FAQ

Fonfria to San Mamed - 24 (I´m sure it was more!) km, 9.5 hours from start to finish

Today was very hard - why is it so difficult this time? The blisters are ok now, but the road is hard. The first 3 hours were downhill all the way, though not as hard on the feet as the descent from El Acebo into Molinseca. Then I took the shorter route, not through Samos. It was up and down and down and up, constantly. The views were spectacular, but a lot of the route was through very rough ¨roads¨, more like cow paths, with the smells and cow patties  and cows to prove it. Sometimes the path looked like the bed of a stream. Good thing there hasn´t been any rain, or most of the road would have been mud and boulders.

I am in a lovely albergue. 4 people to a room with our own ensuite bathroom - unbelievable! We are just outside Sarria, so I expect the crowds to start tomorrow, especially since it is the weekend. All those who will just walk the last 100 km for the compostella. Dinner will be vegetarian - yeah!! and my tummy is rumbling, as I have really just snacked all day. It is too hard to walk on a full stomach. Even a bowl of oats with hot milk is challenging to walk with.

Now for the FAQ ( I am making them up - nobody is asking!)

Flora and fauna - see any? Yes, hawks today, and a salamander. Total of 3 snakes, and lots of grasshoppers and yellow butterflies.. Blackberries always, and fall crocus, figs, saffron flowers? fall asters, and a dandelion!

What do you wear? Long underwear bottoms and long pants, short sleeved merino, long sleeve merino on top, then my merino hoodie with the hood up, then gloves. I lose the layers as I go along, as I am sure it was about 25´today. Right now I am in my checked capris, as it is still warm.

Why are you doing, this - are you crazy? Well, for lots of reasons. Red wine, cafe con leche, fresh orange juice - just squeezed , in the bars, for the solitude, for the camraderie of people from around the world, for the challenge, for the fun, to be in my body rather than my head, to have time to think, for the opportunity to focus only on my own needs, because I am crazy.