Liz Hammond-Kaarremaa

Liz’s brilliant idea of paying to have our packs transported was our next task. We would thank the heavens for that idea many times.We hiked to town and delivered our packs to the luggage transport office and started our trek.

The path to Orrison is very steep, I mean really steep, and the temperatures were in the high 20s. They say the walk is a good time to reflect and contemplate the higher things of life. I beg to differ…..the only thing going through my mind was “oh my god I’m going to die!” Perhaps I was connecting with the higher being after all. Liz kept encouraging me to take a few more steps toward our destination. I started to focus between moments of collapse. I  knew  my reward lay ahead. No it was not a spiritual reward but a physical reward. A cold beer and an afternoon nap.

We finally arrived and it was good….we were shown our dorm, provided with a token for a 5 minute shower, had a cold beer and then took a nap. Dinner was served at 6:30 and we were ravenous. The dining room was very animated. Wine flowed and conversations expanded. When the meal was complete we all introduced ourselves. It was a diverse group and some had done the Camino as many as 20 times and one little girl of about 3 or 4 was doing it with her mother and grandmother in a stroller. I can’t imagine pushing that uphill. Dinner wrapped up and we all swiftly found our beds. Another day awaits us………..