Don't do anything because you're afraid to do something else.
Wed Sept 11, 2019
El Buro Ranero to Mansanilla de los Mulas
18 km, 31.000 steps, walkin day #21
First of all I want to say thank you to everyone for all the support and encouragement.
We make so many choices every day. Thousands of them. Maybe hundreds of thousands. Sometimes we're aware of making them. Sometimes we're not.
Yesterday I made two very conscious decisions. I was having a very hard time being joyful. The weather was not good. Ask anyone who was there. I had been determined to be open and accepting of whatever the camino brought me but yesterday was enough to overtake the calmest soul. The wind was the immutable force that moved this immovable object. So I made a decision. I chose to feel annoyed and irritated and generally peeved. About a half an hour of that, it was enough. I got it out of my system, and went back to applying my energy to fighting the headwind.
Then, about an hour from my destination my phone died. This was a first. I depended on my phone for the map/GPS and for the online files I have that list my hotels for the night. I like to check the map once in a while to make sure I'm on the right track, and then when I get to the town or village I look up where I'm staying and how to get there. Can't do any of that with a dead phone. Nope. Nuh-uh. So I made a decision.
I chose very deliberately to not worry. I had a spare battery and cable in my pack. So that pesky little voice said: "ha ha - I can give you something to worry about! What if the battery doesn't have enough power left? Hmm? Then what?? You have to worry now!!" Nope. I convinced myself that if I need to badly enough I'd be able to find somewhere to plug in my battery cable. "Sorry - Not gonna worry" I said to Pesky Voice. I decided to not attach the battery to the phone until the last minute. Just gonna wait it out, and follow the arrows to town. Know what? Just as I got to the edge of town there was a big signboard with a map of the whole town on it and all the points of interest....including my hotel! No technology needed at all, and no energy wasted on worrying. Very cool.
My hosts at the Hostal Piedes Blancas were sweet, lovely people who spoke not a word of English. They were very hospitable but rather disorganized.
The typical Spanish breakfast is coffee and pastry, and this is what Ramone presented to me. However, I was supposed to receive a desayuno reforzado (breakfast that is "reinforced" with fruit and protein). Instead of getting upset, I just smiled and used google translate to ask him if there would be anything else coming for breakfast. He said "No". Instead of getting upset, I just smiled and opened the file from my tour company that indicates the name of the hotel and the type of breakfast. I handed him the phone to look. He said "okay" and scooted back to the kitchen to get me yoghurt, a banana and some cheese. Everyone stayed calm and remained happy. All because of the choices we made. When I left the hotel after breakfast he gave me a huge smile and a deeply heartfelt "Bueno Camino". I felt good all over.
I took this screenshot from the TV during breakfast this morning.
She's sure not afraid!
Wed Sept 11, 2019
El Buro Ranero to Mansanilla de los Mulas
18 km, 31.000 steps, walkin day #21
First of all I want to say thank you to everyone for all the support and encouragement.
Sending love and light to all those who have been with me in spirit.
I feel you with me, and I'm very grateful.
We make so many choices every day. Thousands of them. Maybe hundreds of thousands. Sometimes we're aware of making them. Sometimes we're not.
Yesterday I made two very conscious decisions. I was having a very hard time being joyful. The weather was not good. Ask anyone who was there. I had been determined to be open and accepting of whatever the camino brought me but yesterday was enough to overtake the calmest soul. The wind was the immutable force that moved this immovable object. So I made a decision. I chose to feel annoyed and irritated and generally peeved. About a half an hour of that, it was enough. I got it out of my system, and went back to applying my energy to fighting the headwind.
Then, about an hour from my destination my phone died. This was a first. I depended on my phone for the map/GPS and for the online files I have that list my hotels for the night. I like to check the map once in a while to make sure I'm on the right track, and then when I get to the town or village I look up where I'm staying and how to get there. Can't do any of that with a dead phone. Nope. Nuh-uh. So I made a decision.
I chose very deliberately to not worry. I had a spare battery and cable in my pack. So that pesky little voice said: "ha ha - I can give you something to worry about! What if the battery doesn't have enough power left? Hmm? Then what?? You have to worry now!!" Nope. I convinced myself that if I need to badly enough I'd be able to find somewhere to plug in my battery cable. "Sorry - Not gonna worry" I said to Pesky Voice. I decided to not attach the battery to the phone until the last minute. Just gonna wait it out, and follow the arrows to town. Know what? Just as I got to the edge of town there was a big signboard with a map of the whole town on it and all the points of interest....including my hotel! No technology needed at all, and no energy wasted on worrying. Very cool.
My hosts at the Hostal Piedes Blancas were sweet, lovely people who spoke not a word of English. They were very hospitable but rather disorganized.
 |
| How could you get upset with host Ramone? |
I had been having a bit of stomach upset when walking right after breakfast. So I asked Dr. Google what could be the cause. The answer: eating things that are acidic - like orange juice, things with caffeine like coffee and chocolate croissants, and greasy and spicy things like the preserved meat they serve at breakfast most mornings.
I decided to cut out the preserved meat part of the meal, and felt mucho better.
Then it was time to walk.
So far I have been walking on the gravel path. Certainly the safer bet. But today we were walking on an extremely quiet road. There was perhaps one car every ten to fifteen minutes, and you could see it coming when it was still kilometers away. I could always jump over to the gravel path if a car or truck was coming. I chose to walk on the road. It was bliss to be able to walk for a few hours without having to keep stopping to knock gravel out of my shoes.
So many choices. Sometimes we deliberately think things through, sometimes we just ride down a well-worn neuropathway. Sometimes we choose to try something new and sometimes we stay in the rut. Sometimes we let others make the choice for us. Sometimes the choice is taken away from us. Sometimes there is no good choice. But then sometimes there are many great choices. Choose well. Choose with open eyes and open heart. Choose your truth.
My tastebud's concept of heaven
My stomach's concept of hell
I decided to cut out the preserved meat part of the meal, and felt mucho better.
Then it was time to walk.
Do I take the gravel path or do I take the road?
So far I have been walking on the gravel path. Certainly the safer bet. But today we were walking on an extremely quiet road. There was perhaps one car every ten to fifteen minutes, and you could see it coming when it was still kilometers away. I could always jump over to the gravel path if a car or truck was coming. I chose to walk on the road. It was bliss to be able to walk for a few hours without having to keep stopping to knock gravel out of my shoes.
Some beautiful things today were far away.
Some beautiful things today were up close.
I chose to eat this fresh fig right off the tree!
So many choices. Sometimes we deliberately think things through, sometimes we just ride down a well-worn neuropathway. Sometimes we choose to try something new and sometimes we stay in the rut. Sometimes we let others make the choice for us. Sometimes the choice is taken away from us. Sometimes there is no good choice. But then sometimes there are many great choices. Choose well. Choose with open eyes and open heart. Choose your truth.
I chose my camino family. Or did they choose me?
From the left: Richard, Siobhan, Catherine, Martin and Patricia.
Always choose to stop and smell the roses.
Good walking! I heard back from a friend where I asked her about doing el camino together and she said "this has been my dream for years and years!" She had seen the shell signs during previous visits to Europe and immediately proposed some ideas about how we could do this together. Thank you!
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