31.2 km – 19.4 miles

7:45am – 3:45pm walking time

~300 meters – 984 feet elevation gain

It was a brutal day both mentally and physically today. Another day mostly alone aside from a cyclist from Australia that chatted with me for one break and a couple from the states that chatted with me on another break. I’m eating a bocadillo in a bar alone in a town where almost nothing is open. It’s Sunday in Spain.

Feeling like I added an extra 7 km overall to my full Camino for nothing between yesterday and today. I had wanted to visit Samos because of the famous monastery here but my feet are far too tired to do much wandering so I’m not sure I’ll even make it to the monastery. Here’s a picture I grabbed of it on my way to my pension.

My optimism for this Camino is basically gone. I’m just trying to get the walking done so I don’t feel like a quitter. But there is little to no enjoyment when someone like me spends this much time alone (yet surrounded by people). I don’t know why it’s been so hard to find friends to connect with that are on the same time schedule as me. The few wonderful people I have met are all ahead of me, behind me, or they went home because they were only walking a small section. Maybe my luck is just poor timing. But either way, I wish I had more fellow pilgrims to talk to more often.

Today I talked to cats, cows and dogs…

I was happy with how many cat, cow and dog friends I was able to make today – definitely a bright spot.

It was a beautiful day but far more uphill than the guidebook indicated, so I’m wrecked from that. I knew about the downhill, but the guidebook seems to list small hill after small hill as completely flat. The distances sound much more doable when there aren’t big hills to climb.

Tomorrow will also be a long day – since I have to make up for today’s diversion. May end up being around 37-38km. Not expecting to see very many people until I get back to the main Camino path.

Tomorrow’s another day. Lots of walking.