Day 33 (to Melide): … singin’ in the rain…

Early start at dawn …  

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… while most of the others are still asleep … just a couple of Spaniards are getting ready to leave.
Its pitch dark outside and route goes near the road so I put on my reflexive vest.

Aviva catches up soon enough and leaves me behind soon enough … I takes time to get me going in the morning, not that she is faster … perish the thought.

Next ahead … a larger town where Camino sellos (stamps) seem to be offered on every corner … I drop by a church nearby and get one.
I run into …make that shuffle into … Eliah and Paolo who poses for a great photo next to the pilgrim monument.

Since early morning the rain is doing a Hamlet routine … eventually choosing “to be”. At first drops I put on my raincoat and earned a funny look from an older Spanish peregrino who is walking in short sleeves.
This part of the Camino is rich in pilgrims with small (practically tiny) backpacks. I guess those are the ones who started from Sarria and/or are having their pack delivered.

Approaching Mellide I took a wrong turn … continued along the wide path ahead instead of taking a tiny forest path to the right. This time I was warned by a Spanish lady who made the same mistake but realised it sooner.
Entering Melide I came across some folks handing out flyers with albergue ads. Definitely no signs of crowds that all guidebooks mention as an occurrence after Sarria.

Arrived at Melide around 15:30 and bumped into the Aussie family near ATM. They are continuing on. At the albergue a nice room, six beds (practically a private suite by Camino standards) with Keith in it. He still hasn’t managed to find a place to fix his glasses but this town has two opticians … all that remains is to wait out the siesta.
In a little while we get two new Italian roommates … Andrea (he) and Letitia (she). They started from St. Jean 20 days ago … which translates to average of 40km per day ?!?! … enough said.

That was day no. 33.