If I could sum up the last two days in two words, it would be these: poor judgment.
It was poor judgment to underestimate the effects of fatigue. I cannot cover the same terrain on days 21 and 22 that I could cover on days 7 and 8.
It was poor judgment to choose places to spend the night without first figuring out how and where I’d be able to eat. As a result, I had to battle hunger on top of fatigue.
It was poor judgment to leave albergues without first topping off my water bottles. The frequent water fountains found earlier along Camino seem to have mostly disappeared upon reaching Galicia.
Poor judgment aside, I’ve managed to cover some distance. Today I left Sarria, where so many people begin their pilgrimage, and by mid-morning, I had passed the all-important 100-kilometer marker (roughly 60 miles).
To be issued the “Compostela” upon reaching the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela, you have to walk the last 100 kilometers, assuming you’re doing the pilgrimage on foot. So, for the purposes of the Compostela, the 1,500 or so kilometers I’ve already walked don’t actually count.
Being in Sarria last night was like arriving in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port last June, but more so. People were staying out late, wore clean clothes, had nice hair, and the women were made up. You could easily pick out the people who hadn’t yet started their pilgrimage.
Leaving Sarria this morning was even weirder. People were wearing jeans, hiking shoes that looked like they came out of the box yesterday, and packs that weren’t designed for walking all day.
On the plus side, after the morning circus, I more or less had the trail to myself after 11 am. And the place where I’m spending tonight is relatively quiet. And the food wasn’t bad. And the beer was cold. So I’m happy.
