Day Ten

The walk out of Torres Del Rio is known as the knee wrecker. It’s short steep inclines then declines have you really pushing hard. I am feeling a little discombobulated after the events of last night and not much sleep. It was freezing! I push on up and down and eventually are rewarded with a cafe in Viana where I meet up with Camino friends. The sick pilgrim from last night is ok we hear and is getting a taxi to a bigger town. The walk into Logrono is long and thankfully flat. I am walking faster than usual for me as I want to get to the Donativo Albergue my friend Jenny from Sydney is volunteering at. A donativo albuergue means you donate what you can for a bed dinner and breakfast. They are very popular and you have to get there early to be assured of a bed. I arrive at 2:30 in plenty of time as others arrive after me. It’s so good to see Jenny. We know each other through the Blue Mountains Camino Group. We go out for a quick walk around the town where there is an architecture exhibition on all sorts of installations are around the ancient town, including this house that has been built around a famous statue. We also visit the beautiful cathedral. We have a quick tapas and a glass of Rioja wine. After dinner at the Albergue we are led through a secret passageway to the church where there is a small reading and we receive our stamp in our credencial. This is an important part of pilgrim life. We collect the stamps so at the end in Compestella we can show our journey.

It’s been ANZAC day at home so lovely to have seen Jenny and to walked amongst the poppies today.

I have a great night’s sleep and head off with a spring in my step.

About 20 km, many pilgrims.

Elevation 570m

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Day Eleven

It takes ages to walk out of the city and away from the hustle and bustle. Once out of the city we walk through a dedicated park area which has a large dam and blokes are fishing there are many locals out walking and cycling. Many wish me Buen Camino and a genuinely happy to see pilgrims on their way. I stop for a rest is an area of pine trees and notice these little squirrels darting around they are so cute one came running up to me perhaps expecting food which I don’t have they quickly scamper away.

I push on but start to notice a pain in my stomach, I walk slowly into town I have accommodation booked so don’t need to rush. By the time I check in and chat to Ron I know I’m in trouble.

The evening is horrendous, I will leave it at that. I have cancelled my accommodation for tonight and tomorrow and will stay here another night to recover. I have been to the pharmacy had a cuppa and am starting to feel human.

In the pharmacy is a lovely couple I met on my first night in St. Jean are there as soon as they said Hello I burst into tears. They are consoling about my woes. Her feet are too bad to continue this is their last day on the Camino they are catching a bus to Burgos and flying home.

I went and sat in the town Cathedral it is opulent peaceful and beautiful. I feel revived but need to lay down for the rest of the day and see what tomorrow brings.

About 12km a few pilgrims.

Thoughts at 3am while being ill for the 10th time. Bugger!

Xx