Ponte de Lima / Day 3

It was a quiet night – nobody snored! Later we found out we chose the right roommates. In the other room people hardly slept because two men were snoring horribly loud.

I tape my blisters with compeed and bandage around it to make sure this time they stick. Unfortunately the battery of my camera is dead… somehow the charger didn’t work last night. Frick! Ok so there won’t be any photos from this stage. If something really is worthwhile photographing I’ll just use my mobile.

The way leads downhill along a road with hardly any traffic before making a right turn onto a small path along wine yards. Walking downhill doesn’t feel too good because my blisters hurt. Uschi passes me with a happy grin and a wave. She uses trekking poles. As I walk through the woods I start to limp. I wish I had brought mine along too. … I look around to check if there is anyone walking within hearing distance. Then I ask out loud: “Dear universe, I need a stick. Could you please send me the perfect walking stick?” No 50m later, just around the next bend, I see a stick lying along the path. I pick it up and know immediately that this will be my stick. It lies well in my hand, has the perfect length and is solid enough for me to lean on it. Happy to have found the perfect pilgrim’s staff, I continue walking. Until now I haven’t found a companion as great as Kirsten so I mostly walk alone.

Again the way leads me through small villages and vine yards before I reach a small but pretty church. I decide to sit on the steps in front of it and enjoy the shade. I take of my boots. It doesn’t look as if I got any new blisters. So far, so good. Still my left foot hurts a lot. After a while Melanie and Kai approach. When we realize that we’ve covered half of today’s distance already we decide to have a coke together in the bar around the corner and rest a little longer. It’s CRAZY how much coke I drink on the Camino… but it is the best sugar boost.

After half an hour or so we walk on together. Again the heat is merciless. Who would’ve thought it would be +33°C in the beginning of May?! The route leads us downhill on a dirt road and I am thankful for my stick. Finally, the road evens out and I find a good rhythm. At a small chapel along the way the two of them stop. I put on some more sunscreen, eat an apple and walk on, because I don’t want to lose my rhythm.

I arrive in Ponte de Lima a little while later and already make out the enormous bridge from a far. The town looks very pretty. I cross the river Lima and approach the bar next to the albergue. All my fellow pilgrims are there already. Sandra and Thomas, Uschi and a couple of Belgians. I join them happily.

The albergue opens at 5 PM. It’s a very nice albergue with single beds and a living room with a computer for free internet. That’s good because I have to try and charge my camera via USB – it works! I log onto facebook for a couple of minutes to post an update… I can’t be bothered to read through all the other posts. I don’t care at all what’s happening back home.

In the evening another Thomas (also from Switzerland) joins us for dinner. Again we have the menu del peregrino. (Uschi doesn’t because she’s vegetarian and orders a salad. Being a vegetarian on the Camino will be challenging.)

When we walk back to the albergue it’s dark already and the small church is beautifully lit. I run upstairs to get my camera and take a few pictures before they close the albergue. Then I get ready for bed. I have a feeling I’ll be needing the earplugs again tonight...

Distance covered: 24,3 km