04 December 2008

Day 30: Melide - Pedrouzo (36 km) Almost there!

Hola!! I am in a cafe in Pedrouzo the morning of Dec 4th getting ready to head for Santiago!!

Yesterday was our longest day yet. We felt surprisingly untired and ready to keep walking - but we stopped anywas.

Our alburgure last night was full to the brim - 18 people- which was odd because we´d been pretty much alone the last two nights. We met back up with a few old friends which was very nice.

One girl, Mary, said some people we knew got stuck up on O Ceibrero with over a meter of snow!! I´m glad we didn´t stay that day and kept on going.

Thanks Sil for all your advice. We´ll be sure to bath as much as possible!

So yesterday, lots of rain/sun. The rain was never too hard or for too long. We used our headphone splitter to listen to an ipod together and sing. That was entertaining. We were both still a bit tired of walking and looking for new entertainment.

There was a giant puddle that day that I had to put on sandals for. A sheep farmer warned us about another one later on and to take the road. I wore my sandals today for the first time without socks. How luxurious!!

We had lunch on the road which helped us with our good time. (Left at 8:30, got in before 7pm) We made vegetable sandwiches the night before and ate them as we walked.

The scenery the whole day was eucalyptus forests (smelled like California), streams, woods, and insanely bright green grass. It was warmer - in the 50s. It felt like the first warm spring day when you overly excited and go out in shorts and a tank top. I guess it kind of was our first spring day after the blizzard.

We ate dinner with Mary and her boyfriend. Afterwards I had some wine with the French group. They were listening to Eminem and Linkin Park. The French lady got pretty tipsy and started dancing into chairs. It was pretty fun.

This morning the hospitelera got made that we hadn´t left yet at 8:40. I think her and Burgos guy should get together.

Now just 21km to Santiago!! Woo Hoo!! We´ll be sure to take it all in once we get there.

Oh and Sil, we are thinking of doing this maybe with Jan and Dan on bikes?? If you have any tips for that!

We have both been SOOOO thankful for everyone following the blog with advice, encouragement, questions, comments, everything. It has been really motivating and fulfilling to have this group with us as we travel.

Buen camino.

4 comments:

jan said...

congratulations!!!! if you're reading this it must mean you made it:-) it must feel incredibly great to have accomplished this feat...we are soooo proud of you. you'll always have this experience and all the memories that go along with it. nice to hear that you're both in sandals...hard to believe the difference in weather in just the few days since your blizzard experience. it sounds just beautiful where you are now. it's cold today: low 20's for walking the dogs this a.m. but plenty of sun. dad is in wisconsin seeing g'ma and g'pa. he'll be home around midnight tonight. enjoy santiago and the warm weather...and have fun on the coast. love, mom

Sil said...

Jan and Dan - what a great idea - to cycle the camino!! Please do it in spring when everything is green, the wildflowers are spectacular and the large white & black European stork are back on their huge nests on top of every church and steeple!

Here is some info and a few links:

If you want to bike the camino but don’t want the hassle with transporting the bike - Tour ’n ’ride (located in Santiago) will ship their bike to you, and then you bike it back to them. Bike rental with a twist!
Please see their website for prices and for more details
http://www.tournride.com/

You could also rent, or buy, from the Mundicamino site: http://www.mundicamino.com/

Cycle Blogs and websites:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Santiago_Bicicleta/
http://www.tournride.com/ To hire a bike
http://buchaneers7.wordpress.com/ Uk to Santiago
http://homepage.mac.com/verbier7/index.htm
http://www.arthurmitchell.com
www.caminocycle2006.com/
www.goxploring.com/camino/info.htm
http://www.bikeweb.org/ru_camino.htm Site with links to lots of other cycling web sites.
http://www.amigosdelciclismo.com Large site in Spanish
http://www.gaerlan.com/others2/camino/camino.htm
http://caminodesantiagobybike.blogspot.com/
http://www.stjamesirl.com/html/pilgrim_stories02.htm
http://www.interam.com/camino/indexeng.htm
http://layte.com/index.html
http://perso.orange.fr/vtt.compostelle/accueil.htm# French site
http://homepage.mac.com/verbier7/home.htm
http://www.caminhodesantiago.com/index3.htm

Bendigais,
Sil

jillyb said...

Hola to our intrepid peregrinos.
I thought I just posted a comment, but now I don't see it. Just wanted to add my thanks to Sil, also, for all her support and helpful suggestions. And congratulations from Dad and me on making it to Santiago!! Yeah indeed. We are very proud of you also, and my friends who I tell about your adventures think you are awesome also. Have to get back to work and then to dance. I'll email you Denise's phone # asap. Hope I succeed this time.
Much love,
Mamacita

Anonymous said...

HOLA peregrinos con experiencia y exito!!

Yeah!!! You made it! I'm back from Wisconsin and imagine that you have definitely made it to Santiago. What a fabulous accomplishment and trip that you have had! Grampa and Grandma really enjoyed hearing about your trek (Grandma rolled her eyes when told of your sandals in deep snow). It is really awesome how well you have made this journey--a few missteps, a few injuries, but mostly with great fun, good humor, and lots of laughs, and good friends. It has been a delight to follow your travels almost daily thanks to your tireless blogging. I think back to not that many years ago when contact would have been a few postcards or letters that probably would have arrived after you yourselves had gotten back home. The wonders of technology. We hope that you have a great time in Ireland with Aleza's aunt and that your trip back home is quick and safe. (FYI-The Thai Supreme Court kicked out the Prime Minister and the airports have reopened apparently). (To Sil: Thanks for the great info re: biking the Camino and again thanks for all your support.)

We love you Peregrinos!
Dad