Day #25 El Camino
Saturday 7th October
La Faba > Triacastela
Distance walked: 26km
The decision was made. I packed my bag last night with everything except a few essential items for the day. I had 26km to walk so really didn’t need much. I can’t believe I’m saying that, but after 25 days walking in almost the same clothes and using very little else, I’m now learning how little we really need in life to get by. Everything else is just material. I had a drawstring beach bag for water, money and of course my laptop – which I’ve been carrying this whole way – and I begrudgingly arranged to have my large pack picked up by a courier company and delivered to the next town I’d planned to stay. I wasn’t being a fancy pants getting a courier – this is a service many people use on a daily basis, they’re cheaters in my opinion, but I do see the comfort and ease of doing this and I don’t blame them. And there are a few companies to choose from too. They charge around 5 euros, you leave the cash in an envelope, tie it to the bag, leave it in the morning and fingers crossed it is in the town you are headed for before you arrive. As I left for the day, the first 4km was uphill, a relatively easy hike for me normally, made much easier without 10kg on my back. I’m glad it was dark as I was overtaking people with ease and luckily nobody was noticing my lack of luggage. It hurt my ego somewhat to compromise and send my bag ahead for the day, but I couldn’t bring myself to take a rest day, so it was the sanest solution. I just wished that I could have done this entire walk with everything. I shouldn’t beat myself up about it, but it’s something I wanted to achieve. The guilty feeling of walking uphill so easily without a bag made me want to apologise to everyone I passed. I also wanted to let them know that I would have overtaken them even with my bag on. But you know, that’s just being arrogant. But I would have… Ahem.
Ask anyone, I crush it going up. Down is another matter…
The view today was beautiful and I coasted along. There were a few stages however that went downhill and my leg was not having any fun at all. I had to try different techniques for going downhill. I tried zig-zag approach, like I was a skier without snow or skis. I tried the Cliffy Young shuffle (google him) and I even walked backwards, but this was dangerous. If I tripped on something and crushed my laptop I’d have been a crumbling mess. In hindsight, the laptop might have been a weight I could have done without, but it’s been helpful for writing and I don’t really regret having it. I’ve only seen a handful of people with iPads with mini keyboards, beyond that, most use journals or phones. Still, my phone is a piece of shit and I justified having the laptop to upload pics, vids and write all this nonsense for you lovely folk. You’re welcome. I guess I should give you some comedy now?
So as I was walking along today, I was overtaken by 2 people who’d just left a café, they were going at a pace similar to mine. We walked at that awkward same pace where we crossed each other a couple of times and then they took off just a bit ahead of me. He was older, I’d guess around mid 50’s, maybe a fit 60’s, she was seemingly much younger. Latinos, I assumed father and daughter, but could have been partners. I couldn’t tell exactly, they high fived each other a couple of times, but never showed affection beyond that. Now there was one thing rather memorable about these two. She wore aqua/turquoise running shorts, not the yoga tight ones, but a loose kind of parachute material, size M. I don’t know, but I do know that if I had to pick her ass out of a police line-up, I most definitely hand on bible 100% could swear on getting it right! And her ass was committing a crime, it was eating her shorts. It was so distracting that I half expected to see a her charging the line of men following closely behind for personal trainer fees. Actually, there was no one else behind them, just me, walking at a similar pace. All three of us overtook several people. And from an observer’s perspective, it must’ve looked like I was just following them keeping a safe distance to check out her butt. It was half true. I felt I needed to explain myself but I couldn’t speak. My jaw was on the ground. A couple of times the guy dropped back and it was hilarious watching him sprint to catch up to be by her side. Either he was an overprotective partner and wanted to be by her side at all times, or it was more likely her father and he couldn’t be behind her because he was afraid of getting a boner in his tracksuit pants. There you go, there’s the comedy for the day.
When I arrived to Triacastela, I checked-in to the municipal albergue, basic, clean and all that I needed now was my bag. It was conveniently dropped off at the bar across the street. Perhaps a ploy to get them business. It worked. I at one of the hugest plates I’ve had on this trip so far. A mix of all sorts and washed it down with a nice big beer. Content with my day walking and not falling apart, I laid down on the grass and finished the last 40 pages of my 295 page book – Michael Palin’s ‘Himalaya’. I’ve never seen his BBC documentaries or read any of his books before, but I was truly entertained and inspired. I’m not sure if he has help with his writing, I know I don’t. But if I could one day do what he does and be paid for it, I’ll be a happy camper.
Until then, you can get my silly anecdotes of girl’s asses being eaten by shorts and dad boners on my journey across Spain. Maybe not a best seller, but it’s all I can muster for now!
¡Buen Camino!