Porrino to Cesantes 18.8KM
Before I decided to do the Camino, I had heard many say that every day in the Camino is different. I am starting to believe that. You can plan all you want but things have a way of turning out differently. After a not ideal start on day 1, the walk today did not seem it would be any less grueling. We were looking at 18.8KM or 11.7Mi miles in a heat wave.
We started in Porrino and our end point was Cesantes. Due to the heatwave, we had made plans to be on the trail a lot earlier to avoid the excessive heat. The routes in our tour were planned so you had checkpoints along the way to refuel water and snacks and for guides to make sure we were on track.
This was supposed to be a challenging day since we had to go up the hill around Santiaguino and then come down. The hike up was relatively easy, it was coming down that was a killer for me. My hips were super sore by the time I made it to the bottom. On top of that I was starting to question my sanity of doing this walk. I was tired, sore, hot and pretty cranky. At that point I had to actually focus on one step at a time. When you are in the Camino, you start with your group but as the day progresses you find your own pace or your own interest and end up having a lot of time to think and be present. I chose to focus on the pretty views, the slight breeze and the trees rustle with the wind. It’s amazing what you can observe when you are disconnected from your phone, social media and just enjoy the silence.
Being type A and in true Intel fashion, I had a plan of completing the walk as fast as possible to get out of the heat and be able to sit and enjoy a jarra de sangria or two…I decided to skip lunch and power thru to Redondela (la villa de los viaductos) which was about 2Km from the end goal.
To be honest I don’t remember much about the last 2KM except that I made it!
A few things I learned today. 1. Stretch, stretch and stretch some more. I think this saved me today. I need to be loose to keep walking. 2. Prepare mentally, plan your day and then be flexible to adjust as the day progresses. 3. Don’t believe your mind when it tells you can’t do it. That is a lie, you CAN do it! I am of course assuming you have been exercising and walking before. The camino is NOT the place to start a new workout regime. Just pace yourself. 4. Take a break and enjoy the scenery. 5. Stay hydrated. I had the bus to go to and refill my water bottle at each check point. 6. Make an effort and talk to other pilgrims. You will meet very interesting people along the way.
Overall, it was a good day. I know there is a reason I am here walking the Camino and I still have 5 days to figure it out. … and no, I am not crazy for being here. 🙂
Till next post. Much love. Ana
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