Walked: 22.7Km The scenery for today was desolate, flat gravel roads surrounded by harvested wheat fields. I preferred walking on the road rather than the official path through gravel roads, as it made a straight line to my next destination.
As my laptop didn't fit inside my hiking backpack, I brought my daily backpack which I use to transport my laptop. It doesn't have hip support, and this makes my shoulders hurt after a while of walking. I've discovered a couple of hacks to alleviate the responsibility of my shoulders, my favorite being carrying the backpack on my head.
I use my sleeping bag liner to create a turban for my head. This increases the surface of my bald head, helping with balance. I don't make any special arrangements to distribute the weight within the backpack, but perhaps I should. Standing straight is a must, as is having a strong neck. I've inadvertently practiced for this moment by doing almost daily headstands during my yoga practice.
It's not easy or pleasant. I've been doing it progressively, starting at 15 minutes on the first day and gradually increasing to the 1 and ½ hours I balanced today. I can't recommend this to anyone, mostly because if I saw someone doing this I would feel like punching them in the face. And they should thank me, because I'd be saving them from straining their neck.
This is Antillón, towns here seem to be perched up a hill in the middle of mesetas.
Today I called the next albergue at Antillón to let them know about my arrival. The man on the other end let me know the albergue only had two beds, and one of them was already occupied by a chica. I hesitated for a moment... "So it's OK that I arrive?"—"Yes of course". I was giddy about meeting a fellow pilgrim after a week of complete solitude, especially a woman.
I feel awkward to admitting this, but I must be honest about it. I once hosted a woman on Couchsurfing who told me she always stayed with men, because it was almost guaranteed she'd get along fine with a vetted gentleman, and this was not the case with women, vetted or not. I feel the same. We are like dogs who are less likely to fight between sexes because we're not subtly trying to dominate each other.
My roommate is pleasant. She is walking in the opposite direction, so we won't meet again tomorrow. One of the first things she told me is that she enjoys walking alone, I guess as a warning of sorts. I lit up and we talked about those "pesados" who don't allow give you space to be on your own. Then we went down to the pool and hung out, each to their own, with an ocasional brief chat. Then we came back up, we both sat at the table, and she checked her phone while I had dinner.
The perfect reintroduction into pilgrim society after a week of solitude.