The minute my feet hit the floor, I was headed to look for my trekking poles, which sadly were nowhere to be found.
While searching I ran into "Hot Chocolate Bart" which much to his dismay, is his Camino name now. He was 30 minutes early for breakfast and trying to decide if he should wait or get the early start he wanted. After we discussed the usual important topics of how our feet felt, how many blisters we had, how far we planned to walk today, any important stops along the way & where we would stop for the night, we parted ways & I began my walk alone.
Being in Spain & having a few days under my belt now, I feel much more confident with finding my way and getting assistance when I am unsure. My tiny little bit of Spanish (thank you Login) gets me much further than my complete lack of French could.
I decided on the spot to ship my pack one more day since it is steep descent and I have no trekking poles. My hope is that I can make the 22km trek to Zubiri as quickly as possible and take care of washing my laundry, finding some grocery & pharmacy items, posting things home, locating new poles before all the businesses close for the day and then catching up on my writing.
I've also decided that I must separate from everyone else today and have some time to focus upon my own thoughts. Walking along and talking with someone can really help the time & distance pass quickly but I find that an entire day can pass without a single meaningful thought, especially when there seems to be only superficial conversation. Walking with someone else is definitely a distraction, in the days ahead I'm sure it will be a needed distraction at times but I feel like I need some space today.
What I have learned by watching others is that it is nice to walk along with people until the point when it's no longer enjoyable and then a slight pace adjustment faster or slower can easily take care of any potential problems or annoyances in a polite manner. Sometimes as you're walking and chatting with a group the conversation will suddenly take a turn and you can just duck out. At this point in the season there are quite a few people on the Camino but not so many that it feels crowded, which allows for an easy "get-away" if needed. I think this was perfect timing.
The first thing I realized about walking alone is that I notice much more of my surroundings. As I entered the tiny riverside hamlet of Burgette, I was just awestruck. It was absolutely picturesque and at 8am it seemed that I had the whole place to myself. This, a favorite trout fishing spot for Hemingway when Pamplona's excitement became a bit too overwhelming for him, is one of the most enjoyable places on the Camino so far. I found myself wanting to linger when I knew I really needed to move.
After Burgette I saw several people who had set out early since I was traveling light & moving as quickly as possible. I happened upon Canadian Bill stopping for a coffee, and Rene' and I continued to leap frog each other throughout the day. I also saw two ladies from Vancouver Island that I had met briefly in passing the day before, as well as the two gents from Atlanta. They had decided to split for the day so they could walk at their own pace.
We walked mostly through farmland which was a hilly, muddy, descent. I never realized that you could go uphill so much during a "steep descent" as the guide refers to it. The downhill portions were pretty brutal, very steep with no switchbacks. Once again very happy that i decided to ship my pack ahead.
The farms did offer a few lovely moments. First, I had a young, playful, border collie accompany me through two green fields, and then as I was walking through a village, I saw hundreds of sheep racing down the street toward me. There was a small rock wall which I was able to climb onto with a few other pilgrims so we weren't in the way, thank goodness. This provided the perfect vantage point to watch the dog who was herding them work. It was so impressive to see one small dog completely in control of so many larger animals.
I made very good time getting into Zubiri but managed to be covered in mud from head to toe. As soon as I entered the small town I saw a private pensione with laundry facilities & wifi so I stopped and booked myself in. Then I set about with all of my errands & chores. Sadly, I was soon to learn that there is no post office, so all my efforts hurrying there have been for not.
I did my laundry, had a hot shower, walked a block to buy a ham & cheese bocodillo, 2 apples, 2 oranges, 2 Kinder Bueno, a nice pastry for breakfast & a fanta, which I couldn't wait to devour.
I was so exhausted that I just laid in my bed and ate, saving half for my lunch on the road the following day. As I lay there I did my nightly planning & studying of the next days route & sent my kiddos messages. It felt very good to be clean and lying still.
The following day I would be making my way to Pamplona and that was exciting, the city holds so much beauty and history.
Having said that, the most important things at present that the city holds are a post office & an outdoor shop. I will finally be able to get my pack sorted & replace my trekking poles. After today's hike & looking ahead at the ones remaining, I've decided that I must buy another pair.
During the planning of this trip, I had visions of myself seeing sights and eating wonderful meals. At this point it's really still all about day to day survival. After walking 5-7 hours, finding a place to sleep, having a shower, washing laundry & finding food there is nothing left but to sleep. Having a room to myself, with a bed to myself, for tonight is truly the most glamorous & luxurious thing I can imagine.
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