Last night, the sun was warm, so I enjoyed a couple of beers in an outside area, with a retired victorian copper doing the camino with his brother and two sisters. I also had dinner with them. I had cabbage soup, salmon and chips, and a beautiful Neapolitan ice cream. A couple of wines and ready for bed. This morning I saw Helen and Mark while I was filling my flask but they left before me. The way today was under ninteen kilometres going by way of the road, or twenty six taking the alternate route, which was mainly on natural paths and wooded with the sun filtering through. This way also had lots of streams and waterfalls. It was absolutely delightful. I took my time and walked the first half with two aussie sisters from the sunshine coast of Queensland. When we reached the halfway point, there was a village wrapped around an old monastery. The girls decided on the cafe. I decided to sit by the river bathed in sunshine and enjoy my take away baguette,of ham and cheese and flask of tea. A couple of camino moments occurred this morning. Yesterday whilst walking with Helen and Mark, I found a camino shell. The shell is your pilgrim’s badge, and believe me we carry them with pride. Mark recognised the pilgrims a hundred metres in front of us as two australians he had spoken with earlier and thought maybe one of them might have lost theirs. I didn’t realise that the ladies I was walking with this morning were the same ones. However, as I was walking behind Christene,I noticed the shell on her pack looked similar to the one I found. Then the penny dropped. I turned around to Jane and said, by the way, you haven’t lost your shell have you?she said she was quite upset as the string holding hers had  frayed, and she had lost hers. She was absolutely over the moon when I told her I picked it up and I had it in my possession. Then as we were walking, I picked up a lady’s glove. For the next hour, every woman I passed, I asked if they had lost a glove. Well again, I found the owner who also was over the moon when reunited with her glove. I too felt good for being able to find the owners to these items. I can’t understand why pilgrims walk past things dropped on the ground, as over all my caminos, I have found a number of things and been able to find the owners by just keep on asking. I then joined up with Bill from Las vegas, who served for the police force there for twenty five years. He now works as a private investigator, and told me some interesting stories. Sorry, me no tell.I was quite tired, but really satisfied with the way my day went today. A perfect day before the last one hundred. Mark has just contacted me. They are about fifteen minutes from where I am,so we’ll meet half way. I’m starving, look forward to some good tucker tonight 😋

Last night, it was pleasant sitting around the fireplace in the albergue bar and having drinks with pilgrims I had not met before. Normally, you can’t get anything to eat before seven thirty, even eight o’clock in some places. Not here, food available all day, and going off at eight pm. There was no pilgrims dinner, just pub food. That was ok. A popular meal was currouzo sausage, with chips and fried eggs. And bread of course. I had that . Tasted good and washed down with the local vino 🍷, couldn’t ask for anything better. After dinner, we kept chatting, till slowly there were no more pilgrims left in the bar. By the time I went to bed, the room had seven occupants. Four women and three blokes. When I woke in the middle of the night to go to the toilet, there was some fine snoring going on by both sexes. Equality here. Funny how everyone denied being the snorer in the morning. As I left for the final ascent, the mist and cloud was heavy, but as they came and went, and the air was freezing, the views back over the valley were sensational. When I reached O Cebreiro, I was shocked. This beautiful human rural settlement on top of a mountain, from medieval times,  was swarming with tourists/pretend pilgrims. Dressed like eskimos,waiting to board the tourist buses. No one was walking, too cold. There were so many, I didn’t think I could get past,so I screamed, as loud as I could through the mist BEUN CAMINO. It was like the parting of the water as I barged through, with all these quiet replies of beun camino. I felt good. The ascent was not as hard as I remember, and the track was fast. Then after Cebreiro, although a down hill descent, there were still a few sharp ascents. I caught up with Helen and Mark after about eight ks at a nice cafe that served very nice potato tortilla and hot sachet chocolate. The rain mainly stayed away, but the misty rain was enough to pull on the poncho on probably four occasions. At one point, we chose the alternative route as it took you away from the road. Not that the road was any problem. We also walked amongst the cows that were moving from one paddock to another. Only one hundred and forty kilometres to go. We will need to adjust to the thousands of pilgrims that only walk the last one hundred kilometres, as it will be very busy.

