So today was an interesting day. I felt like I was starting the Camino all over again. I was nervous and excited for the next stage. Since I’ve spent the first half of the Camino in a group setting, I decided to do the second half alone. Well, not alone, just independently because I think it will change my perspective of the Camino and will provide me more personal reflection time.
I want to be friendly and open to meeting every new face I see; yet, I don’t want to be limited to one circle of pilgrims. I want to spend most days walking alone at my own pace so I can stop and enjoy the Camino as I wish. Plus, there is something about walking the most mentally challenging part of the Camino alone with my thoughts. I brought no music or headphones on the Camino. Being alone in the desolate desert landscape appeals to me. We’ll see how that works out. Maybe in a few days time I’ll be craving the stability and security of a wonderful group of people. However, I highly doubt I will find another group of pilgrims as wonderful and dynamic as my first.
Although I just finished describing my goals for the second half of this Camino, I didn’t want want to start my walk from Burgos to Hontanas alone because I planned on leaving right before sunrise. I never walk in the dark, but some people that walked yesterday later told me how awful it was walking through the desert in the heat. It’s a 30 km walk, and I want to avoid baking in the sun.
Last night before bed, two pilgrims invited me to leave with them. They were planning on leaving between 5h and 5h30 (groan) and I accepted the invitation. We ended up leaving at around 5h20. Luckily I left with them because we took the alternative route that the hospitalera recommended and I would have gotten lost without them. I also learned that walking while it is still dark outside is awful. I have not yet decided if it is better or worse than walking in the sun.
Santo Domingo at the exit of Burgos
Getting out of Burgos took forever and the scenery was no where near nice. When there was a nice landscape we were walking under or right next to electric lines. In fact, my morning was characterized by the gentle him of the lines; not the safest walking conditions if you ask me.
My daily sunrise photo
My new friend I found early in the morning. There was a stream nearby.
Eventually we made it to the first restaurant (after about 2 hours or more of walking) and we sat down and had breakfast. I ate breakfast while we were walking so I simply massaged my feet and enjoyed the break. I realized that I haven’t described my walking partners: an Englishman and a Mexican girl who met on Day one and have been walking together. I recognized them from being in the same villages, yet i had never talked to them. They were incredibly nice. An Irishman sat with us as well.
After breakfast the Irishman and the Mexican took off fast and I walked with the Irishman who was a bit too chatty for my liking. I wanted to walk alone yet I was too polite to say so. We ran into an Italian Masseuse who is really nice and funny. The three of us walked together an hour or so and eventually split up and settled into our own rhythms.
I finally was able to walk alone, and I was so bored. Everything was yellow, desolate, depressing. The only green were sunflower fields. It was at least 32 degrees Celsius out, I was tired, I just wanted to arrive to Hontanas.
I finally took a shadow picture
Santiago's cross close to Hontanas
It seemed as if the 30 km would never end. Eventually I saw a sign advertising an albergue in 1 km, but there was nothing in sight. I thought it was lying to me. Soon after I saw a sign advertising the same albergue in 500 meters. Yet, there was no village in sight. Was my mind playing tricks on me? One day in the desert and I was already going mad. Miraculously 500 meters later I had the smallest ascend and there was Hontanas, a quiet desert town waiting for me.
Welcome to Hontanas
I didn’t do much besides shower, laundry, and nap. I talked a bit to two British girls I met on the way. One has a backpack that is enormous. We nicknamed it “monster” like in ‘Wild.’
By the way, I don’t know if I ever mentioned what happened to the Brit from before. She left in Nájera but since there was a mix up with the hostels (that was the day I went to the municipal and the Speedy Spaniards stayed at the first hostel) I didn’t get a chance to say goodbye because I had no Wi-Fi and I didn’t run into her. She took the bus from Logroño to Nájera so I didn’t even get a chance to walk with her. I think she’s doing well.
She went to Santiago to collect more interviews.
Anyway, I had dinner with the English lad and some of his new friends in the hostel. One of them turned out to be the Italian Masseur who I met earlier in the day. Actually, I don’t remember if I mentioned it; Italian Masseur is the same guy that was snoring in Burgos in the need next to me. It’s a small Camino world.
Italian Masseur cooked us dinner and it was amazing. Best hostel family meal so far. He made pasta carbonara. He’s from. A small town in Italy which has a restaurant whose sole menu item is pasta carbonara. Essentially Italian Masseur knows his stuff. It really was an excellent meal and I made some new friends.
Tomorrow will be another long day.
Day 14: 29.5 km
To Santiago de Compostela: 445.5 km
Adventures of Salty Sally 