Going Out The Door

Please note the quotation marks–this is a quote overheard in a hotel lobby early one morning.

We have no idea what she is talking about.

She surely cannot be referring to the 9, 10, 11, miles of walking each day. Day after day after day.

Or the heat — it has been in the 80s and balmy, and the lack of any shade along the coast has helped deepen our tans (and maybe even given us a nice pinkish glow).

And aren’t blister bandages a new fashion statement? We’ve even seen that ankle and knee braces are all the rage now.

Or the eco-friendly habit of not including toilet paper in public restrooms? A minor inconvenience but worth it to save the planet, for sure.

Or realizing, after coasting pleasantly along to the bottom of a long hill, that you are not, in fact, on the Camino and need to climb back up that hill to continue your journey.

Well, no, to all of that really. But the woman had a point. It’s not fun exactly, walking the Camino. But it is satisfying, in a way, to reach the end of each day in a new town, the miles behind you and a cerveza and dinner ahead.

So, the woman was correct – it’s not fun, not fun at all. But still feels worth it. At least, so far…