Yesterday was not a happy start! Some inconsiderate so and so got up and left the room and the phone behind with the alarm on which went off at 4.30 am! Lots of unhappiness among the 30 odd people woken up. Luckily it stopped after 5 minutes. I went back to sleep then woke up to many getting up so I joined them only to find it was 5 am. What the heck; I may as well walk. They had inexplicably turned the lights out at 9 the night before so I'd had plenty of sleep.
Walking in the predawn is gorgeous and even though there was hazy cloud there was enough light to walk without a torch. The sun didn't start to rise until 7.30 and the first birdsong was 7.40. I had been the only person with English as a first language among the 40 or so in the albergue last night so I'm walking alone today again and loving it.
About 8.30 I took some more photos of the amazing Hospital de Orbigo and got a memory full message - disaster! I won't be able to take phtots for the rest of the day at least. I sent my card reader ahead thinking that the camera would connect strait to the tablet but I was wrong. I'm hoping there is a camera shop at Astorga so I can get another. The problem is today is Sunday and little is open in Spain except cafe/restaurant/bars (all one thing here).
Hospital de Orbigo has the most amazing bridge and below on the floodplain are the lists for medieval jousts! Apparently they had tournaments here long after they died out elsewhere and they still reenact them. I'd love to see it.
I walk on, rejoicing because my feet feel pretty good, for a few more kilometres until I reach Villares de Orbigo where I am met by a fellow talking Spanish at me who takes me by the arm and heads me into town. I'm a bit taken aback until I grasp that they are having a fiesta for St James and the pilgrims are invited I am taken to a private house where trestle tables full of food are laid out and other pilgrims are eating. I'm given hot chocolate and the home owner takes my pack for me. Everyone is excited that they have an Australian here and, as always, amazed that I have come so far. The owner asks me have I brought the whole of Australia in my pack and I told him Australians are tough with muscles. I thought it was funny but everyone nodded! He also showed me the garden and the layout of the house. When I was leaving he said his heart was bleeding for me putting on such a heavy pack - very pretty but I cursed him for kilometres as my pack, which I was quite used to, weighed heavy for once. The power of the mind.
The rest of the town was setting up for a market but I couldn't stay. I forgot to metion that while I was sitting and chatting there was an explosion. I nearly jumped right out of my chair but the house owner laughed and said that it was the celebration. When there is a fiesta, they ´bomb´; a baptism, they bomb; a party, they bomb; etc. I refrained from asking about the sleeping habits of babies in the village.
The remainder of the day was across country. It was the first chilly day with the clouds clearing but the crisp wind blowing sharply. I played cat and mouse with a French trio of two women and a man of about my age. The women talked non stop and sounded as if they were instructing him on how the world should be. Every time I stopped for a break they eould stop nearby so I would start again. I didn't get to rest my feet enough so my blisters got really sore plus I had hit the left one against a stone as well. I now had bleeding into the tissues around the blister as well just to add to the fun. The last few km probably took me 1.5 hours.
On the way in many people stopped to say Buen Camino and to encourage me. At the last village before Astorga an old man was sitting out by the road , obviously to chat with passers. He nearly fell off the seat when he heard I was from Australis. He told me it was just 'un poco tres km' ( a small three km) to the albergue. Very kind.
I got there evntually thanks to a fellow pilgrim who grabbed my sticks and towed me up the last hill!
The albergue was enormous and I fluked a four bed room with only women. No modesty issues - if I have any left.
I eventually found a cafe that night where I had dinner and two beers. Then I asked to pay but the fellow was watching a basketball game between Spain and France and just gave me another beer! So I just drank it before going back to the albergue and sleeping well all night. Today I am stopping to shop at the farmacia and other spots and will see at lunch time whether I am up to walking or not.
Buen Camino.
Monday, 19 September 2011
Sunday, 18 September 2011
travel summary
I think it is a good idea to record the walking details now while I can remember. Half the time I can't remeber where I was last night at the moment.
1. to Roncesvalles 27 km
2. Larrasoana 26 km
3. Pamplona 16
4. Uterga 16
5. Maneru 12
6. Estella 20
7. Los Arcos 21
8. Logrono 29
9. Najera 30
10. Santo Domingo de la Calzada 20
11. Belarado 23.5
12. San Juan de Ortega 30
13. Burgos 25
14-15 Burgos
16 Burgos to Leon bus
17. Villadangos del Paramo 22 km
304.5 km to Santiago but who's counting?
