I would describe our first two days on the Camino as just right. After a long 30 hours of traveling (and no sleep), we arrived in Pamplona. I had arranged for us to be picked up by Istvan, from the pension called Corazon Puro, in a city about 15 or so miles east of Pamplona. He transported us back to the Pension (which is like a hostel; with more private 2-3 bed rooms than an albergue). When we arrived, they washed our clothes in a washing machine (a treat) and we hung them on racks in the building to dry. The weather was notably cooler and we were wondering how it would be the next morning. We ate a delicious 3 course dinner with plenty of wine on the side. We were both very exhausted, but still had trouble sleeping because of our anticipation for starting the next day. We decided to have a short day of walking 8 miles to get accustomed to the trail and to ease ourselves in because of exhaustion and jet lag. It just so happens that we would pass right through the same city where we stayed the first night, so we decided to stay there again! We woke up at about 6:15 am and gathered all our belongings. We ate a breakfast of toast, a buttery pastry, and lots of coffee, and set off for Roncesvalles. We arrived at the pilgrims office there just in time to receive the first pilgrim stamp on our credential before they closed at 8am. This stamp confirmed we started our Camino in Roncesvalles. Then we set off on The Way. The temperature was probably between 55 and 60° and it was drizzling just a bit. We were a little cold at first, but after the first hill, we warmed right up. About an hour into our walk, we happened by a supermarket where we bought some snacks of fruit, cheese, nuts, and a box of wine. We sat down at some big stone picnic tables and ate snacks and drank the wine. We joked about the wine a little, but it actually helped warm us more and added to our silly energy to get us through the next couple hours. The scenery was absolutely amazing. We passed through woods, fields, up steep hills with breathtaking views of the mountains, and down steep inclines where I employed the strategy of using short, bouncy steps. It really did take pressure off my knees, but I admit I felt like a pony trotting down the hill, or maybe an elf. We stopped again after another hour and took our shoes off and massaged our feet according to the advice of an older Brazilian man who has done the Camino 4 times without a single blister! It really did make a difference because our feet felt less tight when we started back up. We went through more winding hills, fields and mountains. The rain held off and it was a little cold and windy, but it was a huge bonus in comparison to being too hot. When we arrived back at Corazon Puro, we were glad we made the decision to stay there another night. This time, we will probably sleep better because we are familiar with the trail. It is nice to have a private room. This time, I did my laundry by hand and hung it on a rack that had been moved outside. Kathryn and I have feel blessed and grateful for the kindness and hospitality of all the people who we have asked for help or accommodations. We are grateful that we dont feel the need to go a certain distance everyday. We have benefited from listening to our bodies and slowly assimilating to the routine instead of pushing ourselves to do what the guidebook says. We take it seriously about caring for our feet and staying hydrated. I am eager to see where our adventure takes us tomorrow.
Posted on: Wed, 30 Jul 2014 18:45:55 +0000
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