So I did it, I arrived in León after really pushing myself and so happy to have achieved it today. Iv been meaning to start writhing about today all afternoon, but I ended up falling asleep and have just spent the last 40 minutes trying to find somewhere that would feed me(the kitchens don't open till 8pm!!) I was like a bear with a sore arse walking around, anyone that knows me well enough if I'm hungry don't talk to me....but finally Iv found a place and Iv just ordered so I'm starting to feel myself coming around.

Now I was able to take myself back to this morning, as I left the village it was so quite and peaceful. I left @5am and as I walked out the dark dusty road I could see two figures in the distance and I knew my eyes weren't playing tricks as I could hear them talking. I eventually passed them out and walked on but as the sun came up behind me I could see a another couple a little bit up the road and suddenly realised it was the Irish couple I'd had dinner with the last two nights. They must have been up very early and even tho they weren't going the whole way to León today they just wanted to get out and get going as it was going to be a hot day and they didn't want to get stuck out in the hight of the midday sun. We just spoke briefly as I had a long walk ahead and need to stay on time, but I knew I'd see them in the first town as we had all said we were stopping there for coffee. I had just finished my breakfast as they arrived in so we said goodbye again as we knew we probably wouldn't see each other again.

As I walked on I passed many faces that I had seen before it was the usual greeting
'Hola,Buen Camino ' as I walked on by. It was a cool enough morning but it didn't take long to heat up! I had decided that when I reached Mansilla de las Mulas(which would have been the destination for the day if you were going by the book) that I was going to wipe my mind of the first part of the morning that I'd just done and pretend that the day was only starting from here, another bloody mind game but it worked! I also decided that today was going to be a music day.

I got the headphones out and I was bopping along down the road, I'd actually forgotten how much I love to sing(not that I'm amazing or anything but I can hold a tune, sure I did it for my final exams in school lol) what I found fascinating tho was that a song to me is like what a smell can do to you in the sense of it takes you back to a time and place and that's exactly what Destiny's child Bills Bills Bills did. It took me right back to a holiday in cork with my family and my friend Linda, we were just about to start in Newbridge College and sure we thought we were massive knocking out the tunes!! Another favourite of ours was Monica and Brandy ???? honestly I was LOL'ING along the road thinking about the stuff we got up too!!

Saying that also came some sad memories triggered by a song that I may have listened to around a time things weren't going good. About 7 years ago now I went through a dark stage, I won't say depressed as its a word that gets thrown around to easily but I was very sad and had lost all confidence in myself personally and in my work life. It was a horrible time for me as I didn't really know what it was, well I knew what had triggered it but couldn't understand why it was having such a huge impact on me and all aspects of my life. Let's just say I had been seeing someone for a while and it didn't work out( it was probably the first time I'd ever been in love so it cut deep) it's hard to explain but I had massaged his ego so much during the time that when it was over I had nothing left to give to myself. I know it sounds dramatic but things affect people in different ways and I honestly don't think he was even aware that what he was saying verbally was affecting me. Looking back on it now it was all his own insecurities. Anyway the point to all of this is as I was listening to the song and it brought me back to that time I stopped and asked myself what is it that I want..... Then I realised it's taken me nearly 5year's to slowly build myself up again to the person I know I am and that I'd been closing myself off to meeting a partner or anyone like that because I just wasn't open to it and perhaps on some level thought I wasn't good enough.

Let me tell you something tho Iv been the happiest guy in the world for the last year and half and have the most amazing family and friends, I know it sounds so cliché but I'm quite happy on my own but having said that I finally feel like I'm ready to open myself up to seeing who's out there (you all know I'm a big romantic at heart??) it's just funny that a song that used to hold a sadness over me has now made me realise, I'm me again.

*472.0km down *318.0km to Santiago