• Rabanal del Camino to Molinaseca

    I går, Spania ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    When you share communal bathrooms with your fellow pilgrims, many of which are 50-70 year old men, you really get treated to the complete symphony of the human bowel movement.

    I was reminded of this fact this morning, when, as I was innocently and sweetly tending to my morning ablutions, I became the unwilling auditory audience to a passionate performance. It even included an interlude! A sophisticated affair, it took a multi sensorial approach, communicating not only via sound, but also smell!! An electrifying way to start the day, for him and I both, I assume.

    While an auspicious start, the day that followed was near perfect. A pearler. The sun rose, the path was woody, it gently rose, bringing vistas and birdsong, and, eventually, sun. Exactly the kind of hike I love, we slowly gained 1200m of elevation, but gradually enough that it never felt strenuous. The path was shady with dappled light, occasionally breaking into warm pools of sun. A slight breeze. Views for days.

    Today's stage brings you to the Camino checkpoint of the Important Rock Pile (not it's official name, must note), where pilgrims deposit the Special Rock they have brought with them from home. Meant to symbolise the journey, the 'weight' we bear, and the opportunity to physically and spiritually put it down. In a hilarious twist, I did not have my rock on my person, as I had opted to get my bag ferried ahead for me today in hopes of lessening the load downhill on my shin. Instead, I quickly surveyed the ground immediately in front of the mound and scooped one up that looked like mine.

    Planning on just stepping up and plonking it down, I found myself first doing a slow circle of the pile, taking in the rocks, notes, photos, ornaments, talismans, and other various items that pilgrim after pilgrim, year after year, have deposited there. What came next was as surprising to me as it may be to you, but I quickly found myself having a good sob. Suddenly gasping for breath, chin trembling, lips bravely attempting to stay firmly pressed together. The place was dripping with a thick and visceral sense of humanity. The thousands of people that have passed through; the endless hopes, fears, losses, heartbreaks, and challenges they've faced.

    I knew what my rock held, I knew I had been carrying it a long long time, and I knew I would carry it further still. But today, here, I would add a small piece of it to the pyre.

    Getting my breathing under control and wiping my beady eyes, I continued. Across the top, I was rewarded with a litany of treats. A dog! A stamp! A plate of avocado toast! A donkey!! I'd wandered into Narnia. No ice queen though, just a strange lady from Brazil.

    I caught up with, and smoothly passed, my Italian friends from the night before. They had started 2 hours before me. I took great satisfaction in telling them to eat my dust.

    The descent was steep, relentless, and difficult terrain. Either large chunks of gravel that liked to roll beneath your feet, or extremely uneven ridges of shale poking up through the earth. As such, it was slow going, but I had scratched a donkey's nose, nothing was taking the shine off today.

    Eventually, Molinaseca appeared. A beautiful tiny town with a beautiful tiny river. After getting situated at my albergue (another dog !!!) I took myself to walk a way upstream, and sat myself in the river bed for an hour or so, in my Naiad era, letting the cold water ease my very hardworking shins.
    Les mer

  • Astorga to Rabanal del Camino

    3. oktober, Spania ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    What a fucking day.

    Today has been fever dream magic. I am also writing this 3 wines deep so let's see how it comes out.

    I think the clue on how the next 24 hours was gonna play out came in the night, as I experienced a very sweaty sleep filled with nightmares - great omens!! 👍👍 Being busy in dreamland, I slept in slightly and it was 8.10am before I hit the streets.

    Today was 20km, and it was an overcast 14-16° - walking perfection if you ask me. I rolled along outside of town, crip walking down the street as I blasted Limp Bizkit hits out of my phone speaker. It was a strange craving but one I indulged; I will very very rarely not indulge a craving. I had great fun with this and realised that I must learn to properly dougie, as it would go perfectly to 'Rollin'' - put it on the to do list.

    The stretch today was flat and straight, but I was greatly enjoying the weather. Ha ha ha, God laughed.

    About halfway through the day it started to sprinkle. De nada. I powered on. Not enough to get anything seriously wet, I didn't stop to pull out my pack cover or put my jacket on. Ha ha ha, God laughed.

    Slowly, the rain started to increase. The pack cover came out first, I didn't even break stride, just shrugged it off the shoulders, wrapped her up, back on she goes. Along came El Ganso, with a strangely 'Texas ranger' themed roadside cafe, where I stopped for a soggy coffee. The weather finally triumphed over my pride, on went the rain jacket. I believe that was the sign God was waiting for; the heavens opened.

