Walking, Eating and Sleeping

Oh how I wish I could upload pictures!!!!

This post is all about walking, eating and sleeping. The walking part is difficult for me. It would have been much easier if I had been much fitter. . . but here I am, hopefully getting fitter every day, but suffering because I did not do enough training beforehand.

I would usually start walking when it is still dark. Have some beautiful sunrise photos. . that I can not share. . .

Walking is easier for me if there is little villages every 4km´s or so. If it is a long stretch it just seems to go on and on and ooooon. . .I would usually stop at a bar - always open - always ready to serve the peregrino - and have a cup of coffee, coca cola or. . . wait for it. . .a beer with lemon. . .very refreshing and yes I have now started drinking beer early in the day. . . :-)

Lunch would usually be fruit, or bread and cheese, whatever I could buy in the last village and then obviously lots of water to keep hydrated. The sun gets really hot here in Spain, very much like a South African summer day - I have walked in temperatures of 34° on occasion.

I usually read up about all the accommodation and choose a place that looks good, but by the time I reach my planned destination I just take the first auberge that pops up in front of me. . .sometimes they dont pop up and you have to go searching for them. . .

The auberges are mostly at least 8 beds in a room, more often than not 20 - 50 in the same room. Beds are usually bunk beds, I have stayed in 2 places that had single beds and loved it. Mostly 2 toilets and 2 showers, but some of the bigger ones might have 4 toilets and showers to one dormitory. I have only on one occasion found an auberge that separated women and men (this includes the bathrooms). This I have to say takes some getting used to for me. . . I have also on accasion had people walk around, lie around or lounge around in their underwear only. This does not sit well with me. .

I find that when I am walking, even if I know that there is something really interesting, I just do not have the energy to explore or take photographs.

The only times I really take photographs is after I have reached my destination, claimed my bed and had my shower.

Some of the auberges - usually the ones that is connected to a parish, will cook a communal meal and offer you breakfast. If the auberge does not have good kitchen facilities then you have to GO OUT ON THE TOWN and have the pilgrims menu. The Pilgrims Menu can cost anything from 8 to 12 Euros and always includes a starter, main course and dessert as well as wine.

Well, there you have it. . all in a days´ work . . .

As always, much love. . .

Wild Peregrino