So the apartment was really good but it was up four flights of stairs up. So that was hard work with sore feet. Everybody had a bit of rest and then we tried to formulate a plan to get my bag collected to be taken to Hospital. In the end the guy was going to be just around the corner from the apartment. So while Rory and Bryce went to see another church and got to a pilgrims mass. I said I would walk my bag about 600m to meet the guy. I loaded up and put my shoes back on which was a painful experience. Then I headed out of the building and hobbled down the street to meet the bag guy. He was lovely, him and his wife run the bag run from Leon for the next stage he was really helpful and gave me a big hug and encouraged me that I can do it. I hobbled back towards the apartment looking for some food for some dinner and also for some breakfast. But I was unable to find anything for dinner but i did find some small pottles of yoghurt berry flavoured. And a pretty good looking Granny Smith Apple. I made my way back to the apartment very slowly and then got the washing in that was dry and started getting ready for bed. I think I was in bed by about 7:45pm but I was feeling pretty tired so I wasn’t worried about that.
I ended up getting a pretty good sleep even if it was broken and I had to get up to go to the loo several times because I had drunken a lot of water. We were set to wake at 6:00am again and get on the road by 6:30am. I woke at 5:30 and as my bag had already gone there wasn’t a lot for me to get sorted. We were out the door by 6:30 and the apple was the nicest one that i have found so far in Spain, the yoghurt tasted pretty good as well. It felt so much better to not be carrying my bag as my feet were still pretty tender. We worked our way through the streets of Leon as the sun was rising. We happened to go through the car workshop district which meant seeing a few more cars that I knew my boss would get excited about and he did!
We walked just past Valverde de la Virgen and found a little cafe that was doing a roaring trade we stopped there for breakfast it was about 13 kms from Leon. While it was crisp probably about 2degrees when we left Leon the sun was out and it was pretty good walking conditions so we pushed on after finishing our breakfast. The next stop was going to be San Martin del Camino and we find a bar that looked ok for lunch this was about another 12 kms further along and the pain meds wore off just as we were coming into the town. I had to stop and take some more and thankfully they had kicked in by the time we sat down for lunch.
The Cafe was a bit of a funny setup with the bar being upstairs and the outside tables being down two flights of stairs along the side of the building. We went up to order and there was only one person working. She took our orders and told us to go and wait outside. I went with a Mixed Salad and then so,e chicken wings as I was feeling quite hungry after missing dinner last night. We waiting around for a while, Bryce came back with his sandwich before any of the rest of us had anything, he was the last to order. Then She turned up with the mixed salads for Rory and I and shortly after with Ray’s steak. I took my shoes off and tried to dry my feet out a bit which was a good idea. Then eventually my chicken wings arrived they were really good. After we finished we went and paid our bill and then headed off out of town with about another 7 odd kms to go. It was a bit of a mind game this last 7kms everything was hurting and we were walking next to a main road and so the trucks were racing by. It was a very straight road that seemed to go on forever. I decided to walk with the poles and so i was able to find a good rhythm and I also put my AirPods in and played Fiona’s Worship playlist and I had a bit of a sing along to myself. I thought it was a bit ironic to be singing Tuhia a New Zealand worship song by Te Rautini. When it got to the bridge of the song it really spoke to me.
“Your love has freed us
We’re free indeed
Spoken to our pain, revealing hope again
Your love has freed us
We’re free indeed
Spoken to our pain, revealing hope again
Your love has freed us
We’re free indeed
Spoken to our pain, revealing hope again
Your love has freed us
We’re free indeed
Spoken to our pain, revealing hope again.
It repeats a bit more but I found as I was singing the words that God was really speaking to me, His love has freed me and I am free indeed. And he has spoken to my pain and revealed hope again in my life. I found as I sung the words over and over again with passion it was very uplifting and encouraging. But I also felt God saying this is what I have done for you. He has spoken to my pain and after feeling very down and sad about things for a long time after Fiona’s death I actually feel as though there is hope for me and my whanau moving forward. Especially as Yona and I are going to get married in July. I feel as though she has been such an amazing gift for me and had brought joy and laughter back into my life. I am starting to dream and look forward to the future with hope and that is such a blessing. God has not taken away the pain and the loss that I feel for Fiona and I don’t think he ever will but he has brought something or someone new into my life and that is amazing!
The song goes on to sing Bless the Lord oh my soul and all that is within me. And I was singing this at the top of my lungs and meaning it with every fibre of my being. Let’s just say there were a few tears being shed as I walked and also as I write this now. It has been a long and some what emotional walk today. We arrived in our town Hospital de Órbigo at about 3:00pm a very cool looking town with a medieval bridge that you walk over we arrived at our Albergue and back to dormitory tonight we are all on top bunks as we were one of the last to arrive. While my feet are sore they are not too bad. And I have had a shower and redressed the blisters and put some more of the antibiotic ointment on them. It is cooling off as the sun is dropping but I need to go and find something to drink and do some other housekeeping. That is it from me today!
Nga mihi
Mike
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