I walk. I Walk maybe 8 kms and meet Joy, 71 years old, from Scotland. Frail looking Joy, but with strong legs. ‘My husband passed away last year, he wanted to do this walk. I am also walking for him.’ We walked a kilometre or so and reached breakfast at an inn. Her friend, another senior lady, had blisters and was walking slowly.

I resumed my solitary walk; a young girl was walking ahead of me, singing. I followed her for two or more kms, listening to the song, walking to its pace. Then I crossed her, didn’t want to seem like a stalker. She turned to me and asked: how many days? I was a little not so confident because I had been there just a day. E said, it was her 27th day. ‘I got left behind, met a guy. Now plan to catch up with my mates.’

‘If this is your second day, then walk with me. We’ll talk.’ It was already the 15th or so kilometre. After that we walked another 12 kms. E, a born Jew from the US, who speaks seven European languages, told me about herself, she plans to go back to medical school: ‘Surgeons are also artists, they work with human bodies.’ We crossed a blackboard with Buen Camino greetings and E wrote her guy’s name on it and said: ‘Well, this may perhaps be gone by tomorrow.’ I took a picture of the board with the guy’s name on it in bold and recently sent it to her. ‘Second and third days are hardest. No sitting, no breaking for coffee. Just walk!’

We met Jo, sitting on a stone. She waved to me, talked to E. They knew each other – fellow road warriors. As we approach Palas De Reis she shows me written next a yellow arrow: Casi. ‘It means ‘almost’.’ Since the town was taken by pilgrims I took a bed in an Albergue before town. I washed and went in to town. She had left me there and gone in search of her friends. In the town square I heard someone call my name. It was E, she had met her friends. We popped a bottle of wine and sipped from it.

They all said: you might be the only Indian on this walk.

I said before I left for dinner: Then they should make a statue of me. Simple, easy, fresh laughter.

On a walk, you meet a soul, who helps you walk. You may never meet again, but you do 29 kms in a day and it is your journey. ‘Don’t sit, don’t stop!’ E removed her shoes, all her toes were bitten by blisters. She did not care. She walked, I walked, we all walked, and laughed.

Casi! Almost!

In case you missed the Santiago pictures see …

Tags: Buen Camino, Santiago