Day 30 – A Pena to Portos

/ adventuregirlannie

This is going to be one of the days I want to forget on the Camino. Nothing terrible happened but a combination of small bad/annoying things made it the day that got me closest to having a break down. 

Yesterday was so long and so hot and overall really draining. So today when the alarm went off I still wanted 5 more hours of sleep. Then the start of today my leg was in excruciating pain with every step. Not sure what’s wrong with it but I know it hurts. Then the pain got traded for mugginess, which meant being drenched in sweat and when I sweat the flies decide that I’m fun to hang out with. Nothing could get them to leave me alone. Add that to the never ending hills and I was not a happy camper. 

I’ve been in much worse situations but today was the first day that I got close to wondering why I’m doing this. 

Anyone who knows me well knows that I’m a determined person. When I put my mind to something, I do everything in my power to make it happen. So coming into this Camino I knew that nothing was going to stop me from finishing it as planned. Even if I got hurt or had pain along the way, I was going to stick it out to the end. That’s just what I’ll do. I’m in the homestretch now, so nothing will stop me. Not even the first blister that showed up at the end of today.

The thing that kept me going today was my group of Camino friends. Knowing that I’d have a great group of people to hang out with the end of the day made me realize that my not-so-good day wouldn’t stay that way forever. I’ll forever be grateful for all the wonderful people I’ve met and the bonds I’ve made on the Camino. It’s a community that cares and watches out for you like you’re family. So a big thank you to Eva, Paige, Nicki, Wes, Maurice and John for keeping me going when I wanted to break down and feel sorry for myself. 

Sure, I’ve showed you lots of beautiful countryside and talked about special moments on the Camino, but what I haven’t told you is that it’s really hard. Some people train for half marathons for months before running/walking them. We are out here walking half marathons + a couple miles or more each day. We are doing this on little sleep, and often while not eating the best foods for these kinds of activities. We are facing endless hills, thunderstorms, high temperatures, low temperatures, strong winds. We endure pain and exhaustion on a daily basis. 

Despite having a not-so-great day, I’m still loving every bit of this experience and wouldn’t trade it for anything. 

I would share photos, but the wifi in my albergue is terrible. So this post may be updated with photos later on. 

UPDATE: Photos!

 

14 thoughts on “Day 30 – A Pena to Portos”

  1. Thumbs up Annie! You’ll be successfull! I’m sorry about the bad feelings and pains today but I’m sure that you will arrive in Santiago 🙂 safely. It’s wonderful that you met so dear friends!
    I hope you have a very good night with sweet dreams 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  2. No pain no gain seems pretty trite at this point, I’m sure.
    I remember so distinctly a day in New Zealand back in 2003 when someone kept encouraging me almost every step of the way on that miserable 12- mile ‘”most beautiful day hike ” with “C’mon, Mom, you can do it.
    And, that encouragement helped me achieve one of my proudest outdoor accomplishments ever.
    Magnify that in your case today and on the Camino.
    SO proud of you for what you’ve achieved , what you ‘ve learned and how much you’ve appreciated your support and the experience!
    Love you, Annie.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  3. You are an inspiration to so many, Annie. That doesn’t diminish with your honest remarks about the difficulty of the trek. In fact, it just reminds us that you’re human. Enjoy the rest of your adventure. You will have memories to cherish for the rest of your life.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  4. You got this, Annie! I only “liked” this post because it rings so true to how I felt some days too. I kept a written diary I wrote in most days and there are some days when all I did was gripe. So glad your camino amigos are there with you!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  5. Still savoring your every post. I’ll resist sharing any of my many cliches with you on this introspective day… I’m sure you know and have heard them all. Hike on.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  6. I’m a ‘hidden’ follower, who follows your Mom’s blog. I wanted to step from the shadows and tell you what an inspiration you are and how much I have enjoyed vicariously joining you on your journey. Please know that we ‘hidden fans’ are cheering you every step of the way and truly appreciate your words and photos. You are not alone. Go Annie go!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

Leave a comment