The late afternoon/evening sun was nice to be sharing with Mark and Helen having a quiet beer waiting for a seven thirty dinner. There was Amelia, the two poms, sisters from the States, Karen and Donna and two other lady pilgrims, and of course our hosts Susie, an ex pat from Australia and her Spanish husband,and me. The wine started flowing straight away.  The first course, a very nice pink rose with soup. Second course, a rice and vegetable dish,followed by a yoghurt and coconut milk mixture. Gorgeous home made food washed down with lots of red. We all had to get up,say our name and reason the camino brought us here. Always very heartening stories. I finished with a cup of tea and stacked many thousands of zzzzz s. This morning, like most, I laid in till seven.I don’t normally eat breakfast till later in the morning, but sat down to cereal, yoghurt, toast and VEGEMITE, you little ripper,and a cuppa. After putting my pack together, I filled my trusty flask and walked out at eight thirty , the latest I have ever left. The first ten ks was slowly ascending towards the highest point in Galicia and a close second to the highest point of the camino. Many ks were along a road, but only very little traffic. Lots of streams running beside the trail made for pleasant noise. Also the bells around the cows necks clanging,  as they peacefully munched on the grass was also soothing. Way up in the sky, you could see the motor way. From up there looking down, you could imagine being in an aeroplane. I did chat and see pilgrims I hadn’t seen for a while, including Bill from Las vegas, a lovely guy. After a stop at a cafe,I joined up with Helen and Mark for an assault up towards the top. Now away from the road, a muddy terrain straight up. I had to grab a horse’s lead and hand him back to its rider as he was descending. I would gladly have bought this fine looking animal saddled and ready to mount. We finally made it through a couple of villages and I thought I must be getting close to my albergue. Then all of a sudden, a farmer moved his cows from a barn onto the road and about one hundred metres into a paddock. It was a lovely sight and Bill like the rest of us enjoyed this experience. As we started climbing again, I felt I didn’t have much further to go and could only see mountain ahead. I yelled to Mark and he said they only had a mile and a half to the top. I then realised I had done it again. The excitement of the cows,especially when the bull was mounting one of his girls, I again had walked past. I headed back down, thankfully, only three hundred metres and checked into another lovely albergue. As I write, there are seven beds, but only four occupied. Just got my washing in and placed it over the heater, as even with sunshine, I don’t think it would be more than five degrees. It will be icy tomorrow,doing the last bit into O Cebreiro. On one of the camino forums, a pilgrim has placed photos of the Pyrenees, and it’s snowing. Four weeks ago,when I was there, it was a heatwave. Crazy weather in Spain. I’ve always wondered why there are so many dilapidated houses left to collapse in so many of these lovely old villages. The people here are friendly and make the pilgrims most welcome. Last night, Susie, our Australian host revealed in her story after walking three caminos,she wanted to leave Australia and be part of the camino. It took her two years to purchase this old barn, and then another two to realise her dream. Then she met her Romeo, and now they are living their dream. Many people try to purchase these properties but give up and throw it into the too hard basket. Why?I ask, this is farming country. Dairy and or cropping. Yesteryear, every body had five to ten kids to help run the farm. It was a way of life. Then enter automation. Namely, the tractor. Kids then became obsolete and left for the city. When mum and dad died,the house was left to the kids. But they have moved on. They are all on the deed, but probably like my family, live all over the place and not necessarily in contact with each other any more. So to buy, you need to find and contact all stakeholders before negotiations begin. Not an easy task.