1. to Roncesvalles 27 km
2. Larrasoana 26 km
3. Pamplona 16
4. Uterga 16
5. Maneru 12
6. Estella 20
7. Los Arcos 21
8. Logrono 29
9. Najera 30
10. Santo Domingo de la Calzada 20
11. Belarado 23.5
12. San Juan de Ortega 30
13. Burgos 25
14-15 Burgos
16 Burgos to Leon bus
17. Villadangos del Paramo 22 km
304.5 km to Santiago but who's counting?
day 17 to Villedangos el Paramo
Absolutely nothing kept me awake last night and I ended up sleeping until 8.00 which is pretty wimpy stuff on the Camino. Margrit had gone so I took my time and ate breakfast - well student breakfast anyway. The cereal on offer was Corn Flakes or a sort of giant coco pops. I had the worst tea ever or so I thought.
I walked off on my own and had to really pay attention to find the way out of town. I walked to Virgen del Camino and finally found a computer accessories shop. It wasn't open for another 35 minutes so I memorised 'tienda informacia technica' so I could ask again in future and walked on. I tend to get lost in my thoughts when walking alone. It's a fabulous feeling but today it results in missing the turn off. It is a two day walk from Leon to Astorga and you can do it through the countryside or along the highway. By the time I have realised my mistake I am committed to the highway. A young Austrian couple tell me it's the shorter way anyway, which is no doubt best for my feet, and I realise that there is a better chance of finding a bed anway.
I stop in San Miguel del Camino for lunch and sit inside out of the sun and get to watch a Terence Stamp spaghetti western in Spanish. It was poor the first time I saw it in English but there is a senior feloow laughing at it which ups the amusement factor exponentially. I get a bocadillo (ham and cheese roll) which is enormous and has stringy red ham. I order tea with lemon not realising that means lemon cordial. Yuk!
I walk on for a few hours and stop at the albergue at Villedangas el Paramor which is half open and has about 40 beds. I get a top bunk (yuk) and a shower (yay) and wash my clothes by hand in a sink with no plug. So annoying. I realise I am running out of personal and wash soap so I head to town for a beer and to check out the shops. The cafes don't look inviting for a single woman so I give it a miss. I'll have to wait until Astorga. The god news is that going the shorter wat means it is only 26 km away instead of 30.
The best news is that when I take my socks off my blisters look excellent. The bad news is that there is a snoring man who is so loud I can't stop giggling. I can hear him in the shower. No doubt the poor man is exhausted because he struggles out of bed and onto the lounge where he promptly falls back to sleep and starts snoring again.
It is very hard to edit on this tablet and I am running out of battery so mistakes will have to be forgiven!
I walked off on my own and had to really pay attention to find the way out of town. I walked to Virgen del Camino and finally found a computer accessories shop. It wasn't open for another 35 minutes so I memorised 'tienda informacia technica' so I could ask again in future and walked on. I tend to get lost in my thoughts when walking alone. It's a fabulous feeling but today it results in missing the turn off. It is a two day walk from Leon to Astorga and you can do it through the countryside or along the highway. By the time I have realised my mistake I am committed to the highway. A young Austrian couple tell me it's the shorter way anyway, which is no doubt best for my feet, and I realise that there is a better chance of finding a bed anway.
I stop in San Miguel del Camino for lunch and sit inside out of the sun and get to watch a Terence Stamp spaghetti western in Spanish. It was poor the first time I saw it in English but there is a senior feloow laughing at it which ups the amusement factor exponentially. I get a bocadillo (ham and cheese roll) which is enormous and has stringy red ham. I order tea with lemon not realising that means lemon cordial. Yuk!
I walk on for a few hours and stop at the albergue at Villedangas el Paramor which is half open and has about 40 beds. I get a top bunk (yuk) and a shower (yay) and wash my clothes by hand in a sink with no plug. So annoying. I realise I am running out of personal and wash soap so I head to town for a beer and to check out the shops. The cafes don't look inviting for a single woman so I give it a miss. I'll have to wait until Astorga. The god news is that going the shorter wat means it is only 26 km away instead of 30.
