ended with rain, so I holed up in my Hostal and spent some time with my feet up and Netflix :-)Read more