After a shower, wash my jocks, as I can’t keep turning them inside out and same goes for my singlet, I relaxed, and then went for a walk. Met a couple of pilgrims I’ve been saying hi to and enjoyed a bèer. William from Germany, and Adrian from Holland. I’m starting to wonder if there is any one left in Holland to turn the lights off tonight. Inge is on her way back,that will be her job. I  then entered the beautiful church, and said a prayer for our grandson Teddy. Ended the evening having a beer with Helen and Mark, and Mark and I had a kebab wrapped in pita bread before calling it a night,as we couldn’t find a restaurant. This morning, the jungle telegram said rain.I left with Helen and Mark, Poncho within reach.Stopped at cafe, filled my flask while they had a hot drink. Mark took off his wet weather gear, and we started walking. Five minutes later,it started to spit with a freezing fresh wind. Mark quickly changed his mind and resorted back to his wet weather gear. I kept walking as I  chose the flatter route following the road. Mark and Helen were taking the alternative route, up and down the mountains. I would liked to have joined them, but my knee is still dicky and I didn’t want to chance my luck on the more scenic route. My climb would be enough for me today. Soon after leaving my pommy friends, I ran into Beth from Canada. Hadn’t seen her for a while. We came across a number of familiar faces, including Adrian and William, Tom and his family, and many others. We stopped at a cafe, and later when the sun arrived and the wind dropped a nice spot along the river. There were times that there were many vineyards, but that’s about how good the views were today. The road wasn’t too bad, traffic wasn’t that bad. I told Beth about the main and his donkey, and she hopes that she will come across him some time. After me telling her, we rounded a corner, and who is sitting there?the man. His donkey was also there, but he was standing. After more donkey photos and chatting to the man, we walked on.I thought by now I must be getting close to my albergue, and when Beth decided to use the facility at the last cafe before the edge of the village, I thought I would check Brierly’s book to see how much further I had to go. When I showed a local the name, she told me I had walked three hundred metres too far. Lucky Beth needed that pee, or I would have walked another couple of kilometres before checking. I said beun camino to Beth and walked back to where the donkey was. With all the excitement around the donkey, I didn’t bother to see the name of the albergue. Only ten beds in this beautiful old restored barn. The albergue owner, the nicest man you could meet. When he realised I was Australian,he played a great trick on me. He had hidden one of those tiny little tubs of Vegemite in my camino crededential. Absolutely amazing. I have no idea where he would have got it. He told me in his opinion, eating Vegemite, is like licking the tar on the road. I had a hot shower, rested on my bed and watched as other pilgrims arrived, including my two pommy friends. Tonight should be fun, as we share a pilgrim’s dinner in the albergue

This morning as I woke, my body felt like that donkey had kicked the shit out of me. A burning hot shower, followed by an icy cold shower, helped to invigorate me. Dressed, packed, I met with Inge at eight. As we walked towards Ponferada,we met an Almanian lady who lives in Italy. I also saw the donkey, and he had a silly grin on his face,suggesting he might have kicked me after all. As we chatted and walked slowly, it was the best start for me, on a reasonable track that was level. We reached Ponferada and Amanda,our new pilgrim friend stopped at a different cafe to Inge and I. A hot Spanish chocolate with bacon and scrambled egg on bread filled the gap  nicely. We then walked to the cathederal square and hugged for our good bye, as Inge was catching a bus to take her to the airport, as I continue on my camino. I hadn’t walked far when I caught up with Helen and Ian from Tasmania,who I met last night sitting at the next table. We walked together, trying to negotiate our way out of this city. I then chose to walk alone. Today was a mixed bag. Some city walking, some country roads, which were from a bygone era connecting small villages, heard many birds, including cuckoos, and seeing storks. The last few kilometres were reasonably flat and through vineyards. The albergue I ended up at this evening turns out to be the same as Helen and Mark. It’s a lovely place. I’m in a dorm room with four beds, and we have a nice bathroom to share. The weather today, didn’t warm up at all, but I am at six hundred metres, climbing to thirteen hundred tomorrow. Just praying the rain stays away. My Gayley, God bless her, is telling me to take more care of myself. Unfortunately I can’t control the camino,but I do have faith the camino will take care of me.

