Day 3 - Sept 30, The Test

As a group we are learning that the km indicated on the map does not necessarily coincide with the actual distance we have to travel.  For today - we walked 33.33 km on the Camino Trail, which may not seem much more than 31 km, but with a tired achy body - it is quite a bit more!  Where is my masseur?  Could really enjoy a great massage right now.  We all started off the journey today, not as a group.  Dave and Kathleen went ahead and I followed 10 or more minutes behind them.  It was dark but there was a full moon.  I was in luck, remember I bought a flashlight on the train from Madrid?  Well, do you think I could find the silly thing  - probably in my suitcase, safe.  However, what a great way to walk, more silence and having the moon illuminate the way.  It was peaceful.  The sunrise - a bright orange-red was spectacular.  I remembered in that early morning hike that I had also forgotten to bring gloves, it gets cold at that time of the morning, something else I need to shop for (I still need a headlamp - I was glad I had returned the one at the airport - I saw not one person wearing a headlamp that had a flashing red light!

Again, we met many interesting people again today (Brazil, Hamburg Germany, California, Washington, Christchurch New Zealand and Poland!). This day was by far the longest but also the most challenging.  We climbed 450 meters and then our decent was about 1000 meters - very hard on the quads, shins and of course the knees.  Some of colleagues wisely listened to their bodies and took an interesting taxi ride to Ponferrada with a taxi driver that did not speak English.  However, he did stop several places along the way for photos and the like (picking up other passagers along the way (and charging them extra - pretty astute businessman I would say).  The highlight today was the cross where we laid our stone on (the one we brought from home)...it was very touching to be there. You get really moved by the experience and the memories of those you lost bring you to tears.  I was glad I was alone then.

The villages you walk through are really quaint, some had slate tiling on their roofs, others had moss, quite a contrast.  There was a donkey in a field just outside Foncebadon - I bet he is the most photographed donkey in Spain.  I leaned over the fence and told him he should be charging a euro for every picture taken of him and he would be rich....he just shook his head as if to say, you try to collect the euros! Ponferrada is a large city of 60,000.  The castle and Basilica are a must see here - both are amazing.  When I was at the Basilica - I could hear Dave saying that I need to repent my sins - okay I took an apple from a tree that was near the road (this was on the first day - and he has still not forgotten about it), so I repented.  The Basilica was beautiful and outside of a nice lady named Heidi, we were alone, lots of time for reflection and prayers.

We are finding out a lot about our group and ourselves.  The youngest of our group (Amanda) is often the last to arrive but the one with the most pictures.  Maybe her allergy stems from her camera use?  Meg is quite a fast walker, but like Amanda - she likes to take lots of pictures so also arrives with the last group.  She may be the shortest one of the group, but walks a great pace!  Marilyn is a very seasoned walker, and likes to get into a rythmn and walk at that, regardless of the terrain.  She really enjoys this kind of journey and we are delighted that she allowed us to experience this with her.  Kathleen and Dave are fast, and even as fast as they are, they like to kick it up a notch too (and anyone walking with them)!  I am sure that Kathleen has her sites on a cycling holiday - maybe even some of the Camino.  Gail, as this is her first walking "holiday", is the wise one, listening to her body and making decisions based on how she is feeling and the challenges that lay ahead.  She enjoys meeting people, taking pictures and practicing her Spanish.  Me, well anyone that knows me, knows that I will not be last, so I am kinda a mixture of the above.  I found that today, despite the distance, one of the best days.  Walking in the early morning on my own and then meeting up with some of the others ahead of me later was a nice balance of solitude and socializing.  We have an amazing group and are enjoying getting to know one another and sharing our experiences of the day with each other.  The hot shower, change of clothes and the meal we share with each other is a great way to end the day.  We will all sleep well tonight!  Chow for now, Sandy