Today, I feel like my internal clock has finally settled down, more or less. The night, however, was interesting – I had a roommate who took their woodworking duties very seriously.
Morning Decisions: Campo or Stick Around?
The morning is busy from the get-go, which isn’t exactly the norm. Plus, it’s pretty chilly. I’ve been wrestling with a dilemma since yesterday – should I take up the offer from Eric, a local guy I’ve been messaging for about two months? He offered to pick me up today, we’d grab lunch, and then I’d hang out at his place or nearby while he dealt with a doctor’s appointment. Afterward, he’d drive me to Campo, which is just 700 meters from the southern terminus, the start of the trail.
The other option is he picks me up tomorrow morning and takes me straight to the trailhead.
On one hand, I’m tempted to see a different part of San Diego, because what I’ve seen here is basically just a few streets. On the other hand, I’ve already paid for accommodation until tomorrow, and sleeping with a shower, toilet, and a real bed still has its charm. In Campo, I’ll have to break out the tent.
A Bold Move: Getting a Haircut in the USA
Another thing I’d been mulling over was whether to get a haircut, since it didn’t happen in Prague. In the end, I bit the bullet and visited a local barber. The result? I think it’s good.
Eric’s Offer: A Last-Minute Decision
Since I’d already managed the barber visit, I decided to wrap up my hostel stay right then and take Eric up on his offer for a ride. I packed up so fast that, unfortunately, I left a shell on the windowsill – which I’m pretty bummed about. But I only realized that way too late.
Eric picked me up after 11 AM. We headed to a shopping center, hit up the Apple Store, grabbed lunch, and while he went for an MRI on his knee, I wandered around a local park. Eric keeps telling me I speak English well. It’s nice of him, but I have a slightly different opinion on that. 😂
First Night in Campo
And now I’m in Campo. I paid $12 for a tent spot. There are toilets, showers, and even breakfast included. The problem is, everything is so spread out that I’ll have to figure out how to manage that in the middle of the night from the tent. 😕
In the evening, we had an info session with people who have already hiked the trail. Unfortunately, I understood about 0.5% of what they said, which is a bit disappointing. It would have been great to pick up some pointers.
Daily Summary
Walked a few kilometers running errands, but still 0 km on the #PCT. Today was packed with decisions, preparations, and new experiences. I’m in Campo now, gearing up for tomorrow’s start.
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