Woke up early and enjoyed a hot shower to prepare this dinosaur body for some more pain. My friend Zowie stuck his head out the window and said, looking good, my reply was pigs might fly. As he prepared his bike for take off, we said our good byes as we would never see each other again. I walked to the edge of the village under cloud, but not like it has been. Freezing cold, but maybe no rain. The first couple of ks pleasant. Then a huge climb. No complaints as still no rain. Then, you couldn’t see the clouds, I was in them. I didn’t stop at the first village, as that big climb in the freezing conditions would have made me sick had I eaten or had a drink. Besides, the climb kept going. It was at least five kilometres. The track was atrocious but manageable at this stage, however, some pilgrims taking to the road. I’d rather the track as vision was poor. The next chance for food was idyllic. An open air cafe under an awning which had a roaring fire going. I stopped here and caught up with Ollie and some other familiar faces. With a cup of my favourite thick chocolate and a tomato relish baguette, I was ready to tackle again. The next section was more down than up, but the track was deteriating more. I caught up with Helen and Mark at the next cafe, and we walked, or I tried to, steeply on a track that was near impossible to handle for the last ten ks. At this point I decided to put my knee brace on as my knee was starting to hurt. I also took a tablet. I didn’t know what I was in for, so I tried to prepare the best I could. The  mud, loose rocks, steepness, man a lot of the track had washed away.Could not have attempted this section had it been raining. Many pilgrims took a fall. With about two kilometres to go,I was starting to doubt whether I could get to the bottom. My knees were screaming, and my back was starting to go,and I could feel my body leaning to the right. Mark was concerned for my well-being and kept behind me reassuring me. At about one k to go, I took a fall as my legs now felt like jelly and I was starting to struggle. Mark offered to carry my pack,I don’t know how, as he had his own. He adjusted my straps as with all the swaying from side to side had loosened them. I staggered and finally the last few hundred metres became easier. When we reached the village, and it was an absolutely beautiful village, I was happy to see a bar. When I sat down, a dutchie, Gerard saw the pain in my eyes and handed me the beer he had just bought for himself. I took off my socks and shoes and singlet and we sat there and had beers for the next hour or two sucking in the beautiful sunshine on offer. We spoke about lots of things, and when football came up, he was blown away when I told him Johny Metgod is my cousin,as in his words, Johny Metgod is a football god and is his hero. By now, I’m starting to feel human again. Mark and Helen had found their accommodation, showered, and returned and went to explore this gorgeous village. As it turned out, Gerard was staying in the same hostal as me, and we were having trouble with the self check in system. Eventually, I got in to my room for a well deserved hot shower. As I was lazing on the bed, I got a message from a very dear friend Inge, who I met three years ago, on a different camino. She has been walking and going back to Holland on Friday. I am so proud to call her my friend as she took a bus to come here to catch up with me. I gave her a big hug and we joined Helen and Mark for dinner. I felt a  bit embarrassed, as straight after dinner, my body needed to get rest,and I headed back to my room, and can’t remember my head hitting the pillow. Tomorrow morning I will start late, as I will join Inge for breakfast.

This morning I left under the same bloody cloud ☁️ that has been following me for more than a week. I started walking, not raining, and met a very pleasant twenty five year old dutch lass. We chatted happily in dutch until we left the village and the rain started. I was reluctant to leave my flash hotel, but I knew they would have evicted me at eleven,so I left before I would have been dragged out kicking and screaming. When I told her I have two girls around her age and my oldest was old enough to be her mother, she cracked up and said I must have been a child groom. She also said I must be a crazy man to be walking in near zero degrees in a singlet. I told her every other pilgrim thinks the same. Her name is Gabby, and she is proud for me to be her camino dad. The track along the road has become a river, so a lot of walking had to be done on the road. Not a busy road, but frightening when cars zoom past and happy to spray pilgrims with water. I caught up with Helen and Mark at our first cafe stop. There were times the rain eased, but all in all, no fun walking like a drowned rat. At one point, we passed another young dutch lass, and Helen and Mark were astounded that I could speak in my native tongue. The last two kilometres into Rabanal walking on natural path up hill was like walking against the tide. I decided that maybe that ark would come in handy. I also decided I should try to get a bed here, as the next village was quite small and beds were possibly unavailable.Helen and  Mark soldiered on to that village as they had pre booked. As it turned out I struggled to get one in Rabanal, and in fact got the last room in a hostal. The stupid part was there were four beds, so I told the girl in charge that if any one enquires about a bed,I would be happy to share my room. About  half hour later, a guy from America introduced himself as Zowie and  was happy to share the cost for one of the beds. Zowie comes from Colorado and is on a bike doing the camino. He rides about seventy kilometres a day. At thirty one, he is young and fit. He tells me he enjoys living in Colorado for the mountain hiking and kayaking and all the outdoors that Colorado mountains offer.Ten or eleven days and he is done. I decided to have a hot lunch as the temperature is going down. I had a gourmet burger with chips. The reason for the drop in temperature is we have now left the Meseta and are climbing into the mountains. I started the day at nine hundred metres and finished at twelve hundred metres. Tomorrow will hit fifteen hundred before ending the day at seven hundred.Big day,hopefully l will survive. If it rains tomorrow, it will be sleat and possibly snowing at that high level. Just went looking for a bar. Not a big village and must be all working to siesta time as I couldn’t find one open till seven pm. Thankfully ,the supermacardo was open, so I was able to get some home supplies and am sitting in my very large room having a beer with Zowie. At seven pm, Zowie and I headed to a bar not far from the accommodation. Not raining, so that was a bonus. I have tried to get newspaper to help dry my shoes out. It’s like rocking horse shit, impossible to find. Can’t even buy it. I  hate starting the day with wet shoes, so I have filled them up with toilet paper and serviettes that I have borrowed from different places. Any thing to help dry my shoes for tomorrow. Zowie had pasta and I had an omelette. We had a beer and the usual vino. By nine o’clock most pilgrims are in bed, and at quarter past, I’m heading there too,looking forward to another big day tomorrow. Could be absolute crap but as crazy as it sounds I’m looking forward to it.

