The Camino de Santiago

cd - 2
Tomorrow I get the train to Pamplona. Today I've packed my bag and started to feel very sick.
Why am I doing this? Not because I'm brave, mad more like.

My backpack seems to weigh a ton, not as much as Aidan's used to when he did the 'Coast to Coast' and such like, but then I'm not camping. The largest thing in my backpack is my sleeping bag and that doesn't weigh that much, the heaviest thing seems to be the shower gel/shampoo but I'll be damned if I'm going to stink, anyway that should get lighter on the way. I can't think of anything I can take out so it will have to go as it is, this is obviously going to be a slow camino! I wonder if anyone has ever limited it to 5 kms a day!! A problem with going at this time of year is that you do need clothes for all seasons, it will rain, the sun will shine and it may snow!

Of course there are important reasons why I shouldn't go: my tomato seeds have germinated but I haven't managed to find anything to prick them out into!! I'm new at this gardening lark, perhaps I should stay here and look after my plants! My paper work hasn't arrived for my car, it should have arrived 2 weeks ago! I've had to write a little letter to the postman and stick it on my post box! Hopefully he won't send the papers back.

Am I really mad? I'd like to just stick my head in a hole and let this all pass me by, then I could go and buy some knitting wool and sit at home and knit like old ladies are supposed to!

I've felt better going in for an exam!

cd-1

OK. Today I´m off!

The day started well with `wall to wall´ sunshine, though there had been a frost overnight. The taxi was on time, when we arrived at A Rua the driver invited me for a coffee, this a rather different version of tipping the driver! (I must point out I live in a rural community and I know the taxi driver's wife!) Then I sat in the sun and waited in pleasant anticipation. When the train arrived the temperature was 8 degrees. It started to cool down when we reached Astorga, but stayed around 5 or 6, till Burgos, then it started snowing and dropped to -1! Then it was pointed out to me that we were going to arrive late. I decided not to worry at that point and to toss up later whether it was going to be better to get a taxi to Roncesvalles or

spend the night in a hotel in Pamplona.

Just after Vittoria the train started to speed up and then almost instantly braked and we ground to a halt. Eventually a very distraught voice said something about having to wait because of an accident ahead. A little while later it became clear that the accident was ours. Our train had hit someone!!

It wasn´t clear at first if this was someone who had jumped in front of the train deliberately or a workman on the line. We sat there for over an hour, midst much speculation, then it became clear that this had been a workman, though why he had remained on the line when a train was coming is obscure. Finally we moved, but very, very slowly and we were told that we had to stop again at a small town up the line so the driver could collect his papers. I´m not sure if they replaced the driver at this point, we certainly moved quicker again afterwards. An officer did say that the man had survived.

We got to Pamplona 2 hours late so it was not worth me going to Roncesvalles, I had to find a hotel in Pamplona.

cd-1 (again)

I spent the morning wandering around Pamplona, I 'did' the Cathedral, then I checked on the Albergues as I was of the opinion that they were both closed. The municipal was closed, I spent ages wondering around the river area trying to find the other one as I took a misdirection when trying to follow the signs for the Camino back to front. Eventually I found it and it is open, so I will rethink my plans.

I had lunch in a super restaurant called Ñam, just of the Paseo de Sarasate. then I got the bus to Roncesvalles. There were two other pilgrims on the bus, one a woman from Ibiza!

There were 9 pilgrims in all at the Refugio. We all went to the Blessings Mass and then went for a meal. The refugio is drear, we are nearly sleeping on top of each other, the beds are packed so tightly together, and there's only one loo. Given that they want us to be out by 8am the morning should be interesting!

cd (Camino Day) Roncesvalles to Zubiri 22.14 kms

I won't say I slept well, I don't think I slept at all, certainly not much. I was trying not to sleep on my back so that I wouldn't snore!!

I aimed not to get up till nearly 8 but as everyone else was up and moving well before that I got up at about 7.30 and discovered that it was snowing, so I got myself all geared up and set off to find breakfast. I found a Café in the first village after about 3kms. I also found all the early risers still there. I left just before them but they soon caught me up. For a while we were a group of 6, then we became 2 groups of 3 as 3 were moving fairly fast. I hadn't planned on getting into a group but with the persistent snow it didn't seem that bad an idea to stay with others. Some stretches of the Camino were pretty bad. Coming down from the Alto de Mezkiritz the path has been paved (or rather it's imitation crazy paving), I'm sure it looks fine in summer but it was a 3km long, bloody skating rink today. Later the snow became heavier and all the downhill slopes became tricky, the ground was slate and both slippery and icy. A few falls were sustained, nothing serious, but progress was very slow in parts.

Apparently some had read a notice in Roncesvalles saying the Albergue in Zubiri was closed so people were talking about continuing 5.5 kms to the next Albergue. There was no way I could have walked another step, certainly not 5kms! My guide book said that there was a private Albergue, which there is, a little more pricey but well worth it.

We've ended up with 5 of us here. We have a girls room and a boys room!! 2 toilets and 2 showers, it's nice and warm, there's a fridge and microwave, a drinks machine, free internet and a place where we can sit and chat or play card games and things if we wanted to. Most importantly we don't have to be out by 8am!!

We've been told that the Albergue at the next village is unheated and there is no bar in the town!!

