El Camino de Santiago (Part 2)

Day one of walking came and we were pumped and ready to go!

We walked through a bunch of dirt trails and over cute stone walkways and it was honestly just like the movies!

On this day we found a stream along the way and decided it was a good idea to all jump in. It probably averaged a solid 70 - 75 degrees with nonstop sun our whole time there so it did not take much convincing. After our dip in the river we headed to a restaurant for lunch. Then backkk to walking! All I can clearly remember is walking and talking a lot!!!

By night fall we reached our second hostel and dang did my feet hurt! We were a room full of whiny, achy kids all trying to help each other out with massages or whatever else we thought might help. As much as we tried, there was only so much we could do.

By dinner time there was no way I was putting my feet back into those stupid sneakers so I threw on my shower flip flops (wearing regular Old Navy type flip flops in public here is very rare and slightly frowned upon) and off we went. Dinner was just more of the same getting to know yous and so on.

***SIDE BAR***

I forgot to mention how the walk actually works, we don't just walk around like aimless idiots, believe it or not. The walk is a well beaten trail weaving in and out of cities, the countryside, rivers and so on. All along the trail there are these markers that look like a side way shell or another kind of marker is a yellow spray painted arrow. These arrows and seashells become your very best friends and you watch for them every step of the way. Some of the seas shells are located on pillars with a label saying how far left until Santiago. Luckily I didn't realize the significance of these numbers until they were down to fifty so I wasn't too discouraged looking at huge numbers in the beginning. Also, at the beginning of the walk we were given "passports" that you have to get stamped at each restaurant and hostel you stay at. At the end your passport with all your stamps is taken to some office and later on in life you are mailed a certificate for completing the walk, so that's exciting and stuff!

***

Morning came and day two began. We had been told that day two was hardest of the entire walk, which was true... up until day three happened. Mooooore walking. On this day we walked through a really cool town with a seaport, it may actually have been Vigo were we took the train to, just another side of Vigo. The bridge we walked over was beautiful and below us were fish swimming by the dozens.

Not exactly a high point in the looks department on my part, but it is what it is.
(Left to right, Quinn, Me, Haley (New Hampshire), Victoria, Caroline (Illinois))

More walking and talking and stopping occasionally at a car pulled up to the side of the road full of snacks and liquids provided by the volunteers. On day two our hostel was located literally in the middle of nowhere. The first sixteen people there were the ones to get beds (beds on a bed frame that is, the rest were sent to another room with just a bunch of mattresses spread out on the floor. In this same hostel you were provided with a shower time of two minutes. Safe to say it was my least favorite. 

However it was by far the hostel with the most personality because it was family owned and dinner was made and served by the mother while her husband and son set up the tables and laid out cups and so on. It was cute, but a bit less lavish than I was expecting after walking about 30 km a day.

Day three came!!! Poop you day three! After hopping in the shower the day before I realized my feet had started to swell (a hugeeeeeee understatement, but I'll spare you the details) so day 3 was a bit uncomfortable. We got to the restaurant for day three which I was pleased to see was outside and located along a river. It was super sunny on day three as well so I was even more pleased to see the nice canopy thing they had going on there. After filling up and loading on the sun screen we were off again.

There was a day, I cannot remember if it was day two or day three that, while walking through a city we bumped into the Google Maps car, like it was tracing out its trails to put the footage online sort of thing. So we could potentially be found around Vigo, Spain on Google maps street view, or we could potentially not because, well we acted like lunatics and anyone in their right mind would probably delete the footage... I am hoping for option A though!

We had justtt passed the Google car at this point.

When I say day 3 was the worst, I mean really, it was a killer. First of all, we walked only 11 km in the morning which may sound like a lot, but in reality is nothing at all. If you ever do this walk, always, always, always, walk more before lunch. After lunch we walk 22 or more km until the hostel and it was like walking a roller coaster track the whole time. Up and down and up and down again, with literally nothing but nonstop woods.   

We crossed paths with a volunteer going the opposite way to explain to everyone that the hostel was a bit off path and that we were almost there. WRONG! We began to reach civilization again and the girl I was waling with and I reached a fork in the road with the arrow simply pointing left. They were both to the left. Soooo we began walking up a dirt path just to find out it was someones drive way, get laughed at, then finally pointed in the right direction by the neighbors in hysterics. I was miserable and a sweaty mess so I was not finding what exactly was just soooooo funny. Anyway, we finally and I mean like walking 22 km straight nonstop with dirty clinging to your sweaty skin with rashy / swollen ankles finally, found our hostel and I could not have been more relieved!

We got our books stamped claimed some beds and headed into the shower and took what I could quite possibly call the best shower of my entire life, and guess what? No time limit or running out of hot water in this place! Honestly I should write these people a congratulatory letter because they knew how it should be done. 

After climbing into a nice comfy sweatshirt, yoga pants, and the flip flops again we were driven four by four to the town square to eat dinner also located by a river over looked by a massive church. This night was probably my favorite. Haylee from New Hampshire and I, being the first group there, had a little time to go to the grocery store and buy some more snacks and looks at some little kiosks where I got some cool new earrings before we headed back to eat. 

When we got there the tables were set up individually only seating four people. Us AFSers are a packaged deal and like to be together so we were not having that. Another AFSer and I took the liberty to make on long table, nearly breaking four glass cups at the time, so everyone could be seated together. The waiters were glaring at us the entire time, but one thing exchange has taught me is do what makes you happy, even if it means breaking a rule every now and then and ya know what, sitting as one large group makes us pretty damn happy! We ate a nice GROUP dinner and talked about a bunch of random things. 

Throughout the course of the meal a bread crumb was flicked into one girls eye making it swell out a good inch or so. Also (we have a gluten free eater) a waiter rushed over to our table telling her she had to be driven to the hospital because he thought beans counted as gluten. Fortunately neither scenario turned out too serious and the night went on just fine. 

After dinner we decided to venture on up to the massive church looming over our heads. There was a spot light shining on the whole thing and we instantly saw it as an opportunity to make weird and obscure images of the face of the church for the rest of the town to see!

Finally we were driven back four by four and off to bed we went. Day three of walking was over.