Does the road wind up-hill all the way?
Yes, to the very end.
Will the day’s journey take the whole long day?
From morn to night, my friend
Via De La Plata
35. Not a Fun Day…
I don’t feel very much like Pooh today,” said Pooh.
“There there,” said Piglet. “I’ll bring you tea and honey until you do”
There are a few things on the camino that aren’t much fun.
Blisters are really not fun… falling over is not fun… not finding a bed after a very long walk is not fun… and walking in the cold and rain is not fun.
The only thing worse than walking in the cold and rain… is getting up the next day and walking again in the cold and rain.
Last night’s albergue was snug. Three bunk beds side by side in a small cold room. There was to be no cat swinging here… and I had a top bunk. Although the silver lining from the small room was that I could use the wall to lean on when climbing up and down from my bed.
34. Drizzle
The day is cold, and dark, and dreary;
It rains,and the wind is never weary;
The vine still clings to the mouldering wall,
But at every gust the dead leaves fall,
And the day is dark and dreary
We had drizzle… and sadly not the kind that comes on top of lemon cake. Today was a poncho day. It changed from light mist to drizzle within the first 30 minutes on the road. We then had variations of mist drizzle or rain all day. To be honest it’s been miserable.
33. I’m Colleen and I’m British
By yon bonnie banks and by yon bonnie braes,
Where the sun shines bright on Loch Lomond,
Where me and my true love were ever wont to gae,
On the bonnie, bonnie banks o’ Loch Lomond.
Last night our lovely albergue was a tad cold and also a tad noisy! We had a cosy dozy afternoon after our lunch and we shared a bar of chocolate for our dinner before turning in for the night. I was woken around midnight by a bit of a din coming from the bar… someone it seemed was trying to tune a guitar. I must have dozed off but woke around 1:30 and they were still trying to tune that guitar. I was tempted to go and do it for them but I would have needed to leave my warm bed… so instead fell back to sleep. Maggie said it was still going on an hour later… I have no idea what was going on but they seriously needed a few lessons 🙂
32. Light at the End of the Tunnel
O Autumn, laden with fruit, and stain’d
With the blood of the grape, pass not, but sit
Beneath my shady roof; there thou may’st rest,
And tune thy jolly voice to my fresh pipe,
And all the daughters of the year shall dance!
Sing now the lusty song of fruits and flowers.
Last night it felt like there were about seven people in the whole of Santa Marta de Tera.
31. The Via
We hail the merry Autumn days,
When leaves are turning red;
Because they’re far more beautiful
Than anyone has said,
We hail the merry harvest time,
The gayest of the year;
The time of rich and bounteous crops,
Rejoicing and good cheer
I’m laying on my bed in the municipal albergue in Santa Marta de Tera… it’s a new building opened in 2015. It’s very nice… comfy bed… we’re in a girls dorm for two and the Spanish pilgrim and another chap have their own boys dorm… just as I’ve strung my washing line across the only spare bunk in here and it’s full of my undies. Sadly we left the windows open for too long and it’s flipping freezing in here now.
30. 354
The Road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can
Yesterday evening our little band of weary pilgrims ate a hearty meal in the village bar. International band that we were… English, Australian, Brazilian, German and Irish… all together in a tiny Spanish village trying to warm up.
29. End of the Road
Three ants met on the nose of a man who was asleep in the sun. And
after they had saluted one another, each according to the custom
of his tribe, they stood there conversing
I slept well and I wasn’t sick… all great news. We decided that today we should walk again. We hitched a ride to Montamarta and started walking at around 8.30 am… ooh it feels good.
28. Not Quite So Sick
I asked Google for a short poem about boredom… this is what I got…
A poem a day
Keeps the
Boredom away
I’m bored now and I’m fed up. I want to get back on the trail.
Then We Walked 