Buen Camino!

Buen Camino - that is what you say to all other pilgrims as they pass or as you pass them and you will also hear from the locals as you walk along.  We have made it just over half way of our trek - 60 kms of the 110.  We left Sarria on Monday morning - it was a long and hot day and we were very glad to see the sign post for Portomarin, we had travelled 23 kms this day though there was a diversion and we all think it added 2 km so we feel that we went 25 km (at the end of the day every extra step is felt!).  With aching joints and muscles we walked into town to find our hotel, though after a brief rest - me with my feet up against the wall and a shower, we all recovered enough to head out for dinner and then a wander around the town (thankfully a very small town...)

Surprisingly we all woke up refreshed and relatively pain free - ready for the next leg of the journey.  Only 21 kms on Tuesday - we walked through fog for most of the morning and around 11:30 the sun broke through to a beautiful day - not too hot.  We arrived at our hotel in Lestedo - a lovely restore stone house right off the Camino, while it had several rooms, we four were the only guests so it was very, very quiet.  The next day we woke to a light drizzle and fog which we walked through until early afternoon - it really was not too bad and our ponchos and rain jackets kept us dry - thankfully it was a pleasent temperature and not too muddy. We walked through lovely country side and very small villages.  Our destination this day was Melide - only 19 kms.  So, we only have 51 kms to go over 3 days.  So far - no blisters or strains - just lots of aches, moans and groans at the end of the day!  The path is now mostly a dirt path but sometimes quite rocky and sometimes on tarmac - often up or down hill but thankfully usually a slow ascent or descent.  Though there are sections that have us huffing and puffing going up and groaning going down...

We have met people along the way - a lovely Irish couple that we connected with our first night and did not see on Tuesday but did Wed night - pleased to hear that they are doing okay.  Many Germans on the trail and there were two large groups of youth - these tend to trek all together so you can hear them coming...  There are also cyclists on the Camino and you can also do it on horseback - we have not seen any horse and riders but have definitely seen the evidence of horses... always have to watch out for horse and cow poo on the path.

While I am glad that I am doing this but I don't think that I would want to do the whole Camino - over 700 kms. - at least 4 to 5 weeks of walking - whew!!
Okay that is an update for now - we are all still standing (Dianne, Jan, John and me) - well at least we are in the morning - by the end of the day we all can't wait to put our feet up.