I arrived in Bristol yesterday after spending two days in Bath. Normal people arrive at Temple Meads station, I however decided to walk the 16 miles (25km) between the towns!
The inspiration for the walk wasn’t insanity as most people have suggested! I intend to walk the El Camino De Santiago next year and the distance of this walk represented a typical El Camino day. I was testing my body out.
The first third of the walk was pleasant. The weather was clear, the countryside was lush and the body holding together.
However as I approached half way the heavens opened! Rain, rain and more rain. Progress slowed, my body began to ache and yet I trudged on ocassionally finding rhythm, before quickly losing it.
Frustratingly the signs to Bristol aren’t accurate! In some parts the distance actually increases. Rubbish for the moral! Eventually though I manged to make it to Bristol, drenched from head to toe, my feet and back throbbing in pain. To finish in a word was satisfying!
My accommodation for the evening was a squat. Not the most ideal place to recover, although perhaps similar to a Spanish refugio on the El Camino. I’d arranged the squat through couch surfing.
The squat was an interesting experience. I got my first taste of a ‘skip’ meal, that’s a meal cooked from ingredients found in bins! It was suprisingly tasty, my couchsurfing host was a good cook! I’m not sure I’d try a ‘skip’ meal again though
My bed for the night consisted of a paperthin mattress and a slightly damp sleeping bag. Whilst I did sleep, I woke up with savage back pain. I made the decision to skip a second night in the squat and check into a hotel instead. I learnt a lot about myself from the squat though. To be more precise, it’s not my thing!
The walk to the hotel was two miles, directly up hill! Suffice to say it finished the job that yesterday started! Right now I’m a broken man! Whilst I could use another day or so to recover, tomorrow it’s off to Cardiff. Two more days of couch surfing, in a house this time!
I’ve learnt a bit the last few days. How my body responds to long walks, What it’s like to live in a squat and how much I enjoy modern contemporary hotels! Above all though I’m even more committed to the El Camino De Santiago despite the pain! I might just need more practice 
For now it’s onwards to more new experiences!
Adam
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