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Wow!

I am feeling so much better. I was having a bit of a downer with the shin splints, but they have miraculously subsided and are now barely noticable. I managed to avoid drugs and ditched the compression socks the day after the last email. Phew.

I have now made it to Ponferrada, which is, according to diffferent sources, 211, 205, 202, 230, or 200km from Santiago. No longer satisified with a 20km day (usually have this done by midday), I´m sure to finish within 8 days. When I reach Santiago, I´ll be awarded a Compostella at a special mass in the cathedral. Depending on source, I will have done about 800km (not including the accidental detours, nor the many kms exploring all the amazing places we pass through. THEN, I will walk to the end of the Earth, Finisterre, to throw the scallop shell that Brookegave me pre trip into the Ocean. I´ll also pick a few for anyone that may like to return one for me at some stage. That will total about 900km. Mas o menos.

Yesterday I walked from Astorga to Manjarin, an abandonned village at 1500m. Shin splints aleviated, I took off up hill and down dale at a strapping pace. I climbed every mountain, forded every stream and arrived to find an isolated albergue at the top. My guide said that the place had no heating, no showers, no toilets and that it was ´very basic´ as in medieval times. This was mostly true, there was a fireplace, and many places to act as a toilet (most Spanish bars don´t have toilet seats anyway, except in the classy towns, like Astorga and ors…). The hospitaleros provided us with dinner: salad, pasta with meatballs; and breakfast.

A note on ´breakfast´ I think they use the term far too generously here. Today´s breakfast was coffee and a plate of biscuits with jam. There are variations. Sometimes there´s this weird dry toast, suitable only for canapes IMHO, or your might get a magdelana (kinda like madeira cake). Anyway.

I was gonna write more about the differnent Albergues I´ve stayed in, but my time is almost up. Tonight´s has a washing machine!