For those doing the math, I am now 25% of the way through. Not that I am focusing on the end or anything, but, well, I am 25% through!
Today´s destination was supposed to be Santo Domingo, but I was on the road by 6:30 and arrived there at 11:30. I was still feeling pretty good, and rather than try to find things to do in this fairly small town, I decided to press on. I walked an additional 11km (6.8mi) and found a nice albergue in this very beautiful little town. After a freezing cold shower, I washed my clothes and found a computer. This is starting to be my routine for most days, and I have to say I like it.
My body is holding up pretty well. The only real issues I have are the one blister, which has only gotten worse, and some general foot pain that I imagine is to be expected. Still in all, I seem to be in as good or better shape than many of my fellow walkers. I met a group of young men (kids, if you ask me!!) today and one of the them is going home tomorrow because of an achilles problem. I have to be careful not to get cocky though, because at this point injury is the only thing that could stop me from finishing this. I am totally committed and still having a great time.
I had what appeared to be a very interesting conversation with a local man in one of the towns I stopped in today. It went something like this...
Me: "No hablo Ingles, pero donde esta el albergue" (which means, "I don´t speak Spanish, but where is the albergue." I start every sentence off this way just to avoid, well, to avoid this:)
Him: El albergue es proximo a la iglesia ("the albergue is next to the church". This I understood!).
Then, after a thoughtful pause, he launched into about 30 seconds of extremely fast spanish, not one word of which I understood (because, as I thought I had made clear, I do not speak Spanish).
Me (Smiling): No hablo espanol. Solo Ingles. (I don´t speak Spanish. Only English)
Him: Ahhh... Ingles. Si. Si.
Me (Still smiling as if posing for a passport photo): Si
I have to say he looked quite satisfied, and I am pretty sure I resolved something for him. So I have that going for me.
Until tomorrow...
2 comments:
Yawn-O-Thin,
Your blog is awesome! I've have really enjoyed keeping up with you. I've been working in HNL this week and had a lunch today with one of my favorite docs. We talked about your journey and I showed them your blog. The doc was both impressed and inspired by you. Keep up the positive attitude and the great writing.
BTW, if Norm and Cliffy are with you who are you? Fraser? After all you are getting in touch with your inner self. :)
Take care Buddy!
I have frequent communication with parents of students in our religious education program who will do that. "¿Habla español?" they ask (Do you speak Spanish?) "Solo un poquito." I reply, which is "only a little"--maybe in Italian which I did speak fairly well at one time but they seem to understand.
The reaction is then either to start off at breakneck speed telling me what they need me to know, or else call their six year old over to translate.
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