Camino De Santiago

Will add pictures to all the entries when we return in a month or so .....

7th August 2007

Having flown out of the UK yesterday we made our way to Barcelona with no problems. The Hotel we´d booked had problems so they moved us to another one, a little further away from the train station but still within easy reach for the early morning train to Pamplona.

We needed to be at the station by 6.30am to catch the 7.03am train - we couldn't´t buy tickets the day before so we had to go a little early to make sure we got tickets. Just as well we did, as we got the last 2 seats on the train ! It started to feel a little like being contestants on the Amazing Race...... there were a number of people behind us in the train queue who had to wait another 5 hours for the next train which meant they would miss the last bus out of Pamplona ...... As it was we didn´t have seats together, in fact we were in different carriages!! Never mind we were off - the countryside was a bit boring so we read magazines and nodded off.

We arrived on time in Pamplona, again racing the Camino people to the bus station ...... however, as the next bus out was 3 hours away even the slowest people caught it. We passed our 3 hours in Pamlona drinking beer in the main square, mum the churches were closed .......

At 6pm we caught the bus to Roncesvalles - the start off the walk - along with 100 (million, zillion) others that was. Roncesvalles was coldish, raining and very grey. Nice enough though. Yuk - no room at the Inns, so we ended up in the Alburgue, in the over flow room, along with 25 others. All along the route Alburgues are available for Pilgrims to stay the night - cheap accommodation, with simple meals to help you along your way. Well our meal at this resting place was really simple and not that nice. Not a good start !

After getting our accreditation - needed to prove you have done the walk and get access to the accommodation, we headed off to bed with other millions, zillion people ......

8th August
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh these people don´t sleep - were are they all going in the dark and rain ????? KJ had forgotten to cancel his alarm for 5.45am and so it went off, waking us both up, only to find we were just about the only ones left in the place! We finally gave up trying to sleep and got up and left at 6.55am - just as it was getting light. It was not the best of nights - all sorts of bodily noises going on all night (and that was just Kevin ....hee hee hee).

Still raining a little, we set off on our 28 day journey . We had 2 guide books with us and used them a little to set the scene for what we may see in day ahead. We walked for 40 mins and the stopped for breakfast .... liking this walking thing already! In the first 40 mins we caught a lot of people up ... starting to get the idea we may walk a little faster than others on the trail. WE are probably 20 years younger than a lot of them as well!

The weather improved as the morning progressed and we really started to enjoy just being up at that time in the morning - fortified with coffee and chocolate bread ........ AS we strode out we started to see little difference in the guide books and what was on the ground. We spent the best part of 40 mins watching out for ´Roland's step´ but never found it, no idea where the elusive fox went to either ........

We were definitely winning the cheerful race as well. However, a lot of our Good morning, Hola greetings weren´t returned or we just got ´huh´back. We do have 2 very good theory's about this, 1) they were praying and didn´t want interrupting, 2) they were fed up with the cheerfulness as we easily strode past them going up hill. My unfortunate legs´really came into their own today as we had a lot of uphill and we coped really well!!

In fact so well that we completed the 1st official day in just 4 and a half hours ... so being keen we decided to walk on. By 3pm we´d covered a lot more miles, unfortunately a lot on a road surface and so our feet were really sore !

We spent the night in a lovely Alburgue, an old Monastery in Trinidad De Arre, with beds for only 30 people. Did a washing and then headed out for a Pilgrims meal. The meal was provided by the local Council Pensioners day care centre and was really nice. Much better quality than the night before. Mum will also be pleased to note that we had our own private little church ....

Best buy so far: my pink travel towel - it´s a towel and a pillow case !

No need for the blister plasters yet but could do with something for my shoulders .... or someone to carry my bag .......

9th August

MUCH better start to the day. Alarms went off, people turned them off and went back to sleep ! much nicer bunch to hang out with. Eventually we set off at 7.30am, headed into Pamplona and stopped for breakfast. Now, instead of being in the Amazing Race we´re on a Hash run, always looking out for yellow arrows to show the way, on lamp posts,paving stones, back of signs .... only difference is these ones really do point the way, no false trails !! We picked up some fruit for lunch as we knew it was going to be a long day and we were tired from yesterdays marathon ! The first part of the trip wasn´t special and was on tarmac most of the way. We had one BIG climb up to some windmills, past sunflower fields etc. Once at the top you get a great view of the way we´d come and where we were going over the next few days.

On the way down the hill I was far too busy reading the guide book to watch where I was going so ended up tumbling - but managed to turn it into a sideways roll and so landed on the rucksack squashing the fruit we´d bought for lunch ! Don´t worry mum, I only scraped my knee and it´s all better now ! I´m blaming Jim Graham for the tumble as it was his guide book I was reading - sorry Jim but page 68 got a bit dirty...... We also met the first native English speaker at this point, just as I tumbled and shouted ´s**t´at the top of my voice !

Then we headed through a number of small villages and into vineyard country! Think I was a bit more excited about that than KJ ! We covered 30km in 6 and a half hours and ended the day in Puenta La Reina. The town looked really nice, full of old stuff.

There were two available Alburgues (hotels full again !) and we decided to go the the second one´just over the bridge on the outskirts of town´. Right .... over the bridge, up the hill, along the road ....... So we never got the energy to go back into the town to see all the old stuff !! This
Alburgue was new, had email, washing machines, swimming pool.... but we were sleeping in a what looked and felt like a sports hall! The way the bunks had been set up we did have a lot of privacy and ended up with a good nights sleep, helped along by a bottle of the local vino costing pennies ........

You learning quickly covering miles in a short space of time - now my water bottle is on my belt, my shoulder straps on the rucksack adjusted for me (why I thought dad and I were the same size I have no idea !!) and I don´t read the guide book and walk at the same time! Have also discovered exercises to stop my shoulders aching.

Good bring along ....... the lining for the sleeping bag as it´s too hot to use the bag!

At the Alburgue we met the second native English speaker - looking for a job teaching English - so I sent him the the Greengates direction - watch out Jessica !