Day 26: Triacastela to Sarria (James)

Day 26: Triacastela to Sarria
11.6 Miles
Total: 416.4 Miles

Not sure if it was Bree's watch alarm going off, the early bustle and swinging doors from other pilgrims, or the bone chilling cold that woke me up, but it was a quick transition from "in bed" to "hiking ready" at 5:30 this morning.  

We followed Bree's headlamp for the first half hour or so this morning, squinting to find any semblance of a yellow arrow to make sure we were on the right path.  Not only was it dark in general, but we were walking on a forested path where light struggles to reach through the foliage even at midday.  At one point a dog began barking at us and a whole minute passed before we even caught a glimpse of him standing off to the side of the path.  Turn around and you could see faint headlamps dancing in the distance.  Even at this hour, the trail was crowded.

I was warned about this.  I was told the trail would swell with pilgrims as we neared the end.  I was told the lodging situation would become stressed.  I even told myself, repeatedly, to mentally prepare.  Still, I am failing miserably.  I think the other day when I took the road less traveled may have spoiled me.  It was just...quiet.  I was able to just walk and think.  Really, this is what the trip is about.  Yes, it is a 500 mile walk across Spain, which sounds impressive on paper, but it is how far you travel inward during that time that counts.  Next time someone asks how far I went, I'm going to say "two inches," the approximate distance into the part of my brain that generally gets ignored for 9 months out of the year.  After 26 days of walking, I feel like I'm close to figuring things out for myself.  The problem is that anytime I get to thinking about something, my thoughts are derailed by someone talking on their cell phone, or someone abruptly stopping in front of me to have a cigarette (I am imagining everyone out here is trying to quit and not doing so well).  What ensues is this internal struggle of the mind.  One part of me wants to be all zen about it, acknowledge the distraction and move on.  The other part of me is complaining that I didn't need to come all the way to Spain to experience essentially what I can get from walking around the mall repeatedly with that herd.  Although I am rooting for one over the other, it is hard to tell what side is winning sometimes.  I guess I have some things to work on.

Because of the crowds, we are shortening up the days to ensure we get a place to stay.  We arrived in Sarria around 10:30 this morning and were first in line for the albergue, which has around 40 beds.  It didn't open until 1pm so everyone sets their packs in a line like usual and makes runs to the supermarket or cafe.  We had a bit of a scare when the albergue opened and Auna and Deija were out grabbing food.  Bree and I took their bags and found their credentials and passports, but the woman checking us in refused to let us get the girls a bed because they were not there.  I ran outside and up a couple of streets trying to locate them, but to no avail.  We were holding up the line, so I ran back to find two Spanish pilgrims, both with whom we have been walking on and off with since St. Jean, helping to explain the situation.  Based on their pleas, Bree and I were able to secure beds for the girls.  I'm not sure what we would have done had they not helped us.

The end of the trip is nearing.  Of course, this means end of the trip logistics need to be taken care of.  Our "To Do" list once we arrive in Santiago is growing everyday with bus tickets from the coast, train tickets, lodging for Madrid, etc.  Oh, we should probably get our "Compostela," our little certificate for completing the Camino, too.  I will add that to the list.

Thanks again for reading.  We will see all of you shortly!

James