September 8, 2018

OK, it will be a couple of more times that I “take it to the limits”, but that’s how I felt today. I am only three days from Santiago, (four when I started this morning), and I am experiencing some major “senioritis”.

I did not leave until 7:15 this morning because of phone charging issues… However, it worked out perfect, because at the end of the day when I arrived at my destination, I was right where I need to be right when they opened!

I was elated all day yesterday knowing that I would only have four more days once I finished that day – even at the end, when I missed my town and walked way more kilometers than Intended! But I swear, today as I was walking that fourth day out, I didn’t feel like doing it all and truly felt like quitting all day long. I just had no motivation, and I am so tired, tired, tired -physically, mentally, emotionally-tired of the people, tired of the accommodations, tired of living out of my backpack, tired of the same old same old! Which is crazy, because I have experienced some wonderful accommodations, like last night! And I have met some amazing people as well! I have a pretty good system of living out of my backpack and the scenery, though similar in many ways, is varied every day. I am just over all tired… 

Once again my walk started in darkness with a sliver of the moon, and as day broke, I was enveloped in fog. Watching the mist rise above the rolling hills was enchanting. I neglected to mention yesterday, how magical my walking in the woods felt. I was all alone, which was scary on one hand but mostly, I felt like I had the world all to my own – all of the special and amazing nuances of nature, fauna, flower, insects, birds, etc. Many times I experienced birds hopping along beside me rather than flitting away as I approached them. They accompanied me as a partner! 

I am so glad that I realized the amazing and magical position that I was in and I will cherish the memory! Because today, I am now sharing the Camino pathway with day trippers and tour groups! Though much of today was downhill, we still had some considerable uphills, and this, combined with the influx of additional walkers really effected my mood. Plus literally and honestly, I am just physically tired. I am holding up amazingly well, but my muscles are being taxed and I am quite aware of my overall soreness.

So, I feel like I “cheated” – but I pulled out the iPod… Daughter Lindsey put together a playlist for me sometime ago, and when I queued it up, the first was a song that conjured my mother. It was instrumental and reminded me of her love for music and that love that she instilled in me. The second song that came up was the Eagles, “take it to the limit” and since I was already crying over the first song , now I was really blubbering!!! The lyrics seemed so real and applicable. As the playlist progressed, I experienced a myriad of unrelated, random emotions – of playing in band when I was younger, of my love for music that I have that technology of today (for me) gets in the way of, my many friendships in the music world – of my mother and sisters and past “best friends”. I took a trip down memory lane…. These thoughts kept me company during some mileage that my feet just did not want to walk. But in the end, I did.

And so the afternoon went… And eventually I found myself where I needed to be. Today was day 29 of walking, I travelled from Morgade to Ligonde a total of 27 kilometers, (16.78 miles). today’s villages and hamlets that I passed through also included Ferreiros, Mirallos, As Rozas, Momientos, Pena, Mercadoiro, Vilachá, San Pedro, Portomarín, Capela da Virxe das Neves, Gonzar, Castromaior, Hospital Alta da Cruz, Ventosa de Narón and Lameiros. I do have two more 27 plus kilometer days, and then my third and last day will be 20 kilometers. I’m getting closer!!!