March 7 -8: Sometimes you just stay on the road (Atalia & Tomar)

I mentioned having bags sent ahead each day. This begs the question: why take a day pack? What is in it?

In mine:
· Electronics (chargers, battery, laptop);
· Documents, cash, pen for registrations;
· Rain gear (mac, pants, pack cover); warm top, gloves;
· Save-a-hike kit (spare laces, dry socks, micro-towel, lens wipes, Scotties, couple of safety pins, antiseptic wipes, Claritin, nappy rash cream, which is my go-to for bites, welts, hot spots, rashes of all kinds);
· Water, energy bars;
· Emergency bivouac (you never know).

Carey also has Droni, his GoPro, a “proper” first aid kit with dressings, salves etc.

In our forwarded bags? Toiletries, toothbrushes etc.; many, many pairs of dry clean socks, extra underpants and T-shirts; a spare pair of walking shoes each; after-walk changes of clothing and sandals; laundry supplies; foot care supplies; travel utensils (cutlery, multitools, ties/clips) and tea, sugar, milk packets.

The “glamour” of the Camino!

We again managed to avoid the rain, somehow finding the pocket, trotting along fast enough to get inside before the deluge. The second storm front is passing through as I write (from my dry bedroom). The wind is actually whistling, the rain slapping the walls outside.

We passed through Golegã, today. It is a very well-healed town, the centre of Lusitanian horse breeding, trading. We also passed through the derelict Quinta da Cardiga, a formerly-splendid Templar property, donated in the 12th Century, beautified in the 16th Century: a now-dilapidated stable complex; a peeling grand house/hospital; rows of work buildings, their rooves and windows gone. The only noises now are the clattering of storks; the river rushing through the race; the chatter of songbirds and the whoosh of pigeon wings.

Our homestay hostess greeted us with “Feel at home” – then charges 1 Euro for a teabag (we bring our own – see above). The expression “the price of everything and the value of nothing” floated, very uncharitably, across my mind. It was followed, promptly, by “forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors”. So, I suppose the cumulative was ok.

Today we walked to Tomar, a Templar town with a ruined castle, medieval convent and town square. Knowing we have a rest day tomorrow to explore, we are taking long, baths (first to warm, then to soak). Carey’s soaking now. I’m done, and typing with my legs up the wall to drain away the day’s aches.

Already tired, we adopted a “no mud” policy today. We crafted our own camino on b-roads, tracks. We did fairly well until forced off an exposed stretch by the driving wind/rain combo, onto a sheltered (but grimly flooded) footpath. As soon as we could, we waded through a ditch, scrambled over the railway line and jumped a fence to get back onto a road. Roads/cinder paths offer some drainage and traction, which we have sorely missed in these first few days.

Our watches say we are just over 190km and 265,000 steps (as opposed to the Camino app, which asserts, absent GPS, that we are at 156km).