Subject: You never know what is around the corner
Hi All,
so this is my 3rd email to you all and its far different to the others. If you are missing the first 2 let me know and i´ll send it across.
So when I last wrote I was on the verge of giving up! Thank you for the lovely text messages and emails, they have gone a long way.
I am bed bug free and I feel a trillion times better!
let me tell you why.....
So as I mentioned earlier Verena ( my camino buddy for the first 10 days) told me about her friend Rebekah who recently bought a house in Spain along the camino and has decided to create a guest house of sorts. A day before I was in the area Verena sent me a text that she had emailed Rebekah that I might pop in.
So the following day I walked over 30 km to Moratinos and was going to pop in for a cup a tea. I had every intention of popping in but all I was hoping for was a cup a tea.... but as soon as I walked in Paddy said, "you are staying aren´t you?" How could I refuse!!!
Reheka, Paddy´s wife is not around as she is doing a week of the camino but they are expecting me and my beautiful room was ready for me!
Brian the American builder is also staying here. He has a bit of broken heart so I am giving him counseling. Its a bit of whirl wind romance, he has fallen for the Spanish girl next door. The whole thing feels like a movie. A movie with a good soundtrack! Paddy and Rebeka have a fantastic music collection so we are always listening to amazing stuff
I´ve walked the dogs today and gone out to the chickens and collected the freshest eggs I have ever eaten.
I jumping ahead so I have to tell you how I arrived.
On the evening of Sunday the 13th I stayed in convent Albergue in Carrion de los Condes. It felt like my old high school so I felt safe. It was also nice to not have to sleep on the top bunk. The problem with the top bunk is that you never sleep because you think you are going to fall off, and sometimes you don`t even have a ladder. Its a hard life when you are only 157 cm! Although the place was nice I didn't sleep a wink that night. It was day 3 of making sure the bugs were gone so I went to sleep with all this pressure of wondering if they would come back or not. I was up every hour going to the bathroom to check for new bites. Its almost like getting bit by a mosquito. You still itch even if you were bitten ages ago. The difference is the fresh bites are red and the older ones tend to fade. I still have loads of marks and it looks like I have had chicken pox! The mirror in the bathroom is really for you face so I had to stand on the chair. Luckily no body came in while I was stark. It was also so cold that night, I was in my silk liner and I had 3 blankets on top too! Finally is was time to get ready and leave so Dorothy and I, had breakfast, and got on the road. The first part of our walk was going to 17km with out a pit stop. We spoke for an hour or so and then parted as we walked at our own pace. ( I tell you about Dorothy later... really cool lady)
It was 2 I had to make a decision if I was going to check into the town where I was so if I was going to walk to Moratinos and see if they were home or not. At the time I had no clue if they were expecting me to really turn up or not. Nobody really makes plans on the Camino because things are always changing. I decided that I would make a go of it and see what happens.
As some of you know I am petrified of cats and I can be a bit iffy around dogs. Some dogs are different and for those of you that don`t already know I am the proud auntie of Dawson (Kirsten´s greyhound).
I approached the sleepy town and it was siesta time, 14:45. There was not a soul in sight and I was still along the yellow camino arrows. At first I thought I would knock on a door and say "American Rebekah" (Verena said that would be enough) The first few homes were abandoned and had no roofs, so I continued to walk a little and then I saw a farmer in the distance. I got his attention by waving my walking poles and running towards him. "American Rebekah" worked and I got directions, I was only 2 streets away. I approached a stunning yellow house that had building work done to it. The closer I got the barking began! I was really worried because prior to doing the camino I read so much on the dangers of Spanish dogs! 2 dogs came at me and I was armed with my poles. Within a few seconds Brian and Paddy greeted me. They told me that the dogs just bark and that they are harmless. He was absolutely right and now I have some more canine friends.
