Rubiães / Day 4

Turns out I was totally right about the earplugs. The snoring came from everywhere!! I was surrounded by snorers, I heard them DESPITE the earplugs.

Since I can't go back to sleep anyway I get ready without a hurry. My "gang" leaves before me. Then I realize it. DANG! My stick! I must have left it in the bar next to the albergue yesterday. I'm not used to carrying one. I hope it's still there.

When I get down the bar is of course still closed. But there it is - leaning against the door waiting to be picked up. YAY! Egon, a middle-aged German, hands it to me and we start walking together. Soon he walks ahead. I don't mind walking alone. I'll see him at the next stop. My blisters sting and I can't walk without limping a litte. The way leads me through a little village and through a wood. At the next bar (they seem to breed trouts there as well) I meet Egon again and we have a café con leche together before he walks on. I decide to stay for a little while longer. Suddenly I hear a DUTCH schlager on the radio... Portuguese people seem to have a bizarre taste of music.

I walk on alone. The landscape is really pretty today. The way begins to slowly ascend. My left foot hurts more with every step. At a small bar along the route I meet Uschi, she has been here for a while and was just about to update her trip journal. We sit together for a while and chat.

She walks on without me and we agree to meet again at the next stop. We want to cook something tonight. A little while later I leave the bar, fill up my water supplies at a fonte before the way ascends to the summit.

At first it is a nice path through wine yards. Then the road becomes rockier and steeper. My foot hurts more with every step and I am thankful for my stick. Without it I would never be able to make it up. On the way up I meet Petra, she is really concerned about my foot. I sit down next to her for 5 minutes before continuing. It is again unbelievably hot today. I can hardly put weight on my left foot. At the Cruiz I have to sit down again. I find a rock in the shaddow where I unstrap my pack and lie down across it. Normally an ascend like this wouldn't be this exhausting for me. But the pain in my left foot has become almost unbearable. I have some dextrose and water and hope that I'll reach the summit soon.

resting in the shade

When I feel up to it I shoulder my backpack again and walk on. After all I can't sit here forever. Slowly but steadily I make it all the way to the top. There is a group of people there, enjoying a picnic underneath a tree. The place is beautiful, but I can't stop now or I'll never reach my goal for the day.

After that the way descends as horribly as it took me uphill - steep and rocky. Although the landscape is beautiful I cannot really appreciate. At this point I am grumpy and in pain, so the only thing that really matters is getting to the albergue and getting there quick!

About 1km before it I get passed by a group of bikepilgrims who encourage me. "The worst ist over! Only 1 more!" Finally, I see the long-awaited marker: A yellow house with an A painted inside, a yellow arrow and 100m written below it. Thank god I made it!

I register and drag myself to the dorm. Uschi is lying on a bottom bunk and greets me smiling. I slump onto the bed beside her. When I take off my socks I see that my left ankle is red and swollen.

3in1 blister and swollen ankle

After a short rest I take a refreshing shower and wasch my clothes. When I get back to the bed I decide that it's time to check out my blisters. I remove the tapes and realize that I have 3 huge blisters below my left ankle... they look like they're infected. No wonder I couldn't walk anymore. Everybody who sees my foot is shocked and gasps.

Charli, a canadian girl who's on a silent retreat, scribbles into her notebook that a good trick is to sow a thread through it. Since I know that trick I decide to do it. The liquids coming out of the blister don't look healthy... but at least puncturing releases the pressure.

Uschi tells me to lie down, while she's going to the tienda about 1km away from the albergue. She's gonna cook for us. I'm really glad for that offer because my feet couldn't carry me to a bar or restaurant tonight. I hobble outside, where I lie down in the grass and call home. My mum advises me to take some painkillers, because they would also prevent an infection. I fill my camelbak with cold water and place it on my ankle like a coolpack.

Just feeling the grass below me, watching the blue sky, listening to the soundtrack of Amelie is relaxing and makes me feel better.

views of a chillgrim

Uschi returns and cooks a wonderful dinner - spaghetti with tomato sauce and a fresh salad. Charli joins us and breaks her silence for the dinner. I feel the painkillers kicking in and bid everyone a goodnight.

I really hope that my foot will be better by tomorrow. I drift off to an uneasy sleep...


Distance covered: 17,1 km (felt more like 171 km)