100,000 Steps in 2 Days: Swollen Feet Beyond Recognition

I wake up after a quiet night, feeling quite rested. My feet still hurt, but they are only a little swollen. I decided to alternate my shoes. One day sneakers, the next day sandals. I want my feet to breathe, especially since it’s pretty hot! The clothes I washed aren’t completely dry yet, but I put them on because I know they will dry outside in a few minutes.

At 8:00, I head out, starving, to get breakfast. Finally, food and coffee. It was pretty busy; everyone wanted to start their journey as early as possible. I sat down at a guy’s table, who had probably just placed an empty glass on it as if he were in some sort of race. Well, he hadn’t met an Eastern Slovak woman yet. There was nowhere to sit, and if the glass isn’t full, it’s like it’s not even there. I sat at the table, and luckily, they had toast, ham, and cheese. The guy looked at me as if I had stolen his puppy. He could have sat down with me. He left. During breakfast, I checked Google Maps to see how to get to my next destination.

Since I’m in a town that’s part of the coastal route, I need to find the arrows that will lead me back to the central route. I had no idea where they were. I decided to follow Google Maps and hoped I would spot some arrows. I wasn’t planning on getting lost again! First, get to the village of Rates, then to Barcelos.

I set off in a positive mood, despite knowing that I had over 30 kilometers ahead of me. Morning is when you have the most energy, so your mood is usually at…