Thursday 13 June 2013

A mental challenge

Last nights hostel was pretty good although Austin and Pauline had problems about their bedding. We were told today's walk, although not our farthest in distance walked, could be one of our hardest. About 5 hours walking on the old Roman Road without shelter or anywhere to stop. Not even for a coffee. The road was dusty and stretched in front of you as far as the eye could see. The scenery was again spectacular with vivid colours but because of the heat, dust and boredom of the road you seemed to retreat into your own thoughts and get lost as the kilometres drifted by. I can now understand why so many people find the Meseta so difficult. It's not just the physical challenge, though that is hard enough, it is the mental challenge. Being lost in your own thoughts for so long a time without any distractions can cause problems. Ok for me then, just plugged in to Van the Man and the Meseta  was wee buns. We arrived at a really nice hostel in Calzadilla. The hostel is about the only thing here but it is really nice. The rest of today is about attending to cuts and bruises and getting ready for tomorrow. Almost forgot to say, today we reached 250 miles, the half way mark. Only 250 to go.       C

If you want to escape the rat race and lose yourself, come to Northern Spain.  Five hours walking along the straightest,longest path with wheat fields on either side and not a hamlet or village, nada, is extreme.  But to know that this exact path built by the Romans is 2 000 years old, bar the odd shovel of gravel, is  hard to comprehend. When I get frustrated that The Camino meanders through every little hamlet and village  I remind myself that that is because I am following in the exact footsteps of the pilgrims going back ten centuries.  And as they say its not the destination,it's the journey that counts.
On another note, to Maeve and Derek, have a wonderful time in Rome. Maeve will no doubt look a great deal more elegant and less like a bag lady than her mother!  M

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