The best news is that when I take my socks off my blisters look excellent. The bad news is that there is a snoring man who is so loud I can't stop giggling. I can hear him in the shower. No doubt the poor man is exhausted because he struggles out of bed and onto the lounge where he promptly falls back to sleep and starts snoring again.
It is very hard to edit on this tablet and I am running out of battery so mistakes will have to be forgiven!
Saturday, 17 September 2011
Day 16
Spent another day in Burgos yesterday. I had to stay in a different Albergue as you can only stay one night in any one spot - fortunately there are some private ones that will let you stay if you are injured and I have fluked one of these. So I have two nights running in the same place which is great even though I am not fussed about this albergue. I'm not sure why. It has about 12 bunk beds, so 24 places and that is not considered big, but I just don't find it very welcoming. It's probably the hospitaleros, which is unfair of me as they are volunteers and often come a long way to stay for short periods making sure the albergues are open and that pilgrims have somewhere to stay. This one has two showers and two separate toilets with washing space etc and an internet connection The internet connection is supposed to be €1/30 min but you ony get 20 minutes really. The Locutario in the next street is €1.50/hour so I go there when I can.
It's quite frustrating not being able to sightsee still as I am still limping, so I spend the day on the net when I can or looking for Vodafone. All the shops are on Spanish time (which means open 1000 - 1430ish and 1700-2000) and I have to be out of the albergue by eight in the morning. I arrived at 12.10 (it opens at 12 which is reasonably early) so get to pick my bed the first day however the second day I get back at 12.45 and have to take one of the top bunks which is a pain. Late afternoons I spend sitting under an umbrella at a cafe in the Plaza outside the albergue drinking my two beers and people watching. I am restiing my feet in spite of all temptations and I'm listening to lots of Spanish and other languages.
My German continues to improve as does my Spanish. My big problem is using the right language with the person. My brain is in its usual tizz and comes up with answers in completely the wrong language sometimes. On the other hand I finally found a Vodafone shop and Ana, who says her English is so bad she's too embarrassed to use it, and we spoke pigeon Spanish and English to each other until she succeeded in connecting me up with a Spanish SIM card with data I was so excited and she clearly felt she achieved something worthwhile too! At one point she even pulled up a translation page on her screen so we could commincate better She was great and now I can tether my my tablet to the iPhone and get on the net and write up my days.
I doctored my feet again last night trying to destroy blisters and bandage them up and this morning I coould walk again It was such a relief. Mary Alice from Iowa came with me to the bus station and we put our bagckpacks in lockers. I then bought a ticket to Leon all by myself in Spanish. I was so impressed with myself. I had to laugh because there was Emma manging this stuff at 15 and here I am just starting at 51! Still I was pleased and it brings an element of intellectual challenge in to a physically challenging time. Mary Alice and I went to see the castle in the morning before I caught the bus. We discussed that tomorrow I may well meditate on how grateful I am to have a body that mostly works It hasn't always butt it iss now aand I can't tell you how satisfying it is to do something that relies on a working body!
Did I tell you the difference between Spain's Spanish and that of other Latin speakers? The Spanish speak as if they have a lisp. Acccording to Connor at some point after colonising the New World, they had a king with a lisp. As by definition the way a king does something is the right way, the court began to speak with a lisp too and then because the court dudes are the cool dudes, everyone copied them... and now all Spanish speak with a lisp. I have no idea if it is true or apocryphal but I love it and choose to go with it. I bemoan the fact that my childhood wouuld have been easier if I grew up in Spain and, of course, I find it very easy to lisp with the true Spanish speakers!
Onnce I arrived in Leon I fell in with two German women, Margit and Anke. We soon founf out that the hostels were full all over town and so were the albergues. I spoke to an Australian couple who told me that they were staying in an hotel at €66/night Too rich for a two star hotel. We saw a sign however and found ourselves in the student residence for the university. Margrit and I agreed to €24 for a single room and bathroom and breakfast with relief and delight. Anke went off to look for something cheaper! Margrit and I checked out the fabulous cathedral and found the house by Gaudi, which I absolutely loved. Now I'm in my room snacking as dinner in Spain rarely starts before eight and I am just too tired. I've done my washing and am ready to crash - a whole night without other people in my room - what a luxury! It is going to be amazing to get home into the queen size with Geoff as I've been sleeping in single beds since mid August.
