My day started early! I was up by 6 AM and left the hostel by 6:40. I was looking forward to the soft glow of the morning sun on the fields and the cool temperatures that come from leaving at the crack of dawn.
About an hour into my walk, to my surprise, I saw another sunflower field! I was ecstatic because now I could take my sunflower selfie. I spent a couple of minutes just gazing at the flowers, thinking of my loved ones that passed, and felt grateful to see another day.
As the sun slowly raised in the sky, so did my discomfort as the heat began to build. I think the combination of rising temperatures and the at times bleak landscape was making me a bit anxious. It felt like I was walking in a circle but in a straight line! Haha
My eye was constantly seeking out any object or plant that stuck out in the surroundings to keep my interest: like twisted trunks of grape trees, clusters of flowers, pine trees, and even wooden bridges. I guess there is beauty everywhere.
An Inter wrong observation was the pleasurable sensation of walking on hay!!! There was a small part of the path covered in hay, and it was like I was walking on pillows 🥺 My ankles and feet weep from joy 🥲
I finally arrived in Los Arcos around ten, roamed around the town a bit, had a snack on a shaded bench, and hit back walking on the path. Leaving Los Arcos meant walking through some of the more recently built modern residential homes. I’ve found this clash between the old and new intriguing in many Spanish towns I’ve walked through.
The walk from Los Arcos to Sansol and finally to Torres del Rio was hot, and not many areas for shade. I was happy I left early but would have even left earlier if I could have gotten up.
Luckily, I find this heat more manageable because there is always a cool breeze, unlike in Thailand, where the humidity can be suffocating!
To keep my mind at ease and motivated, I listened to my audiobook on Scribd, to the backdrop of the sound of my feet hitting the ground.
I also mediated on the curves of my shadow cast by the sun and remembered that what I was doing was brave. At some point, I embraced the repetition of the scenery and had fun deciphering the shapes of sparse clouds in the sky.
To be honest, I found myself a bit drained by constantly having to say hi to people as they passed. I just wanted to be still and not have to engage with every passerby. However, I remained polite, and I appreciate the community and love that is present on the Camino.
I felt so much JOY when I saw a small sea of white flowers in a dried field. 😂 It made me happy after seeing so much of the landscape washed out by the sun. The white flowers popped out against the earth tones of the area.
I cling onto the small squares of rich green plants and vibrant trees that reminded me of the beginning of this journey when crossing the Pyrenees. I crossed a small bridge on the walk, and I was giddy when I saw tall reeds extending out from the water that flowed underneath the bridge. By this point in the walk, I was tired, so hearing flowing water gave me energy, and I felt like I found that one pool of water in a desert. I told myself, “the relief is coming; you’ll be at the hostel soon”!
I was an hour out from Torres del Rio when I felt like giving up (although there is no giving up on the Camino, or you’ll be homeless and hungry for the night, haha), and I saw a bench made of crates spray painted in teal blue “Just walk”. Another sign. So, I kept walking, and my steps were small, but I felt my resolve grow.
I finally got to the hostel at 12:30 PM!
I swam in the cold pool, did laundry, had a beer (which gave me a nasty headache 😒), napped, had a nice lunch, looked at Virgin River, and massaged my feet with Tiger Palm until I fell asleep.
Btw. I almost had a minor panic attack because I thought my room was bugged with a hidden camera. It turns out it’s the receiver for the ceiling fan.
Liosuelo 