The flat lands of northern central Spain have now come to an end. For those that don´t know, the mesetas are flat, flat and flat! It is fantastic to see as far as you possibly can! In the clear air, towns, villages and remote ruins all seem a lot closer than they really are! Being able to see your destination is fantastic, but hard work when it doesn´t seem to come any closer! But the wine and good company more than make up for those long walk-ins!

Out on the mesetas, we are so used to seeing ruins of monasteries, abbeys, churches of a bygone era, that they hardly merit a look as we walk past. But they are token of a long gone power of religious or knightly orders like the Knights Templars or San Anton. It is not hard to to imagine a troop of horseman in battle armour with pendants and banners flying coming out of the woods, across the fields to their commanderies. If you listen carefully it is not hard to imagine you can even hear the thunder of the hoofs that whisper on the everblowing wind.

Everywhere there are crops growing or land being prepared for the sping and summer. It is remote farmlands up here. You can´t help but feel the age of the Earth beneath your feet as you pass through one village to the next. There is a real sense of connection with the earth and weather here.

We have been continued to be blessed here with the weather. Nights are clear and dry. But are (enter your own profanity here) cold! Early mornings are freezing as we begin to walk in three, sometimes four layers. But afternoons are usually warm. I have even managed to walk in shorts! Thank goodness that it is remote country on the mesetas. Otherwise they would die of fright from my shockingly white legs!

But all the locals we have talked to say that the weather is just not normal now. It is very unusual to have this fine weather at this time of the year. Usually the whole mesetas are covered in, at least, a foot of snow. And if it is not snowing, then it is raining. Hard! The fact that the storks have arrived and are making their nests now, two months earlier than expected, is a matter for much concern. If we thought that the climate change was something of a handy political football, then what the locals say here would refute that. In the space of two years they have seen a dramatic change in weather here! We are grateful for the lack of rain as it makes our journey more comfortable and less ardous. But there are far greater concerns that these people face. And by extension, the rest of us!

As a result, it is easy to imagine that you are travelling in a bubble. Imagine a frothy foamy bath with all those bubbles. As we walk together in the middle of nowhere following our yellow arrows, we are by ourselves, within ourselves. We are each our own bubbles. Then as a couple we are a bigger bubble. Those that we share each night´s rest stops are an even bigger bubble. This sense of "connected isolation" was brought home one morning. The cold morning mist had reduced our visibility to a mere 50 yards in any direction and the sounds were completely muted. Grey in front, behind, above and just ghostly-shaped whisping in and out of the thickness of the mist. Pilgrims disappearing into the mist ahead or behind as you pass them. Although there was no sun, it was a magical day with such a valuable insight learnt, nevertheless.

Those that we have travelled with, our travel bubble, have changed as we move through the days. Luigi has had a friend join him from Switzerland. Yves wanted a feel of what this Camino was all about! I am sure he got it! The Aussies have gone on ahead. Reiner is probably a day or two ahead. And of Antonio there is no sign. Each must travel their own pilgrimage, at their own pace, learning all the lessons they need for themselves.

Thankfully, we seemed to have learnt that feet need proper treatment and plenty of TLC! Both our feet are treated to twice daily inspections. The fact that blisters are disappearing and it is really just aches and pains that remain is a good sign. A day´s walk is so much more fun, insightful, enjoyable when your feet do what they should without causing pain. But no pain, no gain!

Tomorrow we head out of here for the last stage into Santiago. It is hard to believe that we have walked about 500km in the last three weeks or so. The 300km ahead don´t seem so bad! But there are some Galician mountains ahead and the weather is reputed to be closing in. The high peaks will be fun. Either rain or snow! But warm clothes and raincoats are at the ready!

So as the meseta stage ends, another mountain stage begins and this grand adventure is slowly, inevitably coming to an end. But there are plenty of hard kilometres before here and then! And plenty more stories to tell, adventures to experience and too much fun still to have!

Buen camino, nuestros amigos!

ELLIS - TELL YOUR FOLKS