DAY 6 ALPRIATE

Yesterday was a quiet day. Karla took her time to get going. Once a week a volunteer comes to give the Albergue a spring clean. I had some extra time and yet I could not settle into my meditation. My mind was really like a monkey, jumping from one thought to the other. I have learned over time to accept this as part of my spiritual discipline.

After I had breakfast and coffee, I walked to the next town to get to an ATM and do some shopping. I sat down for a beer and had a look at my feet. It was a bit shocking to see how hard my soles have become.

Gergely from Hungary was first to arrive. He also ran out of water and therefore first stopped at the bar to refuel. He booked in and fell asleep. Peter and his son Jack, from Scotland arrived before seven.

Peter is taking strain. I look at his backpack. "What do you have in there?" "Everything!" answers Jack, who is 18. "We come from the high mountains of Scotland and must always be prepared." Peter adds: "Stove, jacket, rain gear!" I tried to lift their pack. My response: "You need to get rid of a lot of stuff otherwise you will not make it and definitely not have fun." (At the airport the bags weighed 20 and 15 kg. Then they added another 8kg of water when they started in Lisbon. Take note - 11kg should be the max, for a woman even less - 9 kg)

Jack has just finished school. He and his father is doing the adventure together before he leaves home. "He's getting old," says Jack. "He's been helping the old man today, he carried the heavy backpack most of the day" replies Peter. I smile, their journey has just begun. They will get rid of a lot of things over the next 600km.

Then I think of my own son who suddenly became a man and I am proud but hope that we will also be able to do this together one day.

Gergely returns after he went for supper. This is a retreat for him, an inner journey. He is worried about Ansie returning to SA. He asks me directly if I have marital problems. "No, we had a wonderful Camino, but she had to go back to work." He is thankful to hear this and I appreciate a stranger's brief concern. He's off to bed early.

Just before Peter and Jack went for supper I gathered from them that they do not have a map or guidebook. I wondered how this can be, they have everything in their packs to help them survive for five days, but no map. I wonder how many people go through life that way; so much unnecessary stuff they carry with them without knowing where they are going. When things become more important...

They buy a guidebook and we sit and talk until 23:00 about the Camino. Again, I give as much information and advice as possible. When they get to the next town they will send all the unnecessary stuff back home by post.

How little do we really need!