What the heck am I doing here!?

No, that is not me asking the question, but rather answering the many people back home.
Am I here for religious, spiritual, mental, physical, emotional, offer other reasons...   The answer is yes and no, the answer is either much more complicated or simpler, depending on your experience and outlook.
"I am on Camino" is the real honest answer, there is no other fitting answer.  Camino is all that and then a ton more.  On Camino you automatically belong to the Camino family, everyone "on Camino" is part of your Camino Family.  On Camino you give without expecting, share just because, help because someone needs it and when you need it, it is there.
I know many people try to achieve this in their lives, but there is this place, called "The Camino" where this has physically manifested itself and is more tangeable then a concept.
Case in point, trying to hit the highlights without excess detail.  Camino Ray and I reserve two single rooms at a hostela in Los Arcos, why, because the days walk was going to be hard, and we were not interested in a bed race.  We strike out at 6:20am in the pitch black and light rain (heavy enough to warrant wearing the rain poncho, now named the oven oven basting bag) and make the Irache wine fountain by 7:10 (with a breakfast stop along the way).  By headlamp enjoying a shot of terrible terrible wine, but it was free from a spigot on the outside of the building - Camino tradition, Check!  Anyways back to my long story, short version, getting long. I bought a shot glass from the bedding machine, for my shot, washed it in the water spigot, and passed it around, why not, I'm not going to carry that in my pack (wonder if it's still there?).  Later on, we stop in Azqueta for a break and snack (delicious fresh squeezed to order orange juice) and this pilgrim had lost her rain poncho and pack cover yesterday on the trail - gone.  She bought a cheap plastic poncho to get thru, but it was ripping.  Some duct tape from my pack and we bandaged it back into serviceable condition.  She was super grateful, but I reminded her that we are all Camino family, and she was my Camino sister and as such we look out for everyone.  Later on, Camino Ray and I, having over estimated the size of our Boccadillos, gladly shared then in out impromptu picnic spot along a 13km stretch of farmland.  Also sharing a bar dispenser can of pickles and bag of chips amongst our Camino family, some we meet before, others we just meet, most were may not see again - didn't matter, the sharing as a family happened, There in the middle of nowhere.  (OK, screw it, it is going to be a long story, sorry but I am going someplace with this).  So, fast forward to our arrival at out hostela and a hard time communicating, the hostel people bring us to our "double room", seeing a queen bed we inform the owner that no way are we sleeping in the same bed, were may be walking together, but that was a little to close.  We point to a bedroom with bunks and that is when the owner says " no, you get all the rooms "....   This is the Camino Magic here, we look around, he gave us his big suite with FOUR bedrooms!  A queen, try singles, and a bunk, for the price we would have paid for two singles!  " we full, special rate for Peregrinos! ".  Well, image he look on the young Canadian Peregrino who walked in behind us with no reservation when he was suddenly brought up to our suite and has his own room.  Camino Magic just oozing right there, and more so when we let the albergues in town know we had a bunk for tired Peregrinos, which was filled by two Canadian Peregrinos, desperate enough to check the police for a spot.
So, there you have and example of what happens DAILY on Camino, this Camino Magic pours out and there are Camino Angels EVERYWHERE.  Being here on Camino is like being part of the best of the best of humanity, and the more you give, the more you receive.
So, yeah, " I am on Camino " is the best way to describe my journey.

It's funny kinda, mother Camino is not kind, she beats the Peregrinos and done do not rise to the challenge and abandon Camino, mostly because they are not really ready for their Camino.  But the more she beats the stuffing out you, the more she cares for you as well.  Those on Camino for her lesson get it in good shape, but they get her love and caring also - as a mother does.  And one faulty lesson is, if you don't NEED something, doing bring it.  Over and over the lesson on simplification continues .

Well, that about does it for tonight.  I'm tired, doing know how tangling this really is and don't know what grammatical errors are plastered all around, but that is not going to stop me from going to bed.

Photo dump time (2 days):
https://goo.gl/photos/hyBQReFyrxPCLwxK7

Buen Camino!
Kevin

Yes, That gentleman is in his 80s, with a 23kg pack carrying his wife's burden as well - because that is his cross/burden...  Need inspiration, he's right there.