We were woken up at 4.30 a.m. by hordes of eager Germans and French making an early and v noisy start. Don´t they know the English do not get up before 6.00? And certainly not the Spanish. It had been another sleepless night for Stephen as all 6´6 of him was crammed in to an attic-corner dwarf´s bed. We discovered a strange pair of socks in the laundry but were too scared to tell the Spanish woman, so John has been carrying them ever since.
Walking began again, although Stephen and Pat started at least an hour earlier than the Buckleys who had to go back about 3 times for things they had forgotten. Walked out of Lograño, past a lovely lake and it was nice and sunny without being too hot which made for a lovely Sunday morning stroll of 12 km. The Buckleys met up with Stephen and Pat in Navarette, a really beautiful village with a fantastic church that only John saw and couldn´t persuade anyone else to go see. He is threating to take everyone back there just to see it in the future.
After coffee and boccadillos (best yet), the pilgrims were on their way again. Everyone was making good time and we reached Ventosa where we had lunch and Lynda discovered the local drink, pincharan, which tastes like anise. Seemed to put a bounce in her step for the rest of the afternoon. However, it was at Ventosa that Stephen had to leave the walk and get back to England but he continues with us in spirit. We left him having one last beer and having a well earned rest in the lovely refugio before he would catch a bus the next morning. The other poor pilgrims plodded on.
Afternoon took a downturn at this point. Started to get very windy and cold and the effects of the pincharan began to wear off. We finally made it to Navjera as it was starting to pelt it down. Finally found the refugio where we had to take our boots off at the door and the dorms were like something out of a prison camp. 94 beds crammed together in an airless room, and the beds were the least comfortable yet, which is saying something when you´ve slept on a gym floor. Added to the fact that there was no hot water, the pilgrims were at a very low point. Pat had to resort to hot toddys (using the emergency whiskey from Vicky´s wedding).
All slept very badly - you would not believe how loudly some people snored. Everyone vowed to get in to a hotel asap.
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3 comments:
Hi Gang, Louise made paella tonight in order to empathise - I thought walking over hot coals may have been more appropriate, but I compromised and went for the glass of wine option instead. Technical advice, bin the socks, not just from the weight point of view, think of the evidential impact if the Spanish woman makes an allegation. Any more photos?
Thinking of you all lots.
Sally - there's something highly suspicious about the complete disappearance of your blister.
It reminded me of the time we were doing DofE. You told me off for blaspheming and I told you that if God were pissed off he'd strike me down. Then a branch fell out of the sky almost on my head and moments later I fell in a massive puddle of mud up to my knees. The mysteries of walking, eh?
You are amazing. I am thinking of you. Lots of Love from the ex au-pair and lots of germans. Saskia*
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