    The last hour or so was an interesting experience. I hated it, I loved it. I wanted desperately to finish, I was grinning the whole way. I was drenched to the bone, my feet were squelching, my shorts were plastered to me, my jacket obviously needs re-waterproofing, because I was wet through. I couldn't look at my phone, the roadsigns kept saying 6km, 4km, 2km, where the FUCK is this town. The longest 2km of my life, I think it was a prank. I walk quickly anyway, but once the rain began I positively hoofed it. I hadn't had any water, no food since breakfast, and too many coffees. I finally arrived in town and realised, amused greatly, that I was woozy on my feet and shaking like a chihuahua, what is wrong with me, it's rain??!! 😅 I think some kind of primal stress took over - the golden rule, broken, I won't survive the winter!!! Never get wet!!

    You'll be happy to know, I did, in fact, survive. I got into my albergue, saturated, overwhelmed. One thing at a time baby girl. A shower. Dry (thank god) clothes. Check the passport, dry. Praise ziplock bags. I hung my many sodden items out to dry, without hope. But it felt good to organise. Next, sustenance.

    This is where the next amusing chapter of the day begins. I plonk myself at the bar, perching like an owl on a bar stool. I think at this point I am slightly mad. I beam wide-eyed at the barman. I order a coffee. He doesn't speak a word of English, but he has an excellent vibe. We warm to each other straight away. I am definitely slightly mad. I order food, we crack jokes via a game of charades. As I'm eating, a glass of red wine appears, he grins at me, I grin at him. I begin an enthusiastic conversation with an older American lady next to me. Some minutes pass, the wine glass empties some, I look up, my barman bestie has refilled me. He grins at me, I grin at him. This happens two more times over the next hour or so. He never asks me to pay, for the wine nor the food. Some time later I do. We play more charades.

    An elderly local man wanders in. He seemingly pays for his beer with freshly picked walnuts. Him and barman bestie crack handfuls of them for me, slamming them down on the bar. I continue to perch on my bar stool, grinning, slightly mad.

    A Scottish man appears. He joins in on the conversation between me and the American lady. Barman bestie speaks to him, Scottish man knows Spanish. Barman bestie is urging to do something. Scotsman disappears. Returns, in a kilt! Barman bestie starts fiddling with the soundsystem, through which he has been providing back to back bangers, eg house remix of Bam Bam by Sister Nancy. The vibe takes a sharp turn, as traditional Scottish music starts blaring through the bar - the request becomes clear! The kilt's time to shine!! We are treated to an extremely poor and reluctant performance of Scottish dance. I fall deeper in love with barman bestie and his raucous sense of humour. We laugh and the bond deepens. More walnuts are cracked, charades exchanged.

    Meanwhile, the sun appears!! Hola sol!!!! Grinning (slightly mad) I starting running like a toddler back and forth through the bar, barefoot, sticking out my tongue, carrying the three clotheshorses outside into the sunshine. Barman cheers me on.

    Through more sneaky door opening (see last post) I access a New Room!!! Big fire!!! Fantastic discovery!! I haul my sodden belongings, I arrange artfully, I grin (slightly mad). You'll see from the photos, this started quite a trend. I charmingly requested more wood (via charades and terrible Spanish) from barman bestie, he enthusiastically joined my quest. I became Fire Feeder. Everyone's stuff would dry!! Hero of the albergue!!

    This room also quickly filled up with mattresses on the floor. I learned that the dorm beds were full, but they weren't turning people away, simply powering on, sleepover style. Vibes increase.

    I make more friends. I explain the rules of roller derby. Scottish guy puts wax stamps in everyone's credentials (he's carrying a whole kit??). I get outrageously hit on by an old Italian who repeatedly whispers in my ear. I laugh, Scotsman offers to beat the shit out of him, calm down kilt.

    Barman bestie and I finally exchange names, Asin, I love you, you're excellent. I sit around a table and chat with Scotsman, a Korean lawyer, and a German guy who is very curious as to how I balance so well in precarious positions atop of barstools, until I launch into an explanation of roller derby. He picks up the strategy quickly, I warm to him immediately.

    I check on my soaked clothes, bag, and shoes, almost bone dry!!! This place is an oasis.

    I take myself on a slightly drunk walk around the town. It's beautiful. I grin.
    Les mer

  • Astorga

    2. oktober, Spania ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    Today is (hopefully) my last day playing catch-up and, arguably, cheating by taking the bus. I still had a little bit of ground to cover and had heard that the way out of Leon was shit walking; out through ugly suburbs. One more bus then!

    I've added in a couple more Leon pics taken on my evening stroll last night. Happy I didn't miss out on the opportunity for gelato and seeing the sun set over the cathedral and the Roman walls. Absolutely giddy over the Roman walls by the way.

