Day 12 and beyond !!

Well it all began with an early start as usual. I only intended to walk to Atapuerca, but it is probably not the best idea to make plans on the camino. I walked into the city of Burgos. This is not the nicest of walks, as a lot of it is on the road and through the industrial area of the city. Like I have said before I do not like city's but the more I walked the more I wanted to get it over with and not have to face doing it the following morning. Along with that one of my camino friends was finishing up in Burgos and needed to be in the city that night. We arrived around 4 O'clock to the municipal albergue to be told it was full. Strange thing was we did not meet more than 4 or 5 people that day on the road and only 2 had passed us. This we thought meant that we would have no problem getting a bed!!!!! Not so I am afraid. We walked awhile looking for another one and again it was full. By that time we had enough and headed for a hotel and got the last room there. I suppose it was nice to have a bath and a proper bed....
Not sure at what point I decided to do it but I decided I had enough of the camino and I was going home !!!! I missed Ray and every evening was the same. I would finish walking, shower, wash my clothes and hope that the night would not be too long so I could walk again. I loved to walk but was really lonely at night even though I had made some really good friends and laughed a lot. I just hated to lie down to sleep, it just did not come easy and only in small amounts. flights were booked and ticket got for the bus for 5.45 the following morning.

I was so excited to be going home. I got the bus to Bilbao then a flight to Madrid and from there to Dublin. I then got the bus to Portlaoise where I had arranged for my friend Kath to pick me up. I was at my own house just after 8.30 Ray got the fright of his life as he was waiting for me to skype.

That was 12 days ago and I still have a smile from one ear to the other. I loved the camino, the walking, the friends I made, all the people I met, the fun, the wine, the great chats we all had, but I MISSED RAY more than I could imagine possible. I had prepared for everything I thought before I went. I had all the right gear. I had trained and walking is no problem for me. I thought that we would both enjoy the break of 5 weeks. I laughed when anyone suggested it would be a long time to be away and said he would probably change the locks while I was gone to keep me out :-)

So here I am sitting at my kitchen table with the fire going and bread proving on the counter and nearly ready to go in the oven. I don't know anywhere I would rather be. I have no regrets about going on the camino and am very glad to have walked for the 2 weeks. I had lots of time to think about what is important to me, what I want from life and all the things that I am thankful for including Ray who encouraged me every step of the way.

Snake, Doll, Jane, Pip, Jess. "Team Awesome"

As of today Snake is in Sarria, Jane and Jess are in Molinaseca, Pip is back in Uk and will return next year as will Ray and I.

 "starting to Wither" 

"I am coming home"

Flying from Bilbao to Madrid.

I will go back and start again at Burgos sometime next year with Ray and and I think the nights will be a lot easier and much more enjoyable.

We have been in Killarney for the weekend and the weather was really nice, and are off to Mayo next weekend to do a little walking and Ray and Kath will climb the reek and so start their training for Camino 2013...

Day 11 Villafranca

Today was a tough day . I walked over 30 km. Jess was sick and Jane has problems with blisters so they did not walk as far today. They are as few km behind now. The albergue is nice tonight and is quiet. Unusually the beds are not all full which is different .
The walk today was over hills and all harvested fields. I also got too much sun. As I am walking west it is all on theleft hand side of my body and looks
like a farmers tan. Brown arms and legs just to where my socks are. My feet remain. White !!
Tomorrow I will walk about the same distance to bring me to the outskirts of Burgos . I prefer not to stay in the city's. So will pass through there on we'd morning early. The Albergue has geese and peacocks here in the garden Well it is time for bed again so until tomorrow Buen camino

Day 10, Granon

Today's walk was from Azofra into Granon was mostly through farm land where crops have been all cut. There were some fields of withering sunflowers and also some vineyards. Surprisingly the grapes do not taste much different to the ones on my brother in-laws at home in Ireland.
Again today I am happy with my feet and legs. I have no new blisters and the old ones are healing. I almost feel I am tempting faith mentioning them.
Tonight I sleep in the attic of the town church. There are no beds here just mats on the floor for our sleeping bags We will have a communal dinner later which will be cooked for us. Second day in a row not to have to sort the food out !! It is a beautiful place and feels very homely. I am surprised and also pleased how well I have adapted to camino life. The walking can be tough at times. My days walking is usually finished before 2 so I enjoy siesta and the just resting my feet for the evening. My biggest concern coming was how I would put in the evening without being lonely for home.
ONLY 566 km left to go now !!

