I woke up this morning with a sore throat and a headache, thinking “oh no…nonononono”
I considered staying in Estella to rest, a thought that lasted about five seconds before I dragged myself out of my sleeping bag and out of bed to pack up and head out the door. I wasn’t going to stop walking. I winced as I slung my pack on my back (I added two baguettes, a few bananas, apples, nuts and a jar of cooked lentils because it’s Sunday and I expected tiendas and restaurants to be closed today…) and took a few uneasy steps towards the yellow arrows, my knees wobbling and muscles aching. Jess looked at me concerned, but slowly we began a conversation, which carried us through the next fifteen miles. Not even halfway through the day, I realized my sore throat had eased up, my headache disappeared, and my muscles felt strong and warm rather than weak and sore as they had been upon waking. Walking and breathing the fresh air of rolling hills and vineyard farmland from Estella to Los Arcos had helped ease my illness. Suddenly, the history of pilgrimage originating from people looking for miracles, such as a cure for illness and other ailments, began to make sense to me.
I’m very thankful for the way things have been working out for me on the Camino so far. I feel like there is a synchronicity that has been occurring that I am starting to notice and appreciate.
I’m walking the Camino without a guidebook, which has been working for me wonderfully. I love just knowing which town to end my day in, and leaving everything else open for surprises. I love starting back on the path with no expectations- I don’t want to know what the terrain is going to look like, how many kilometers between each town, etc. I love leaving room for serendipity.
Instead of trusting a guidebook, I’ve been learning to put faith in my intuition, and also in the nature around me. There was a time on my way to Larrasoaña where I questioned my direction- I couldn’t tell if I was following the bike path or pedestrian path. I saw dozens of lizards making their way down a flight of stairs, dancing around my feet as they passed me by. It sounds a little kooky, but I took it as a sign- and I found the way, by following these reptilian friends. Tree branches and holly vines have also shown me similar things that I would have missed if I didn’t allow myself to be surprised by nature.
As for today, I’m happy that I didn’t stay in Estella to rest. Though I was torn at first, I’m glad I continued my routine of walking. I realized I probably would have felt worse staying in bed all day- it was best to get outside and keep moving, creating circulation and getting some sunshine. There is also something so addictive about this daily ritual of moving forward.
I am also so thankful to have spent the day with Jess. It had been a while since we had spent time one-on-one, and it was wonderful to catch up. It was also an eerie stretch of land today from Estella-> Los Arcos. It was a gorgeous landscape: lush, green, rolling hills, vineyards…but there were several abandoned farmhouses and fallen apart structures embedded into the hills, and the looming gray skies increased the creepy vibe. It was also extremely quiet- Jess and I left later than usual, and there were not many other pilgrims on the road. I didn’t necessarily feel unsafe, just got a mild case of the heebie-jeebies. I’m sure it would be a lot more peaceful and beautiful if it was sunnier.
All the more reason I was so happy to be with Jess, and especially not alone. We joked about all the weird things we discovered throughout the day…Engaging in conversation with Jess also helped me forget all about feeling sick, and put me back into harmony with my own body and mind.
I’m happy to keep moving, laughing, breathing, living.
xoxo
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