DAY 7 ALPRIATE

So yesterday morning at the supermarket, the security card immediately started following me the moment I entered the shop. I had a backpack, cap, sunglasses and slops on. I was wondering if he thought here comes trouble. However, he was inexperienced. The moment he started looking at the salad prices behind me, I looked at him. He knew I knew he was following me. I ignored him, but somehow I enjoyed this little game.

Every day I look forward to see who will be my guests for the night. Tonight two women from the Netherlands arrived. I spoke Afrikaans to them. They plan a six week pilgrimage to Santiago but also Finistere and part of the coastal route in Spain. I do not know how old they are, but for their age, they look in good form.

The couple from Chechoslovakia is on a delayed honeymoon! But as with the two Dutch ladies, no guidebook! I sold the last book to the Dutch ladies. I let the couple take photos of two of the maps in my guidebook. You cannot walk the Camino with a GPS neither with a map and compass. It will get you there, but you will walk along highways all the way with little sleeping facilities or water.

What is interesting is how we became so dependant on technology. In spite of telling Ludovit where the supermarket is (500m down the road), he switched on the GPS. They are back within minutes. "What now?" "No, the GPS says there is only a small shop in the next town." I walk them down the road, around the corner and show them the supermarket.

Is this what technology is doing to our relationships? The thing(person) you trust most, you will listen to! How sad that our lives (relationships) should be so influenced by something that is supposed to make our lives more comfortable. We have become so dependant on our mobile phones and social networks. We want to tell the world where we are, but we cannot tell the person next to us how we feel to be where we are.

Technology is robbing us of not only our relationships, but one of the key elements of a relationship - emotions. Because we are loosing the ability to really communicate our emotions, we are loosing our relationships.

Make time to fast from your device, spend that time in silence or connecting with the (P)person who is with you. This is what makes this journey so exciting and rewarding.