17th day 15 to Cubo de Tierra del Vino

Yesterday, I actually didn’t go out again. I set the alarm for 6 am and then briefly ate my yogurt and got ready. But somehow, I already felt that it wasn’t going to be my day. I went outside and it was chilly again, even though we are still in the city. So I set off and walked for another half hour through Salamanca until I had to cross a highway heading out of town. However, I had to cross the highway twice and then walk along the edge for a bit, even in the dark. I found that rather dangerous, and I didn’t feel very safe, as I didn’t always see the right way right away. Well. After that, the path continued alongside the highway on a gravel track for a while. And it kept getting colder. I was in shorts and really considered stopping briefly to get my long pants out. But generally, it wasn’t my day. The cold was bothering me. Plus, I had a stomach ache and didn't feel very motivated. I wondered if this was because I hadn’t taken a rest day on the Camino yet. I covered fewer kilometers today than yesterday, yet I couldn’t quite get into my rhythm. I passed through a smaller place where there wasn’t much, and then I moved on. I met few people today. I also saw few animals except for a few horses. So, I continued along the fields. The sun did rise, but most of the time it was covered by clouds, and it just stayed cold. Then I went through the next larger town. I saw a few restaurants, but they were all still closed. The city had many beautiful graffiti artworks, and the town hall looked very impressive. Then I headed into the fields, and later the path ran alongside a highway for the entire remaining distance, which was about 14 kilometers. Unfortunately, it was a gravel track with many small stones, making it hard to walk comfortably. My mood slowly improved as I got closer to my destination. I actually met 5 pilgrims on the way. A couple was taking a break, and a Chinese man was as well. I had absolutely no desire to take a break and just walked past them. The other couple was walking extremely slowly. I talked briefly with them, but I wanted my peace today anyway. By 12:30, the destination wasn’t too far away, and I checked again that the supermarket in the village closed at 1:30 pm. Then I tried to arrive in time. I really hurried, but my mood improved, and it was a win-win situation for me. Even if I didn't make it on time, I would get to the hostel faster. And indeed, I arrived in the village at 1:15 and was in the store 5 minutes later, which turned out to be more of a larger kiosk. But I got myself a drink, yogurt, tomato sauce, and cookies, and then headed to the accommodation. In the entrance area was a cute horse that wanted to be petted, and then after 37 kilometers, I arrived at my destination. I paid €20 for a four-bed room, and for now, I am alone. And the great thing is, I don’t have a bunk bed. Plus, there was a towel. I immediately took a shower and then had a quick bite to eat. Then I laid down in bed, and I believe I won't be leaving it today. Two more people have arrived at the hostel, but they are in another room. It's still cold, and the heating only warms up lukewarm, but at least there are blankets. The accommodation is otherwise quite good. There were no alternatives in the village, though. I’m a bit anxious about tomorrow since it is supposed to be only 2 degrees in the morning and a maximum of 6 degrees throughout the day. I will probably freeze. I will wear almost all my clothes on top of each other and then see how that works. Luckily, it is only supposed to be this cold tomorrow. I still plan the next stages a bit, but I really need to see how the weather goes. I got myself a 2-liter bottle of Cola Zero. I’m drinking it now, and I only put it in the fridge for a short time; otherwise, it would have been too cold for me.

In that sense, I’ll check in tomorrow unless I freeze to death by then ;)