As each new day unfolds on this walk across Spain it’s bringing a new landscape to my life. There are the physical ones I’m walking into, the mistakes we make that we will tweak tomorrow, the unbelievable swell of support from women around the globe who are right here walking with me and standing with me to support One Girl. And then there’s relationship with my sister – I missed her today as we wandered a little way apart. She’s my Robin or maybe I’m the Robin depending on who’s Batgirl at any given moment.

Days on the Camino – 5

Kms – 28 kms. Total is around 105.2kms!! Yes we’ve cracked the first 100! I’m still blister free. The heat rash thing from yesterday is clearing or it’s no worse. My feet are sore, naturally.

Starting point today – Zariquiegui, Spain.

End of the day – Lorca, Spain .

Number of girls in Africa educated – 19

Total funds raised so far – $5,950.00. If you’d like to contribute you can do so here.

Frances Antonia – Do it in a dress.

Thanks for the help Kimmy from the Women Who Hike team.

Today was dedicated to –

A friend in Bendigo with a gracious heart, a kind spirit and a wise soul. My friend Selene whose heart is a little broken. Today was always going to be a walk for her and this morning we walked up the hill to these bronze statues representing the pilgrims of the Middle Ages. On which one has this engraved:

Donde se cruza el camino del viento con el de las estrellas which translates into English as where the path of the wind crosses that of the stars.

My friend who reads here will know the serendipitous nature of me walking into this moment on her day of being in my thoughts. It’s in the wind dear friend I hope it hugs you.

Accommodation – The albergue La Bodega del Camino in this medieval like village in Lorca is ticking all our boxes. A double room in this hostel is €20 per night! So rather than €9 each for a bunk we have a double room with doors that close (currently introverting in here – we all must be ok with knowing what we need right ;)). And now we have a new accom option when they arise – the private room amongst the dorms.

There is a bar and restaurant here with the option of the pilgrim meal or an a la carte menu. Also handy drying racks on the balcony and loads of them!

Personally we are quite enjoying longer walks, less breaks and arriving at the albergue’s in the early afternoon (we must have a meal/break between 15-20kms). The showers are empty, the beds are free and the afternoon becomes ours. That’s our Camino way.

Food highlight – Local peppers are no longer on the menu … but for lunch today was a massive bowl of spag bol was! After 28 odd kms and no lunch stop – I inhaled that!

In a word(s) – Blissfully tired and NOT getting off this double bed! A self catered €6 dinner is taking care of that, thanks sister.

It was a social trail today! Remember German Lucas from Orisson, day 1? Well as it turns out he wasn’t walking with his dad. He was just sitting with a guy who looked like his dad and they’d met on the Camino. He is on the left and man he sets a cracking pace! I hope my kids at 23 are independent enough to walk a Camino on their own. Lucas is meeting his mum further down the path to walk into Santiago with – how special!

And on the right is Mark he also German and excellent at identifying wild herbs. He was walking with Gunther in a past photo remember the gentleman pulling the trolley from day 2? We’d never spoken until today and I presumed Gunther was his dad, it turns out he isn’t! They had also met on the Camino. It seems I make a lot of presumptions.

We walked about 20kms with these guys and as they settled for a break in the town of Cirauqui. My sister and I were going to push on but first I had a brief chat with Miriam. A Dutchie who does a part of Camino each year. Each year for 10 of the last 14 – she started in Amsterdam. No, I’m not joking she started in Amsterdam 14 years ago. How’s that! And guess what else? She lived right near where I do now in The Netherlands! Coincidences of the nicest kind.

To exit the town of Cirauqui you walk under a Roman Arch and along a Roman road to exit. Off we marched the two of us, Batgirl and Robyn with our big grins. We made a BIG mistake here. We’d walked through the town – the one we planned to have lunch in and instead of going back under that Roman Arch to find food we walked on. We couldn’t be bothered turning around but we could be bothered to tackle the next 5.5 kms! Nuts. That was 22 kms without a stop other than a coffee in Puente la Reina, (home of the famous ‘Queens Bridge’ that was built to support the safe passage of medieval pilgrims) and our breaky of boiled eggs and fruit!

No surprises then that when we made it to Lorca after a good 27kms we dropped our packs – SPENT and done for the day!

But what a day it was – we walked into a new landscape where the vines and olive trees grow, where the thyme grows wild and along the way we passed through medieval villages, walked on Roman roads and crossed Romanesque bridges built for pilgrims of the past. And BOY did we laugh at our bodily woes, my sister and I.

On this day we also clocked over the first 100 kms of hiking and another two girls will receive an education thanks to some more unbelievable family generosity. The global community of global women continue to fill my inbox with heartfelt messages of support, hope and kindness … the Camino is providing or is it life that is providing???

Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton

Today a new blogger started following me and she just started a blog (with this quote). I don’t know her, I don’t think I do … but I like that she’s started a journey. That’s where it all begins …

Buen Camino

Fran x