HANKS TRAVEL BLOG

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.

Very tired, so a quiet evening in the bar of my hotel joining a couple of pilgrims. Pat from Lismore and her friend. After a beer, champinions with bacon entree, lamb cutlets and chips, flamm dessert. I also had a fish bowl of sangria. I expected to see gold fish.I finished with a hot chocolate and a good night’s sleep. Early start this morning, freezing cold again, fully clouded, I didn’t have far to the edge of the village. I felt good. I didn’t think this morning was any colder than the last few days, but many pilgrims asking why I don’t have more layers on. Even a couple on bikes slowed down to ask me if I’m cold. I yelled no, I’m actually freezing, but soon walking will warm me up. I think everyone wears the pilgrim’s costume of covering up from head to toe,and I don’t, maybe that is why I stand out. After eight kilometres, it hadn’t warmed up at all. I also had accepted that probably another ten before I would get something to eat and drink. I could have stopped for my flask tea, but the weather was too cold. Another two ks, and an albergue cafe four hundred metres away. Beautiful. As I approached, the rain started, only light, so I left the poncho alone. After potato tortilla, bread and hot sachet chocolate, I was revived and ready to press on. Before the albergue sign, my mind was starting to struggle. The track was the same as a cartoon, every thing flat, road with white lines, track with green strip in the middle, and maize growing both sides. Finally,a bend in the road. A train in the distance on the right hand side of the road. And then the sign. My mind was good again. It wasn’t long before the light rain got heavier,so I dislodged the poncho and wore it for the rest of the day. I stopped about five ks from Leon and ate a ham and cheese baguette. I was starting to look like a drowned rat, and I was knackered. A taxi went past, and I waved to him. He stopped, and I couldn’t refuse. Two hours walking,or a ten minute cab ride. After almost thirty ks, fifteen icy cold, fifteen raining, I think I chose wisely. In the meantime, my three amigos are waiting for me in a bar for four hours. How generous of them. How brave they were, but I have no energy left, I will catch them tomorrow.

So I had a quiet night. Found a bar, had a  beer, and a sangria ,then back to bum hole’s albergue for dinner. Sat with Ollie and old aussie mate from sandstone point, which is half hour from where I live. Didn’t catch his name, so I’ll call him Sandy. Linda and Adrian were also there. Also a few other familiar faces. Spaghetti entree, pork medallions with chips and chocolate ice cream and wine. We chatted for a while and off to sleep in the fourteen bed room. This morning, I poked my head outside and heavily clouded skies confronted me, cold wind,and I over heard some one saying forty percent rain. I selected the mud runners. The last week, I have changed many times between mud  and dry weather runners. The dry runners are lighter, and more comfortable. But the muddies keep my feet dry while rainy or muddy. I filled my flask and was happy to see this albergue fading in the distance as I left the village of Moratinos. The first three ks were on rocky ground but only slight incline. On the hill I could see breakfast, but still five kilometres away. The earth path along the road was ok and no pilgrims in sight. The clouds slowly disappeared and still quite cold the sun was shining. The walking was pleasant but my feet felt uncomfortable. After tortilla, with potato and egg washed down with sachet hot chocolate,a take away baguette, I only walked another km before stopping and swapping my shoes. Six ks further walking on reasonably level natural path,with shrubs between me and a road which didn’t produce much traffic, again feet really starting to hurt. So, for the first time in my distinguished camino career, sounds good hey,

I stopped again and put an extra pair of socks on. My pack was also uncomfortable, so I made some adjustments to some of the straps. After a cuppa, I was ready to have another crack. Then all of a sudden, I saw roast bunny. He still had his fur on at this stage, and he was so fast I couldn’t even shoot him with the phone, so no bunny tonight. After another six ks,my feet were feeling much better as my pack. I caught up with a dutchie lady, Rinan. We walked and chatted for the last upteen  kilometres to El Burgo Reniro. It’s nice to chat whilst walking as it takes your mind away from the pain you may be suffering. Rinan also had feet problems and was walking in sandals. She was booked in to this village. I need to find a bed in this village, as too far for me to walk to the next one, and I didn’t want to taxi all the way back to where Jeff, Bren and Ang were staying. I asked where Rinan was staying, but they were full. I saw a crowd waiting for the albergue to open and didn’t want to join that queue.I asked at the next hotel and successfully got a room with a private bathroom. When I checked in, I was so excited, I rang Gayle. She asked if I had a bath, and I didn’t know, so much to my delight, I opened the bathroom door, and there was. The camino provided when I needed it. After my phone call, I made a ham and cheese baguette, and drank the rest of my flask. Excitedly, I went to fill the bath,but no plug. Some establishments won’t supply a plug as they don’t want you to use all that water. But some toilet paper and plastic wrapping from the ham packaging, bingo, home made plug.I must have soaked in there for an hour. Then in a dizzy state, relaxed on the bed. I made sure I drank plenty of water. Tomorrow Jeff,Bren and Ang will catch a train to Leon. A long way to go, I hope to walk most of the way, and then as the book advises, I might bus the last bit. Then enjoy a well earned rest day.