Another reason for not going out is that there is a very rowdy demonstration going on. I don't know what it's about and don't care as long as they don't interrupt my sleep! Goodnight.
It's quite frustrating not being able to sightsee still as I am still limping, so I spend the day on the net when I can or looking for Vodafone. All the shops are on Spanish time (which means open 1000 - 1430ish and 1700-2000) and I have to be out of the albergue by eight in the morning. I arrived at 12.10 (it opens at 12 which is reasonably early) so get to pick my bed the first day however the second day I get back at 12.45 and have to take one of the top bunks which is a pain. Late afternoons I spend sitting under an umbrella at a cafe in the Plaza outside the albergue drinking my two beers and people watching. I am restiing my feet in spite of all temptations and I'm listening to lots of Spanish and other languages.
My German continues to improve as does my Spanish. My big problem is using the right language with the person. My brain is in its usual tizz and comes up with answers in completely the wrong language sometimes. On the other hand I finally found a Vodafone shop and Ana, who says her English is so bad she's too embarrassed to use it, and we spoke pigeon Spanish and English to each other until she succeeded in connecting me up with a Spanish SIM card with data I was so excited and she clearly felt she achieved something worthwhile too! At one point she even pulled up a translation page on her screen so we could commincate better She was great and now I can tether my my tablet to the iPhone and get on the net and write up my days.
I doctored my feet again last night trying to destroy blisters and bandage them up and this morning I coould walk again It was such a relief. Mary Alice from Iowa came with me to the bus station and we put our bagckpacks in lockers. I then bought a ticket to Leon all by myself in Spanish. I was so impressed with myself. I had to laugh because there was Emma manging this stuff at 15 and here I am just starting at 51! Still I was pleased and it brings an element of intellectual challenge in to a physically challenging time. Mary Alice and I went to see the castle in the morning before I caught the bus. We discussed that tomorrow I may well meditate on how grateful I am to have a body that mostly works It hasn't always butt it iss now aand I can't tell you how satisfying it is to do something that relies on a working body!
Did I tell you the difference between Spain's Spanish and that of other Latin speakers? The Spanish speak as if they have a lisp. Acccording to Connor at some point after colonising the New World, they had a king with a lisp. As by definition the way a king does something is the right way, the court began to speak with a lisp too and then because the court dudes are the cool dudes, everyone copied them... and now all Spanish speak with a lisp. I have no idea if it is true or apocryphal but I love it and choose to go with it. I bemoan the fact that my childhood wouuld have been easier if I grew up in Spain and, of course, I find it very easy to lisp with the true Spanish speakers!
Onnce I arrived in Leon I fell in with two German women, Margit and Anke. We soon founf out that the hostels were full all over town and so were the albergues. I spoke to an Australian couple who told me that they were staying in an hotel at €66/night Too rich for a two star hotel. We saw a sign however and found ourselves in the student residence for the university. Margrit and I agreed to €24 for a single room and bathroom and breakfast with relief and delight. Anke went off to look for something cheaper! Margrit and I checked out the fabulous cathedral and found the house by Gaudi, which I absolutely loved. Now I'm in my room snacking as dinner in Spain rarely starts before eight and I am just too tired. I've done my washing and am ready to crash - a whole night without other people in my room - what a luxury! It is going to be amazing to get home into the queen size with Geoff as I've been sleeping in single beds since mid August.
Another reason for not going out is that there is a very rowdy demonstration going on. I don't know what it's about and don't care as long as they don't interrupt my sleep! Goodnight.
Wednesday, 14 September 2011
Day 14
Here I am, still in Burgos. Last night the hospitaller was quite concerned that I was walking around in barefeet. I think it is just short of rude in Europe as everyone looks surprised but I find it so much more comfortable than shoes when my feet are so tired and sore. I was really struggling to walk at all by last night and just did a shuffle - Marion calls it the John Wayne walk. It´s the walk you do when you really don´t want your feet to touch the ground! Anyway, I showed the hospitallero, Sr Marie-Helene, my blisters with the result that I was firmly told that I would be seeing the doctor in the morning!
