THAT day.

Now look, by this stage I have monster calves that could rival any body builder, so why on this day they both simultaneously decided to give up, I do not know.

I am in the middle of nowhere. I do not have a map. I have misjudged the distances between towns. I am running out of water. I have convinced myself that it it not just a calf strain but a life threatening BLOOD CLOT that is slowly going to work its way up to my brain and that without medical attention I might just die on the side of the trail.

Catastrophic thinking, HELL YES!!

This is the video of that moment.

The following is an excerpt from my journal documenting what happened next:

My body was SCREAMING at me to stop. Except I was in the middle of nowhere, with no one, so I couldn't. I got desperate. REAL desperate. I am sure at one point the cows on the side of the road said "Moooooove it or Looooooose it". I was really low on sugar.

I finally staggered into a town, and vowed to stop at their Albergue - except there wasn't one. I was still 8km away from a bed. Making a decision out of respect to the pain my body was throwing at me, I decided to catch a taxi - except there weren't any. I love my life!!

I sat down in despair and tried to look helpless.

Finally, through broken Spanish (and a charades game involving me limping and acting like a homeless person/leper), a young girl (I'm sure she had a licence) offered to drive me into town.

I had a business card of a hostel that the woman from the night before had given me. She dropped me off and I was greeted by Jose.

"Albergue Completo" (Translation: Sleep outside).

The devastation across my face was clear.

"Australian?!" he said.

"Yes! How did you know?" I chimed back.

"My friend Angela said you might come. She said to look after you. Walk this way..."

Divine intervention.

I love my life.