When we finished the hike the day before yesterday, Ellen – a fresh-faced 21-year-old from the UK – came up to me and told me she was walking all the way to Santiago and would love for me to be her company.
On the one hand, it felt nice – that someone so young wanted to hang out with me. On the other hand, I immediately felt pressure I don’t want on this trail. The girl, who looks like freaking Heidi, told me her plan. And I told her mine – that I really don’t want to ruin her first Camino because my minimum daily hike is 40 km. I didn’t want her staring daggers at me or cursing me the whole way. I told her I’m not like normal people. She replied that’s exactly what she needs, because after the Camino, she’s joining the military – and she’s hungry for a challenge. I laughed – because same. I need challenges too. But I laughed even harder when she said she overheard me telling someone I wanted to walk 120 km in under a day – and that she wanted to join me. I cracked up. I really didn’t expect that from a 21-year-old girl. I told her: if we survive the Camino del Norte in 24 days, then we can start dreaming of doing 120 km in a day. We shook hands on it – deal made.
In the morning, the two German guys checked in to say they wouldn’t be continuing with us. Yesterday’s 40 km hike over brutal terrain had completely wiped them out. So much for how tough Germans really are. Two badass babes laced up their sneakers and headed out chasing new victories, leaving the Germans behind in the hostel licking the wounds of yesterday’s battle.
Later, I texted them jokingly, saying that “Brko”[1] from Berlin would be seriously disappointed in them – just to poke them where it hurts and maybe guilt them into getting back on the trail.
But everyone walks the Camino in their own way – with their own pace, goals, and challenges.
From today on, I’ve got a new mission: teach this 21-year-old something useful in 24 days and help her finish the Camino del Norte without any blisters or torn ligaments. Her older sister hiked the Camino Francés last year in 30 days. So, it’s only right that the little sister flips her the middle finger – because she beat her not just in time, but in trail difficulty too.[1] Brko – referring to Hitler
