Here’s an update on suitcase guy. He is indeed pushing and or pulling a stack of suitcases 100 km to Santiago. Apparently he did the same on Camino Frances before. He told another pilgrim that, at the pace his grandparents walk, the group of elders we saw him with, it wouldn’t be a challenge for him. So… he brings along their luggage to increase the work out. Some Aussie pilgrims we talked to helped him through a particularly muddy and rocky stretch yesterday. But the story goes gets better. Suitcase guy stayed in the same town as us last night and another pilgrim witnessed him doing a 65 minute plank, a challenging exercise to test your core strength. His name is “Richie Rich” and he is from Los Angeles, California, USA, and has an instagram page named “dohardthings365”. Hike your own hike.
This morning we had a big breakfast at a the same local restaurant we ate at last night. Three kilometres down the trail, Mark realized that he forgot something at the monastery and had to go back for it. Shelagh and I kept going to the first village and stopped to wait for Mark’s return. We got to greet friends and new to us pilgrims as they passed by. Mark later said that there were only three things he would have gone back for: his wallet; his passport; and what he forgot – his credentials. The credentials is a long accordion folded paper that pilgrims get stamped at restaurants and albergues along the way. You need it in Santiago to have your Camino officially recognized and to receive a Compostela, but more importantly, it is your most valuable keepsake as it chronicles your journey. Another set of pilgrim friends grabbed it for him and met him on the trail.
We are now 27 km from Santiago de Compostela and will finish tomorrow afternoon. We are staying at the Alborado Albergue in Calceda tonight. The Camino del Norte has now merged with the Camino Frances and our days of walking alone on trails and roads is over. Everybody else at the albergue has walked Camino Frances to get here. It’s 7:30 pm and there are still pilgrims walking down this main road. Tomorrow will become a parade of pilgrims heading for the city I’m sure. They are calling for rain but we can handle that.
One more day
Jase is from Australia. He walked the Camino Portuguese last year with his wife following a very creative route including a stop at the famous surfing beach Nazare, and the shrine at Fatima. This year he started in Irun about the same time as us with two friends.
Jeff is from Australia. He, Jase, and Chris are soccer and mountain biking friends.
Sabrina, from Germany, started in Irun, needing a break from life. She has two jobs, an ongoing renovation, and three kids. The break has worked. She really enjoying walking with her new Australian friends.
Chris is from Australia as well. He too walked the Camino Portugues last year, starting in Porto.
Daniel is from Germany. He started at Bilbao and has been enjoying running with the Australians for a while.
Pablo was a pilgrim, and now works at the Alborado Albergue in Calceda. He moved back to Galicia to his grandparent’s home and now works for his cousin. He is happy.