To Portomarin

Sarria to Portomarin today. Managed to ignore somebody´s 5.30am alarm clock and rose more like an hour later: there aren't hot temperatures making an early start desirable at present. Headed to the Italian restarant just up the road for its buffet breakfast that included muesli and it was a great spread. Unfortunately my body has had a train wreck day, and part one was that yesterday's sensitive tooth decided to be too painful to eat on this morning. (Fran I'll be e-mailing to get that dentist appointment a few days earlier!!)

Left Sarria under grey skies that soon turned to drizzle, to 'soft rain' and finally to persistent quite heavy rain that gave everybody a good drenching for a few kilometres. I felt especially sorry for the two Spaniards from my Sarria dorm just starting out on Day 1, but I guess the rain is the reason Galicia is so lush and green. Sort of like home really.

Stopped at a cafe for a drink, and somebody arrived who spoke English and I told him I had toothache. Magically he produced these aspirin powders from his bag, that you don't need water for- and they worked very quickly to give huge relief,. So maybe instead of the abscess I imagined, I just had a tooth being majorly sensitive. Time will tell. Anyhow, I bought some aspirin tablets from the pharmacy this arvo- part one of dealing with the 'train wreck', but they never had the powder form.

Amazingly the rain pretty much stopped after that cafe and it became quite sunny and warmish- low 20s so fine for walking. Beautiful countryside, lots of trees and stone walls and every so often a farming hamlet. And bars where you can drink a lemon drink, eat a tortilla, and carry on again refreshed, These days even the rural bars might well have a wifi code they can give you.

Part two of the train wreck scenario was a sore shin after yesterday, first time I have had this. But I had another encounter with Shannon from NY, under the shade of a leafy deciduous tree, and she produced anti-inflammatory gel from her backpack and that helped. So, the pharmacy also sold me some of that this arvo. I guess I will still make to to Santiago, but might make shorter days than planned, and a couple more of them, and be doped up on gel and aspirin when I arrive! Last part of the train wreck involves some insect bites I got on my feet that are looking nasty after two days walking, but hopefully they will soon look a bit better as well...

So, the sun is shining this evening- but who knows what the weather will bring tomorrow in Galicia...