Day 12 - Camino Day 1 : Oviedo - Astorga - Rabanal 23/9

Day 12. - Camino Day 1 -23rd September

The clothes didn't dry of course - hanging in the bathroom. In fact I had to ring them out again. Then I thought of rolling them up in the towels provided. That was somewhat successful. The long black shirt wasn't too bad for the first half of the day. I had another bright idea of hanging one wet shirt on the back of the back pack for some of the way today. That worked well.

The views over these mountains were spectacular
...but I was glad I wasn't trying to walk over them.

I started with a traditional Spanish breakfast which has a lot of cold meats and cold coffee - but that was probably because I didn't understand the Spanish instructions.

Then off to the local bus stop to catch the bus to Astorga. Lucky I booked because it was full after Leon. I threw up my hands and told them I didn't understand that I was sitting in their pre booked numbered seat. I had no number. But everyone accepted it really well. Smiles all round.

Photos taken from the bus

 .... of the lake near Los Barrios de Luna

Then I heard the lady directly behind me say she was Australian and getting off at Astorga too, so I decided I was going to stick with her because it sounded like she had been travelling a bit of the Camino already. Leanne her name was - from Canberra - she gave helpful advice with a few basics. I had to say goodbye as she was staying and I was keen to keep going.

Church at Astorga

So after stopping at the last cafe for a coffee and a chance to use the los servicious - toilet - they were impressed I tried - I was off. But as soon I was off I bumped into a Dutch girl who spoke almost perfect English. Rose was her name and she was a lovely young lady. A medical student one year away from finishing. We spent the next 4 hours together and kept a good pace.

Me and Rose from the Netherlands

It was just the start I was hoping for. A good long walk with someone who shared stories and the journey together and got to know fairly well. It was only towards the end of our time together that I found out she was doing the Camino in memory of her brother who had drowned 7 years ago. There were unexpected tears and an abrupt farewell as she soon reached her destination and I was intending to travel on.

steeple - similiar to ones found in every village

I decided sometime before starting this day that I would dedicate part of my walk to different people in my life. I hadn't planned anything before leaving so I thought I would just let this happen - let the person's name come to me during the day. Maybe this would work.

After spending most of the day I with Rose I thought not of my Rose but of April. Today's Rose studies Medicine in the Netherlands so this is why April came to mind. Studying at Monash in her first year and hoping to transfer over to Medicine after a couple of years. But I also spent some time thinking of Qing, an ex student and friend of mine and all of my kids who was found dead in the Tamar River only days before. I was going to miss his funeral.

I spent some time to myself after saying goodbye to Rose and so I was able to think a bit about Qing and April but wondering if I would make it to Rabanal - the place I was planning to finish the day.

After speaking with the sister of the Mexican soccer team manager, a mother and a son from America travelling together, two Aussie blokes and an Irishman I finally found an albergue that had a spare bed.

Behind the Rabanal Albergue

It's ten o'clock and I need to be inside.  I'll finish this tomorrow.

It's 7am now and still dark. Not sure where I'm having breakfast and not really wanting to go without some light - though most pilgrims have left here already. Many leave early so they can get to their next destination before lunch making sure they have a place to stay. I think that's a bit crazy.

Just to finish off from last night.
After resting for a little while, I attended vespers at the local church - prayers almost completely sung and led by a Spanish minister. By the time I got there it was standing only which was hard after a days walking. But it was beautiful. Tea was in a restaurant where I was seated alone but next to a table of two Australian women. One was Amelia from Canberra - whose birthday it was that day and her friend Caroline from Newcastle. We had an enjoyable chat and I had a three course pilgrims meal including a carafe of wine for 11€($16). Not bad.

10pm is the curfew at the albergue - a hostel like accommodation where we slept in a mixed dorm. With 20 other pilgrims, probably a quarter of whom snored. I didn't mind though. I was out like a light and had my earplugs which helped block out the noise - probably my own snoring as well.