Day 1 & Day 2: Porto - Rates - Barcelos (53 kms)

So... the 300km pilgrim trek (Camino Portugués) to Santiago de Compostela has commenced, actually it started at 5.30am yesterday and already we are feeling the strain of walking.

Yesterday we walked 37km to Rates, it was a pretty dire day... by 10.00am it was already about 35º, it took us close to 3 hours to get out of Porto city and then we would spend the next 5 hours walking along a busy main road, sharing space with 2-tonne lorries, cars, the occassional tractor and... lots of road kill. I really thought that we might get collected like some of the poor birdies we saw.

Thankfully though we lived to see another day and we arrived at the Albergue (pilgrims hostel) some 10 hours after we started - tired, very cranky, both with blisters and me also with burns on my hips from my wretched bag... I hate walking and Ant is already getting sick of the me moaning - and this is only day 1!! On a bright note our Albergue was wonderful, nice hot showers, comfortable bunks (we are sharing a room with 10 other pilgrims), laundry facilities - what more could you want... a bus out of this place maybe!!

Blister Count Day 1
Narelle = 4.5
Ant = 1

We both slept right through the night waking only at 6.00am to our alarm, I was having a wonderful dream only to wake in horror at the thought that we had to walk again today.

With sore feet we put bandaids on our blisters and reluctantly forced on our walking shoes, today would we would only walk 16km to Barcelos - easy peasy... At least today most of the time was spent walking along quiet cobbled country lanes and through quaint villages, the locals are very friendly and call out "Camino bom" (good Camino) as we pass.

The heat already is getting to us both, it really does seem that by 10.00am you are walking in the full heat of the day. One of the blisters at the back of my foot popped today, so I spent the last 4km hobbling into Barcelos... Ant all the while being ever the patient one - not!!

Tonight we are staying at the local volunteer Fire Station (Barcelos Bombeiros), they offer very basic - but free accommodation to pilgrims, plus they have wonderful hot showers and even better... free internet. There are only 4 other pilgrims staying here, actually that's all that can fit.

At the end of day 2 both of our feet are suffering, we have spent the afternoon purchasing fancy bandaids and swimming at a local pool in the hope that our aching muscles will mend.

Tomorrow we are walking about 20km and hopefully staying at a locals ladies house, we are going to set off at around 4.30am trying to miss the heat...

Although today seems negative, but we are having a brilliant time really - just need to get into the flow of walking.

Blister Count Day 2
Narelle = 6 (causes - 12kg wretched bag and... shoes that are too small)
Ant = 2 (cause - big feet!)