Yesterday evening, as the thermometer headed south, I found a cosy bar surprisingly empty. Jeff was outside calling home, and I ordered a beer. Within minutes, Bren, Ang, Helen and Mark and their friends and lots of other pilgrims had the bar rocking. The frightening talk was how freezing it would be this morning, and will we survive. Even I was thinking about an extra layer over my singlet. The evening was great and some of us went to a restaurant around the corner. I enjoyed lentil soup, roast rabbit and chips, rice pudd and wine. And a wonderful night sleep. This morning I left in my singlet and had my second layer close to the top of my pack in case. The sky was blue, the wind had dropped, and it was definitely minus degrees, fresh, but I left my thermal jumper where it was. We left the village quite early, as we had 30 ks. After about two, we stopped at the service station and  bought a baguette, a packet of ham, and a block of cheese for lunch. Six ks in it started to warm up and out of nowhere, a food truck. One kilometre further,another food truck. Obviously trying to cash in, as the first village was eighteen ks away. Then another kilometre, a set of demountables nicely set up as a cafe, even had artificial grass on the ground,but he wasn’t open. We caught up with Helen and Mark and left them behind as they didn’t have to walk that far. By the time we reached Calzadilla,we were on our second break and eighteen into today’s journey. We are now halfway. Saw Helen and Mark briefly and found Bren and Angelo in the bar, where else? As the path had been quite good, some next to the road, some through the meadows,we had made reasonable time. Unfortunately, the track turned nasty,and Jeff struggled with his back.I walked ahead and waited in the next village. He was half hour behind me in six kilometres. He decided to take a taxi for the last six, so I walked and agreed to meet him at our albergue. When I arrived he was not there. I checked in,and the inn keeper asked me to pay for me.I said that my friend would be along later and paid for two. Minutes later when I checked my phone, Bren and Ang had talked Jeff into staying with them. I went back and requested my money back. This arce hole refused. I argued without success and told him that if he resold Jeff’s bed and not pay me, things would get ugly. My worst camino moment ever.

Last night Jeff and I walked around the village and found Mark and Helen in a supermarcado doing the same as us, buying a couple of cans. Tea bags are hard to find, so I was happy to find some here.They had booked with their friends, dinner for 7.30. Jeff and I wanted to eat earlier as wanting to relax in our fancy hotel room. We headed back to the bar we found when we first arrived. Bacon and potatoes for a main meal, and a plate of cheese  washed down with wine. Not a lot to eat, really. Back to the hotel and enjoyed an early night and a great night sleep 😴. This morning we were told, there is a wave of tourist companies with large numbers of people, and this is causing accommodation problems. We need to get a day ahead, or drop back. I don’t want to do either. Most of these tourist groups only walk for about a week, so I’m thinking when they get to the next large city, they will disappear. Leon is a few days away, so hopefully it will be more to our favour then. In the meantime, hopefully the camino will provide as we haven’t been able to book anywhere beyond tomorrow. Even though we didn’t leave till almost nine am,the wind was cruel. The walking wasn’t much fun either, as the road was littered with tourists. Jeff put on the pace. I followed, and in the first km we mowed down most of them. Then a fork in the road. Walk along the river on earth track,add one kilometre, or stick to the road on pavement. A very easy decision. All of a sudden, not a person in sight, and the silent bliss of running water and birds chirping. Even heard cuckoos again. After some kms,looking across the meadows, you could see the masses of people in the distance trudging along the road. Only five pilgrims were to be seen on our route. The wind was still very chilly, and I even thought of putting on a layer at one stage, but I didn’t want to stop. Eventually, we had to leave our franquillity and head back to the rat race. Thankfully, there was only six kilometres to go before reaching Carrion de los condes. And then the fun started. We found our accommodation, but one problem. Automatic check in. Press english, nothing happens, so we entered the booking number. No, door not opening. Tried lots of things

Jeff rang the number, not speaking de engwish. By now two other lots trying with out luck. So I rang, HOLA,can’t get in. In broken english, there in five minutes. So I got my flask out and had a cup of tea. When she arrived, the process for so called automation took at least another ten minutes. The machine probably cost 20 grand and even the lady running the joint struggled with it. Pretty soon there will be no one  here to do anything. Surprise, surprise,saw Bren as we were trying to check in, and he wasn’t in a bar. But he did say, catch you in the bar later, ok l yelled back. Thankfully, we had the tranquil walk for most of the day, otherwise it wouldn’t have been much fun.

