The Long Hard Road

After a lot of persuasion from an Irish lady, I took a 20km bus ride to Viana. It was truly heavenly. What is so wrong with the automobile? The ride was soft and luxuriant and cost only 1.60 euros. At various points of the road, I could look out the window at all the struggling pilgrims on the muddy, slippery paths.

My knee was so painful last night, because of my heavier pack, so I decided to take it easy today. I initially felt guilty, and considered taking the bus back to Los Arcos to do the astuak walking, until I saw the freezing, rain drenched pilgrims arriving at the albergue. I decided against such a move.

Tonight I will sleep in the lower section of a 3-tiered bunk bed that I didn't have to fight for. There will be a scramble for beds tonight though, as there are only 54 beds available. Already a wet pilgrim has arrived and has been turned away.

My Irish friends visited a 'medico' as More's legs had swollen up, dreadfully, followed by a redness. The attending doctor, said that he couldn't help her, and that he believed it to be a sunburn or tendinitis. I didn't agree with his diagnoses, nor did More. I was, however, impressed with the displayed posters which promoted breast feeding. As usual, I photographed them. I was also a little worried about my blood pressure as yesterday, it was elevated, when checked by 'a friend of the pilgrims', in his caravan, by the roadside. Yesterday was a long, hot lonely road and I was about to call it quits.

Most people seem to really love this pilgrimage. Many, not having completed this trip, are. I can't say that I love it, as it's been very difficult. I may see the benefits at a later date. I keep hearing this quote "There ain't no ship that's going to take you away from yourself". I know that that is not an accurate rendition of the quote, but you can see what it's meant to portray.