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Are You Afraid of the Light?
Sadie Wells
May 14, 2025 6 comments
Day two of the Camino had us walking 13 miles from Matosinhos to Vila do Conde, mostly on the boardwalk following the Atlantic coast north of Porto. The shore permanently at our left was both rocky and green as we started, but it eventually became soft sand. The ocean absorbed the color of the sky, shifting throughout the day from pale blue to dark gray to blinding azure. As we trekked along the boardwalk past small towns, always following the yellow scallop shell and arrow, our tour guide asked us to reflect on what scares us the most about the Camino. Little does she know, all I ever think about are my fears.
A Non-Exhaustive List of Things that Scared Me on the Camino Today:
Walking.
More specifically, having to walk 13 miles while knowing I’ll have to walk 14 miles tomorrow.
The possibility of passing out in the middle of the path from all this walking when it literally would’ve taken twenty minutes to get to Vila do Conde by car.
I was scared of how strong the sun felt by only ten in the morning.
I was scared I was going to visibly sweat through myunderwearand yoga pants (Good news! They both moisture-wicked like their lives depended on it.).
I was scared someone was going to try to talk to me while I was that sweaty.
I’m scared of the fact that I will have to carry my belongings for the next thirteen days like some kind of pack mule.
I’m scared that I might not be strong enough to carry all my belongings.
I’m scared of our tour guide’s prying personal questions.
I’m scared that every hotel we stay in will be a bleak, colorless void of sad.
I was scared that something truly horrible was happening inside myhiking boots.
From: Wells, Victoria [email protected]
Sent: Wednesday, May 14, 2025 12:24 a.m.
To: Wells, Sadie [email protected]
Subject: Re: Second Blog Post Draft
This is a step in the right direction, but it still doesn’t make Beatrix sound great… remember, you’re supposed to inspire people to want to take this trip. Can you at least pretend like you’re enjoying yourself?
Victoria Wells
Travel Writer
~Not all who wander are lost~
NINEVILA DO CONDE, PORTUGALThursday, May 15, 2025
Sadie
I’m terrified to look. Right now, my feet are like the proverbial cat in the box, and as soon as I peel back my wool socks, I will know if once and for all they are dead. I will have to face the reality of what I’ve done to my poor appendages.
My feet are stretched out in front of me on the cool laminate floor of our private albergue, the shower humming behind me as Mal rinses off. For the moment, I can pretend that nothing is bleeding.
