Day 9: Emily, Laura, and I got up and left early again today. We did it to catch a sunrise on the side of a mountain. It was about 46 degrees when we left and only seemed to get colder as we hiked this morning, but it was worth it for the sunrise we saw. We could see the whole valley covered in the amber grain fields as the sun came up over the mountains. It was gorgeous!
The second half of the day was a steep climb that brought us to a plateau that was a wooded area with ferns under the trees. It reminded me a lot of the NC or VA mountains. It grew in beauty after we climbed the last hill and it became somewhat flat! It ended up being a lovely stroll through the woods.
As we walked, we talked to a man who is with a group of 15 people from Italy. They are walking the whole Camino to raise money for a paralyzed girl. It was cool to hear his story and listen to his passion for it. There are all kinds of reasons people walk the Camino. His story was a beautiful example of that
The last half of the day ended up being filled with laughter as we got more and more tired. One such instance was when Emily tried to sit on a signpost while still wearing her backpack. Doing anything in a backpack is hard, let alone climbing on top of something! So many laughs!
The other unusual occurrence on the trail today was the herd of cattle we walked through. In case you didn’t know, cows are massive! I knew this, but I just had forgotten until we were walking by them. Thankfully they were pretty chill and were not scared of us. Laura even petted one.
As we hiked today, I thought about Romania. I thought mostly about how exciting it was to have my Mom come out for a week! We talked about a lot of things and just hung out part of the time. It was a good growing experience for both of us but also a really good memory! God reminded me a lot about listening during that time. I listen well to friends and even people I don’t know, but when it comes to family, I don’t do it well. Listening is a way I can pursue my family well, and that’s what I want. I want to build our relationships and work on them as I would a close friend because they are my closest friends.
Once we got into town, I took a nap then spent most of my afternoon working on logistics. So many phone calls, Google searches, and emails. Also, a lot of math. I am praying everything works out. It’s going to be by the grace of God if we make it to Mijas at this point. He will provide though.
Tomorrow is our last day on the trail. It is bitter sweet. I love hiking and getting to know these people on the trail, but my feet can’t take much more. It will be good to have some down time in Burgos the next two days.
Until tomorrow!
Elise