Day 9 ,

Today I feel great. My feet are beginning to feel ok the blisters are dying I think!!!! Today we walked from Navarette to Azofra. The walk was
Ainly through vineyards and rolling hills. I probably am getting stronger, It does not take too much out of me now and my feet don't se to complain too much either. Well at least that is today's story.
We arrived in Azofra in time for "Fiestas de Gracias" which was amazing. The streets were lined with tables and chairs. There were 3 huge paella cooking away, there were at least 3 foot wide. There were also pans with pork and peppers in a sauce. Lots of wine too. So we eat and drank of the best of Rioja. A band played in the plaza where we danced. This was all to celebrate the grape harvest. I still have to figure out where we got the energy to dance an drink a beautiful mixture of red, white, and rose wine.
We all survived the festivities although my rib age is still a little sore from laughing.

Better than ice cream

Today was day 7 and a long hot walk to Logrono. We had decided to only go as far as Viana but we got there at 9.30!!! So after a vote and good breaki/lunch we decided to move on and go to Logrono. Although we got there by 1.30 the albergue was full, and the private one near by. We got a pension in the old city for 15 euro each so all happy campers tonight :-)
Just as we entered Logrono today we passed a long water feature. I can't be sure it was a foot bath:-) but it was inviting. I don't think I ever enjoyed anything so much. Certainly beat the icecream. I think we may have started a trend.
The views today were great, lots of mountains, vineyards and olive groves. The good thing about this time of year is all the fruits are ripe. The figs are especially good. Just as we came through Viana today a lady came out with a bucket of them to give pilgrims as they passed.
We have also met a Canadian film maker a lot over the last few days who is making a documentary. Last night he shared a room with us in Los Arcos and filmed us so we may even make the big screen.
It is hard to believe a week has passed and a lot of miles covered, life is good on the camino. Tough for sure but good.

The good, the bad, and the ugly...

Well today is my eight day and I feel pretty good apart from my feet that is!! I have blisters just between my big toe and second toe on both feet. Other than that I feel great. That is the GOOD.
Because the camino is so busy the race for beds is on and it is taking some of the fun out of the day. Starting so early in the morning is not a guarantee that one will get a bed. We did not get a bed in an albergue last night but that was ok we got a room in a pension. We thought that meant a good nights sleep but alas we got none. There was a festival in in the city and it continued until 5 am this morn then the pilgrim rising racket started again. Our little band of misfits or "team awesome" as we like to call ourselves made a decision to take a short day today and hope that everyone else keeps walking!!! Our theory is that if we do not stick to the main stages we may find it easier to find a bed. That is the BAD.
We arrived in Navarette at 9.30 this morning having walked 13 km. Jess has some leg problems. Jane has some too, Snake is just tired and has no bounce !! I have my blisters. Pip is only walking to Burgos and was undecided if he would go on or stay with us. After a little timeout he decided to stay. We are very happy with that decision:-). We are all walking alone but together. I walk by myself a lot of the day as do my friends but we always eat and stay together at night. We laugh a lot in fact we laugh an awful lot. We are now sitting outside an albergue and are first in line for a bed, along with an amazing lady we just met called Edith. Edith has walked over 1500 km from Holland. She intended to walk to Santiago, but for Edith the camino is looking like it will end here. The race for beds, the crowds on the camino, are not giving her the peace and stillness she needs. We have been speaking with her for a while and it is sad to see her cry and feel lost on a beautiful sunny day. I hope in some way we will give her a heart to continue what is only a few miles. This Lady has walked alone from Holland we have only come down the road!!! This is the UGLY.
The photo of Team Awesome : Snake, Doll, Jane, Pip and Jess.

Evening has come, we are showered and fed, Edith has joined us for the evening. We sit laugh, talk. All is well and tomorrow is another day. Buen Camino.

Courage

"Courage is not the absence of fear or despair, it is having the strength to conquer them"
I am now on day 6 and have arrived in the beautiful rural town of Los Arcos. I have not blogged for a few days for 2 reasons... 1 being very tired in the evenings and 2 I have been struggling a bit with settling down to my camino.
I think really until yesterday I thought I may not be able to do it. I have struggled since teenage years with fear and anxiety. Most people who know me would not realise that, So doing this by myself this year was real important to me. The boys are grown up and I am very proud of who they have become. Ray and I did well and I can say that without a flicker of thought. Yet I always doubt my self,I have been walking with a beautiful girl called Jess who showed me that quote on her camera phone on Sunday. I have been thinking about it a lot the last few days. Today I realised I always had courage !!! I have just been denying it for over 30 years :-(
Funny isn't it that I have to walk in 32 degrees of heat over mountains with blistered feet to figure that out.
I have also learned some things I needed to learn from a snake.
I have enjoyed walking today more than any walk I have ever done, it is nice to walk in freedom and really enjoy the beauty around you. The views are amazing here. Along with Jess Pip and Snake ( other people come and go) we start around 5am, to catch sunrise, beat the heat of the day an also get accommodation. It is still very busy here and can be hard to get a bed. I get lots of rest in the evening and listen to music that James sent me :-) That man has his mothers great taste in music. A chat with the boys at home then time for dinner and early bed. Such is the life of a pilgrim and tomorrow I will do it all over again.