So… I got home and snuggled up in my big warm bed feeling very sorry for myself… and more than a bit cross. How dare some stupid cold bug come along and cause so much angst and ruin my camino… it wasn’t fair.

Poor Gerry had had to drive several 100 kilometres to bring me home… my lovely sister and brother-in-law had their day disrupted by kindly taking over the school run… and my two lovely walking buddies were abandoned mid holiday (although to be fair they are still walking the camino so I’m confident that they are fine)… and I lost 5 days of walking… so I fell asleep feeling very sorry for myself.

I slept for most of Thursday too, joined on and off by the cats… who seemed peeved that I’d come home and reclaimed my side of the bed.  I was coughing so much by Thursday evening that I moved from my bed and slept on the sofa… sitting up was easier on the throat.

On Friday I was feeling more like myself and felt that I’d broken the back of this bug… which was a relief… and as much as I hate to admit it,  coming home early was the right thing to do.

Come Friday afternoon Gerry hinted at a plan.  We had to return to Spain to collect my two walking buddies… Sara’s car is parked in our drive.  “So, maybe, as you’re feeling a bit better” says Gerry, “we could make a weekend of it?”

And so it was that once again we drove down from Bordeaux, and on into northern Spain towards Burgos.   We booked a room in a little Riojan town called Haro. We made reservations at the local eatery where lambs are roasted in what looks like a bread oven…. and we booked on a wine tour in one of the many local bodegas.  This would be Gerry”s idea of the perfect weekend away… and whilst a part of me was considering abandoning him and walking off to find the girls… I have to agree that there are worse places to be.

The apartment is lovely, just opposite the church. We wandered the narrow streets and immediately it felt like any other camino town… Fabulous!  This could be a mini Pamplona or Leon or Merida.  Oh I just love Spain.

We loved the wine tour… loved the lamb… loved sitting in the square listening to the brass band play… loved finding yellow arrows ( Haro is on the Camino Vasco)… and I’m just counting my blessings that Gerry supports my crazy need to walk across Spain.

They said it’s Mothers Day here today… so Happy Mother’s Day and buen camino pilgrims!