We didnt start too late after our 7.30am breakfast and were on the raod by 8.30. For the first half of the day that took us through Puente del Reina we stayed together as trio made up of Thomas the texan, fredrik the french man and myself.
Fredrik had joined the camino from the second path and was in fact already some 20 odd days on the road. He is lorry driver by profession, but quit his job and started walking.
we passed through Puent and visited the local church (or one of them) and admired the beautiful medieval bridge (puente). We discussed god and the world and it was really enjoyable.
the heat picked up though on the way that had little shade to offer. sun block was a must. by lunchtime we arrived in Cirauqui and went shopping for food & drinks. Fredrik moved on while Thomas and myself enjoyed some red wine, ham sandwhich and olives. probably a mistake …
the afternoon was first enjoyable as we crossed a river and refreshed our legs in the ice cold water. the heat, however, picked up and the sun burnt relentlessly. marching on grew ever more painful.
after a seemingly never ending walk we finally got to our hostel where we got lucky and inherited the beds of two girls that were literally just checking out to go to pamplona. thanks god. i was really tired and needed a good rest.
so probably walk less in the afternoon going forward. however, some 100km towards santiago are behind me, 695km to come. buen camino.
in the hostel I met Cyril from Belgium again and quite a few new faces over dinner. the hostel itself was not great be it cheap (donations only basis). 20 people sleeping in rooms the size of a larger toilet isnt great (heat, noise etc). in the double beds one couldnt even sit in the lower bed. thomas took a radical decision – he just slept outside!
lesson: arrive earlier, choose wiser.
