A short note to home

another day and another wonderful experience.


I slept in Los Arcos last night and meant to sleep in Viana tonight --- about 22km -- and then only 11 tomorrow to Lagrouna (??? is that where I am -- not sure! -- something like that! tired brain!!) but then the refuge in Viana which is supposed to be open all year, was closed -- so I had to push on and do the rest -- so 32 kilometers today --- a tough one!

I had meant to rest every four or five days for a day but somehow it doesn´t work like that --- one is so tired in the evening when you stop that all you want to do is sleep -- but in the morning you wake up and get dressed and put your ruck sack on and get going --- some kind of momentum and rhythm that you cannot easily break. And like tonight I did ask the old monks who run the refuge whether I could stay two nights and have a rest day tomorrow, but they asked if it is for medical reasons and I said no, so they said, no you have to go on. Walk the camino!

So --- I think I might book into a hotel somewhere tomorrow night -- otherwise I am afraid -- and I never thought I would say this! -- I will be one day ahead of the others and that would be very sad. But I shall see --- somewhere we would have parted ways anyway by a day or two --- it is just so nice knowing they are either ahead or behind and one is not totally alone. Also, there are more and more other pilgrims now on the road --- coming from other directions, other routes --- southern spain, northern spain, and people starting much further along the way and I must say I have been so spoilt with the company up to now -- we feel like a little family when we all arrive at different times at the refuges -- it has been very special -- and I have not seen any other pilgrim that I feel I want to get to know better...


Anyway --- you asked what does one do when you arrive of an evening --- well, you take your ruck sack off first of all!!!, you then pay your €3 or 4 or 5 or 6 for the night and get your stamp in your pilgrims passport. You are then taken to the dormitory and shown your bed for the night --- or if you are lucky and come first, you can choose your own. I pick the bottom bunk always --- definitely no energy to get on the top bunk! -- and one reasonably near a heater --- if there is a heater in the dorm!

Then I take my shoes off (and put them outside the dorm if possible!) and socks and rub my feet --- aching feet--- unload my moneybag and camera around my waist, take stuff out of pockets like phones and maps and notebook (my camera´s card --- TWO gigabytes!! was full today!!! AAAAAARRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!! Cannot take pics and won´t get to a place where to download on cd for another several days!!!!!!!!!!!!) and then head for the showers and if possible and no one objects I stand under the hot water (so far hot water everywhere) for at least half an hour! wonderful! I then wash all the clothes I wore for the day and either go hang them over an available heater of if lucky, put them in a coin operated dryer --- I only have one change of underwear so if I want to change every day, I wash every day --- I am totally drenched by the first hour and all day --- not a very good state of affairs --- but it is around 0´´C in the mornings and evenings, and does not go much higher than about 10 during the day -- and the wind blowing a lot of time is straight off the arctic.

Then it is quickly out to look for a food shop for something for dinner and also (something that weighs nothing!) for the following day for breakfast and for along the way, back to the refuge, make something to eat, chat a little and go to bed and sleep! In bed most nights around nine -- and fast asleep straight away.

so that for the pva every night --- and now must go -- [b]another time more about how this is THE way to keep the spirit alive, my sweetest Pierre!

Better go and take my clothes out the dryer --- and off to bed. Thanks for the little texts and messages and calls --- much much appreciated. Marc -- sent you a text today -- just check on all your phones in case I did not send it to the right phone!

Lots and lots of love

ww xx
buen camino!