Restless Night and Early Start
The night was a bust. The rustling of other pilgrims could have been silenced with earplugs, but I just couldn’t sleep. I woke up at 12:30 AM and was awake for at least an hour. Then I probably drifted off, but by 5 AM, I was wide awake again. Finally, I threw in the towel and was on my way by 7:25 AM. Today’s route started beautifully.
Aches and First Breakfast on the Trail
My ankle is holding up, but the tendon below the knee on my other leg – whatever it is – is really pulling. When I spotted the first breakfast opportunity, I decided to give it a go.
For €5.50, it was an excellent choice! Šárka joined me, so I had company for a bit. She’d set off earlier than me, so I ended up walking alone for most of the time.
Battling the Sun and Foot Care
Around eleven, the sun started peeking out and burning even through my clothes. I tried a new tactic – I let my short-sleeved shirt dry and put on a long-sleeved thermal shirt. We’ll see if that’s better. After three hours, I took a longer break to tend to my feet and refuel on fluids. I found a beautiful spot to rest.
Lunch and Growing Pain
Around 1:30 PM, I was looking forward to some food. I had something like a natural meat patty in a bun. My other leg was hurting like hell! Walking was incredibly tough, and for the first time, I pulled out both my trekking poles.
Arriving at Accommodation
I kept going alone, figuring out where I’d stay. Eventually, I found the nicest, but also the most expensive, accommodation on the trip so far – €18.
It’s 5:25 PM, I’ve showered, and for now, I’m alone at the accommodation. It’s strange; from my window, I saw Germans (still don’t know their names) and Šárka walking on. We’ll see if we cross paths again. But I’m already halfway there, at least according to the signs! I covered just under 30 km today.
