Day 16: Calzadilla de la Cueza to Bercianos del Real Camino

I’ve hit a difficult part of the Camino, emotionally. It’s not unexpected, but it’s challenging. I sleep in a different town every night, I’m missing my husband and home, and it’s getting harder to find albergues with available beds. The showers are minuscule. Bunk beds lost their allure decades ago. I’ve been walking on blisters for two days.

So while I walked this afternoon, I thought about things I’m grateful for today.

1 - Brad. Reconnecting with my husband has been the most wonderful and profound surprise of my Camino. I love that technology allows me to share this journey with him. He has also been my rock this week.

2 - Clouds. Endless sunshine has its down side. Today was much cooler walking.

3 - An available bed at the volunteer-run albergue in Bercianos after 20 miles of walking.

In other news, I reached the halfway point between St. Jean Pied de Port and Santiago de Compostela earlier today. 224 miles left to go.

Communal dinner prepared by the group, complete with a rap version of a blessing on the food.