Day 29
Okay, kids – don’t do what your Mama did!
I’m hoping to make Santiago by tomorrow. So, I checked the guide book which warned that to their proposed stage end for today (Arca) is 32 km of up and down hills all day. They rated it the highest degree of difficulty. But, because I’ve been feeling pretty good – I opened the Camino Ninja app and put in a ‘stretch goal’ of Lavacolla. That would have been a 43 km day but would put me within 10 km of the cathedral in the morning.
So I set out. It’s a Sunday and summer’s end holidays happening. A lot of cafes were closed. So, I barely stopped. Just kept hiking and enjoying the eucalyptus forests and sweet towns.
The few places that were open for coffee or snacks had lots of cats and dogs. I was glad I’d picked up a spare cat treat bag….this makes my fifth!
I thought a lot today about refugees. How they’re just like me – but displaced in a fashion where they don’t have a secure destination. And I wondered what that would be like. And, though not everyone is wild about pilgrims here – they’re all kind and polite. But what would it be like to be a refugee in a place you weren’t wanted? And, for all the good charity:water is doing – the world water crisis is getting worse due to wars, tyranny, corruption, and trying to accommodate refugees in areas that aren’t designed to house them. These thoughts kept me occupied and led to a lot of prayer. I also thought of my friends at Greenbelt enjoying the last day of the festival.
Towards 6:30 pm I’d been hiking for about 11 hours and was really feeling it in my lower back. Not accident-related – just 11 hours straight of hiking. So I stopped and checked the book for stage-end accommodations. One place sprung off the page at me “REM”. I felt like it was a sign and was looking forward to sending a note to my friend Peta once checked in, as she’d mentioned a family connection to the band. I doubt the albergue is related to them – but what a funny coincidence.
However – I didn’t stop to adjust the end of route goal. And the app, doing what it’s supposed to do – stayed on the original goal. So, somehow, it routed me on a shortcut that completely missed Arca. I didn’t see the Main Street nor even the cathedral in the distance. I just kept going and found myself back in the woods like little red riding hood. I was a couple kms on before I realized my mistake.
Eventually I ended up in O Amedal – and my heart sank. Huge, manicured properties. Alarm systems. Guard dogs. Million € homes. Lots of big gates. Horses. This was not albergue-friendly territory. I kept going and, much to my delight/relief – near the highway was a hotel. I made my way there. The hostess asked if I had a reservation and seemed doubtful when I said no. She checked their system and told me they had one private room but it was €60. No problem. She could have said many times more than that and, under the circumstances, I would have bit. It’s still less than a Red Roof Inn.
Slowly made my way to the third floor. And, unbelievably- the bathroom has an actual bath. Not just any bath – one the size of the Victorian bath in my old flat. For all about the flat that was tiny – the bath was massive. And this one came with a plug like they expected people to use it! I cranked the hot water to one level below scalding and just soaked for at least an hour.
No dinner for me tonight but their breakfast room opens at 7 AM. First Coffee is just a short walk away!!
But first …sleep.
More later….
If you’d like more information about my walk for charity:water, please follow this link. Thank you!
https://www.charitywater.org/marilyn-peterson/marilyn-s-camino-for-water