Sarria to Pontmarin – 26 kms

We’d been warned about Sarria and how bus loads of walkers arrive in their shiny fresh clothes, ready to walk the final 100kms to Santiago. When we arrived yesterday we saw nobody.

When we checked into our hotel. Nobody. It was like we’d arrived in a ghost town.

I thought the receptionist had said breakfast was at 9am and cost 7 euro. That’s too expensive and too late.

So when we were ready to leave this morning at 8.30am, we were surprised at everyone sitting down eating brekky.

Where did all the people come from? When did they arrive? And what’s with all the suitcases in reception? It was like we’d walked into an alternate universe.

The receptionist had meant breakfast was from 7-9 and cost 4 euros. Doh. So we ate before we left.

We left Sarria, still no other walkers in sight. We ran into the English guy we’ve been running into who met a girl and is doing the camino for the second time this year. He was having breakfast with his harem.

At dinner in Fonfria a couple of nights ago, he had two women fawning all over him. I asked Mike what they saw in him. He didn’t know.

Then the next morning at breakfast Mike realised what it was. He was dressed like Indiana Jones, complete with satchel bag (no backpack). So we’ve nicknamed him Indiana.

They’ve been having trouble finding accommodation on this stretch. Thankfully sister Lynda warned us and we’ve booked ahead.

That’s Indiana on the left there, with his harem.

There haven’t been that many people on the path, but certainly more than the last 30 days, and a lot of new fresh people. It’s nice having more people to chat to.

The worst traffic we encountered today was a herd of cows we had to stop for. They had big horns and passed real close. I was a little scared.

Then one started piggy backing another and I thought they were going to hit me, so I stepped back and into a shrub of stingy nettles. Ouch!

As we headed into the forest the sound of bagpipes bellowed from below. Was this another aural mirage?

Five minutes later a man emerged from the forest on a motorbike chased by a herd of cows. Okay, that’s an exaggeration, but the farmer told him to leave as they were moving the cows up the road.

Anyway, motorbike man morphed into bagpipe man. He parked his bike, whipped out his pipes and started playing. It was quite surreal.

Bagpipe man here:

The rest of the day involved stopping for lunch, catching up with the German who runs up hills, and his Dad, and eating magnums.

We met an English guy who mentioned at least four times how he was in the army. Apparently he is walking on a broken foot but the army has taught him to ignore the pain. Both Mike and I thought he was full of shit.

We are now at our hotel, drinking beer and writing our blogs.

The end.

Oh, and we met up with a guy we met weeks ago. That was exciting.

The end.