On my way to Villafranca del Bierzo twenty miles away. I will now start my Santiago countdown. Today was tough but tomorrow is the most difficult day of the Camino. I have been dreading it since the moment I committed to walking the Camino again.

I will explain the Santiago countdown shortly but first yesterday. The walk to and from Cruz de a Ferro was very difficult. That said I arrive in the village of Molinaseca around five thirty. I left at nine thirty and had some work to be done and also took several breaks along the way. Net result is that I cover the  walk in eight and a hall hours.

When I arrive in Molinseca my guide summary tells me the accomadstion is directly on the left side of St. James way buy it fails to tell me that it's actually past the entire village, when I get to the end of the village I think that I've missed it but I don't now how. The street between the buildings is barely wide enough to get a single car through. I ask an old man siting on his steps and he tells me to keep going in the same direction away from the village. I feel like I flew in to New York and booked a room in Newark. 

I'm very tired, it was a tough day. The last thing I want to do now is to have to walk back into town to eat or buy water etc but it dawns on me that won't have a choice because I need to find a pharmacy for my toe problem.

On my way back to town to find the pharmacy I meet up with Peter, Charlotte and Sonia. I've been calling her Sophi but it's Sonia. We meet for dinner and the conversation is about the next days twenty mile walk. I agree that it will be a long hard day but I'm  already thinking ahead to O'Cebreiro. 

I leave for Villiafranca at 7:30'in the morning. It's dark  I can't wait to get out of the Hotel. As I'm putting on the Limos I stand up and catch the corner of the prehistoric TV mounted on the wall about five feet from the floor on my head. Och!, to say the least in about two hours I can still feel it, no blood but a nice lump to take along with me. I really don't like this Hotel.

I'm of my way I will just have breakfast in Ponferrada. It is a beautiful village with an impressive castle and lots of shops and cafés. I have breakfast and check my email. There will not be a lot to report today, it's just long.

I make my final stop in Cacabelos which is about six miles from Villiafranca. I'm sitting in the shade and Tim and Agnes join me and shortly afterwards Peter, Charlotte and Sonia are there. Tim and Agnes had to take a taxi to finish yesterday, she was sick and the last five miles would have been to much. Peter's shoe has fallen apart and he now has several nagging blisters and will need to take a taxi into Viilliafranca from here after he finds a pharmacy.

Villiafranca will most likely be the last time I meet with all of them before Santiago. They are all going to attack the O'Cebreiro monster in two days while I'm going to the top in one day. We exchange emails so we can catch up in Santiago for dinner. 

Now the countdown. When I leave for O'Cebreiro on Wednesdsy morning on October 30th I will have eight days of walking remaining. Santiago has eight letters so I will track my final countdown by assigning one of the eight letters to each day. Wish me luck and pray that my toe does not get worse.

That's it, good night and Buen Camino.     S_ _ _ _ _ _ _ !