It was just Jeff and I yesterday until we reached our albergue. We were first to check in to our eight bunk bed room. As I was putting the throw away sheet over the vinyl covered mattress, Adrian and Linda arrived. And another aussie couple arrived . All of a sudden, there are five Australians in the one room out of eight. Amazing coincidence. We didn’t see any of the usual pilgrims as we were two kilometres from the central part of Castrjeris. The old church was like a museum and worth the euro it cost to enter. After a second hot chocolate, with rain about, I was happy to relax on my bed. Most albergues have vinyl lined mattresses to help with the control of bed bugs. You put a throw away sheet over and then use your sleeping bag. In my case, a sheet bag, as it always gets hot when everyone is snoring and farting. That includes the women. And a sheet is lighter and takes up less space than a bag. In the evening, back to my favourite cafe for a beer with olives 🫒 😋, a sangria with my pizza, and my third hot chocolate absolutely drowned in Bailey’s Irish cream  for dessert. More rain and rainbow before hurrying back to the albergue before some broken sleep, waking up to the heat in the room from all the tired bodies and noises. This morning quite cold as we are around eight hundred metres above sea level. A nice walk out of the village under ominous rain clouds on flat paths for the first three kms. Then whammo, more than a kilometre track, many S bends,it’s so steep. By the time we reach the top, we’re at nine hundred plus metres. It levelled out,and then a nasty sharp downhill. Over another six kilometres, a bit higher again, a food truck was a welcome sight for a well earned, ham  and egg bagel for breakfast. Maybe three ks on again, I was happy to reach a village cafe so as to use their facilities, cos I might have had one to many hot chocalates yesterday. As I walk Into the bar, yep, Bren and Angelo. Bren blamed the inn keeper for his early brew. As we were leaving, Helen, Mark and their friends arrived. Bren and Ang left in front of us and were in a hurry to cover the next ten ks to the next village. So far the rain has held off, and we’re walking on reasonably level natural paths. Just as we reach Boadilla, the rain starts, but we’re safely inside and happy to make it to another WC. Who’s at the bar, you  guessed it, Bren, and I think Ang was joining him by now. I had a cup of tea and ham and tomato, lettuce baguette. By the time we leave, sunny again. Only six to go. A pleasant walk along a huge canal. I’m thinking of buying a boat, as I could ferry the wounded pilgrims the last bit to Fromista. Again, as we arrived, we took refuge in a bar as the rain started again. Didn’t need the poncho today. Minutes later, Bren arrived and had a beer, as he and Ang had another three kms to go. Jeff and I had one hundred metres to go. Checked in to our hotel, which was a bit more than advertised, but two proper beds and a bath, I certainly wasn’t going to argue. I laid in a hot bath for at least half hour before giving it up for Jeff. Tonight hopefully catching up with Helen and Mark, and their friends. We did catch up with Adrian and Linda a couple of times, Jeff said he saw them,and they were staying in the albergue next door.

Last night we teamed up with Ang and Bren for drinks and dinner in the albergue with about thirty other pilgrims. Beer and wine as usual, pasta,pork medallions and chips, dessert chocolates mousse. This morning, no hurry as we’re only walking twelve ks. Normally, you have to be out  by eight am. This one, nine am, which is a rare luxury. We take the extra time and it turns out very special. Gayle phoned, and my family is celebrating Aria’s tenth birthday, and from Spain I can see her open the presents Gayle has organised from Gaga and Opa. Lovely to experience this and talk to everyone. Aria is growing to be a very kind,considerate person. All the grandchildren are incredible, even if I do sound bias. Walking today I reflect on Aria. Ten years ago, I walked my first camino and had planned to be home by the end of May to be there for the birth of my first grandchild. She decided to come a few weeks early, so by the time I got home, she was a beautiful bald baby girl 👶. When Jeff and I walked out of the albergue, we automatically turned left and with the sun beaming on my face, Jeff joined me in loud verse of,”Oh what a beautiful morning”,half way through, I thought, hang on, we’re supposed to be heading west, so I promptly turned around and started walking the right way. By the time we reached the end of the village, the rain clouds had taken over. Over the next ten kilometres, the sun reappeared a couple of times, and there was some slight drizzle, but not enough for me to engage my poncho. I also walked with an American woman for a while, as walking on the natural earth reasonably level path was quite manageable, especially for Jeff. As soon as we got a glimpse of our destination, the drizzle turned to rain, so on with poncho. We were early for check in, but found a cafe _bar open, half expecting to find Bren and Ang. Surprisingly they were nowhere to be seen. However, as luck would have it, this great little cafe had my favourite Spanish hot chocolate. Most cafes only give you a sachet and a cup of hot milk these days. I’m now checked in, showered,done some washing, and back in the cafe, having a different flavoured chocolate.

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