camino day 17

It keeps blocking my post.

Day 17 Carrion De Los Condes to Moratinos Distance = 30 KM

I can't say enough good things about the town of Carrion De Los Condes. I could quite happily have stayed there for a longer time. Eventually I found Eli, sitting outside a bar with James. I went into the bar to order some wine, and was pleasantly surprised to find out that wine was 50 cents per glass. That was my night sorted. Eli was drinking Coca cola, which was three times more expensive than the wine. As we sat outside the bar we were gradually joined by our pilgrim family. The convent closed at 10.30 p.m. on the dot, so we had to end our night earlyish. We didn't want to incur the wrath of the nuns.

I had a fitful sleep! News of the bed bugs had put the jitters up me. At one point in the night I dreamt that I was covered in them, and I was pulling them off and throwing them across the room. I was elated when I woke up to zero bites. After packing my stuff up I went off in search of Eli. I expected to find him fast asleep in the church eaves, but to my surprise he was up, and ready to go. James and the Wolfman had looked after him well. 

We breakfasted in a small bar/cafe, before heading out into the Mesata once more.Today there would be nothing for the first 17.5 KM, so we had to bu a boccadillo for the road (that's a butty, to anyone from Northern England). It was a cold start to the day, as we headed off into a beautiful orange sunrise. Our minds were filled with a new fear today. Over breakfast we'd been informed that Spain may be going into full lockdown next week. Apparently their government has meetings on Friday's, and any proposals are actioned the following Monday. What would we do if the country goes into full lockdown? The selfish part of me would want to go full Rambo, and head off into the countryside, living off the land. But in reality, we'd probably have to go to the nearest airport, to make our way home. Oh well! We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. It adds a bit more excitement to the trip. Will we make it to Finisterre? Every KM counts, from here on in. We're actually now over halfway to Santiago.

Today's journey was long and straight.The first 5 KM or so, was a beautiful country lane, which turned into a dirt track for the next 12.5 KM. Eli's boccadillo was burning a hole in his pocket from the outset. He was itching to eat it. Before we'd gone far, he'd scoffed the lot (and so had I). Thankfully our bodies are well conditioned now, we are literally motoring through the Meseta. We whizzed past many people, as we tore through the centre of fields of wheat. Wide expansive miles of nothingness, as far as the eye can see. It gave me lots of time to think. I focussed on how little we need in this world to exist. I've travelled a lot in my life, and often come to this conclusion. When your life is contained within a rucksack on your back, you realise that we fill our lives with so much rubbish, that is unnecessary to our existence. Every time I come home from a long trip I fall back into the same trap of buying stuff that I don't need. But it's great to experience this feeling of not needing anything, if only for a short time.

Today I really got the feeling that I was in the Meseta. A route full of little else, other than a dirt track, wheat fields, haystacks, and dead sunflowers. It felt wonderful to arrive in the village of Calzadilla De la Cueza, where filled our systems with caffeine. As I was sat drinking Coca Cola, I was approached by a lady called Gill. 'You must be Andy?' She said. She's been following my journey on the Camino FB group, and was wondering when we'd meet. I was delighted when she told me how much she loved my writing, and how it captured her own trip in words. I also received many kind words yesterday about my efforts to write about my journey.It makes it all worth while. 

During the latter part of our journey today the landscape became more varied. The flat, arid landscape gave way to hills, trees, and vegetation. At one stage we walked on a small section of old road, which was now redundant. We stopped for one last break, in the village of Ledigos. I'm becoming more fond of Spanish culture by the day. No matter what time you arrive at a bar/cafe, there is always somebody having a drink of beer, or wiine. It's so much more relaxed than life in the UK. I guess the sun plays a big part in chilling people out. We've now arrived in the small conurbation of Moratinos, where we've booked in at our best accomodation so far on the Camino. For 12.50 euro each we've got our own private room, with balcony, and private bathroom. I'm currently sat writing on a roof terrace, which affords me a perfect view of the surrounding area. Fields, in every direction, as far as the eye can see, and not a soul in sight. Unfortunately I'm being plagued by flies, but you can't have everything in life. And if you could, it would be boring.