Day Six: Puente de La Reina to Estella

I started the day with Nicolas at the Albergue Jaqkue. I slept quite well despite the lady above me who again snored through the night! I think I’m getting used to it now. I was up and out by around 7, and headed into town alone.

The town of Puente de la Reina was absolutely beautiful. I stopped to have a coffee with Carlos from day one and another Carlos from Villalba near Madrid. He told me they made the best bread there in the whole of Spain. The other Carlos agrees to disagree!

I walk on and walk alone, through vineyards and almond trees. There are fields on either side and there is grass swaying in the wind. Poppies and rapeseed, olive trees and grapes. The sun is shining and I am not feeling too tired.

I walk through in this sun through to a town where I stop with Carlos and Carlos. I learn that Carlos is 59 and is retired, but runs a meditation school where he lives. He gives me some of his dried figs, Carlos 1 gives me some nuts. He tells me that there is no rush and to enjoy the day, he shows me a meditation.

We go on walking until I meet with Alta from the second hostel. She is a South African who also works in software design. We walk together alongside Jim who is a thru-hiker from Texas. His knee is very bad, so I slow my pace to walk with him a while. I learn that he is a tech consultant, who worked with dell for 20 years. I try to keep an open mind as he explains how he voted for trump - but we end up finding common ground. ‘many of the worlds problems would be solved if people would just talk to each other’ he said, and he told me about the relationship with his daughter. He also said he would give everything in the world for an extra hour with his dad.

I left him and Alta in Estella, my final destination for the day. It is a beautiful town, old and with chapels and churches lining the tiny streets. I wander around alone for the rest of the day. Pay for some laundry, and make plans for dinner with Alta and with Amy and Rochelle (who I will find out more about tonight!)

I’m tired and feeling many emotions - anxious and lonely at times, calm and relaxed at others. Trying to let go of control is hard!

Tomorrow is another day :)Read more