Today, the big climb up to O Cebreiro was fine.

Demanding at times, but fine.

I learnt a big lesson today, but we'll get to that later.

Villafranca del Beirzo turned out to be a gorgeous little town. I left very early, (6am), as I'll explain later, and made my way through the empty streets in the dark, trying to find the markers out of town.

I followed a group of girls who seemed to know what they were doing. They had the giggles and exuberance of day packers.

I ended up getting lost and following them, then they suddenly stopped by the side of the road. I thought it was to check their map, but it was to have breakfast!

I walked up to them and they immediately invited me to join them – they offered me hot chocolate and beautiful biscuits from Toledo. They were from Madrid, and it was their first day on the Camino. They were so generous and sweet.

I bumped into them on and off during the day as the walk progressed.

After about 10 kms I had breakfast of the mandatory two coffees, and some freshly made tortilla. The next 10 kms was fairly flat…

And then the climb began.

I thought about how the Camino has thrown this last hardship at us, right near the end. And once again, how like life it is.

Many people have to deal with hardship in the later years of their life – health issues, caring for aged parents, losing their job or dealing with financial problems.

The Camino really is metaphoring nicely!

I was anxious about this stage. I'd been anxious about it before I left Australia. Looking at topographical maps, the first stage from St. Jean to Roncesvalles, and this stage to O Cebreiro, were the two doozies.

Consequenly last night I didn't sleep. I left the hotel this morning at 6am with about four hours sleep. So by the time I hit the climbs, I was exhausted.

There were two sections in today's walk which were stiff. But nothing I haven't handled before. What made today really hard for me was my exhaustion from lack of sleep, because of my anxiety.

In other words, I perpetrated a difficult day for myself. I created it. I said it was going to be difficult, and that's what i manifested for myself!

(Read my precursor to this blog – Day 26 Coming up. I told you all it was going to be hard and it was!)

If i hadn't been anxious, and if I'd had a decent amount of sleep, I would have sailed up to O Cebreiro.

My secret weapon when I'm whacked on this walk? Two cans of Coke Zero. With ice. Caffeine and putrid chemical sugar substitutes. Works like a dream!

At the base of the climb, there was this old codger dawdling along. He was from Switzerland, and his name was Zoren. He was 67. We chatted briefly, then I politely told him that I'd have to leave him because I was going to walk at my own pace – ie, I was going to leave him well behind.

After about a kilometre he passed me going up a steep incline, and I never saw him again on the climb. He moved like a mountain goat.

i did though bump into him in O Cebreiro and complemented him on the vigour of his climb. He said that he was a telecommunications technician, and his job involved him traipsing over the Alps in Switzerland fixing towers etc.

Never never judge.

You think I'd have learnt that by now.

By the way, I've now crossed into Galicia. And the capital is Santiago de Compostela. I can't believe I only have about 150 kms to go.