A Guarda to Oia
The metal lid over the toilet paper roll has a beautiful gong to it. Just thought I’d mention it.
The shutters kept the room nice and dark helping us sleep later today. The very comfortable beds were a bonus.
When trying to open one of the doors to the balcony, I turned the handle in the wrong direction and the whole door started coming towards me along with the attached full door size shutter. It seemed like the whole thing was going to come down on me. I forgot it was a European style where just the top opens and the whole thing would stop before the crash. Pretty scary for nothing.
On the road at 10:30
In the beginning we didn’t follow the map from Ninja. We followed the coastline. Not sure why ninja doesn’t and eventually met back up with the path on the map. But the best way to go is along the coast, much better than through the streets.
The path went through a pretty rocky area of uphill and downhill. Not hard but different and now we’re back on a gravel path.
I should do an ad for for Julbo sunglasses. I dropped them so many times and I still have lenses. It doesn’t matter how they land. They’re surviving.
Passed a guitar player playing in memory of someone I don’t know. Just strumming guitar stuff in the back of a little mini mini truck. It’s actually a three wheeler. You’ll have to see the picture. Lots of pilgrims stopped to listen. I didn’t find the music very special but it was a fun diversion.
I was happily following the coast when suddenly the signs pointed right, uphill. I studied my map and it agreed. Then we saw a sign warning of muddy dangerous path ahead. Everyone around decided not to chance it so we all turned right away from the coast. I didn’t like the change as we went up hill and ended up walking along a busy road. So I googled it and it said
just take any path down to the ocean. So we did down down down down through Fields through wheat through narrow pass and it dead ended. Turning around now
Back up up up up. Oh well. I guess my heels are going to feel this tomorrow
We’re back on the road charging along. Not that nice cuz we have road noise but not bad cuz we have a path
Came to cafeteria horizonte just in the nick of time to rape from all the walking on a 6 mirage
Well placed right on the trail
Large white black spots butterflies
My neck might be permanently turned to the left. I need to walk with the ocean on the right.
Most of the sounds we hear besides voices are birds, crickets and frogs.
Walked along the main road a little bit more. Then we turned off and went pretty steep downhill and now we’re back at the ocean. I like this a lot better although there is a lot of sun, no shade. Good thing it’s only April
I knew there was a meditation garden but I missed it because Joana called me and told me to come back so back I went somebody had put up a overhead shade tent and a bench under it and they were flowers and it was put there for our enjoyment and relaxation meditation.
Back on the trail it turned to dirt roots and rocks so you really have to watch your feet here.
Now we’re back on pavement following the ocean.
We’re almost in Oia so I looked up the hotel. Apparently it’s an hour and a half from here not in Oia.
I found a seating place. I’m resting. Tina and Joana went into a small chapel we passed.
I finally left them and continued on into Oia. Found Cynthia sitting on a wall. Went into the tobacco shop, used the toilet in a microscopic room with an angled ceiling which I proceeded to bang my head on. Bought a magnum double chocolate ice cream bar to soothe the pain. Tina and Joana finally show up. We rest some more debating if we should call Andre to drive us the rest of the way. No one wants to be the one to ‘give up’. All too stubborn to say ‘I had enough’.
So we left Oia on the easy path following the ocean. From here it was another hour according to Google maps. We’ll see.
We walked a lot trying not to stop. I was pretty much done for the day but there was no giving up at this point. Finally I was counting down the minutes: 5, 4, 3.. Wait a minute. I look across the street and see our hotel. Google maps was taking us 3 minutes out of our way just to come back! Ha. I outsmarted MAPS and we crossed the road and entered the hotel. Pretty empty but recording was nice. Checked in. Got our key. And into the elevator, yes elevator! Up a floor and into the room and pack off and shoes off! Onto the bed for 2 minutes before Joana insisted we can’t sit. We have to walk so we don’t stiffen up. What’s wrong with stiff?
Dinner across the street. I wanted soup. I had pizza. At least we got to see the sunset.
Between 13 and 14 miles today in 8 hours.