We sat in the front garden underneath the umbrella and Paddy offered me a cup of tea. I had not had tea since leaving England as tea anywhere else in the world is not tea. Guess what Paddy had..... PG tips. A real cup of tea. He soon offered to make me an omelet and it was divine. I told him it was the best food I have had since I left England and I was not exaggerating on bit. Shortly after lunch Brian brought me a tub of warm water for my feet to soak. That was the first time my feet had had a soak since I began the camino. The only buckets you find are full of dirty mop water or you will find tubs that are used for hand laundry.
After a few hours chatting outside, we made our way inside and it is such an homely inviting house. After a short while I thought I cant enjoy this amazing place on my own and not let the others know. The others are my Camino family. Kim, Australian nurse 24 and Juliane, German University pharmacy student 21. ( I made sure first that Paddy was ok with a few more strays- us!)
I texted the girls and Kim texted back that she was ill, vomiting and had a fever. She was only 15 km behind and I just couldn't leave my fellow pilgrim be ill in a albergue. I spoke to paddy and and asked how much a cab would be. He said around 8 euro which was nothing so I texted Kim with the info and she replied that she was too unwell to even find out about a cab. She would try and make her way here the following day. I explained this to paddy and we started to think about who could drive Rebekah´s car. Paddy cant drive anymore due to his eyes. I suggested Brian´s love interest and was told that was a bad idea. Paddy then asked me if I can drive a stick shift and I before I knew it I was in the car with him and dogs and we were on a mission to go and save Kim from her misery. I went in the albergue and she was on the bottom bunk in her sleeping bag. We collected her things and made our way to back to the Peacable Kingdom - the house´s name.
Kim was so pleased once she got here and things have been great. I had a bath today and also did a load of laundry too. I´m already sooooo sad that I will have to leave tomorrow but this place has done the world of good for me. I am so rested and chilled. Everything will be ok!
This email has taken me ages to write and I have had loads of time. I´m not sure when I will send another one again but once again thanks for the texts and emails
Love ya
Leena
xx
PS there is blog about this place
so this is my 3rd email to you all and its far different to the others. If you are missing the first 2 let me know and i´ll send it across.
So when I last wrote I was on the verge of giving up! Thank you for the lovely text messages and emails, they have gone a long way.
I am bed bug free and I feel a trillion times better!
let me tell you why.....
So as I mentioned earlier Verena ( my camino buddy for the first 10 days) told me about her friend Rebekah who recently bought a house in Spain along the camino and has decided to create a guest house of sorts. A day before I was in the area Verena sent me a text that she had emailed Rebekah that I might pop in.
So the following day I walked over 30 km to Moratinos and was going to pop in for a cup a tea. I had every intention of popping in but all I was hoping for was a cup a tea.... but as soon as I walked in Paddy said, "you are staying aren´t you?" How could I refuse!!!
Reheka, Paddy´s wife is not around as she is doing a week of the camino but they are expecting me and my beautiful room was ready for me!
Brian the American builder is also staying here. He has a bit of broken heart so I am giving him counseling. Its a bit of whirl wind romance, he has fallen for the Spanish girl next door. The whole thing feels like a movie. A movie with a good soundtrack! Paddy and Rebeka have a fantastic music collection so we are always listening to amazing stuff
I´ve walked the dogs today and gone out to the chickens and collected the freshest eggs I have ever eaten.
I jumping ahead so I have to tell you how I arrived.
