Day 28 Arenteiro to Silleda - 37km

Adapting Plans in My Final Week

Planning for this past week has felt completely different. I've thrown my original plans out the window and started making them up on a day-to-day basis. This change has been driven by new opportunities like discovering a lovely new Albergue last night, feeling more capable at the end of each day's walk, and adapting to increasingly wet weather.

Today, I received a severe weather warning on my phone, cautioning about heavy rainfall overnight and throughout tomorrow. Yesterday, I adjusted today's route, walking further and booking a hotel for tonight. My thinking was that staying here would allow me to wait until midday tomorrow—rather than being asked to leave by 8 a.m. The forecast suggests that the rain will ease up in the afternoon, so I'm hoping the trail won't be too challenging. I'll report back in tomorrow’s blog, although I might be delayed since I won't arrive until early evening.

Today’s Highlights

Today's walk was wonderful! The dry weather made such a difference to my mood. Aside from the initial stretch along the main road, most of the route was on minor roads, tracks, and through fields. It passed through many old, small villages, which I absolutely love. Walking through these places makes me think about their histories and the countless people who've journeyed along the same paths over time. Some villages have likely changed very little in the past hundred years or more.

These villages are mostly quiet, with only a few people around—usually elderly men and women. Children are only visible in larger towns and cities. Most of the older folks are warm and quick to greet me with a friendly "hello" or "good day." Occasionally, their replies go beyond my understanding, but I respond with a cheerful “gracias.”

 

  

Spring flowers

I passed a couple of pilgrims this morning, which was a rare occurrence as I don’t encounter many on this Camino. On the Camino Frances, I would probably come across hundreds of pilgrims heading to Santiago within a couple of days. The couple I met today seemed to be German, though they didn’t say much. I've noticed that couples walking together often keep to themselves, relying on each other. That said, it’s not always the case—Jean Michele and Suzette come to mind as a wonderfully friendly pair.

Reflections on Hotel Life

Staying in a hotel instead of an Albergue has its ups and downs. On the one hand, it's nice to have my own space and privacy. On the other hand, it means being alone without anyone to chat with. I think I prefer the camaraderie of Albergues, where pilgrims are often open and eager to share their personal lives. For instance, last night, I spoke to a man who shared the heartbreaking story of losing his daughter to cancer and how difficult that journey had been for him.

Dinner Hurdles

This afternoon, I went to a local restaurant for a meal, but it was packed. The waitress suggested I return in an hour, which I did, only to find it even busier. I’ll try again this evening when they open at eight, but if it doesn’t work out, I'll settle for a sandwich.

Update on my shoe repair

Both of the rubber patches came off  my shoes today which was a shame, but I did catch them before they fell off. They probably lasted 40 or 50km so I think it worth trying again and so I have stuck them back on this afternoon.

Final word

I had a comment on yesterday's blog from John from Norway. John, if you read this, please get in touch. I have left my email on the reply to your comment from yesterday.