Time

Time seems to stand still here on the Camino. Another really hard day today (you´d think this would get easier) as I have very low energy with my tummy bug. Cannot eat anything but have been drinking tea and lots of water. It´s the best I can do. I was hoping that by now it would have resolved so may have to go to the doctor. With only two more days of walking, I feel like just putting up with it. It was a beautiful walk today though, with rolling hills and then, of course, a good 2km steep hill at the very end. I´ve got some choice words for Brierly when I am finished with this! The first 20km are enjoyable and no problem and always the last 5km are so hard. Everything aches from the hip down, and I just want to stop. It is at this point when I am more aware of my thoughts and try to distract myself with thinking about, praying for, people I love and miss. Eventually, when I am sure I can´t take one more step, I get to my destination and make a decision about where I am to stay. After a shower, a drink, and a rest, all the pain is forgotten.
I was walking for a bit today with a guy named Peter from Australia. He had an interesting thought: he thinks that westerners are so active that they simply can´t be still and quiet to meditate. The Camino is a thing of physical endurance but every single step is like a meditation. You will never take that one step again, and the next one gets you closer to your destination. I could relate to this.
I need to start thinking about what I am going to do when I get to Santiago. I thought about walking to Finisterra, but will see how I´m feeling. I have many friends waiting for me or arriving the same day and we will have a great celebration. There is a festival on the 12th, the day I will arrive, but I will go to Mass on the 13th and then make plans for Finisterra. I may go to Barcelona for a few days after that and then back to Liverpool to make plans for the next step of my journey. Lately, I´ve been thinking a lot about India.......
I hope these blogs are somewhat interesting to you..I seem to be focussing a lot on my physical condition, mostly because it is impossible to describe the profound beauty of what surrounds me each day. I have taken loads of photos, many of ancient buildings, churches, and bridges. The history is so interesting and I love reading about the places I´ve been. After all this time though, it´s all melding together and I´m having trouble remembering which place I´d been and what happened there.
I know that I am walking when you all are sleeping, but please remember to think of me and send me good wishes on ¨The Way¨.