The Meseta – Walking the Demonic Section of the Camino

From what Heather has written earlier, there’s obviously a whole folklore of agorophobic terror  surrounding the walking through the Meseta.  But according to today’s update from her, it sounds like going home to Essex in high summer – with a few less trees! Now you couldn’t give that beautiful french lass my phone number could you Heather 😉

So, amigos, amigas, I read a lot about The Meseta (the plains).  How there was nothing, no trees, no shade, nothing.  I listened to those two at the refuge at Viloria who said that people came in angry to the refuges, problems, demons doing a bolero in their heads with no other distractions.

Jackie and Mike (thank you, both) said that there was nothing to worry about.

I walked through Rabe and onto the plains.  And there´ll be nothing to make you laugh in this e-mail probably – because it´s beautiful.  I love it.  I walked alone all through Monday to Hornillos and yesterday to Castrojeriz.  I kept smiling.  And I lie in my bunk at night smiling.

How can I describe it?  There is a huge variety of grasses, maybe the same colour but the textures are so different and sometimes I feel them to see how silky they are.  There are trees but usually one solitary tree.  There are fields and fields – all straw but with the patterns of the cutting lying in different directions.  There are thistles and tall green grasses and the blue wildflowers that are everywhere and sometimes there is a hill.  A hill with a flat top but a hill.  And I keep stopping to take a photo – of nothing- and then another because each picture of nothing is so wonderful.  I must have twenty five photos of nothing.

And my head?  Is it full of demons, problems, worries?

It has never been so in “in-the-present” for years, if ever.  It’s not buzzing or having imaginary conversations in French or Spanish.  It´s just looking at an incredible variety of what could be termed “nothing”.

Today I walked with Heloise.  She is beautiful, French and has walked from – Britanny. She closed her front door, said goodbye to her mum and sisters and started walking. We went out to eat last night and she said she´d really like to walk with me today.  I´m just amazed – what do these young things want with an old lady like me?  She said she likes my energy and just, well , enthusiasm.

I´m just so thrilled.  And she´s lovely company and we talk about all sorts, mainly in French.

The day after tomorrow I reach half-way.

Take care, everybody,

Love

Heather xxxx

It’s amazing what you can see in the most mundane and ordinary things when just relax your preconceptions and filter out the whiny voices of the cup half empty brigade.  There’s a hell of a milestone coming up shortly – half way?  How far is the beast?  I think Heather said something like 780 km. that’s a long walk!   Keep going H!