Yesterday evening was very pleasant sitting in the albergue beer garden, sun beaming, but still on the cold side. I keep forgetting l am  still on the Meseta, meaning the pilgrimage is still eight to nine hundred metres in elevation. To think in another month, it will hover around 35 to 40 degrees. So maybe I should be happy with this crap weather. I had a drink with Enis, a young spanish girl of twenty three with long auburn hair and pale skin, I thought she was Scottish. Her walking friend was Anita from France. When they left,  Helen and Mark joined me for a beer, and we joined several others for a pilgrim’s meal of beautiful salad, a rice dish with meat, and ice cream for dessert. The usual wine was consumed to wash it all  down. The young man sitting next to me at dinner is from the Mornington peninsula in Victoria. Tom is his name. His mother turning sixty has brought Tom, his sister Meg,  and dad to walk the camino. What an incredible bonding for this unique family. I woke up through the night as the rain was very loud and consistent. Leaving this morning under heavy cloud, I walked for maybe five minutes before the rain started yet again. I have also just learnt, my sister in law Patricia married to my eldest brother Bill has passed away. I will reflect on the last sixty five years she has been part of our family, and say a prayer as I walk.The track is now in some places like a river. I’m waiting for the call to build an ark. I will ask Tom to assist me, as he is a carpenter. Walking with Daf  lorries flying past metres away,Daf is a dutch brand truck, and they  are very popular here, and watching pilgrims swapping from side to side to avoid the worst of the mud and deeper puddles, was becoming quite a challenge. At the six km mark,I arrive at Puente de Orbigo, where I cross a medieval bridge, maybe two hundred metres long, and still as good as the day it was built. It looks like it belongs  in a children’s story book.Just as I arrive,the rain stops, and I can take photos. There is a cafe, and I’m ready to stop, however, I decide to walk on as I prefer to walk while the rain is at bay. I’m thinking, I will stop when the rain recomences. A supermarcado appears and the senora makes me a very nice ham and cheese baguette to take away. I eat half as I’m walking and keep the rest for later.Not long after, there is a choice of staying along the road or walking up and down hills through the countryside. Although this route is longer, it’s a no brainer.I need to get away from the N120 motor way. Two villages later, after beautiful walking on muddy slippery tracks, the rain re commences and I see a cafe. I’m definitely ready to stop now. I order a hot chocolate, and it is like a bucket. I’m into it. When I leave, the rain again slows and eventually stops. The slippery natural track is now going up for two hundred plus metres and straight down again. Still better than the alternative route. With the bliss of quiet country walking,I’m hearing the cuckoos making their unique sounds again. One problem at six to go, the huge amount of chocolate I drank has gone straight through me and no facility to ease the pain. Now I’m on a mission. I finally see Astorga,and I’m galloping down the hill to  find a cafe.  As luck will have it, I make it within micro seconds of  maybe hiding behind someone’s front fence. Now that I’m relieved, I’m sitting on a park bench drinking out of my flask and eating the rest of my baguette. Yummy lunch With two to go, thunder starts, and I’m going hard again as the humidity rises a storm is imminent.I finally reach the square and take a nice accommodation. Whilst chatting with my darlin wife, I enjoy a nice hot  bath. After, I meet up with Mark and Helen for a drink in the Irish bar. They head back to their albergue, while I have another beer and write my blog. Every time I look out the door, it changes from rain to sun to rain.I decide on a kebab for dinner and it is awesome. Thanks Mark for the advice. I’m now ready for bed.

