Downshift Musings

A Pilgrim’s Day

We had a very pleasant day for walking. Very cool, but sunny. We had flat dirt and gravel roads so we made very good time. Today I thought I’d just write about our daily routine.

Each morning we are up between 5:30 and 6:00 a.m. We put on our clothes and start to pack up by the light of our headlamps. By 6 a.m. it is permitted to turn on the overhead lights. We double check for belongings, claim our “boots” and trekking poles and set off. We either find a bar serving breakfast before we leave town or walk in to the next town to find breakfast.

Our favorite foods for the morning are some sort of egg sandwich or egg quiche, cafe con leche, fresh orange juice, and a shared chocolate croissant.

We hit the Camino, using our headlamps to find the way markers which are either yellow arrows or the Camino shell symbol. It’s very pleasing to head out in the pre-dawn and start getting the kilometers behind us. Dawn comes from behind us since we are heading west but if we turn around the view is beautiful. Around 8 a.m. my Fitbit will tell me I hit my daily goal (In Austin) of 9000 steps. It has recorded 35,319 steps so far today.

We walk on until we hit a village where we might eat breakfast or find a bathroom. Then we keep going, with occasional breaks for water or to peel off some clothing layers, until we reach our destination town.

Once we reach town we pick an albergue for the night and get in line to register and pay for a bed.

First order of business at the albergue is to shower and change into our clean outfit. Second order of business is washing clothes, either by hand or waiting for a turn with the washing machine if there is one. Then we need to pin the clothes up on the clothesline for drying and hope for sunny weather. Today we had to pull all the clothes in and hang them from our bunk because of intermittent showers

Yay, the chores are done. Time for food – either lunch if we haven’t picnicked on the way, or drink and snack. The bars stop serving food from 4:30-7:00 so we need to get out before asap.

After lunch we can rest, check on the laundry or go sightseeing/shopping. Frequent destinations are the pharmacy, grocery, and churches. We also just hang out at the albergue. Some of them have beer in the vending machines and patios or courtyards for communal gathering.

Then it’s time for dinner and perhaps a church service. Tonight I think we will go for a pilgrim blessing before dinner. Bedtime is before 10 because the albergues lock the doors and lights are out. Put in the ear plugs and put on the eye mask and hope for a good night’s sleep!