Days 16, 17 and 18 - Carrion, Moratinos, Sahagun and Leon

To answer the question for anyone out there reading this who actually follows things like distances to the places in this post; yes, we have turned into 50km a day girls. (It's a bit of an in-joke... We met this guy once, in Santo Domingo I think, who was walking 50km a day. He didn't talk to us though, spent all evening talking on his mobile and being sullen. I prefer our nice 20-30km days.) We managed to go from Carrion to Leon in three days! I am so proud: that's something like 150km. (?)

Kidding, of course. We prefer to actually enjoy ourselves while we're walking. But it has been an interesting, rather wonderful last few days. A bit sad, too, because tomorrow morning we are splitting up with Rachel, who has to leave for Madrid in the morning or around midday to fly back to Australia for Christmas (with a couple of days in Thailand). That's why we're here in Leon now, arrived yesterday and are spending the day here, window shopping, eating out, all that stuff.

Backtracking a little: We left Carrion quite early in the morning, surrounded by fog and mist (does anyone actually know the difference?) and in freezing temperatures. It was actually, literally freezing, because when we stopped for our 6km break, the stone benches and tables were crusted with ice and there were pools of frozen water on the tabletop. Talk about cold! That day was probably one of the craziest days; by the time we arrived in Moratinos, a tiny village with no albergue or even a bar, we were delirious. The distance itself was already 31km, and then we decided to go along the wrong road TWICE and added another three or four ks to the distance. To top it all off, 17km was along this dead straight, dead boring stretch of yellow road that had no breaks or change in landscape whatsoever. By the end of it, I was starting to understand why people are meant to go crazy between Burgos and Leon, especially people walking alone. We walked separate for stretches, but also talked and walked together, which made it a bit more bearable. Come to think of it though, the weather was so gorgeous and sunny all day that it also helped with the boring-ness of the camino. It just felt like a treadmill. A yellow, gravel treadmill.

It was a massive day, but the prospect of English-speaking accommodation in a house with actual beds and cooked food was too good to give up. I said before that there was no albergue in Moratinos, but when I started my blog I had a message from Rebekah Scott, who lives in Moratinos, telling me to stop by when I get that far. So I sent her a message in Carrion and asked if we could stay the night, and she said yes, and we had a wonderful evening (and a sleep in until half past 10!) with her and her husband Patrick in their home, which they named the Peacable Kingdom. And it truly was! We had real beds with real doonas and blankets and dinner and everything. Truly wonderful. (Thanks you, Rebekah!) After we finally got out of bed and had breakfast, we walked the remaining 10km to Sahagun and from there caught a train to Leon in the afternoon. An interesting experience - good, funny interesting. Let's just say St James, or something out there, is watching us and taking care of us.

Leon is wonderful. We got completely lost finding the albergue because we weren't actually coming from the camino, but the train station; it was dark by the time we finally found it. I think that day ended up being a 20km day after all. But the city and the cathedral are beautiful, and the shops are cool, so cool that I almost bought a pair of shoes. Anyone who knows me will know that if I am tempted to buy shoes (shoes in particular), the shops must be very, very special. I hate shoes. And waiting for us at the albergue was a surprise indeed - funnier than meeting Mario, looking like a faux, three decades to old gangster in his hoodie, in front of the cathedral - we reunited with (part of) our family! Standing at the other side of the kitchen was Sam, with this look of absolute amazement on his face, too scared to blink because we might have disappeared. "Give me a moment", he says, and continues to stare, which is when we all burst out laughing and there are hugs all around. And then, we are told that there is an Australian guy here too - and it turns out to be the Elusive Charlie! Which is also a bit of an in-joke, because everyone further back has been telling us about this Australian called Charlie, who has almost reached mythical status, hence the name and the capitalisation. He's a lovely guy - I have to laugh when I say he's "fabulous" because he says that all the time. British accent, goes on big rants about books and opera and all that sort of thing, gestures around wildly with his hands... you know. Cracks me up completely everytime. Now all we need is for Atilla (who is, I think, one day behind us and may turn up this afternoon?) to show up!

Funny story abotu Atilla: When he's asked where he's from, he says that he's a Hungarian (which leads to Ari's bad joke, Atilla the HUNgarian) with a Slovak passport living in Prague. (Mouthful, eh?) But you see, we've figured out his actual story. He's actually the son of Hungarian nobility, probably even royalty, who was exiled to Slovakia after political disputes and the assassination of his parents when he was young. However, the politics in Slovakia meant that he wasn't safe there either, so he was granted asylum with the royal family in Prague and lives there. But then he got so sick of all the luxury and riches that h decided to denounce his heritage and become a pilgrim, walking from Prague to Santiago through Le Puy and St Jean.

...

There actually is truth to that. Well, maybe not, but a basis. Atilla has to be the most humble, kind person all of us have ever met. He just radiates humbleness and compassion, bit like a saint, really. We think that when he reaches Santiago he will become one, and then we shall start a religion that follows Atilla's teachings, which are all good with no creepiness like other religions. Yep. It has been decreed.

Anyway, that's probably all for now, other than that I am going out shopping later to get another pair of new socks (I got some this morning and they are awesome, so I shall get another pair and get rid of one of my other socks), and I am going to find a small, light pot (I've been told that in Galicia, the albergues have kitchens, but no pots or utensils), a cup for tea or soup and a spoon and fork. And maybe a big, proper poncho, because the forecasts are (apparently) for sleet and snow from here on. It won't be too bad weight considered, because I am always amazed at how little I have in my pack, and how little I mind what weight I have! Compared to Charlie, who has a pack which is massive, something like 80L capacity and all full!

Oh, and an update on the foot and the bugs - the foot is getting better and I am limping around less, as are the bites. I'd wrapped my sleeping bag up tight a few days back and not used it since last night, where I stuck it in the dryer on hot and hopefully killed anything living in it (I have no new bites after sleeping in it, so all's good!) and washed all my clothes in Moratinos, where Rebekah lent me clothes to wear. So everything's great! The only thing I'm freaking out about now is my HSC results, which I can access tomorrow at 8pm, I worked out. At the beginning I was all "I want my results!" *pout*, but now I have other thoughts on that matter... *freaks* At least I'll be able to walk it off the next day!!!

Love to everyone reading this, especially to my family, in particular Sonja and Mum, who are both going to walk the camino in three years when Sonja finishes school, like me! Mum, you would have loved the pilgrim mass I went to last night. Nuns are so wonderful, and sing so angelically!