Travels to the Edge

I forsook my quest for adventure (almost) and took a surer and safer path today. The weather was kinder. The temperature was a little lower and I had a cool easterly tailwind pushing me along. I made my getaway this morning, not a bull in sight. La Rhoda is a stylish country city. Here is where the parade went last night, and I was helped by a policeman to find accommodation. Strange how early morning can mask the party atmosphere of the night before.  I passed business and industry sites on the way out, including this paint factory. I don’t normally take these types of photos, but the place looked really smick. The familiar open plains were just around the corner. Farmers were out. Minaya came into view around lunchtime. No sorry - it’s a fake. The real Minaya looks like this. For a while, I thought this town had no people or shops, and I needed to get water and groceries. I searched  and eventually found lunch and water to go. Not ideal but it did the job. On the way out of town, a l

I have never had a Camino day quite like this. Distance, weather, uncertainty about path and end point, and where I would find somewhere to sleep when I got there - wherever’there’ was. Predawn departure through the streets of Albacete past children’s playgrounds. And reminders of Cervantes.  I was walking the same country. As the sun rose, the morning cool faded. Dogs on chains were excited to see me, I think- mostly they are just lonely. Soon I was walking in the La  Mancha plains again, and I could feel the solitude. The flat path stretched to the horizon, But I was not alone. I saw a snake basking only a metre or two ahead of me. It quickly disappeared back to the wheat field. I came across farmers organising irrigation for their crops. I did not expect to be walking through mud, or have truck drivers beep and wave at me as I splashed through. The terrain was flat and the paths were straight - if you made a wrong turn, you could walk kilometres out of your way.  So far so good. Tod

Antonio was herding his sheep when we met. A few kms back I realised I had missed a turn and needed to go cross country to get back on track. He was genuinely interested and encouraging about my walk. He wished me a Buen Camino. If I had not got lost we would not have met. Friendly exchanges through chance. Last night after dinner, as I walked across the town square, I felt as though I had upset the bar owner. He prepared me a delicious meal but never once cracked it for a smile. Fair enough I thought - as I was the only person eating as everyone else was leaving. This morning I returned to the bar and to my surprise he seemed pleased to see me. He wished me a Buen Camino as well. Today’s walk started quietly, but not quietly enough. I saw lots of wrabbits but they disappeared into their burrows - as I needed to be ‘vewy vewy quiet’. The traffic built over the hours. Farm machinery drivers and motorists passed me sometimes at close range and generally waved back.  One snake was not so