Buenos Dias.
Harold and I agreed to an early start and we met outside the pension at 0730 sharp. We went to the same taverna we had dinner at for our morning Cafe con leche as it was fabulous and no better way to start the day.
We had an intense climb right from the start but took it slow, the morning was fresh and the air still cool. We saw the prettiest little dwarf pony at the top of the hill, white and brown but as we both reached for our cameras, he ran up and away out of sight. Prettiest horse we've ever seen. Why do all horses look like they are filming a L'oreal commercial and have better hair than anyone I know?
Jorge was still sleeping but would catch up eventually which have me a chance to get to know Harold better.
It was a lovely morning of climbing and farms and animals and forests. It seems we saw just about everything but we were leaving the sea behind us for a couple days of countryside.
Jorge caught up before noon and we spent the rest of the scorching hot day mostly climbing in desert heat having left the humidity by the sea in the morning hours. Thankfully I had brought enough food because everything was closed. Not a single place open for 29kms. We had a little picnic and in the very end were rationing water. At the near end of the hike today, I'm pretty sure the last 5 kms lasted the majority of the day.
We were all depleted, exhausted and our feet aching from the meat grinder. In fact, you get to a point where everything hurts and you want to collapse and just let the vultures eat you but you dig deep and you dream about cold beer or in my case a glass of wine and food and a shower because you know you will get there. You will look back and remember the things you laughed at with your friends, the beauty of the land and you forget about the pain... well maybe yesterday's pain might take a couple of days to forget.
The guys had to get a hotel just outside of town so they took a taxi and kindly dropped me off at mine on the way as I don't think I could walk another 5k. We made our plan for the next day to meet in that very spot at 9am and do it all over again.
My new place was good. I had the penthouse suite, a balcony with a beautiful view and plenty of room to spread my bags contents everywhere and get organized. I didn't go out to eat, in fact I didn't leave my room. The sun sucked the life out of me and I had nothing left. I didn't even want food. I had a very long shower which gave me a fraction of my life back and I hydrated until I eventually passed out from exhaustion. The last church bells rang outside my window at 10pm and the Spaniards, yes the loud ones, that were staying below me stopped yell-talking by 11pm.
Sleep never felt so good.
Thank you St James and thank you God for giving me these friends. We kept each other alive today.
Buenos Noches xx
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