Hitting a rough patch and rallying.

I could not get out of Riego de Ambros fast enough this morning. As mentioned, there were two of us at the Albergue last night, which is really strange compared to what I've seen thus far. What I thought was going to be a good night of sleep turned into a nightmare when the other pilgrim staying there, a German man in his late 60s or early 70s, opened the door to the room where my bunk was and asked if I wanted to come sleep in his room. I was shocked and appalled, but tried to keep my cool as I said, "No thank you sir, I'd prefer to sleep alone tonight." He proceeded to touch my face and say, "But I'd rather sleep with you." Ugh...so not okay. All of my manners went out the window at that point; I pointed to the door and said, "Please leave. Get out. Now!" Let's just say I slept restlessly last night, as I felt I had to be on guard. It was a bit of a terrifying experience, as I had no one to call for help or backup...but I'm glad I didn't have to do so. I practically sprinted out of there at daybreak though.

The cherry on top was when I finished the rough decent into Molinaseca, I went to pull my camera out of the side pocket of my bag I was in such a rush that it went flying out of its case and both the lens and the LCD screen broke. How is one supposed to record 7 weeks of traveling in Europe without a functional camera?! I know material possessions aren't important in the grand scheme of life, but it was a major bummer. At this point I was physically and emotionally exhausted, which resulted in me crying and feeling sorry for myself for the next several miles.

Somehow, the camino worked it's ambulatory psychotherapy magic on me though, and by the time I reached the beautiful mideval town of Ponsferrada 8.5 miles in to my journey today I was ready to take charge and fix things. Being welcomed to the city by a mighty-looking castle helped solidify my resolve.

In this case, solving problems meant throwing money at them. I decided I was unwilling to go without a digital camera, so I allowed myself to purchase a new, lower-end digital camera for 135€ so I could continue documenting my travels. Tonight I am staying in a hotel for 35€ as well, where I can get a good night of sleep without any harassment, enjoy a full breakfast tomorrow morning, and have my laundry done for a few Euros more. Washing my clothes in sinks is fine, but every now and then it's worth it to pay for a proper washing. I also found a functional voltage converter down the street for 1€, which means I can ditch my current one that weighs nearly a pound and doesn't work in most outlets. Lastly I was able to buy some fresh vegetables, which I've really been missing. Spanish cuisine includes alot of ham and carbs, but not a ton of veggies.

There were so many emotional fluctuations today that it feels as though more than 18 miles have been walked and more than 16 hours have transpired. As for now, I'm going to take a moment to be thankful for all the good fortune that I have, and then enjoy a long night of uninterrupted sleep. Let's hope, anyway!

Lesson learned: Don't mope--it doesn't solve anything. Take control, be proactive, and do what you can to shift your perspective. Ride it out, and th situation will likely improve.

Wishing you all a less emotional Monday! ;)

Abrazos,
Kelsey