Day Five - Wine cures all? - 13k

Madame Roncal had suggested that a glass of wine was good for muscle problems, in fact it was good for everything so I’d made sure to have two the night before just to make sure. She had also seemed almost disappointed when I said it was my legs and not blisters that were causing me so much pain. Arose to a slightly less dodgy knee and a routine in place involving tiger balm and lots of grimacing. Walked up hill all day approaching a wind farm on the ridge, found a very recently dead horse and memorials to former pilgrims. The last few 

days have all been about mortality and illness and injury. Mood lifted by all the wonderful views and managing not to get too down about physical problems, just plugging away, one foot in front of the other, can’t give up.

Finding the whole of the rest of the day will involve walking downhill over the loosest rocks an most rutted mud, yay! A very nice old Spanish man offers advice about walking slowly and even tried to carry my rucksack for me, pride gets in the way of that and a little fear that is soon replaced by regret that I didn’t take him up on it. Making my way, slowly, dipping my feet in water wherever I find it to cool them down. My habits all start here, walking alone, home made ham and cheese bocadillos, orange and chocolate for breakfast, cola cao in a bar in the mornings, cerveza in the afternoons, foot dipping in streams and puddles… Walking through Almond orchards to stop at Uterga in a private Albergues in a restaurant opposite the grubby shabby looking alternative, arriving just before the three Austrians I’d met outside of the village who immediately order the largest beers I’ve ever seen, so that’s a litre of lager! I ordered a glass of red wine obviously for the antioxidants with a plate of food I would have struggled to combat at home, but made light work of here. Joined the Austrians in a beer and didn’t know whether to feel lucky that I didn’t know how to speak German, I was missing out on a lot of conversations but in a way able to keep myself to myself more easily and not get swallowed up by their impromptu groups. As usual I’ve tried to do too much too soon and everything hurts like hell again, short day tomorrow is a necessity not a luxury. Think I bemused the staff by changing into shorts and sunbathing in their back garden after my washing was done and hung out. Had to bribe the chained up and caged dog after a visit to my provisions, with some cured ham to stop him guarding the garden with his constant barking at me. We were immediately best friends, all I had left to deal with was the odd stinging nettle and early flies and insects on what would be considered a piece of waste ground at home not a lawn but it was hot and I was knackered, you know what they say about mad dogs and Englishmen… To Follow...Day Six - Holiday Hotel and Techno Showers