Late yesterday afternoon I went to the bar where I saw Bren, Ang  and other pilgrims earlier in the day,but they weren’t there, so I texted to see where they were for a catch up. Bren texted back to say they were doing a pub crawl and would be back shortly.I thought he must be pissed by now as even the text he sent back looked a little wobbly.so l got a beer and joined other pilgrims. A while later Helen, Mark and their friends arrived, as did Adrian and Linda. So we had a crowd going but no Bren or Ang. After a couple of beers, we went and had pizza and wine. On the way back to the hotel, I saw Ang staggering the street amongst locals looking homeless. He hugged me and suggested we go say hi to Bren. I would have loved to,but I know I  wouldn’t have got back to my hotel till probably midnight, so I politely declined. Luckily l didnt as Mark said this morning there were people partying all night and they struuggled to sleep with the noise Apart  from losing Jeff, Gary and Miranda, Helen and Mark’s friends, were catching a bus last night to go home. Adrian and Linda were staying in Leon another night at least,  as his Achilles had flared up. Bren and Angelo were leaving the camino today, so our herd has thinned right down. Bren and Ang probably might not have been capable to walk today, but I will really miss them. All those people have become like family. Every time I walk into a bar, I’m sure Bren will be there in spirit. This morning I waited for Helen and Mark,but I thought they must have already passed, so I texted to say, catch up later. As I left under more heavy clouds, they were just walking by. Another large city to leave, the thermometer on the pharmacy told me it was nine degrees. I don’t think it reached double figures as the wind was chilling, and then the rain came, and believe me, it wasn’t pleasant. Throw in a muddy track along a main road, and that ended up almost being the best part of the day. When we reached the halfway point of the day, it was lovely to get a hot chocalate into me. The thermometer hadn’t shifted, but at least the rain stopped. When we reached the three quarter mark, and only six  to go, we stopped at some seats with cover above. I got my flask out and started sipping on hot tea,and eating my left over pizza from last night. Then the rain started again, ending our picnic as the cover above had a million holes in it. We then left the road for a beautiful canopy of trees, which lasted three hundred metres before we were back with the main road two metres away. The weather took a turn for the worse. The wind doubled in force, the rain doubled, and the last six kilometres were possibly  almost the worst weather I have walked in. I walked as fast as my legs would take me, but that didn’t feel fast enough.I tried walking faster. The track was flooding, and by the time I reached our destination, I had left Helen and Mark in my wake,  my feet  swimming in my mud runners. As soon as I saw the albergue, the rain stopped. After a warmishshower and finding some paper to put in my shoes,I finished my pizza and my flask of tea. I just ventured outside, and although it is still quite cold, the sun is shining. Relax now and stay warm, wishing and hoping for better conditions tomorrow. Although I know Jeff is bitterly disappointed he had to leave, he can consider himself lucky he didn’t walk today. Soon I will leave the warmth of my room and catch up with Helen and Mark and other pilgrims to discuss how much we all enjoyed or not our path today.

The hotel we chose was unfortunately four ks from the old town of Leon. A massive place. Almost palatial. The restaurant,a separate building was also huge  but closed down. The carpark was as big as fifty football stadiums,maybe five cars there, probably staff cars.Maybe never recovered since covid. The last thing I wanted to do was walk for a beer and food. I had no choice. The nearest bar was over one kilometre away. So Jeff and I had a couple of beers and tapas. I then had calamari and bread and walked back to our hotel California. A great night sleep on a king single bed. I only saw one other patron. Eery. Staff were very polite, even offered to make a coffee, I don’t drink coffee. This morning we taxied into the old town and had curro and thick hot chocolate. I then walked Jeff to the bus station and my eyes welled as I hugged him good bye. His back hasn’t recovered and he needs to go home and get it sorted. We have been brothers in arms for almost five hundred kilometres. I will miss him immensely. Looking for a sports shop, I ran into Adrian and Linda. I also saw Sandy from Sandstone point, whose real name is Mark. This afternoon I washed some clothes, had a massage, a donerkebab, washed down with a can of Estrella. I’m now going to catch up with my other pilgrim friends. Been a couple of thunder storms come through and hopefully fine tomorrow to walk again.