After unsuccessfully trying to log on to the internet last night we decided to continue the blog updates this evening instead. For the first time ever, the fact that we were doing the Camino de Santiago, elicited a startling response from the owner of the hostal into which we booked for the night. He insisted on giving us a special rate for his best, recently refurbished room, and then gave us a light lunch, dinner and breakfast for next to nothing! We hope this continues!
We had intended walking the whole way from Conil to Chiclana by road but after consulting Google maps we decided to opt for a different route. We were glad we did as we found a fantastic path which went on for about five miles and only then did we have to go on a minor road or the remainder of our 15 mile trek! We arrived in Chiclana after walking for 7 hours. As we arrived over the brow of a hill, the town looked a short distance away. The reality was that there were still 3.5 kms to go! Robert went a bit mad and starting walking at a furious rate to get there quicker and I could not resist taking a photo of him going past a 30km/hr sign!
Chiclana itself was a bit disappointing. We got our "credencial" duly stamped at the local church, had dinner and went to bed. This morning foot inspection revealed even more blisters that needed treating. Ana Maria is suffering particularly and we hope she will be able to manage. The road to Puerto Real was long and dusty, walking mainly along minor roads for part of the way. We did however manage to get lost (it's part of what we do all the time!) and ended up walking an extra 5 kms! The jury is still out as to who was to blame for turning left when we should have turned right. All that I can say is that I am filing for divorce! In mitigation, we asked 3 people for directions and they all gave us conflicting versions! We finally made it to the University Hospital in Puerto Real,which is about 4 kms outside the town. It was there that we saw our very first yellow arrow, the sign of the Camino de Samtiago path! Long may it continue to guide our footsteps.
In Puerto Real we found it almost impossible to find accommodation. A long search revealed only one hostal (which was closed) and we started to despair. Eventually a local man took pity on us and took us to the house of a friend of his where we are spending the night. Earlier today we had the second of our live interviews with Brookland FM who are covering the whole of our walk. We very much hope that some people will rally to our call for more funding for the Sam Beare Hospice in Woking. If you read this blog perhaps you can get your company to donate £100 to this very worthy cause, just £1 per mile that we have walked so far. Believe you me each mile has been fun and agony in equal measure. We hope that our suffering will not be in vain!
Today has marked the end of our first week walking the Camino. We estimate we have walked in excess of 100 miles. Only 800 more miles to go!Buen Camino!
I AM SO PROUD OF YOU BOTH! walking 100 miles is so amazing already! im so sorry to hear about the blisters and the difficulty in finding a place to sleep for the night. i hope things become easier in the days to come. it seems like this is definitely turning out to be one heck of an adventure!
ReplyDeletenice to hear about the man giving u cheap breakfast! how nice of him. fingers crossed u meet more people like him!
love the picture of you and the horse and the flowers too.
you are both looking well (although the pictures can be deceiving as im sure you are both as tired ad exhausted as ever!!)
keep going, you can do it, keep smiling and will be thinking of you both.
all my love xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Cecile