Disney Camino

I want to tell you about a strange occurrence that has increased to an epidemic level over the past 2 days…

The Disney Camino – these peregrinos (or better known as turisimos – tourist peregrinos) you can spot them on the trek the following ways:

• they travel in packs of 5 or more
• they have day packs on – NOT BACKPACKS. You know those string backpacks you get that only hold 3 things
• they have no Camino tan (white legs all round!)
• they stop after 4km and have a beer.. Now some of you might think there is nothing wrong with that, but when you are walking 25+km for the day there is a big problem.
• they wheel their bags in to the Albergue that their tour guide just booked out (so no beds for us!!)
• they put make up on in the bathroom in the morning….
• there is a mega bus waiting for them after 12km to drive them the rest of the way if they are too tired to walk…

Can you feel the distain in my fingers as I type this???? Hmmmmmmmm

Jim the Pom said it a few days ago “it doesn’t feel the same” and we were wondering what he meant. We now know. The high of reaching only 100km to go is quickly squashed by the increase in traffic on the Camino..
Now I don’t want to sound like a Camino snob but – you gotta start further back and get the true experience than just the last 100km….

We would stop at for our morning break and see familiar faces or catch up with our Camino family again.. But alas, now we don’t 🙁 we have scattered across the trek with different dates and needs to make it to Santiago…

We are only 3 days away, doing 22 – 25km a day now trying to stretch out our Camino as long as we can before our flight deadline… Eric left us this morning with a 42km day ahead as he needs to finish before us to make it to his Madrid holiday to follow… It was strange to wake up without our pace car. His gorgeous smile and random comments and thoughts to keep us laughing or contemplating along the way. (we miss you Eric!)

Spending 3/4 of the day on the road has not helped – and the feet & ankles are wishing for the nature trek again. (No its not the knees – I’m wearing braces as a prevention as it’s better than a cure!)

But the rise and fall of the trek is calming and with each village we pass and the familiar sight of the yellow arrow pointing the way brings thoughts of what is waiting for us in Santiago de Compestella…

Until then it’s messages and FB with our Camino family to see who is at the same stop?? Dinner last night with Ruth Tina and Dr Marco (Marco as risen to Doctor status after his diagnosis of my rash and supply of pills to stop the itching!!! Thank god for Dr Marco!) and of course our little brother Eric was a fabulous memory made, sharing stories and paying way too much for a gin and tonic, enjoying the view and
laughing at our adventures thur far are just priceless.

We’ve stopped in Palas de Rei for the night -the Albergues have been booked out by bloody Disney Camios so we have found a hostel with a room for 3 – we’ve also found cold beer and wifi so now the hunt is on for good food 🙂

Until tomorrow
Buen Camino

100kms to go!

Bloody Disney Camino!