The Journey-2 Weeks on

If you could hear my thoughts you would be able to tell that the journey is already 2 weeks in (12 days walking).  Body wise, everything is doing good, some rough nights sleep on the top bunk skinny as a plank, but hey, we appreciate what we get along the Camino.  Today, after settling in, I observed my first small blister, never felt it, just saw it 🤷‍♂️.  It is addressed anyways.  But, yeah, of you could hear my thoughts they have been all over the place.  The Camino voyage, like many transitions, is three stages : BODY, MIND, SOUL.  My mind has been walking thru all the stages, sometimes almost all at once.

The Body stage, pretty much done, it has given up complaining.  We are waking and that is that. 

The mind stage: I have been in that stage drifting in and out of soul as well.  Contemplating this journey, my hopes and expectations vs how the path has grown and evolved.  When I first walked it, it was in young adult stage.  Now, now it is fully mature.  Luckily we have been able to get "off-stage"and enjoy quieter paths.  Today, we got the train at 7am and did not interact with any other pilgrims until we hit the outskirts of Belorado 2 hours later.  Even after that, we often had our section of the trail to ourselves...

Peaceful

Quiet

Contemplative

Boring

Tedious 

Relaxing

I think you get the drift.  This, this state of the journey, the scenery is less exciting, nothing stands out, this is where the mind starts working and doubt enters.  Luckily, I am prepared for this section. Still doesn't mean the thoughts don't enter, but I understand the journey, go ahead and bounce around in there, I'm still walking and those thoughts so just get bruised up from bouncing all around.

That said, the body hasn't completely left the journey.  It started getting warm..  then hot, the next few days we are taking mid-90s f° ..  oh yeah, this Camino is not going to let me pass easily.  What to do?  Easy, early bed, early rise, walk in the dark and hold to pass the kms away in the cool. 

Speaking of cool, my AI has been sitting me with journey stats: 

📊 Camino Stats – Tue Sept 16, 2025

Day: 13

Location: Villafranca Montes de Oca

Distance today: ~21 km

Total walked: ~248 km

Remaining: ~526 km

% complete: ~32%

Average so far: ~19.1 km/day

Needed avg to finish by Oct 13: ~20.2 km/day

Target Santiago: Oct 13 ✅

So, yeah, the journey is charging, my determination is high, Santiago awaits!