I left Granon as the sun was just thinking about coming up. I had a strange night in my hotel room… It felt too quiet without a dozen other pilgrims and I woke maybe 3 times in the night. But the bed was lovely and the privacy was great too.

I had breakfast with Pam and Theresa, 2 ladies from the US who’d joined us for dinner last night but who I’d met breifly before in Viana.  I was on the road in the cold grey light of early morning.  Last night at dinner we all agreed to walk to Villafranca de Montes de Oca.  That’s 27km and I have no idea why I said ok! Continue reading →

I think I’m a tall Ronnie Corbett

There is definitely a pecking order to this walking lark.  Most of the time when I’m walking I kind of feel pretty inadequate. In the albergue or bars or just walking along you hear snippets of conversations. Continue reading →

I’ve been quiet for a few days but not because there’s a problem… I just thought you’d be bored of me!

So I’ve marched my way along and my blisters are doing OK… And my new shoes seem good too.

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I’m in Los arcos and if yesterday’s stop was 5 *…  We’ll let’s just say today’s isn’t.

It’s so busy, pilgrims everywhere but I  know no-one.   70 beds in the municipal albergue and all full… Poor people arriving now have to walk on as there’s no room at the inn.  I’m sat in the square with two very lovely ladies from Denmark and also Mary, who  Gerry and I walked with for a little bit out of Roncesvalles. Continue reading →

In just a few short days the things that are most important in my life are changing… Of course there are constants that will never change… Family and the people we love… But now the single most important thing for me, beyond loved ones,  is for the blisters on my toes to heal and for my new shoes to be perfect for the days ahead. Continue reading →

I am learning quickly that there are some things about walking the camino that you can’t change and you either like it or…  Well you go home.

So my dear lovely Gerry left me at Viscaret and took a taxi back to Roncevalles and I plugged in my iPhone and listened to the songs he loaded for me…  I sobbed my way out of the village and up and up and up… For 4km… Then it levelled out and of course then it came down… Steeply.   And as I panted my way along people were actually running past me!

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What a surreal experience,  leaving home,  saying goodbye and knowing that I won’t be back for 7 weeks!

So we arrived… I learnt that I really really don’t like heights!  Gerry reckons that travelling up a mountain with me was like travelling with a tourettes sufferer… But really… do the roads have to be so narrow!?

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