There were two men, Salvador and Javier, who had just finished their Camino and were planning on catching the bus home to Barcelona, agreed to take me to the health centre to see a doctor and translate for me if necessary. Salvador tells me his name means Saviour but his middle name should be ¨not on any day¨. He spoke excellent English, appeared to be in his early 40s, and strode ahead most of the time while I limped behind, while Javier was much quieter, a bit younger, spoke little English and slowed his pace to mine while reminding me to be careful whenever there was a bump and winced with me when I hurt my foot. Two lovely men who plan to be volunteer hospitaleros for two weeks later in the year. They had done the first part of the Camino earlier this year, Burgos to Santiago de Compostela, and then come back to do St Jean Pied de Port to Burgos.
They took me to the health centre, I saw the almost English-speaking doctor and he prescribed anti-inflammatories and a particular kind of bandage. At the apotek (chemist) the bandages turned out to be a fancy type of bandaid and I wasn´t impressed. I had to mentally apologise once I tried them though as they are very adhesive and flexible and fit my heels and actually stay on without cutting circulation or strapping micropore around the whole foot.
The disaster though is that I am instructed not to walk for three days. Several people have warned me not to ignore these instructions. I am given to understand that this could result in septicaemia, gangrene and not being able to complete the Camino. I´m not too worried about the first two but the last would be a problem. This, of course, creates difficulties about timing. It looks like I will have to catch the bus to Leon in order to keep up with my timetable and miss the Meseta. Drat. But unlike the Europeans it will cost more than a few hours flight at EU40 to get here again so I have to make sure I finish. C´est la vie.
One of the odd issues I have is that I have a smattering of French, Spanish, Italian and German, and I tend to mash it all together and respond in the wrong language to the wrong person. I use all of them to communicate with other pilgrims who are supremely poly-national but then start getting them mixed up. I told the man in the cafe today that my omelette was ´muy bono´ instead of ´muy buen´ he laughed fortunately but clearly thought I was a bit of a nut!
Marion left this morning for Bilbao so I hope all goes well with her. We have walked together, sort of, for several days and I hope she enjoyed the company as much as I did. I wonder whether my future walking will be alone or whether there will be new companions? So far I have had three walking companion stages; Carina for a few days, Nancy and Tom for a few days and then Marion. Three really different types of people from wildly different backgrounds who really brought special times to me. I´m very grateful.
Yesterday on our way into Burgos, as I was trailling behind striding Marion, a woman approached me and told me (I think) that if I went into the local church they would give me information and maps to Burgos. I thanked her profusely and then caught up to Marion across a busy intersection and 100m up the road. Without thinking it through we decided not to go backwards so of course we ended up getting lost and adding an extra 2km to our day! Twice we asked for help and both times people stopped what they were doing, literally took us by the hand, and walked us in the right the direction. People can be wonderful and amazing, can´t they? I think I expected to find resentment of tourists, and no doubt it is there somewhere, but mostly people say Buen Camino (Have a good Camino) to us as we pass. Amongst the continual exhaustion and the aches and pains, I do feel very blessed. I write that and realise it sounds a lot like parenthood!
Having to sit around for a few days should mean that I can sight see but I´m not supposed to be walking so I won´t be able to. Drat. This city is full of sculptures and has 10 famous churches of national cultural significance plus a fabulous museum of humanity. Maybe I will hang here after all and see if I can see bits of it! In the meantime I can catch up on my notes and maybe get more stuff safely on the net! I´ll try sending post cards but am not at all sure about sending them from the post office!
Buen Camino! Ultreya!
There were two men, Salvador and Javier, who had just finished their Camino and were planning on catching the bus home to Barcelona, agreed to take me to the health centre to see a doctor and translate for me if necessary. Salvador tells me his name means Saviour but his middle name should be ¨not on any day¨. He spoke excellent English, appeared to be in his early 40s, and strode ahead most of the time while I limped behind, while Javier was much quieter, a bit younger, spoke little English and slowed his pace to mine while reminding me to be careful whenever there was a bump and winced with me when I hurt my foot. Two lovely men who plan to be volunteer hospitaleros for two weeks later in the year. They had done the first part of the Camino earlier this year, Burgos to Santiago de Compostela, and then come back to do St Jean Pied de Port to Burgos.
