I’m not saying I don’t love walking with Amber, because she’s been one of the best company I’ve had along the Camino. When together we don’t stop laughing, oftentimes causing one of us to cry, but we also know when we’ve had too much and need a walk alone. I’m just concerned with the growing confidence she’s bringing out in me and the determination she has within herself.

       Amber, another fellow classmate I’ve met along the Camino, was in bad shape a few nights ago. She had fallen on her knee and it swelled to the point where she couldn’t bend it, and our group of pilgrims had just been passing through Santo Domingo de la Calzada, where one of my cathedrals was. Me and Amber decided to break away from the group and take a break day, her for her throbbing knee and me to visit the Cathdral of Santo Domingo.

       Moving on from Santo Domingo, Amber and I decided it was time for a casual 22k day, trying to stick with Brierley (the guide book that splits the Camino into stages for 33 days). After our rest day it took a little more effort to get back on the hiking rhythm, but once there it wasn’t that bad. At each break Amber would get out her bag of frozen peas and ice her knee hoping the ice would help the swelling and numb the pain, to which she would never admit but when asked how it was would respond

“eh… it’s not bad,”

“But does it hurt?”

“oh ya, buddy”

       After our night in Bordega, the town after Santo Domingo, we had a surge of energy and decided to walk as far as we could. We ended up 30k down the road in Atapuerca, even with my healing blister and Amber’s newly twisted ankle. My 5 blisters I had are healing wonderfully, leaving me with stronger feet, but also a slight sadness since I had named each one and considered them my walking buddies.

       All healed up (mostly) Amber and I hope to take on longer days. Will this ruin us, only time will tell. But we’ll surely be laughing through it all.