Camino- Jellybeans

I missed Fathers' Day in New Zealand so just wanted to say thanks to dear old Dad. 

Even at 78 years old he still goes on week-long cycling and hiking trips with his family and 60-year old whippersnapper friends from the beach.

The trips are not without incident. Three times Dad has (literally) fallen off a cliff. The last time he was hanging on for dear life, already badly bruised by the fall.

One of the whippersnapper 60 year old friends, Crash, called to Dad that he needed strength before he started climbed back up and that he would lower down some jellybeans.

"I don't like jellybeans" Dad called back up.

After indignant insistence from the whippersnappers, Dad called up: "Okay then, I'll have three."

Once Dad had climbed back to the top, another of his friends scolded him: "You're a stubborn old man!" 

A couple of days ago I wanted to be finished, for the walk to be over. So yesterday I walked 36km. Today I walked 49 km. - it took 13 hours. I walked for hours this evening trying to find a bed, no luck, had to walk on, so it wasn't intentional. 

(That means tomorrow i've just got 25km to the end! I will have done it in 26 days - the guidebook allows 33 days)

Tonight Im so tired i can hardly chew. 

Thats too much walking, other people say to me. Ease up they say, be gentle on yourself. Yogic things like that. 

I suppose i could have called a cab, got a ride on a tractor, but i didnt want to. 

Sometimes it works better to be bloody stubborn. 

See you on the other side...