Day 31, Sarria to Portomarin
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| Scenic day on the trail. |
Today's been a good one. I slept until the 6.30am alarm went off, which is very unusual. It may have had to do with the air conditioning, so I could drop the temperature to about 17 degrees, but in any case I slept well from before 9pm.
The four star hotel in Sarria made me sorry I wasn't young, when it came to breakfast. I just can't manage all that food any more. I did the compulsory (for me) cereal, fruit and yoghurt, as well as fruit juice and a couple of coffees, but struggled with a bit of tortilla. Wishing I could manage more, I wandered off soon after 7.30am.
I met up with three Australians - Belinda, Christine and Natalie (I think I've got that right). They were a little lost and confused as their luggage had been lost as they flew in. They'd been looking for somewhere to get new pilgrim passports, as their flight from Australia had been inconveniently disrupted by someone dying en route and then the plane breaking down, resulting in two out of the three having lost their luggage. They'd had to buy new shoes, walking clothes etc. ( A note about pilgrim passports - in the last 100km you have to get two stamps per day to prove you really did it, so I plan to get a stamp en route, then another on arrival. I'm on my second passport, as the first has run out of space. The stamps are interesting in themselves, each announcing a particular location and having the date written in - mm/dd/yyyy, which takes some getting used to.)
I didn't take long before my stomach started telling me all wasn't well. Fortunately, we passed through lots of villages and after 8km I staggered into one, just managing to order a coffee, which makes it legit to use the toilet, before staggering into the senoritas (the cabelleros was occupied and I couldn't wait).
That set the tone for the day. I had another coffee stop at 12km and decided on an early lunch at 20km - only about 2km from my destination - where I had a lovely pizza and an early beer and a long chat to a young Irish boy, who had started from St Jean more than a week after me, but was thundering on, hoping to clock another 5-10km further than my destination that day. He planned to sit in the outdoor public bars at Santiago or a couple of days, resting and watching all the people he'd met drift in. He should arrive a day before me, so I'm sure I'll meet him again,as that is also my plan.
As a result of all the stops, I got to my hotel relatively late - about 2.30pm, after about 23km.
Earlier in the day I'd met an Irish father and daughter combo, George and Kathy - she was late forties, he was about my age (actually 75) - they feature in the bagpiper video I posted on Facebook.
I know the number of steps because after I'd checked in, done my washing and had a shower, I went downstairs and there were my US friends Tom and Beth, who I'd met again briefly on the trail today - Tom had counted the steps.
First I went into town for supermarket and pharmacy, then returned and had a beer with Tom and Beth - introducing them at the same time to the Aussie sheilas, who were still pursuing their bags.
And I needed the pharmacy because - hay fever has become an issue, with lots of sneezing and really itchy eyes - aggravated when the sweat starts running into them. Turns out the young man I had lunch with and Beth from the US are both having the same trouble. Fortunately I have some medication from NZ and with my new eye drops I should feel a little better in the next few days.
Good things and bad things: My room faces south and has the sun blasting in, which is great for getting the washing dry. On the other hand, when I checked out of my palatial suite this morning I left behind my trusty elastic clothesline, so I've had to drape the washing over the railing. It's mostly dry now, but if it should fall the the courtyard below, I think my friends Tom and Beth are there and will pick it up - good luck with my smelly socks. (Not so much luck, my socks went overboard, but I managed to get the front desk to retrieve them.
I have a confession to make. I've knocked off the Ballantines with the lime flavouring that I bought in Leon. It was ok, but I shouldn't dabble in the dark pharmaceutical arts. At the supermarket I found a nice 700ml bottle of Dewars white label, so I think I'll be good to the end. Of course I'll decant it into the (now empty) plastic 500ml bottles I bought at Frankfurt airport.
It's now 6pm, but the sun is blasting like the thermonuclear reaction it's rumoured to be. It's really hot, and it seems too early for dinner. I've yet to add photos to this blog, but I think I may go out in pursuit of early food and add the photos when I'm not sitting right in the sun's rays.
I wandered down the street, met Monique and then we were joined by George and Kathy. Had a nice dinner. Also saw Tom and Beth, then the three Aussies back at the hotel.
Now it's 9pm - enough drunken raving. Good night to all.
Here's today's photos: https://photos.app.goo.gl/rL5Qgsr9NST8CFnh7
Today's link to my watch:
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