Stage 29 – the day I went full Ultreia

Start: 6:10, 18 ºC, sunny, rain

End: 18:30 (jeez!)

Distance: 40.0/708.8 Km

Stayed at Albergue o Apalpador

OST: La Notte Vola, Lorella Cuccarini

I had enough. I wanted out. And not because I was in physical pain.

I recovered enough, and I got to know my body better. I knew that finishing again at 12:00 was not an option: no point in wasting half a day in a village full of tourists.

Just like the previous days, I made it to the end of my stage by lunch time.
As I approached Palas de Rei, I asked myself:

“how far can I still go?”

I had covered 24 Km until Palas de Rei. In the first weeks, a 27 Km distance required a red font on my itinerary. 27 Km is death!

And that’s how I told myself…

“fuck it, I can do this”

With a lighter heart, I ignored my booking in Palas de Rei and kept walking for the entire afternoon, entering Melide around 18:30.
I had walked for more than 12 hours, covering 40 kilometers in a single stage.
I was tired but not exhausted: it anything, the adrenaline had me ready to push further.

At the beginning of camino, my body dictated how far I could walk.

In the middle of my camino, on La Meseta, the scorching Sun was my master.

As I approached the end, the clock was the only limit.

I can walk more.

I can go futher.

Nobody can stop me.

Nobody will stop me.

“ULTREIA“

And that’s the glorious feeling I had in my heart after entering the albergue, totally drenched by the rain, and gnawing down a supermarket salad.
It was now 19:00, I was so excited to have a hot shower and prepare for the next day.

Aaaand… well, I entered the dormitory to find out two young turigrinos had taken over bathroom and toilet.
Busy getting ready for Melide’s crazy night.

They were in their early 20s, and were a bit late because Jacobens had been late in delivering their backpacks.

I don’t think I could have hated them more.
At least they had some empathy, and allowed a peregrino to use the facilities after 13 hours straight on the road.

The morning after, I bolted out. The end was in sight.

Next stage: Stage 30: Melide – O Pedrouzo