50 Km to go to Santiago
Sorry for not having replied for 4 days. Have been unable to get internet access since last Thursday when I wrote from Villafranca.
Today is Monday September 17 at 3:30PM local time. I am in Melide having finished my 24th consecutive day of walking.
* The good news is that I am only 50n km from Santiago de Compostela and expect to arrive there on Wednesday morning. The plan is to walk the 34 km to Arca O Pino tomorrow and then the last 15 or so km to Santiago on Wednesday morning.
* The bad news is that my left ankle and shin area is badly swollen and has been quite painful from time to time (especially during the huge 4.5 hour down hill from Cruze de Ferro and the 3 hour downhill (600 meter drop) from O Cebreiro to Triacastella. Have managed to survive with liberal doses of Ibuprofen which was supplied initially by a nice gentleman from Ireland until I managed to get to find another pharmacy and stock up.
* The other good news is that I still have not had a single blister. You should see the state of some of the feet that I have seen. I can´t comprehend how some of these people are still walking.
After getting to Santiago I plan to stay for an extra day and if the medical situation doesn´t deteriorate I will walk the 90 km to Finisterre (September 21-23). I´ll stay there for a couple of days until I meet up with Janos on the 25th. He will then drive me back to Santiago where I will stay in a hotel until my flight to Barcelona on the 26th.
I have been really fortunate with the weather. Since the terrible weather over the Pass Naploen on the first day I did not experience any rain until yesterday when it statred to rain shortly after leaving Sarria. I put on my poncho and after 15 minutes it stopped and the poncho went back in the bag. Arrtived at the overnight destination (Hospital de la Cruz) at about 3:05 and shortly after it started to rain. Overnight it rained hard with thunder and lightening and when we left the albergue at about 7 this morning we were surrounded by thunder and lightening but starngely it did not rain and as we progressed during the day the weather continued to improve until there was some sun as we arrived here in Melide at about 2:15.
So here are the statistics through 24 days.
Distance walked: 725 km (This is based on my guide book which states that the
total distance from St. Jean to Santiago is 776 Km. All of the other guide
books that I have seen show the distance as between 800 and 810 km. I´ll stick
with my guide book for now)
Distance Remaining: 51 km
Time on the Camino: 167:40 hours
People met: 31 countries with the most recent being Austria, USA, Norway, Finland, Slovenia, Sweden, New Zealand, South Korea, Russia, Faeroe Islands and Puerto Rico. Terchnically the last two are not independent countries but I decided to give them international recognition as independent countries!!!
How do I feel: Priceless!!!!
I have been walking with a German fellow, Markus (Age 33), for the last 8 days i.e. since Leon. We walk at about the same pace and we meet for coffee in the morning somewhere along the way and then later for a bite of lunch and lastly at the albegue in the town where we have planned to stay. To say the least my German is getting better. It was his 33rd birthday last Friday (September 14) and since he doesn´t drink any alcohol I drank enough for both of us. I think it also dulled the pain in my leg. I seem to keep running into people who are having their birthdays on the Camino.
Give all my best to everyone. I appreciate all the encouragement that I am receiving.
Great to see that Alethea is back at work and slowly recovering.
Today is Monday September 17 at 3:30PM local time. I am in Melide having finished my 24th consecutive day of walking.
* The good news is that I am only 50n km from Santiago de Compostela and expect to arrive there on Wednesday morning. The plan is to walk the 34 km to Arca O Pino tomorrow and then the last 15 or so km to Santiago on Wednesday morning.
* The bad news is that my left ankle and shin area is badly swollen and has been quite painful from time to time (especially during the huge 4.5 hour down hill from Cruze de Ferro and the 3 hour downhill (600 meter drop) from O Cebreiro to Triacastella. Have managed to survive with liberal doses of Ibuprofen which was supplied initially by a nice gentleman from Ireland until I managed to get to find another pharmacy and stock up.
* The other good news is that I still have not had a single blister. You should see the state of some of the feet that I have seen. I can´t comprehend how some of these people are still walking.
After getting to Santiago I plan to stay for an extra day and if the medical situation doesn´t deteriorate I will walk the 90 km to Finisterre (September 21-23). I´ll stay there for a couple of days until I meet up with Janos on the 25th. He will then drive me back to Santiago where I will stay in a hotel until my flight to Barcelona on the 26th.
I have been really fortunate with the weather. Since the terrible weather over the Pass Naploen on the first day I did not experience any rain until yesterday when it statred to rain shortly after leaving Sarria. I put on my poncho and after 15 minutes it stopped and the poncho went back in the bag. Arrtived at the overnight destination (Hospital de la Cruz) at about 3:05 and shortly after it started to rain. Overnight it rained hard with thunder and lightening and when we left the albergue at about 7 this morning we were surrounded by thunder and lightening but starngely it did not rain and as we progressed during the day the weather continued to improve until there was some sun as we arrived here in Melide at about 2:15.
So here are the statistics through 24 days.
Distance walked: 725 km (This is based on my guide book which states that the
total distance from St. Jean to Santiago is 776 Km. All of the other guide
books that I have seen show the distance as between 800 and 810 km. I´ll stick
with my guide book for now)
Distance Remaining: 51 km
Time on the Camino: 167:40 hours
People met: 31 countries with the most recent being Austria, USA, Norway, Finland, Slovenia, Sweden, New Zealand, South Korea, Russia, Faeroe Islands and Puerto Rico. Terchnically the last two are not independent countries but I decided to give them international recognition as independent countries!!!
How do I feel: Priceless!!!!
I have been walking with a German fellow, Markus (Age 33), for the last 8 days i.e. since Leon. We walk at about the same pace and we meet for coffee in the morning somewhere along the way and then later for a bite of lunch and lastly at the albegue in the town where we have planned to stay. To say the least my German is getting better. It was his 33rd birthday last Friday (September 14) and since he doesn´t drink any alcohol I drank enough for both of us. I think it also dulled the pain in my leg. I seem to keep running into people who are having their birthdays on the Camino.
Give all my best to everyone. I appreciate all the encouragement that I am receiving.
Great to see that Alethea is back at work and slowly recovering.
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