They took me to the health centre, I saw the almost English-speaking doctor and he prescribed anti-inflammatories and a particular kind of bandage. At the apotek (chemist) the bandages turned out to be a fancy type of bandaid and I wasn´t impressed. I had to mentally apologise once I tried them though as they are very adhesive and flexible and fit my heels and actually stay on without cutting circulation or strapping micropore around the whole foot.
The disaster though is that I am instructed not to walk for three days. Several people have warned me not to ignore these instructions. I am given to understand that this could result in septicaemia, gangrene and not being able to complete the Camino. I´m not too worried about the first two but the last would be a problem. This, of course, creates difficulties about timing. It looks like I will have to catch the bus to Leon in order to keep up with my timetable and miss the Meseta. Drat. But unlike the Europeans it will cost more than a few hours flight at EU40 to get here again so I have to make sure I finish. C´est la vie.
One of the odd issues I have is that I have a smattering of French, Spanish, Italian and German, and I tend to mash it all together and respond in the wrong language to the wrong person. I use all of them to communicate with other pilgrims who are supremely poly-national but then start getting them mixed up. I told the man in the cafe today that my omelette was ´muy bono´ instead of ´muy buen´ he laughed fortunately but clearly thought I was a bit of a nut!
Marion left this morning for Bilbao so I hope all goes well with her. We have walked together, sort of, for several days and I hope she enjoyed the company as much as I did. I wonder whether my future walking will be alone or whether there will be new companions? So far I have had three walking companion stages; Carina for a few days, Nancy and Tom for a few days and then Marion. Three really different types of people from wildly different backgrounds who really brought special times to me. I´m very grateful.
Yesterday on our way into Burgos, as I was trailling behind striding Marion, a woman approached me and told me (I think) that if I went into the local church they would give me information and maps to Burgos. I thanked her profusely and then caught up to Marion across a busy intersection and 100m up the road. Without thinking it through we decided not to go backwards so of course we ended up getting lost and adding an extra 2km to our day! Twice we asked for help and both times people stopped what they were doing, literally took us by the hand, and walked us in the right the direction. People can be wonderful and amazing, can´t they? I think I expected to find resentment of tourists, and no doubt it is there somewhere, but mostly people say Buen Camino (Have a good Camino) to us as we pass. Amongst the continual exhaustion and the aches and pains, I do feel very blessed. I write that and realise it sounds a lot like parenthood!
Having to sit around for a few days should mean that I can sight see but I´m not supposed to be walking so I won´t be able to. Drat. This city is full of sculptures and has 10 famous churches of national cultural significance plus a fabulous museum of humanity. Maybe I will hang here after all and see if I can see bits of it! In the meantime I can catch up on my notes and maybe get more stuff safely on the net! I´ll try sending post cards but am not at all sure about sending them from the post office!
Buen Camino! Ultreya!
Day 13
Day 13 and I am in Burgos. I think this is the scene of a siege by Wellington´s men in the Peninsula or Napoleonic Wars. The city refused to give in so when they lost the English army went on a rampage burning, pillaging, looting and raping. The officers were unable to get control until Wellington started hanging the looters (property being more important than women).
We limped into our albergue about 2ish today, Marion and I. My blisters are very painful and my feet are so tired and sore that they won´t sit still. I think we have walked about a third of the way. Next is the Meseta for three days - a long, hot, windy, dry, high plateau that breaks many. I´m very tired and not looking forward to it. I contemplated having two nights in Burgos but I would have to stay in a hotel as you cannot stay in the albergues in the city two nights running.
Burgos has many churches and is quite scenic (once you finish walking through the slums) but it is wasted on my because I just can´t do any walking except to the cafe for a beer and the internet shop to talk to you all.
I wrote a fabulous blog yesterday but the computer at that albergue broke down just before I hit publish and all was lost. I hoped against hope that I would find it here as a draft and I did but all the wording is in Spanish and I think I have accidentally deleted it anyway. This has been the story of my attempts to stay involved in the web world while in Spain - a sad disaster. If I sort it out I will publish it but don´t hold your breath!
