Saturday, March 31

Pregontoño - O Amenal

Today I wake up late. When I turn on my phone, it shows 08:00 o'clock. After the little sleep from last night and the strains of the day, I sleep really well today!

As I wake up, I can already hear the rain tapping on the roof of the camper van. Just as I start to get annoyed, the sun breaks through the clouds. I climb down from my sleeping berth onto the bench at the breakfast table. Someone opens the door and the sun shines in my face. "Today will be better again," I think.

We have breakfast, pack our backpacks, get dressed. It's dry outside and it's 4 degrees. But after yesterday's day, we don't trust the peace. We still put on our rain pants and pack the rain capes in our backpacks. We start hiking today at 09:50 o'clock.

Once again, the Camino leads us uphill right from the start. For some curious reason, only the supplementary Camino, which is usually set up for bicycle or horse pilgrims in case of too steep inclines, leads around the small "Pregontoño". And so today we only come across the first milestone with kilometers after already 20 minutes on the way. 34.755 kilometers to the "catedral de Santiago de Compostela." "Manageable," I think.

Today we hike through many forests. Everywhere it's green and mossy and beautiful. And today, too, Petrus is gracious to us. It doesn't rain. On the contrary. The sun even accompanies us on our way. We get our first stamp at 11:15 o'clock in a small souvenir shop. A small green clover is smiling in our passports.

Smiling is much easier today than yesterday. All the emotions that were so overwhelming yesterday seem to be something I can consider with distance today. As if someone had placed them on shelves overnight and I can now look at them and choose them in an orderly manner. In addition, I notice how my head is slowly starting to feel freer. As if someone had taken down the curtains and let in light and fresh air.

"You let the little things in everyday life become too big," I think.

At 12:30 o'clock, after almost 11 kilometers, we sit down on our rain capes, which we didn't pack in vain after all, on a meadow in the sun and have our lunch. "The sun changes everything!" Conny says. I have to agree with her, it's much easier without rain. However, in the sun and warm weather, the feet also swell faster. A realization that Conny and I painfully gain today with numerous blisters.

Today we encounter unusually many people on the Camino. After often being the only people on the way for kilometers in the past few days, there is hardly a section today where we are alone. And something else is noticeable, today we meet a lot of mounted pilgrims. Where have they been the last few days?

Once again, our path leads through various eucalyptus forests. When we pass by some felled trees, I smell eucalyptus for the first time.

In general, today I am very aware of my surroundings. It seems to me that there are many more milestones along the way today than yesterday. "Probably," I think, "it's because today you're just not so preoccupied with yourself." Probably! However, what I don't think about today at all is walking. It seems completely natural and completely non-negotiable. I just walk. I can't imagine that our journey will already be over tomorrow.

At 3 o'clock we take a small break by the wayside and eat bananas. The wind rustles through the leaves of the eucalyptus trees and Mama says: "Sounds like the rustling the sea." "That's right!" I think. "Maybe you don't always need a beach to be by the sea. Maybe it just takes a little imagination?" I like that thought. I'll take it home with me.

We get our second stamp of the day in an inviting restaurant on the very last meters.

At 4 o'clock we reach the camper van after today's 22 kilometers. Feierabend! (End of work!)

Conny's wisdom of the day: "After tired comes dumb and after hiking comes stupid!"