As you may know if you have ever walked, just how important it is, not only to know where you are going, but also how to get there. To this aim I climbed the ramparts of the old city castle with Qt last night, to avail myself of the direction and roads to walk out of the small town of Medina Sidonia. The views were amazing (See my title picture) and the winds were strong and powerful. I spied Arcos via Paterna away into the distance. Unfortunately for me, I forgot that dear Qt was leaving by bus again, and would need escorting to the bus station. I say unfortunately, because this totally altered my bearings as to the first road to chose. Once she was safely on her way to Jerez de la Frontera, I waved the town goodbye walking briskly down the hill into the new day. I thought I could spy the faraway town and began following the route out of Medina. In the distance I could see a dusty track that stretched as far as I could see, towards my journeys end. After some 5km´s I happened upon a sign, that informed me that any further progress would be a trespass of private property. Oh my word, was I distressed !!! Fortunately a friendly farmer was in his car driving towards me. (The safety, still on his shotgun.....) He advised me of my error, informing me that I was also on my way to Jerez across country. Apart from the fact that in these parts of Spain the land is not free to walk across, I was still way off course. Back in the days Santiago walked his flocks across Andalucia, there had been no fences, but in my time, they were everywhere. I am now aware that the law permits shooting in these free range areas, so be warned if you stray like me. It could be damaging to your health !!!
In my charming way, I asked the farmer for a lift, to take me back to the town where he was headed, so as not to have to walk the distance before I rejoined my journey. He was a very kindly man, taking me all the way back to the town some 5km´s away and dropping me off on the road I needed to take, out of Medina. I was a little dissappointed at myself, my spirits a little lower to say the least. I still had 40km to go... The time was around 10.30am and I had wasted a good couple of hours in a mis-pursuit of my goal. I tried to remain impassive about it, but knew that a hard day had just got even harder. On the way to Paterna, I soon realised just how the route was unsympathetic and inconsiderate to walking. It was pretty inconsiderate to traffic aswell, the road becoming so narrow in places, it´s a wonder how vehicles can pass one another without incident. The drop off into the verges is often very steep. During the journey I did get to see a wind turbine being constructed.
These huge pieces of apparatus, a worthy energy source in such windy terrains. For me though, both fighting the narrow road and the wind trying to blow me into the fields, was very tiring. Much tougher that I wanted to give it credit for. On the long climb uphill into Paterna, I prayed constantly for my salvation from both lorries and the wind. And magically the snakes were invisible too, except for the skin of a whopper, as I entered the village.
I nearly gave up the Camino then, seriously. But the spirit of man is strong, as too my desire to complete my journey and realise my dreams. If I had known then just what a high, and a low I would go through over the next few hours, I would have quit from the low... I guess the high saved me....
I took shelter in the main plaza of the village, and ate and drank to restore my depleted energies, having already done about 15km of a 10 km journey. I needed sleep too, so took my siesta in the shade ´til about 4.30 pm, all the time wrestling with a desire to quit for the day. I am so glad that I didn´t, but so sad that I pushed so hard to find my destiny.
The road from Paterna de Rivera was narrow again at first, but signs advertising the widening were a welcome reward. For the next 10km I had a wide berth from everything, except the fears about snakes ! A few lorry drivers pipped their horns, but more in a, I know what you are doing kind of a way. They seemed keen to wave, possibly former pilgrims. I did however get covered in fine white dust, from the new unpaved road surface, and the wind pushing at my back. I swear, that on a few occasions my feet left the floor for a few centimetres. The road just stretched unkindly ahead, the town of Arcos visible, but a long way off yet. Because I had set off from Paterna, I knew that I would have to walk another 20 something kilometres before I would find another rest point. The timing was bad too. So late in the afternoon and only about 20km covered by 6.30pm. As I was about to give up hope of salvation, I spied a sign for a Venta, at 300metres. A veritable oasis in the distance, as the road road curved to the left. Spurred on, I arrived shortly to Venta Cantarero 2.
Hyperbole aside for a moment, I entered the Venta relieved and rejoicing, for a chance to be refreshed. And simply, was met at the counter by 3 angels. Ok. Ok. I hear what you are saying ! A man in his mid life, finding an oasis hosted by three, gorgeous young women, of course he saw angels.......!
Well in truth I am not aware of any particular crisis in my life at this point, though being single does have it´s negative aspects. But I am living my life, one day at a time, and believing in miracles, as this surely was. There were no vehicles parked outside, and yet I had seen plenty of vehicles pass me out on the hyway, so I presumed it was just one of those pauses in their otherwise busy day. Though, the way they all gatherd around me at the bar, intently listening and asking questions about my travels, I couldn´t help feeling that their day had been a triffle slow or boring up ´til this point. Oh yes, and the feeling that at any moment, they would turn into vampires and devour me, as I had seen in the Tarantino film, ´dusk ´til Dawn`, some years ago!!!!!!
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