Tui to Porriño (11.5 miles/18.52 km)

Almost at the end of my Camino and it has come down to a slow going mode. I figured it would only take me three to four days to reach Santiago, so close, but things happen on the Camino and you have to expect them.

Taking a zero day was really what I needed, yet the issue with loosing my cell phone service I didn’t count on, and being able to find lodging with a phone is very important and I hate to lose that.

Paul had taken the bus this morning from Vigo to Tui so we could walk together and we had time for breakfast. I waited until 9:00 am when the cell phone store opened but the clerk could not figure out how to activate the new SIM card so I had to wait another two hours until 11:00 when the owner came in.

I had reserved a room for tonight in Redondela, 21 miles away, thinking if I started by 9:30 I could easily make it by 4:30-5:00. Not starting until after 11:30 would totally change my plans, so Paul went ahead without me and took my reservation in Redondela.

Saving zero days is important to me and this is a perfect example. I have to fly out of Santiago by Saturday, five days from now, and it will likely take me four days to get to Santiago. Not much time to spare. Under normal conditions I would have budgeted four or five more days into the trip, but under my flight restrictions I was only allowed 30 days.

I waited until the owner came in at 11:00 and bought a new SIM card but he would not install it. I went back to the hotel and installed it and then spent over an hour with customer service chat support to get the SIM card to work. I was told it would take 2-3 hours for them to delete the old number I had in my account from before.

A little frustrated I left Tui about 1:00 without a working phone or my mapping program. It wasn’t bad as the Camino here is very well marked, and the trail seemed so well groomed for all the pilgrims starting here that it was almost parklike. The first few miles were beautiful and mainly flat, with very few climbs. After about four miles the Camino split in two, one more scenic and a half mile further. The other shorter route traveled through an industrial area. I decided to take shorter route as I wasn’t sure how far I would go today.

The weather was fairly cool, and with the flat terrain, I got into a good rhythm. I made it to Porriño before 5:00. I stopped at a business with a sign noting they stamp pilgrim passport and while there connected to their WiFi. A nice clerk saw me struggling with the phone and asked if she could help. I told her I was looking for a place to stay and she called a few hotels and pensions for me and found a room at the Hostal Louro. They had one private room with a private bath left and she reserved it for me. The room was small, but comfortable, and most of all, clean, and only €25 ($28).

After I checked in I spent another hour with online customer service chat support for my cell phone, and after all that time it is still not working. I am using WiFi here and will be without it tomorrow. Thankfully the Camino is well marked and with the amount of pilgrims on the Camino now I don’t think I’ll get lost.

I had dinner here tonight, and without sounding too repetitive, the owners were very pleasant people. Dinner was very nice, and the ice cream cake dessert was excellent. I complimented Pedro (the son) on how good it was and the next thing I know he brought be a bigger slice on the house!

I love hearing people’s stories on the Camino, whether it’s pilgrims or the locals. The owners here are from Venezuela and have only been here two months. They told me that Venezuela is in a state of political instability and the economy is very bad. Juan, the owner, said things are so bad with the economy their beautiful condominium on the beach that cost $200,000 is now worth less than $40,000. They, like Irenea, the manager from last night, who is from Cuba, feel blessed to be in Spain.

Tomorrow will be a good day, even without cell service as I am only three days away from Santiago and I can smell the end. I’ll get a good night’s sleep and see what the Camino brings me tomorrow.

Best wishes to all,

Ted

Please excuse the typos, spelling, grammar, etc., as I am typing this on my phone, and I am probably pretty tired.

If you would like to see the Alzheimer’s Association website, see our team page, and donated, please go to:

act.alz.org/goto/tedstrek

Looking out from my balcony in the morning

It is about 7:00 and an hour earlier than Portugal time so it’s still dark

I wrapped my shin with medical tape I usually use to keep mole skin on my toes and feet, and it really help ease the pain today

Heading out from my pension looking for the Camino without my map program on my phone and thankfully found the first arrow right away

The Camino

The Camino passed by, but didn’t go over the stone bridge

Camino scenery was very nice the first few miles

Camino stream crossing

Another Camino stream crossing

A beautiful painting on the Camino called “the old pilgrim.”

The Camino bridge railway crossing

Camino crossing

My home for the night, Hostal Louro. Nice place and great owners!

My room, not very big or fancy.

Bath. What, no bidet!

But the shower is the most important thing after a long sweaty day

The start of dinner

My trek today

Elevation was no issue today