On the evening of Sunday the 13th I stayed in convent Albergue in Carrion de los Condes. It felt like my old high school so I felt safe. It was also nice to not have to sleep on the top bunk. The problem with the top bunk is that you never sleep because you think you are going to fall off, and sometimes you don`t even have a ladder. Its a hard life when you are only 157 cm! Although the place was nice I didn't sleep a wink that night. It was day 3 of making sure the bugs were gone so I went to sleep with all this pressure of wondering if they would come back or not. I was up every hour going to the bathroom to check for new bites. Its almost like getting bit by a mosquito. You still itch even if you were bitten ages ago. The difference is the fresh bites are red and the older ones tend to fade. I still have loads of marks and it looks like I have had chicken pox! The mirror in the bathroom is really for you face so I had to stand on the chair. Luckily no body came in while I was stark. It was also so cold that night, I was in my silk liner and I had 3 blankets on top too! Finally is was time to get ready and leave so Dorothy and I, had breakfast, and got on the road. The first part of our walk was going to 17km with out a pit stop. We spoke for an hour or so and then parted as we walked at our own pace. ( I tell you about Dorothy later... really cool lady)
It was 2 I had to make a decision if I was going to check into the town where I was so if I was going to walk to Moratinos and see if they were home or not. At the time I had no clue if they were expecting me to really turn up or not. Nobody really makes plans on the Camino because things are always changing. I decided that I would make a go of it and see what happens.
As some of you know I am petrified of cats and I can be a bit iffy around dogs. Some dogs are different and for those of you that don`t already know I am the proud auntie of Dawson (Kirsten´s greyhound).
I approached the sleepy town and it was siesta time, 14:45. There was not a soul in sight and I was still along the yellow camino arrows. At first I thought I would knock on a door and say "American Rebekah" (Verena said that would be enough) The first few homes were abandoned and had no roofs, so I continued to walk a little and then I saw a farmer in the distance. I got his attention by waving my walking poles and running towards him. "American Rebekah" worked and I got directions, I was only 2 streets away. I approached a stunning yellow house that had building work done to it. The closer I got the barking began! I was really worried because prior to doing the camino I read so much on the dangers of Spanish dogs! 2 dogs came at me and I was armed with my poles. Within a few seconds Brian and Paddy greeted me. They told me that the dogs just bark and that they are harmless. He was absolutely right and now I have some more canine friends.
We sat in the front garden underneath the umbrella and Paddy offered me a cup of tea. I had not had tea since leaving England as tea anywhere else in the world is not tea. Guess what Paddy had..... PG tips. A real cup of tea. He soon offered to make me an omelet and it was divine. I told him it was the best food I have had since I left England and I was not exaggerating on bit. Shortly after lunch Brian brought me a tub of warm water for my feet to soak. That was the first time my feet had had a soak since I began the camino. The only buckets you find are full of dirty mop water or you will find tubs that are used for hand laundry.
After a few hours chatting outside, we made our way inside and it is such an homely inviting house. After a short while I thought I cant enjoy this amazing place on my own and not let the others know. The others are my Camino family. Kim, Australian nurse 24 and Juliane, German University pharmacy student 21. ( I made sure first that Paddy was ok with a few more strays- us!)
I texted the girls and Kim texted back that she was ill, vomiting and had a fever. She was only 15 km behind and I just couldn't leave my fellow pilgrim be ill in a albergue. I spoke to paddy and and asked how much a cab would be. He said around 8 euro which was nothing so I texted Kim with the info and she replied that she was too unwell to even find out about a cab. She would try and make her way here the following day. I explained this to paddy and we started to think about who could drive Rebekah´s car. Paddy cant drive anymore due to his eyes. I suggested Brian´s love interest and was told that was a bad idea. Paddy then asked me if I can drive a stick shift and I before I knew it I was in the car with him and dogs and we were on a mission to go and save Kim from her misery. I went in the albergue and she was on the bottom bunk in her sleeping bag. We collected her things and made our way to back to the Peacable Kingdom - the house´s name.
Kim was so pleased once she got here and things have been great. I had a bath today and also did a load of laundry too. I´m already sooooo sad that I will have to leave tomorrow but this place has done the world of good for me. I am so rested and chilled. Everything will be ok!
This email has taken me ages to write and I have had loads of time. I´m not sure when I will send another one again but once again thanks for the texts and emails
Love ya
Leena
xx
PS there is blog about this place
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