We limped into our albergue about 2ish today, Marion and I. My blisters are very painful and my feet are so tired and sore that they won´t sit still. I think we have walked about a third of the way. Next is the Meseta for three days - a long, hot, windy, dry, high plateau that breaks many. I´m very tired and not looking forward to it. I contemplated having two nights in Burgos but I would have to stay in a hotel as you cannot stay in the albergues in the city two nights running.
Burgos has many churches and is quite scenic (once you finish walking through the slums) but it is wasted on my because I just can´t do any walking except to the cafe for a beer and the internet shop to talk to you all.
I wrote a fabulous blog yesterday but the computer at that albergue broke down just before I hit publish and all was lost. I hoped against hope that I would find it here as a draft and I did but all the wording is in Spanish and I think I have accidentally deleted it anyway. This has been the story of my attempts to stay involved in the web world while in Spain - a sad disaster. If I sort it out I will publish it but don´t hold your breath!
Friday, 19 August 2011
Almost there
7 days and 22 hours to go. Things are getting pretty serious now. The last of my preparations have to be done tonight as I am off to uni in the morning and will head straight to Sydney afterwards.
My backpack is 2kg heavier than expected which is pretty significant when it's on your back for at least 30 days. I realised that my hoodie is 500g heavier than Geoff's so he has just sacrificed his! I'm really not sure what else I can cut. It's 30 degrees in Pamplona today and most of the next week so I won't be wearing most of my clothes so that won't help. Mind you my socks are pretty thick and I wear them with a liner - just putting them on might help.
Technology helps and hinders. I have all my maps etc on my iPhone instead of paper. I've also downloaded guide and phrase books onto it. On the other hand I have to carry chargers and the solar panel so that adds weight (not as much though). I've seen hikers put their solar panels on their hats and that looks like a good idea so I will see whether it works.
I've had my hair cut today too. Almost short back and sides - I didn't think the hairdresser would agree to do it at one stage. She was mourning all the curls. I assured her they would grow back but she seemed unconvinced.
Funnily I haven't worried much about the walk itself but I am getting nervous. It's occurred to me strongly that not only have I never been to Europe, I've never taken a significant holiday by myself nor been to a country where no one else speaks the language. My general strategy is not to look at barriers if I can't change them and just focus on getting to the goal but eventually you do have to listen to the voices in your head - even if just long enough to tell them to shut up! On the other hand I'm close enough to be able to say that I'm pretty nervous without having to worry that I might talk myself out of going now.
And it will be so new for me to make all my own choices and all based on exactly what I want to do. I wonder if five weeks is long enough to undo the conditioning of a lifetime? I'll get back to you!
My backpack is 2kg heavier than expected which is pretty significant when it's on your back for at least 30 days. I realised that my hoodie is 500g heavier than Geoff's so he has just sacrificed his! I'm really not sure what else I can cut. It's 30 degrees in Pamplona today and most of the next week so I won't be wearing most of my clothes so that won't help. Mind you my socks are pretty thick and I wear them with a liner - just putting them on might help.
Technology helps and hinders. I have all my maps etc on my iPhone instead of paper. I've also downloaded guide and phrase books onto it. On the other hand I have to carry chargers and the solar panel so that adds weight (not as much though). I've seen hikers put their solar panels on their hats and that looks like a good idea so I will see whether it works.
I've had my hair cut today too. Almost short back and sides - I didn't think the hairdresser would agree to do it at one stage. She was mourning all the curls. I assured her they would grow back but she seemed unconvinced.
Funnily I haven't worried much about the walk itself but I am getting nervous. It's occurred to me strongly that not only have I never been to Europe, I've never taken a significant holiday by myself nor been to a country where no one else speaks the language. My general strategy is not to look at barriers if I can't change them and just focus on getting to the goal but eventually you do have to listen to the voices in your head - even if just long enough to tell them to shut up! On the other hand I'm close enough to be able to say that I'm pretty nervous without having to worry that I might talk myself out of going now.
And it will be so new for me to make all my own choices and all based on exactly what I want to do. I wonder if five weeks is long enough to undo the conditioning of a lifetime? I'll get back to you!
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