From Fromista to Carrión

 

With the Meseta behind me, I’m walking today along the senda from Fromista to Carrión and it’s one of those days where my mood is not so buoyant.

I don’t know whether it’s the overcast day, or the boredom of the straight path next to the road.

I expect I’ll just be putting my head down, and counting the kilometers, until we reach Carrión.

I start to notice the pain in my feet, the chill of the wind, and try not to fall into the trap of thinking this will be one of those bad days.

After a couple of hours I come into a village with a beautiful church, with a banner wishing pilgrims Buen Camino. I’m drawn to the church, but unfortunately it’s closed.

To use an American term, I ‘take a knee’  outside the church. I feel the need to give thanks yet again for another day on the Camino, and to promise to keep an open mind to accept whatever comes.

 

 

I start on my way again with a more positive attitude and look forward to what the day brings.

 

The Camino Provides

Continuing along the senda I start to fall into one of those reflective and contemplative days.

And then I get a call from my wife Pat. It’s almost as if she senses that I need a boost today. Or at least someone did.

We chat for a couple of minutes and my spirit lifts for the day, and I continue on. The Camino really does provide.

(three or four times on my journey, when my mood was very low, the phone rang … and it was Pat my wife)

 

 

I start to think again about some of those questions that have come up over the last few days. And I think I know the question that I need to answer during my pilgrimage.

Perhaps I’ll share it with you in Santiago. Maybe I’ll have found the answer. The clouds have cleared a little bit the sun is shining a lot more and only 8 kilometers to go to Carrión 

I look forward to paella and Vino Tinto.

 

How long does it take you to pee?

I had an interesting experience the other day crossing the meseta on the way to Fromista, there was section of a couple of kilometers with no cover whatsoever if you needed to stop for a pee.

And I was busting.

As I looked behind me there was a steady stream of pilgrims probably fifty or more coming down off the hill above Castrojeriz.

I looked forward and there was no cover whatsoever. And  I really was busting.

I managed to speed up a little bit so by the time I came to a slight dip in the ground I was about 250 meters ahead of the closest pilgrims.

As quick as I could, I had a pee and made myself decent just before their heads appeared over the rise behind me. It looks like I can pee in a 250 meters time gap, how long does it take you?  🙂