Day 13 - Hontanas to Boadilla del Camino (30 km)

Another peaceful day in this remote part of The Camino. And though I travelled 30 km, the much cooler weather, with cloud cover and breeze - even chilly at times - made it easier than previous days traveling the same distance in the hot sun.

The 11 km path along the valley from Hontanas was gentle, so I and others from last night's Albergue Santa Brigida made the distance to Castrojeriz in less than 2 hours. Walking over a small rise, it was a surprise to see this postcard town appear in the near distance. Hope these few photos give you an idea. After a short break, a steep climb back to the Meseta and onwards for just short of 20km (with a lunch break at Itero de la Vega) to my destination for today, the quiet 15th century village of Boadilla del Camino.

Today I thought I'd tell you about some of my thoughts on the Meseta about my first 13 days. First, it occurred to me I may seem cavalier about the distances I've been walking each day over the past week or so. Believe me, I'm not - 20, 25 or 30 km, sometimes more, is a long way and I assure you I am feeling it. But I've developed a sort of rhythm and I have an idea of what I can do to end the day tired, of course, but not shattered! So here's how it goes.

The first 20 km is pretty comfortable and typically marks my lunch break, though hopefully with a few towns or villages along the way for a quick coffee or snack break. Depending on my starting time, the terrain, and the weather, I'll make my lunch stop some time between 12.30 and 2.

After at least a half hour break, often longer, with socks and shoes off and a few stretches, I'm ready to get moving. If I'm intending to walk around 30 km (give or take a few kms depending on accommodation), I head off happy knowing I've already travelled two- thirds of the day's journey. Around 25 km, my feet are hurting and my legs go out in sympathy soon after. The last few kms nearing 30 I start to imagine each twinge in my foot is a precursor to a blister, yet strangely the time goes by fairly quickly as I know I'm almost at my destination. I'll be there with plenty of time to relax and recover so I can hopefully do it all again the next day.

Walking more than 30 km is a whole other story - for me at least. That seems to be my tipping point and it's mind over matter, one foot in front of the other. It's a slog and it's hard and it hurts. If things continue to go well, I won't need to put in any days of 35 km or more between here and Santiago. Yeah!

The thing is - this is exactly what I volunteered for. It's what I had hoped to be doing and so I'm happy to be walking (though I did sort of complain about the walk into Burgos). And each day I'm keen to get started and mindful there are others - some of whom started The Camino the same day as me - who would love to be in my shoes.

On the morning I left Burgos, as I was having coffee with Liv from Norway, I noticed two Brazilian girls who had been in the Albergue Orisson on my first night. I hadn't seen them since. As it happens one injured her knee after the first week. Since that time she had been taking the bus between towns and waiting for her friend who was walking. The injured girl had a doctor's appointment in Burgos after which they'd decide what to do. Not what either of them had planned. Like me, they had hoped to walk the entire Camino Frances to Santiago.

Liv and I, and others, gathered around to hear their story, and it was not the first time I'd come across or heard of pilgrims whose Camino was cut short. We listen with gentle nods of understanding and a quiet chorus of wise words about acceptance and never knowing what The Camino has in store for us. A combination of positive thinking guru and zen master, the love child of Oprah and the Dalai Lama. While my compassion is genuine, I'm also selfishly thinking 'what if that happens to me?'. I'm sure I'm not alone in that.

Acceptance is a recurring theme on The Camino I found myself thinking about this whole acceptance thing as I walked across the Meseta yesterday. You see anything can happen - the much feared blisters, the injured ankle, knee, hip or back. Or any accident that can happen anywhere, not just on The Camino. Last night I missed a rung on the ladder climbing down from my top bunk. The horror! Of course I was fine. In Larrasoana, one of my many room-mates fell out of bed in the middle of the night. Mercifully he was in a bottom bunk - apart from acute embarrassment, no damage done.

So my point is ... it's easy to talk about acceptance when, in my case, I haven't had to deal with anything other than what I'd set out to do all along. That could change tomorrow but, so far, no obstacles have appeared to stand in the way of me getting to Santiago under my own steam.

And here's the unvarnished truth. If something happens which means I lose time and have to take the bus a stage or two I'll be bitterly disappointed. Or worse, if I had to abandon my walk completely, I'd be devastated. I suspect this pilgrim's road to acceptance may make The Camino look like a short stroll! I conclude I have a lot to learn about acceptance, yet hope I won't have to! Perhaps I'm not such a worthy pilgrim, though I suspect I'm not the only one.

So that's why I'm happy to be walking these long distances - and it's fine that sometimes it's hard going. I chose to do this. And there are others who chose it too, but it wasn't to be. The day I don't get to walk 20, 30 or however many kilometres I choose will be much more difficult than any day I've had so far.

I've had incredible good fortune these past 13 days. If it continues all the way to Santiago I will feel truly blessed. Fingers and slightly battered toes crossed!

By the way, I've named my walking poles - Juan 1 and Juan 2. Still not sure about my pack. Any suggestions?

J x