After the long day yesterday, we all ended up getting up a little later than usual and set out around 7:30. The weather was cool and overcast, so it made for a good start to the day. The terrain today was much more forgiving and not as rough.
We made our way through many small villages with a lot of fields of hay and different vegetables. The air smelled strongly of farm animals and the familiar smells of cow pastures. There was a stretch in the afternoon with the familiar smells of pine pitch as we walked through a small pine forest. It reminded me of hiking at home in California.
We took many breaks throughout our 16.5 mile walk today. My feet felt really good at the end of the day, and I didn’t have any new blisters, which is definitely a good thing. I’ve been doing the trick recommended to me of coating my feet in Vaseline before putting my socks and boots on. It sounds strange, but it has worked wonders for my feet!
I’ve reached the stage in the Camino where it is the minimum distance required to receive the Compostela document at the end of the Camino. What that means is that now there are a lot more pilgrims on the Camino, and many of them are fresh off the bus with their clean clothes. There are also a lot more vendors selling their merchandise. I have to admit, I did take advantage of those stalls.
I reached a milestone today, and have less than 100km to go on the Camino. My flight home is one week from today which gives me mixed emotions. This afternoon, I received a text from my sister with a video of my one and a half year old niece looking for me back at home. It made me smile and my heart melt. As much as I am growing closer to my Camino family, I am also looking forward to returning to my family back home. I am not ready for this experience to end, but I am also looking forward to seeing my family at home.