Today was incredible. I woke up and felt almost completely back to normal; in fact, I was pleasantly surprised at how good I felt. Finally. I started the day slowly on a mild ascent that went up and up and up into the mountains. At the top, it was views for days.
It was all road walking straight out of town. Despite it being a small rural mountain road, it was busy and with lorries too - which I found out after one came out of nowhere and I almost shat myself. The last thing you expect on a peaceful mountain walk is an enormous block of metal on wheels hurtling towards you.
It wasn't likely to be a long day but I made sure to take lots of breaks, drink lots of water and eat lots of snacks - though I don’t need to be ill for that! The landscape was simply amazing, and I found myself having to stop to just look every few minutes anyway. I felt like I floated slowly up the mountain rather than walked up. It made me feel good too knowing that I was lied up in bed the day before, feeling completely useless and grim, and hiking mountains the next day.
The weather couldn’t have been more ideal either, wispy clouds giving enough cover to shield us from the heat but still warm, and with a nice breeze that seemed to refresh me from the inside out. But there were threats of colder weather and rain on the horizon.
Since I’d been snacking throughout the day and stopped for a half-lunch at one point, I decided to take my proper lunch break a bit later. The path was going further and further up, and I wondered if there’d be a good spot to sit. I was right. I sat for a while marvelling from what felt like the top of the world.
Later when I arrived at the albergue, I hadn't expected to find anyone familiar so it was an utterly brilliant surprise to find Michel and Robert there whom I'd last seen… well, only days ago, but mere days can feel like a lifetime on the Camino. Pure serendipity.
There was also an older American couple, Ava and Ted, who had also taken a rest day; Ava had been sick too with almost exactly the same symptoms I had, strangely enough.
The clouds cleared away at the perfect time and I spent the afternoon relaxing in the beautiful hot sun. There was a washing machine at this albergue, and so I finally had a chance to wash my clothes, especially my casual clothes and pyjamas which may or may not had slightly gotten past the point of needing a good wash.
We ended the day with a big group dinner in what I’m pretty sure was the only restaurant in town. It was an amazing day.
Until next time,
A x
A little end note: We’re nearing the end of the journey now and there aren’t many days left to go. I’m going to share these every other day from now until the end - partly because this has taken slightly longer than initially thought. Do let me know if it’s too much for you, or if you find you prefer the new schedule. Thanks all!
About me
Hey! Ameena here - I’m a freelance portraiture and documentary photographer based in London. I enjoy telling stories about adventure, the outdoors, and our relationship with the natural world.
In this newsletter, I’m digitally retracing my steps on the Camino de Santiago. From March to May 2019, over 45 days, I walked over 900km along the Via de la Plata (the Silver Way) route of the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage in Spain.
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