Day 17 – Snakes in a Drain

Day 17- Boadilla to Carrion del Camino. 24.5km. 6 hours.

We had good intentions to get up early but we are at the point now, why? The numbers of pilgrims are dwindling. A lot stopped in burgos, and quite a few skip the stretch from burgos to leon so the chances of us getting a bed is quite high. So we take our time during the day. Our morning tune to get us going today was Journeys ‘dont stop believing’. We just need one to get us going. we walked 6kms beside a canal through paddocks this morn which was nice to be alongside water for a change. Then there was sunrise. it was absolutely stunning!. It was so red, it was freezing, there was mist coming off the canal and the blues and pink hues across the sky just beautiful. Another one of those times where you just stand in disbelief that you are here witnessing it.

Sunrise

It was freezing so we kept a pretty good pace that and we desperately wanted coffee and food. We met a South Korean guy at sunrise, either high on something or just high on life, wearing an outfit similar to scrubs and walking the camino in crocs. We stopped and said hi and was he ok and in the most spaced out soft voice ‘i am fine and thannnkkk yooooouuu so much for asking….’ he was quirky but nice! But crocs?!?! Really?!

We stopped at Fromister for breakfast. From what i can see it looked like an agricultural service town and looked quite like a country victorian town, red brick buildings, train station. It was quite different to other spanish towns. After getting a good feed (fried chips topped with fried eggs, ham and aioli, throw in the custard croissant because thats just what im accustomed to now) we headed off for the next 18km.

Breakfast! The best in a while

Loving the sky

Pilgrim statue on a highway overpass

Fromister

The next part was strolling along the side of a highway. I was absolutely mesmerized by the jet contrails across the sky. I even took the time to stop and pick flowers and someones quotes on the camino signs made me smile. I really really liked the pray for your enemies one. And then you inspire change in others, was pretty appropriate for this trip i thought.

You, yes you can inspire change in others

Picking wildflowers

There was 7km between the two towns. Jess and i put our head phones in and walking side by side for the 7kms and just sung out loud to our own music and danced (terribly mind you- more a cross between Peter Garrett & Lorde) (side note reminder – i need to sell my midnight oil ticket).

Coffee stop with Andy, Bjorn and another couple of german girls.

There was a guy walking a long way behind us and just before the town he caught us. Andy from Germany. He liked that we sang. What i didnt like was that he then told us hes a professional classically trained singer. And when we said ‘oh no we must have sounded terrible!’ He quickly nervously laughs ‘hahaha yip haaha’. But andys really lovely. We stopped and had coffee with him at a sports ground/play ground. Jess and i taking the opportunity to swing on the swings. Before hitting the road again… in the wrong direction… yes we did it again. I knew somewhere we had taken an alternative route. That we had meant to do but what we missed was the turnoff back on to the main road. So we just wander alongside a river for ages, lost in conversation. When yet another south korean covered head to toe stops and asks us ‘esscuse mi, we on right road? People there!’ As she points miles in the distance. Jess and i ‘nah nah we’re good, we should link up soon’. I thought then maybe i hadnt seen any yellow arrows lately so get my phone out to check. Sure enough we were heading north…not west. We make a call to trespass and traipse over someones bare farm. I tell the korean couple to come with. Down the steep bank we go, across the ploughed field we walk for a while before hitting a drainage channel. I could see it coming up and we were like oh no please dont be water in it. It was dry. Phew.! But then we stopped ‘snakes!?’ So we stop the koreans. Jess tells us to make noise so heres the 2 of us making all sorts of noises, sounding more like indians, stomping our feet. The koreans must have thought we were absolutelty mental! Anyhow we get across 2 more drains, 2 more paddocks, down another bank then drop onto the main road like nothing ever happened. Wave buen camino to the koreans, who were a litte traumatized and we never see them again.

Time to hit the paddocks

Our 2 followers about to embark on an all aussie adventure

Yeah we’re lost

‘Its just a little bit further’. -always make your pilgrims feel like you know what you are doing

Just checking for snakes

Made it! Back on track.

It is amazing how psychologically, knowing you only have 24.5kms to walk rather than 30kms puts you in such a good mood. 24.5kms easy as! Well the first 10 were. Then you’re in a mindset that this should be a breeze and be over quickly, ‘cept its not.

The last 5kms of today ruined me. Maybe it was the km countdown signs on the side of the road or that you can see the town but it appears like youre getting no where. my body just gives up. I get cranky, impatient, my feet barely want to take steps any more, everything hurts more and i just feel like sitting down and crying. I can go all day feeling ok but those last few kms…. destroying! And even in all this, i question why the heck am i doing this?!??! Why?!?! But yet at no time have i ever thought id stop doing this or feel like giving up. Maybe im too determined, maybe im crazy, but i know come tomorrow morn ill be packing up and walking another 30kms.

We are staying in a convent tonight run by nuns in a town that has a population of no more than 100 people. Jess is sleeping next to a painting of jesus which shes a little weirded out by. Theres just the one in the room.

Jesus and Mary

Most of the towns we pass through their population is rapidly declining and generally are all 2000 residents or less.

Those last kilometres walking into town….

We found a place to eat pasta in the street and so sat there with Eliot eating and drinking and chatting for the majority of the afternoon. Out of nowhere our ‘young brother’ Nils just appears! We all scream in disbelief. We thought they were a day ahead of us. Nils is unfortunately hurt so is catching the bus to Leon where he will rest a few days and wait for us all to get there.

Carrion (Ma note i had seen that statue before)

Beers with the Princess (love you eliot x)

Only 4 more days to Leon.. it still seems so far away. Tomorrow will be the halfway point from st jean pied de port to santiago. Thats brilliant, except at this stage im walking to Finnistere. Another 100+ kms from santiago. At least the half way point is near-ish!

R x