“Yo que fui lo que tu eres, tu seras lo que yo soy” ~ inscripted on the cemetery gates of Los Arcos.

“I was once what you are, and you will be what I am”. A good enough reason to be living today and not counting down to something in the future don’t you think. We laughed a lot today mostly at ourselves and our alternating sources of discomfort. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else though, walking is my purpose now.

Days on the Camino – 8

Kms – Today 29 kms. Our total is now around 202kms. No major ailments the legs are less stiff, feet hurt by the end of the day, no more heat rash on the feet. Just waiting for the bites to settle now ;)

Starting point today – Longroño, Spain.

End of the day – Nájera, Spain.

Number of girls in Africa educated – 19

Total funds raised so far – $5,980.00. 

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 – My sister for making me laugh till I cried today x 10!

Accommodation – We tried something different today and pre booked a night. We found an Albergue that has a twin room and was clean and reviewed well. (€15 each). Very happy here although it was weird knowing we had to be somewhere by a certain time or we’d lose our room! We’re fast walkers so getting here by 3pm wasn’t a problem. Tomorrow we’ll go back to rolling into town and finding a place.

Yes Liz you can pre book the private Albergue’s. You don’t pre pay but you need to arrive by 3 or you lose your room. I’ve met people who have pre booked the whole trip. Remember sprightly Carol? She did a tour last year and this year she simply booked all the same places. If you forward your bags on via transport (rather than carry your pack) you must have a place booked. It does mean you can’t change your plans on the day though. We prefer the flexibility.

Food highlight – Eating a juicy Spanish orange on a mountain top.

In a word(s) – Laughing.

It was a day of laughing at ourselves. What else can you do when at any given moment something hurts! After a sluggish start at around 20kms with new sense of vigour I announced to my sister ‘I’ve woken up’! She replied ‘the nurofen you took 1/2 an hour ago has just kicked in’. Queue another round of belly laughs.

There was a lot of walking without talking today. Most of those we passed acknowledged us with a head nod … we’re all feeling it. Not like the first few days!

I love it though. This is the guts of the walk. The time you have to dig in, it’s the character building stuff. Today I thought a lot about how unreal it is that this walk of mine with the help of so many others is going to send girls to school! Girls who without this are more likely to be married at 12. We’re sending almost a whole class of them to school. That’s so much more than any discomfort I may feel. That’s my purpose. Following on from yesterday thoughts … it’s purpose that gives me a way marker in life.

On this day of walking between vineyards, of spotting animals, lakes and ancient pilgrim hospital ruins, photographing landscape and people (pilgrims – mostly from behind). This overcast day with its fresh breeze that made walking tired so very pleasant I think of all of those who have supported this project. I walk on knowing that while I’m here walking with a purpose and I won’t have regrets.

Buen Camino

Fran xx