Day 14 – EU – Spain [Rest Day in Almonte]

19/12/19

 Rest day in Almonte (Spain, Europe)

Rainy day, time to put my feet up and rest

What to do on a rest day when it’s rainy and cold outside? Well, I got busy doing very pedestrian chores.

I checked and fixed all of BoB’s tubes, as we had a lot of flats over the past two weeks. My family is bringing me new sturdier tires when we meet next week in Seville, I think that’s the perfect Christmas present for BoB! I also found a laundrette to do my laundry.

I then tried to walk the streets of Almonte and I made sure to visit the “Virgin of El Rocio” at the Hermitage of the same name. But the rain was absolutely torrential and I quickly ended up eating tapas, with a local cerveza on the side. I noticed again how being warm inside does not seem to be a priority here. Doors of cafes and restaurants are left wide open and people wear jackets indoors. In most places there is no central heating, just like I noticed in Portugal earlier. Means of heating are: fireplace when there is one, air-con units (in most cases) and additional electric devices (rare).

I went back home and started working on a format for my reports with the schools. That’s a project I got going with a school in Switzerland, one in Singapore and in Normandie too. The idea is to involve the children, with an interactive video-conf presentation every 1 or 2 months. It’s quite exciting for me, and I hope it will be for the children too. Having a sense of reporting (and sharing) about the journey is important, and I am glad if they can enjoy it and gain something from it.

I have been asked a lot what a typical day looks like for me. So far, and I am sure it will evolve throughout the journey, it goes like this:

  • Leave 15mn before sunrise (right now it means 8:15 in Spain)
  • Run for 4:00 to 5:00 hours, depending on the days’ distance
  • Add to the run cumulative breaks of about 1:00 to 1:30 hours
  • Arrive at my destination anytime between 13:00 to 14:00
  • Check-in at the place I’m staying at and shower
  • Get some lunch, return home and rest
  • Reflect on the day and update the website and social media (reports, kms, pictures)
  • Get my equipment ready for the next day (wash/dry clothes, buy food, …)
  • Review the route and terrain for the next day
  • Either have dinner with my hosts if it’s a homestay, or downtown if it’s a hotel
  • Read a book or watch a movie and go to bed by 10pm

It sounds like a very repetitive routine. What is not repetitive though, are every day’s runs, every day’s places and landscapes, every day’s people! The routine is merely the frame it all fits in.

I feel very fortunate that so far my body is holding up very well. I don’t experience any particular pain or tiredness, it all feels very natural and pleasant.

One thing I do notice though, is how much more sleep I need. The sedentary me usually gets by with anywhere between 4 to 6 hours of sleep a night. Since I am on the road, it looks more like 9 to 10 hours. That’s a major difference! And I sometimes also take an afternoon nap…

That’s all for today, I cannot wait to be back on the road again tomorrow!

This blog post does not contain pictures.