Day 2 Zubiri to Pamplona 20.05 kms

Everyone had said that they would be getting up late, but they didn't! I don't know what it is about this early rising, there was really no need today. Amy, who I was sharing a room with was up and out by 7am and the others were all up and about so I gave up and got up, I had a fruit juice, banana and cup of coffee and left just before 8. This time I walked on my own. The walk was a bit up and down but not too bad and the weather was lovely. I really wouldn't have wanted to do the early part yesterday, it seemed very long.

The snow, on the ground, lasted until about Irotz. It's made a big difference when walking. I'd been walking up and down hills with my feet in snow-plough and looking like a pregnant penguin!!

I took a couple of wrong turnings but managed to sort it out and got to Pamplona with no major problems. On the way I met the people who went to Lerreseoña, they had had a reasonable time, the Albergue had a kitchen so they cooked a meal and had a party! 2 of them had had the foresight to carry soup with them and 1 had German sausages!

I went to the Paderborn Albergue in Pamplona, it is run by Germans, they were really welcoming, we ended with a girls room and a boys room again. In the afternoon I went to buy a bum bag so I could sort out the weight of my bag and then in the evening we went for a meal.

Day 3
Pamplona to Puente de la Reina 23.89 kms

We had a good breakfast in the Albergue and then I started just before 8. Before I started they weighed my bag, it weighed just over 8 kilos! This is the day of the Alto de Perdon, it's only 700 metres but they say it is very steep coming down afterwards, in fact it wasn't too bad, except for the wind. There was a freezing cold wind. On the previous Tuesday the temperature in Pamplona, with wind-chill, was -7, today felt much the same!

When we got to the top we could barely stand, then as we struggled around the corner there was a man with a van, selling refreshment for pilgrims! A most unexpected and welcome sight!

The journey down wasn't as difficult as I expected and most of it was out of the wind and the sun was shining. The almond trees are in blossom and it was all very spring like.
The Albergue was busy, this is where the Aragonese joins the Frances and there were a lot more people. Essentially I continue to walk on my own but keep meeting up with Alec (Spanish) and Amy (Korean). We walked together in the snow the first day so we have become attached!

On the whole the 9 of us from the first day are still doing the same way but now we have lost 2.

Day 4 - Puente de la Reina to Estella 23.01.kms

This walk was supposed to be easy but didn't seem so. Some of the paths were very stoney.

I had a box of orange juice in the Albergue and decided not to stop for coffee until later. The market was just starting up so I bought an apple and got going. It was a lovely spring morning, the first day I have not warn waterproofs. The sun was shining and the almonds in blossom, but every so often there was a freezing cold blast of wind for a while, then it would improve. After Lorca the gusts became less frequent and not so cold. On the whole a lovely day but I was very tired by the end and my shoulders were killing me. I tried to reorganise the weight in Pamplona so bought a waist belt/bum bag but now I am carrying the weight of my back pack on my shoulders so they're really hurting. I was really glad to arrive at the Albergue, I got to Estella at 1.50 and the Albergue opened at 14.00 so I just sat on the step and waited.

Annie arrived without the rest of her group so we had a meal together, it took me ages to find the supermarket which was open but eventually I managed, it was nice to have a meal with veg for a change! I also had a bottle of wine that Alec had brought back from the Fuente de Vino!

Day 5 - Estella to Los Arcos 21.89 kms

Breakfast in the Albergue, then off to the Fuente del Vino, which wasn't flowing!! Later in Los Arcos they said that this could have been because of the cold last night! Also there was no Sello and no sign of Pablito either, a bit disappointing. The walk was fairly easy, a few hilly bits to start with then quite flat and the weather was almost ideal, still a few cold gusts but lovely scenery. The landscape looks glaciated, not sure if it is.

I arrived at Los Arcos about 13.30, time to shower and then for a meal with Amy, not much open here but we found a restaurant with a Menu del Dia at 11 euros which is a bit expensive but the menu was good. Unfortunately on the way we met up with Alec and another Spaniard. Alec is starting to get on my nerves, it has been suggested that he has a drink problem, I don't think so, I think he's just not very bright, he behaves stupidly and repeats things incessantly. I found him very embarrassing, his wine was very useful last night but I hope I can lose him somewhere. I found the meal very good, it was one of the few menus that had vegetables as a starter!

At the Albergue there was a major session of treating feet and then a general get together in the sitting room, great for listening. The Albergure is like a mini-museum, it has a mangle and loads of antiques type furniture as well. It's very cosy.

A very interesting evening, it's the week of the mothers and daughters! A Dutch mother and daughter who came over from St Jean Pied de Port on Wednesday, in the snow storm and then walked Roncesvalles to Pamplona (40km) and the mother is 70! Makes me feel a right wuss. Then there's a German mother and daughter who started in Cizur Menor (outside Pamplona). Daughter is OK, I think, but the mother is weird. Now there is a Slovak mother and daughter. The mother speaks excellent German and she has been explaining how, in her part of Slovakia, they learnt German because, under communism, it had been possible to get Austrian TV, without the authorities knowing, so they studied hard and had pen pals in East Germany to help their practice. Her daughter is very quiet but she speaks good English so maybe she will come out of her shell.

Here endeth the first week. I've walked about 120kms and am progressing well.