I'm lying in bed. Albergue, Montamarta, Spain.
I arrived at 1:30 p.m. after walking 18km from Zamora, laid down, and have
hardly moved since. My right leg throbs with pain when I stand. So I'm not
standing again until tomorrow morning.
The albergue here in Montamarta has a bad reputation. The review must have been written by someone who dislikes loud traffic sounds and hordes of flies. But it is a bed, and I'm not moving.
Stacy and I have discovered some things about ourselves as we walk.
Discovering our competitive side: 'You're leaving?' It was 6:30 a.m., still dark. Stacy had her head lamp on. I was dressed and ready to go too, but no head lamp (it was too heavy so I sent it to Santiago). The 7 men who stayed the same night as us in La Calzada De Bejar were still preparing for the day and eager for breakfast. As we passed the room lined with bunk beds (Stacy and I shared a private room) I raised my thumb in the air to J from Germany. 'J, today the Canadians win!' He smiled in comprehension. We were determined to get to the next stop before any of the men.
In the dark we set off. A little difficult to see the path and to spy any yellow arrows; but the stars! The stars were beautiful.
We walked as quickly as we could, passing through first one town and walking uphill towards the next. After an hour and a half of walking we spot J approaching, his steady gait unmistakable. Darn men and their long legs! J speaks german. Stacy and I could barely speak english at that moment, but we understood J's comment about the other men trying to get him to slow down so the Canadian girls could win. He was laughing, in good humor, as he passed us.
He didn't show up later that day in Fuenterroble. I like to think it was because he wanted us to win. He doesn't know that true Canadians think 2nd place is a win!
Role Reversal:
Family trips, holidays, what ever, I am organized. A file folder with tickets, car rentals, restaurant research. I've searched out the place and have the hotel booked and paid for, attraction tickets purchased.
I get to Spain and my back pack is too heavy. One of the things I throw away is the guide for the Via Del La Plata. This isn't a problem as I also have an app on my i-Pod. But I've smashed my i-Pod and can barely read it.
I am relying on Stacy. She reads the route for the day and knows where we need to go. It is strange for me, in some ways, to relinquish so much control (even though I'm easy going). I have no idea where I am walking each day, or where we are stopping for the night. It is a joke (but also a real question) when Stacy and I make a toast each night and I ask:
'Where are we?'
The albergue here in Montamarta has a bad reputation. The review must have been written by someone who dislikes loud traffic sounds and hordes of flies. But it is a bed, and I'm not moving.
Stacy and I have discovered some things about ourselves as we walk.
Discovering our competitive side: 'You're leaving?' It was 6:30 a.m., still dark. Stacy had her head lamp on. I was dressed and ready to go too, but no head lamp (it was too heavy so I sent it to Santiago). The 7 men who stayed the same night as us in La Calzada De Bejar were still preparing for the day and eager for breakfast. As we passed the room lined with bunk beds (Stacy and I shared a private room) I raised my thumb in the air to J from Germany. 'J, today the Canadians win!' He smiled in comprehension. We were determined to get to the next stop before any of the men.
In the dark we set off. A little difficult to see the path and to spy any yellow arrows; but the stars! The stars were beautiful.
We walked as quickly as we could, passing through first one town and walking uphill towards the next. After an hour and a half of walking we spot J approaching, his steady gait unmistakable. Darn men and their long legs! J speaks german. Stacy and I could barely speak english at that moment, but we understood J's comment about the other men trying to get him to slow down so the Canadian girls could win. He was laughing, in good humor, as he passed us.
He didn't show up later that day in Fuenterroble. I like to think it was because he wanted us to win. He doesn't know that true Canadians think 2nd place is a win!
Role Reversal:
Family trips, holidays, what ever, I am organized. A file folder with tickets, car rentals, restaurant research. I've searched out the place and have the hotel booked and paid for, attraction tickets purchased.
I get to Spain and my back pack is too heavy. One of the things I throw away is the guide for the Via Del La Plata. This isn't a problem as I also have an app on my i-Pod. But I've smashed my i-Pod and can barely read it.
I am relying on Stacy. She reads the route for the day and knows where we need to go. It is strange for me, in some ways, to relinquish so much control (even though I'm easy going). I have no idea where I am walking each day, or where we are stopping for the night. It is a joke (but also a real question) when Stacy and I make a toast each night and I ask:
'Where are we?'
OO-oo-ooo, I can't imagine heading off for the day or stopping at night and having to ask where I am. That must be really hard to step back and let someone else take care of that role!
ReplyDeleteI can understand how this trip helps people look inside themselves and understand their motivations and needs. Also know what it's like to measure the enjoyment of the journey by the people you meet and interact with on an almost daily basis as you all "leap-frog" destinations along the trail. Have been doing some research on-line about the route and people's experience plus looked at hundreds of pictures - but, so far, I'm still a mountain girl. The dusty roads and road-side trails just don't hold the same appeal for me. Somehow I had previously pictured Spain being much different - maybe I've seen too many pictures of the coastline. However, I am learning to appreciate the personal journey you are having and admire your stick-to-itiveness. (Guess what - that last word is actually in the "Word" dictionary - it came up as auto-fill.