Week 5: To Ponferrada

Hola! I have just a few weeks left now and it looks like I’m in for some more rain. The remnants of Hurricane Kirk are arriving in northwestern Spain this week. Who knew hurricanes went up the Atlantic, west of Spain?

My new Hoka shoes are working out nicely. They’re very comfortable and are surprisingly “grippy” on rocks and other slippery surfaces. At the end of the day my feet may be tired but they’re no longer bruised and aching. My blisters are healing up.

As I write this, I have 11 days left to Santiago and, along with other pilgrims I’ve spoken to, I’m kind of tired of the daily routine, of the limited palette of food on offer, and of the end-of-the-season fatigue our hosts and their facilities are exhibiting.

That said, I often imagine that just over the next hill I’ll see the Santiago cathedral bell towers, which will mean my trip finale is very close, and that is exciting.

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I continue to meet interesting pilgrims, such as the fast-moving trio of retired military guys from Canada and a charming couple from Missouri. Some have had to endure falls, sprains, illnesses, and just plain bad luck; which helps put my complaints into perspective.

It’s surprising that so many lodgings here have poor WiFi and Internet service. The WiFi is often unsecured or too weak to reach the rooms or spotty; the Internet is often slow and unreliable. Given that they’re something almost every guest, and certainly every pilgrim, will use, you’d think they’d be a priority instead of a seeming afterthought.

This week will include the fearsome climb to the tiny mountaintop town of O Cebriero and I’m wondering about the wisdom of tackling it after several days of rain have muddied everything up. It may turn into another instance of having to fund the local taxi industry. Sigh.

Nevertheless, progress is being made and the countdown to Santiago is on! Thanks for joining me.

Cheers!