Is It Supposed To Be This Hard?

📰 News Update

It seems albergue sales are like buses—nothing for ages, and then two appear at the same time!

• Albergue for sale on the Camino Francés

• Camino Primitivo albergue for sale

👍 Recommended Gear I Used This Year

This piece of kit has been a mainstay on my Caminos for years, enduring both the rain of Galicia and the intense heat of the Meseta.

The PRO 11 WELLBEING Plantar Series Orthotic Insoles support the foot arch, help minimise movement in the shoe, and, most importantly, aren’t rock-hard like many of the other orthotic supports I’ve tried and struggled with!

They come in a variety of sizes and can be cut down to fit the exact size of your shoe. I get a pack of two to save money, and compared to other orthotic insoles, they’re a steal at $20 USD (£16).

🏡 Camino Accommodation Recommendation

Albergue de peregrinos – Camino Primitivo

Situated in the small village of As Seixas, this albergue could be considered ‘off-stage’ when viewed on Gronze.

As municipal albergues go, this is a special one. It’s newly renovated, clean, and well-maintained, with a new kitchen and dining area. Please note that the lovely, clean kitchen has no utensils, so you’ll need to bring your own!

A bed for the night will cost you 10 euros, and each one comes with its own charging point – so no more fighting over that one coveted albergue plug socket.

This is also a great albergue for a group, as they were able to easily accommodate us and everyone else who turned up when I stayed there.

Its location is perfect if you’re planning to stay off-stage on the Francés, as Melide is less than 15 km away.

If you’re walking the Primitivo, then you’d do well to spend the night at this spotlessly clean and welcoming albergue.

Is It Supposed To Be This Hard?

“Arghhhh”

My toe touches the steaming hot water. I compose myself, then slowly ease my foot beneath the bubbles. 

“Owwwww, s**t!”

I lower my aching hips into the tiny Spanish bathtub, a bath so small that the water looks ready to overflow and spill onto the tiled albergue floor at any moment.

Once in, it quickly becomes apparent that extending my legs isn’t gonna happen. At 6’1”, I’m attempting to soak my legs in what looks like an oversized bidet. I’m hoping the warm water will ease the pain in my aching hips. I need any relief I can get if I’m going to walk again tomorrow.

I sit there, partially submerged, knees under my chin, replaying the day, when a thought pops into my head:

‘I can’t do this.’

I ignore it and start washing my hair. But 30 seconds later, another unwanted thought appears:

‘I want to give up, but everyone will know I’ve failed.’

This thought hits harder than the first and isn’t as easy to push away. I eventually send it packing, but as I continue to soak, doubts drift in and out of my mind like unwanted guests, intent on making their presence known.

It’s 2016, and I’m attempting to walk from León to Santiago de Compostela on the Camino Francés, my first Camino. I’ve walked for a grand total of one day, from León to Villa de Mazarife, and physically, I’m in bits. I remember thinking, ‘All I’m doing is walking—why is it so hard?!’

I was way way out of my comfort zone, and the initial bravado I’d had of ‘it’s only a walk’ quickly vanished, only to be replaced with self-doubt and the thought of looming failure. I was there, doing it, but I didn’t know if my first day would be my last. I was battling with myself, as well as with this new, hostile environment.

Throughout my first Camino, I was plagued by aches and pains, blisters, and bouts of sunstroke. But despite believing I’d fail, I made it to Santiago on foot... and, surprisingly, with a smile on my face.

What I didn’t realise at the time was that all those wrong turns—of which there were many (we got lost trying to get out of León, and then 10 minutes later after leaving the city, we took another wrong turn)—were a blessing in disguise. All the mistakes I was embarrassed about, that at the time made me feel stupid for trying to do this hiking thing, have helped me with what I’m doing today: helping others with their Caminos.

What was your first day on the Camino like? Did you crush it, or did you encounter challenging times? I’m hoping it was a little less heavy and doubt-filled than mine.

A few of my failures from that trip and how they help me today:

• I was plagued with blisters - I now know what to do to stop them forming and can also help others in need.

• My walking buddy and I got hit pretty hard by sunstroke just outside of Astorga - I now make sure I carry enough water and always take rehydration salts when walking in the summer. 

• I moaned incessantly about albergue pillows and having a sore neck for the whole trip. After much trial and error, I now have a travel pillow I love, and I’m able to sleep pain-free on the Camino.

Can you think of a failure, Camino-related or not, that has helped you later in life?

I know the last thing you feel like doing when you’ve just messed up is thinking about what a wonderful teaching moment it could be. But when the dust has settled and wounds have been licked, maybe there is something in there you can use to help your future self. It doesn’t need to be shouted from the rooftops or broadcast to the world in a raw, confessional-style social media post. It can be just for you and your own development.

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