Thengel1
Active Member
- Time of past OR future Camino
- CF April-May 2013; mid-Sept. 2017
I started the day in Palas de Rei, less than 70 km from Santiago de Compostela. I woke with all the symptoms of the flu. What I should have done was stayed exactly where I was. Instead, I decided I would start walking and see how it went. Sheer bloodymindedness can a very useful trait sometimes. On the other hand, we have today.
By the time I had covered the 3.5 km to the next Albergue, I realized I had made a bad mistake. Unfortunately, the Albergue didn't open for another couple of hours, and was no where to stop and try to eat something ( I had a banana and an apple with me, but I was already having dry heaves, so I really didn't want anything heavier than say toast). There was another Albergue a km down the road, but it was closed and wasn't clear if it was going to open at all. So I pushed to the next Albergue, a further 1.3 km down the road.
So far, I had walked a grand total of 5.8 km. it had taken me a total of 2.5 hours to cover this distance. The Albergue indicated closed. This didn't worry me unduly, it was before 12. I felt I walked as far I dared, so I settled in to wait. Sadly, the benches with back support were in the sun, and the one spot to sit that was shaded was killing my back. I was so exhausted, I didn't know what to do. Eventually, I just lay on the pavement in the shade of the building. No idea what people who passed must have thought. As I lay there, I came to rather obvious realization that even if the albergue opened, I couldn't stay there. I was sick with something that probably was contagious, I couldn't stay and infect other people.
It took me another 30 minutes ( total duration of the stop, about 3 hours), but eventually I managed to get up and resume walking. It took more an hour and 15 minutes, but I did cover the 2.7 km to O Coto (weaving like a drunken sailor most of the way) and checked at the hotel there.
I am not sure there is a moral to this story other than I am an idiot, but there is my day. Santiago is so close, it is frustating to have to stop, but even if I feel better tomorrow, I am only going to Melide 6.5 km.
Glen
By the time I had covered the 3.5 km to the next Albergue, I realized I had made a bad mistake. Unfortunately, the Albergue didn't open for another couple of hours, and was no where to stop and try to eat something ( I had a banana and an apple with me, but I was already having dry heaves, so I really didn't want anything heavier than say toast). There was another Albergue a km down the road, but it was closed and wasn't clear if it was going to open at all. So I pushed to the next Albergue, a further 1.3 km down the road.
So far, I had walked a grand total of 5.8 km. it had taken me a total of 2.5 hours to cover this distance. The Albergue indicated closed. This didn't worry me unduly, it was before 12. I felt I walked as far I dared, so I settled in to wait. Sadly, the benches with back support were in the sun, and the one spot to sit that was shaded was killing my back. I was so exhausted, I didn't know what to do. Eventually, I just lay on the pavement in the shade of the building. No idea what people who passed must have thought. As I lay there, I came to rather obvious realization that even if the albergue opened, I couldn't stay there. I was sick with something that probably was contagious, I couldn't stay and infect other people.
It took me another 30 minutes ( total duration of the stop, about 3 hours), but eventually I managed to get up and resume walking. It took more an hour and 15 minutes, but I did cover the 2.7 km to O Coto (weaving like a drunken sailor most of the way) and checked at the hotel there.
I am not sure there is a moral to this story other than I am an idiot, but there is my day. Santiago is so close, it is frustating to have to stop, but even if I feel better tomorrow, I am only going to Melide 6.5 km.
Glen