You know you've been traveling a lot when you don't remember where you woke up this morning...or where you are now. I actually had to wait for the GPS on my blog app to figure out where we were for the title.
I now know why this section is the purgatory of the Camino. I knew the beginning of the day would be rough. The first 17k are completely deserted. Once you leave Carrión de los Condes, you're walking 17k until reaching the next city and there's no water or food along the way (in theory. A budding entrepreneur set up a coffee and snack stand at the second rest stop). In order to avoid the heat of the day, we started walking at 6:30am.
The morning was a little rough. I just wasn't feeling it and I didn't want to get up. I think part was just knowing the first part that awaited us and the other part was just exhaustion. As we walked, it actually did not seem that bad. For a while. Then you realize you're walking forever and ever and the scenery isn't changing. Some people loved it. I got tired. It was a straight line 17k long and the closer we got, the further away the city felt. Finally, as I was about to lose my mind, we crested a hill and there was a beautiful little farming town with food and coffee. Our break was probably too long, but we were able to catch up with several friends and just chat. We took our time knowing there was only 10k more to go. Easy, right?
We took a scenic route, adding some extra distance to avoid walking along the Spanish highway, but again, by this time, exhaustion was starting to set in. The views were lovely and the countryside is beautiful. Everything just seemed further away. The hardest part for me was knowing that I just wanted to get "there", not actually knowing where that even was. I suppose that's one of my problems. I get so fixated on reaching the destination, that I get frustrated if it's taking too long, if I can't see it.
At lunch, we were talking to a friend from Ireland and she asked me where I was in school. I told her that I had just graduated in May and that I don't know what's next.
"It's an exciting time, isn't it?" I replied with a shake of the head. I'm a planner. I had my four years of college planned from day one of orientation. I don't know what's next, and it's terrifying.
"Well, Andrea, I guess for now, just focus on the road ahead."
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Se sabe que uno ha viajado bastante cuando ni se sabe en donde despertaron...ni en donde está. Hasta que tuve que esperar al GPS en la aplicación del blog para recordarme en donde estamos para el título de la página.
Ahora sé porque le dicen a esta parte el purgatorio del Camino. Supe que el principio seria difícil. Los primeros 17 kilómetros son completamente solitos. En salir de Carrión de los Condes, se camina 17 kilómetros para llegar al próximo pueblo y no hay ni agua ni comida (supuestamente. Un hombre comenzó un negocio vendiendo café y comida en un lugar de descanso). Para evotar caminar en el sol, comenzamos a las 6:30.
La mañana era difícil. Primero, como que no tuve ganas y no me quería levantar. Creo que parte era por saber lo que nos esperaba, y la otra parte era por estar exhausta. Mientras caminábamos, no me parecía tan mal. Por un rato. Luego me di cuenta que estuve caminando sin cesar, y el escenario no cambiaba. Algunas personas lo amaron. Yo me cansé. Era caminar en fila recta por 17 kilómetros y lo más cerca que ibamos al pueblo, lo más lejano se sentía. Finalmente, ya cuando estuve en punto de volverme loca, pasamos el alto del cerro y estuvo un pueblo hermoso de campo con comida y café. Tomamos mucho tiempo allá, pero tuvimos oportunidad de platicar con amigos. No tuvimos prisa porque solo nos quedaban 10 kilómetros. Pastel comido.
Tomamos ruta alternativa, agregando un poco de distancia para evitar caminar al lado de la carretera, pero de nuevo, pego el cansancio. La vista era bonita y el campo hermoso, pero todo me parecía más lejano. Lo más difícil para mi era saber que quería llegar «allá», sin saber nisiquiera en donde quedaba. Supongo que es uno de mis problemas. Me enfocó tanto en llegar a la destinación, que me siento frustrada si se está tardando mucho tiempo o si no está en vista.
Durante el almuerzo, platicamos con una amiga irlandesa y me preguntó en que año iba en mis estudios. Le dije que me gradué en mayo y no sé que me sigue.
«Pues es una época muy divertido, no?» Le dije que no. Yo planeo todo. En mi primer día de clases, tuve cuatro años de la universidad planeadas. No sé que sigue, y me deja aterrorizada.
«Bueno, Andrea, supongo que por ahora, solo hay que enfocarte en el camino por delante.»
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