Day 22 - Reliegos to Mansilla (7km)

I woke today feeling revived and impressed at how a good night's sleep can aid recovery. Before long I was packed for the relatively short walk to tonight's stop where hopefully Gale, Robin and the others would catch me up. After sharing a mint tea with a woman from the Netherlands I headed off and in no time I was in Mansilla de las Mulas; I felt I had covered the seven kilometres in a fraction of the time in which I did fewer than five last night. I shared a coffee with a French pensioner who I had walked the last couple of kilometres with and who told me all about her divorce and how she was hoping for love on the Camino. It still amazes me how complete strangers share the most personal things on this walk.

After finding a nice private room (I think I have earned that luxury after yesterday) I chilled in a bar with coffee, caught up with my blog and wandered this small medieval town with its narrow streets and small plazas. I found beds for my fellow walkers arriving later then settled in a bar with a beer and something to eat. Other walkers started arriving and I was soon joined by a group of Americans who I have bumped into over the last three weeks. We shared stories and then I retired to my room to relax.

The others arrived in town tired and weary at gone 5pm after a long day's walking. We ate in a great little 'bistro' style restaurant with a limited but excellent menu and then they drifted to their beds. I am now enjoying the luxury of my single room listening to the heavy rain that has just started beating against the window and hoping it stops before we set off for León tomorrow.