Last night, I chatted with Janet via fb messenger. Turns out Eduardo and Janet were also in the same town as I but they took their time and got there around 9 PM. Dang! We made a tentative plan to meet up in Ribadiso for lunch and head over.
The albergue I stayed in had breakfast for one additional Euro so I decided to partake. It was a horrible experience - but at least I had one fresh orange juice. I clipped my socks on my backpack to dry and left the albergue. After a 10 minute walk, I unbuckled my backpack to notice my socks were missing. They must have fell somewhere. Damn. Now I'm down to one last good pair. Guess I'll be doing laundry everyday until after I reach Finisterre, Spain - unless I find a good outdoor retail store and I can purchase some expensive smart wool socks.
The lesson here for me is remain unattached. Don't beat yourself here mentally and carry on forward. Shit happens! The Camino always has lessons for you - if you are listening.
I'm enjoying my walk in nature and the scenery.
On the way I run into a couple walking. He is from Switzerland has a GoLite backpack too and it was the blue one that I ordererd and returned. I have not seen a GoLite backpack yet and neither had he until now. I'm glad I chose the yellow one. We share a good moment of backpack bonding and I carry on.
Thank you to all who contributed to my facebook backpack post and helping me decide. I don't regret picking yellow at all. It has become very noticeable on the camino with my friends as 'my backpack' since it just stands out.
I continue walking and pass my many farms, houses, horses, and beautiful scenery.
I run into Sara (Italy) and we walk together at times and alone at others until we get to the end of the stage at Ribadiso. We decide to get lunch there, and then are accompanied by Colin and Tony from Ireland who I had met while walking.
Sara doesn't like pictures of herself. But she needs to be included in our group.
After lunch, I wait about one hour for Janet and Eduardo to show and they don't. I even leave my bright yellow backpack out at the front just so they can see it. Yes, my yellow backpack is the only yellow one I've seen so far on the Camino.
Finally as I'm getting ready to leave Janet shows up and says she likely going to stay in Ribadiso. Eduardo was last seen sleeping in Palas de Rei when Janet was ready to leave. So now I'm going solo for the next 24 km. I give Janet a hug and head on out for a 5 hour walk.
The desintation is Pedrouzo. But somehow I manage to get into Pedrouzo, look around for signs for my albergue and then accidently leave. Wow, that was seriously a small town. I continue on and realize I'm walking for another hour. And I don't have a guide book since I lost it earlier. I have restored to taking pictures of the map for the day and referencing it on my phone as I travel.
I keep walking and run into a group of people from Ireland and Belarus. We share a drink and camino stories. Turns out two of them also could not find an albergue in Pedrouzo and all three of us continue walking.
It is now 8 PM. And so I speed up a little and quickly lose the other two. I pass the 13 mile marker.
I finally see a hotel in the distance. I check the image I took of the guide and realize the next big albergue is about 6-7 km away. If I were to walk it would be about 1 hr to 1 hr and 10 mins. I decide to suck up the cost of a hotel and treat my body to some comfort. I have already logged about 50 km today. My feet are not sore and I can walk more, but I'm ready to call it a day, shower, eat and sleep.
So I check in to the Hotel Ruta Jacobea for 59 Euros. And plunge into the bathroom and take a long nice bath. It is such a luxury for a peregrino to get a long bath
Right after the bath, I go to dinner and get the paella for 14 Euros and drink two large bottles of water (750ml). Absolutely delicious - both the water and the paella. Please note: that the paella you see below was just one serving. There was a second serving beside me that I also consumed. Now I get a minute glimpse of Michael Phelps eats since he burns so many calories in his workouts.
Since they have good wifi, I get some blogging done, and now it is time for bed. Less that 13K left for tomorrow to complete my dream. And I also get to sleep in until noon.
YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!
Expenses: 99.30 Euro
Late Breakfast: 5.50 Euro
Lunch: 6.50 Euro
Snacks: 8 Euro
Hotel: 59 Euro
Dinner: 20.30 Euro
Alsten.well done on getting this far and enjoy your short walk into santigo. I'll punch the sky for you here in ireland about lunch time tomorrow!regards to all. Denis from ireland
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