Camino, day 7
Pontevedra, 11th October 2023
Buen Camino,
Today was another long, beautiful day. I’m in Pontevedra now, after walking through Redondela and Vilaboa (28 kilometres in total). But Pontevedra turned out to be so pretty that once I ditched my backpack and put on my slippers, the number rose to 36.4.
Santiago is 63 kilometres away. Theoretically, I could get there by Friday. Realistically, I will get there by Saturday. I’ll see how I feel tomorrow. What keeps me moving is the forecast. Rain’s coming Friday, which means tomorrow is my last chance to wash my hair knowing it will dry.
This morning, I spotted a flyer about a lost Rottweiler named Kenya. From that moment until Redondela, all I could think about was which corner I would turn and bump into her. For extra security, I picked up a stick. Unfortunately, I quickly formed a weird emotional bond with it. Carrying the stick made me feel like the walking definition of an Instagram pilgrim. For two kilometres, I wondered how I’d transport it back to Prague. Then for the next two, I debated throwing the stupid thing away, because with every step it got heavier and drove splinters into my palms. I said goodbye to it before Redondela. I did not meet Kenya.
In Redondela, I had my second churros of the Camino. I rate it better than the one in Tui.
Today was the first day I didn’t walk completely alone. In the morning, I kept leapfrogging the German lady from yesterday. Then, when photographing another number five sign, I met a new German friend (that chatty grandpa in Ponte de Lima was right, they really are everywhere). We walked together for about two hours. Then I sent him on his way. Trying to climb a hill while keeping up a smart conversation was exhausting. Plus, I still needed to wash my hair. Later, I bumped into another German guy and a Romanian girl who lived in Prague. We shared a snack, then I tolerated them for about fifteen more minutes. I know. I’m terrible. But honestly, I just prefer walking alone. Toward the end of the day, I even met a Czech guy and told him outright not to take it personally, but I really needed to continue solo.
And actually, I’m proud of myself for setting those boundaries. Because of that, I fully enjoyed the final stretch of the day. A quiet park along a stream that reminded me of England. I slipped into memories, thought about a lot of things. The only thing missing for pure perfection was an iced latte.
Overall, today was full of lovely nature and charming little towns. I met a goat and a sheep. Such a funny pair. They looked like two slightly clueless best friends who’d lost their herds and decided to wander through life together. They seemed content.
I arrived at the albergue at 5 p.m., snagging the very last bed. The German I’d sent away was there too. We went for a walk, collecting another eight kilometres together. So I’m not a hopeless antisocial case.
What do you think? Will I reach Santiago on Friday or Saturday? Bye! 🖤
Kat
Note: the following photos are from Pontevedra, taken the next morning
