So I left Laguna in the early hours hoping to reach O’Cebreiro for a sunrise. Always a bit uncertain at the moment especially given the freezing wind and rain last night. I looked back as I headed up and saw the glow from the small village I had left.

So it was only 2kms up to O’Cebreiro and I was not alone in my quest to reach the top. I could hear howling across the valley and wondered if it was the wolves I had seen online recently around this area. I kept walking and was comforted by the fact that the howling was some distance away! There were some gorgeous fungi growing and I finally passed the border into Galicia.

As I crept slowly up the path the sun started to creep slowly up too. I was pleased to arrive in O’Cebreiro in time to watch the sun peak over the horizon between the clouds.

It was freezing cold however I was mesmerised by the view from the front of the village – I spotted a tree I particularly liked and stood for quite a while watching the clouds swirl.

I eventually dragged myself away and wandered through the village looking for a quiet place to grab a coffee before heading on to meet my friend today. I found the only bar open was far too hot so I continued on and had a quick visit to the abandoned albergue we had previously endured with a hundred other pilgrims in the midst of summer. It was cold and empty this morning.

I continued on up the hill to view the sky above the cloud line. I probably wasn’t in the best condition for taking the high alternative route but I took it slowly and kept a couple of other pilgrims in line of site ahead. It was a long trek back to the main trail and I coughed and spluttered a bit and had to admit I wasn’t feeling much better even with the cough medicine.

I eventually wound my way around the trail and past the very large pilgrim standing in the wind. I headedup the extremely steep climb to Alto do Poio and had the pleasure of a very concerned older pilgrim querying my vitamin levels and pulse each time I stopped to catch my breath. I was already contemplating calling the online doctors and was not overly thrilled with this uninvited interest in my health. I sat and ate lunch with the Hungry man who was very happy to see me and because he couldn’t speak English and I couldn’t speak Hungarian we had a very peaceful lunch at the bar there.

Anyway I eventually made it to a lovely albergue in Fonfria where I called my personal health advisor first in readiness for a Telehealth appointment and then sat and chatted with the Dutch man I’d met after Castrojeriz some weeks ago. I stayed put while I waited for my friend who picked me up and transported me the last couple of kilometres down to Triacastela and the unit where her husband and daughter were waiting. I called the spanish Telehealth doctor and was sent a script to start antibiotics and I headed straight to the farmacia again. Usually they get a lot of business for foot problems from me but this time I was giving them business for this progressing head cold and sinus infection.

Well after two doses I actually started feeling better for the first time in what seemed like weeks! You can hold off on antibiotics for a long time but sometimes they actually are needed it seems! Thankfully we had dinner cooked for us in house and I headed to sleep in comfort of my own room!

Buenas noches!