DAY 2
Roncesvalles -> Zubiri [21,96 km -> 6:08 hrs]
TL;DR: The key to a happy, earthly life is contrast. Nothing in itself will make you happy or sad. It’s only the contrast between the two that causes good or bad feelings. Thus, cultivate adversity in your life, introduce slight discomforts so that you take advantage of this contrasting mechanism, and game your system to feel great in your everyday circumstances.
The thing about Camino is that after you break yourself completely one day, you wake up the next morning, and there is nothing else to do than to break yourself all over again :-)
I woke up stiff, yet soon after I left the misty Roncesvalles and dove into the forest of white witches, I felt a wave of energy and the overwhelming feeling that I was doing the right thing at the right time. You are supposed to be here, go, go, go.
The dynamics of my energy levels and my psychological state were the same every day. The first 10km, I was full of energy and enthusiasm, time and distance were flying, and everything was going fine. The next couple of kilometers, I start to feel it and employ various coping techniques, like looking at my smartwatch and checking how many meters I have walked since I last looked. The last 5km, especially on a long day or immediately after a very long day, are pure hell. There were times when I was in a trance, using my walking sticks heavily, resembling a four-legged spider. Every single step hurts. The whole of my being had to concentrate on taking the next step, and then the next one, and the next one. There was no room in my mind, in my being, to concern myself with anything else. The only idea in your mind is: “I need to lie down, to lie down, I need to get to an Albergue, to get to an Albergue, I need to take the next step.”
After I find shelter, I rest a bit, take my shower, and lie down the opposite takes place. An overwhelming feeling of relief takes me. I’m just lying there on my bed, eyes closed, and just like before, I’m in a trance. My whole consciousness is occupied with relief. The thing is, I don’t believe I would ever get to experience this bliss of relief if I had not worked so hard for it the whole day. When your goal is everyday happiness, the nice feelings you get to have now and then, contrast is the key. Introduce controlled adversity (sauna, cold, exercise, public speaking, digital detox, etc.) into your life and take charge of your everyday emotional state. After experiencing all kinds of physical discomfort in my life, I am forever grateful that I can make a living sitting by a desk, typing words into a computer, while I’m dry and well-fed. Try controlled adversity; it will make you a nicer, calmer person who enjoys the little things in life.
The thing about Camino is that after you break yourself completely one day, you wake up the next morning, and there is nothing else to do than to break yourself all over again :-)
I woke up stiff, yet soon after I left the misty Roncesvalles and dove into the forest of white witches, I felt a wave of energy and the overwhelming feeling that I was doing the right thing at the right time. You are supposed to be here, go, go, go.
The dynamics of my energy levels and my psychological state were the same every day. The first 10km, I was full of energy and enthusiasm, time and distance were flying, and everything was going fine. The next couple of kilometers, I start to feel it and employ various coping techniques, like looking at my smartwatch and checking how many meters I have walked since I last looked. The last 5km, especially on a long day or immediately after a very long day, are pure hell. There were times when I was in a trance, using my walking sticks heavily, resembling a four-legged spider. Every single step hurts. The whole of my being had to concentrate on taking the next step, and then the next one, and the next one. There was no room in my mind, in my being, to concern myself with anything else. The only idea in your mind is: “I need to lie down, to lie down, I need to get to an Albergue, to get to an Albergue, I need to take the next step.”
After I find shelter, I rest a bit, take my shower, and lie down the opposite takes place. An overwhelming feeling of relief takes me. I’m just lying there on my bed, eyes closed, and just like before, I’m in a trance. My whole consciousness is occupied with relief. The thing is, I don’t believe I would ever get to experience this bliss of relief if I had not worked so hard for it the whole day. When your goal is everyday happiness, the nice feelings you get to have now and then, contrast is the key. Introduce controlled adversity (sauna, cold, exercise, public speaking, digital detox, etc.) into your life and take charge of your everyday emotional state. After experiencing all kinds of physical discomfort in my life, I am forever grateful that I can make a living sitting by a desk, typing words into a computer, while I’m dry and well-fed. Try controlled adversity; it will make you a nicer, calmer person who enjoys the little things in life.