Samos to Sarria – day 29 – 15kms
After yesterday’s long day…today promised a much easier journey!
I woke this morning to a very misty damp and chilly 9 degrees in the valley of Samos..
I decided to take breakfast – all of the above was accompanied by very crunchy ciabatta toast, and a coffee…filling in time to see if the clouds lifted …. I handed over the meat and cheese to a couple of Austrian cyclists at the next table!
As it looked like the clouds were here to stay, I decided to get out of the town a little after 8am! One or two walkers in the distance was comforting as I left my hotel…
And followed the path beside the road and river..
A couple of kilometres up the road the yellow arrows once again had me crossing the road and diving into deep deserted bush…the walkers in front took off at a great speed, I tried to keep up (so I was not alone on the “deliverance” pathways) but as the track once again became tedious….
I lost sight of them…Kevin then phoned so I chatted while ploughing my way through…
Cliffs on one side and drop offs to the river on the other side! Then of course call cut off and I lost reception for about an hour!! Alone with nature and gargoyles! That’s what the trees looked like, and also some challenging up and downs! My poles once again my best friend…
Past a couple of ghost towns…no sign of life..
Over bridges, from one side of the river and then back over it …after climbing another hill! I swear this route just looked for the hilliest way!
Then a paddock…I could breathe…
More bush and waterfalls…I kept telling myself I should try to enjoy this solitude and nature…as the next five days promise to be like the streets of Manhattan …but when it felt like I seemed to have done a full circle ….I GPSed my destination and followed the most direct route to join the main track and all the other walkers at a village called Aguiada! Only 5 kms out from Sarria…
Once entering and passing through this village there was more sign of life.. walkers and livestock!
Some lovely big black and white girls grazing beside the road!
First glimpse of real civilisation before 11am…and arriving in town just a little after…3hours for 15kms…good work!
I found my hotel and left my pack in my friend Jean’s room (as mine wasn’t ready at this hour) while we went out to the Laundromat and for a coffee!
Jean put her €7 in the machine…turned it on and we walked away…only to come back in half an hour to find it hadn’t worked…clothes still dry and dirty…(Jean had all the luck!) …so more euros, another machine, another half hour…before the 15 minute (very efficient) dryer!
Grabbed our coffee, collected Jeans washing and came back to Hotel…
Over the bridge, I could now get into my room, bathe and sort my life out for tomorrow….when temperatures are once again soaring.
I’m now going to go for a wander to the church and old city and have a look around!!!
All who wander are not Lost girls 