Day 5 - Bruma to Sigueiro and beyond!

 This is going to be a tough one to write. I've just undertaken my most physically demanding task ever. Today's walk was 31.68km! Three months ago I would have been very rude if you suggested I do such a walk. I am now an incredibly proud chap who has definitely found what I was looking for on my Camino, as Dan Mullins hopes in his camino song Somewhere Along the Way

I've been asked about the strange arrangements of.yesterday and today. I finished yesterday's walk at Bruma, some 10km from my hotel. The hotel sent a car to collect me, and then after breakfast today a taxi took me back to Bruma. So I have continued the walk without any mileage gains. 

Amusingly, the camino route passes right by the lovely hotel, so after a couple of hours walking I arrived back there and had a coffee. While I drank my coffee I called in to Forest FM and had a chat live on air during the Hiker & Co morning show today.

I passed through beautiful countryside today, through lots of arable farmland and woodland. There were numerous holloways, sunken paths that have been trodden by countless pilgrims over time. I really felt a part of something special, and cried tears of loss, of love, and joy as I remembered those no longer with us. It's been a very emotional day, and I've found unimaginable mental and physical strength on this journey. Anyone getting this far deserves an easy stroll into Santiago!

Not too long after leaving the hotel I came to the  café-bar O Cruceiro, which bears the distinction of being the last bar before the 15km stretch to Sigueiro. That means pilgrims are on their own with no support for 3 or 4 hours. I had an empenada and a coffee before setting off into one of the most beautiful stretches. 

Finally, I arrived at a section of trail alongside the autopista leading into Sigueiro. That was pretty soul destroying in the heat and traffic noise. I was convinced I was the last pilgrim of the day, until I happened upon a couple of Belgian ladies. We exchanged a few words and I pushed on. As I got to the industrial part of Sigueiro, I caught up with Oscar from Madrid. We walked together into the town centre and exchanged our stories. He is a recovering addict, and is walking the camino as part of his rehabilitation. A lovely chap, I wish him well.

As I passed through Sigueiro and back into countryside, I started to find it hard going. I was in the high 20 kilometres already and starting to weaken. I finally got to tonight's hotel with 31.68km on my watch. With sore feet, my blister hurting, and feeling completely drained, I checked in.

Jeremy and Anne-Marie had arrived much earlier, having walked straight from yesterday's hotel. We had dinner together and went to our rooms. Tomorrow should be a joyful short stroll into Santiago and formal recognition as a pilgrim for me.

Buen Camino