    My last night in Leon had its ups and downs; the ups being free pizza for dinner that someone left behind, and making friends with an older Austrian lady and an Australian (Darwin) living-in-London girl around my age. I headbutted into their conversation with the social desperation I apparently only get when devoid of conversation for over 7 days, and we sat around chatting for about an hour before bed. Sarah (Australian) and I even exchanged Instagrams! Look at me go. The down was discovered the next morning; bed bug bites 🤦‍♀️ It was bound to happen, and I'm not that bothered by a bug bite, but I just hope they haven't hitched a ride in my stuff!! 🙅‍♀️🙅‍♀️

    After trotting across town to the bus station, I was arriving in Astorga a mere hour or so later. I was happy to be back on the move and keen to explore! More cathedrals, a Roman museum, apparently very good chocolate!!

    First stop was the albergue to ditch my bag, and I was delighted to see it's an absolute garden paradise. It charmed me so much that I agreed to attend the 14 euro communal dinner tonight, rather than feed myself for a quarter of that on supermarket snacks, they did well there.

    After that it was a visit to the cathedral, a look at the Roman walls and the ruins of a Roman house(!!), a beer and tapas break, and an extended lounge around the garden. Pretty much everything in Spain shuts from 2-5pm-ish for siesta. I'll hole up here (torture) and then venture back out for the Roman museum. Note to self: must buy some chocolate.

    Edit: went to the Roman museum, yet still without chocolate...
    Les mer

  • León

    30. september, Spania ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    And then came León. It welcomed me in with a big wet hug, raining all day, thanks!! 👍

    I dumped my bag at my cutie little hostel (right next door to the cathedral, with another cubby bed, bless up) and trotted out for a look.

    I walked around the old Roman walls, through the twisting streets of the old-town, slammed some beer and tapas (tapas comes free with your drinks in León), shuffled through a museum that houses THE holy grail (but I got caught taking a photo and told off, poo), and went inside the cathedral.

    I had planned to take a rest day here, as I figured I'd want the extra time to see the sights. Turns out either Leon isn't as big as I thought or I'm simply more industrious and powerful (let you decide) as I got around everything that afternoon.

    Still, there was the other original reason I wanted a rest day planned - so I could take a day to consider/decide whether I pushed on and completed the Camino or pivoted to my Portugal plans. At this stage I'm carrying on, the Camino continues compadres. Unless my shin fights back, we're pushing through to Santiago.

    With this sorted out, I tried valiantly to shuffle my calendar and cut 2 nights out between here and when I hop over to Paris before flying home. This is due to the fact that Lexie was unable to cancel her Paris hotel but could reschedule the dates for me and I could use it instead. A free hotel room in Paris and an extra 2 nights to see the city was a very exciting opportunity. I pawed my head and thought so hard over this I think I blew a fuse somewhere, but finally figured out how to cut some time and make it work. Triumph!! Only then did I think to look into the logistics of changing my domestic flight date, from Lisbon to Paris, to be 2 days earlier. It would cost me $280. God DAMMIT lady caz. Nevermind 😓

    Oh well, schedule remains as is! 🙂 Due to plop down in Santiago Oct 16th or 17th (I've booked both nights, just in case) and then float down to Portugal until flying to Paris on the 27th, then home on the 29th!

    Anyway thanks for listening to my logistics babble, enjoy Leon. More beautiful bullshit.
    Les mer

  • Santa Maria albergue

    29. september, Spania ⋅ ☁️ 25 °C

    I had heard, on the pilgrim grapevine, that there was an albergue in Carrion de los Condes run by volunteer nuns, who led a musical gathering every evening that was simply not to be missed.

    I was there waiting with about 8 others when the nuns opened the doors in the afternoon, and I could tell immediately that this was a special place. They invited us in, sat us down, served us tea in little glass cups. There was a nun from England, one from Peru, one from Ireland, one who was Spanish but living in California, and two male volunteers from Seville. The nuns chatted happily with those waiting, while the Seville chaps checked us in.

    Later that evening, before mass, they gathered everybody together - sitting on benches, the floor, little stools, and up the staircase, for some songs. The nun from Peru played acoustic guitar with the voice of an angel, as we tried earnestly to sing along off the lyric sheets handed around. Between songs the Irish nun acted as translator for Peru, and they were an extremely warm, down to earth, funny pair.

    The floor was then opened up for any musical pilgrims who wished to share a song. A young girl from Belgium went first, playing guitar and singing a song she wrote, then a man from Korea, and then a young girl from China. All were wonderful, but the Belgian girl left a dozen people around the room in tears; she was very, very good, and her song was one she had written to her 'inner child', reminding her that she was loved. Her partner, sitting across the room on the floor, provided the harmony.

    After, the nuns invited us to mass, saying quite charmingly that this priest is very punctual and they often have to run, but let's all go along! At the end, there was a pilgrim blessing and each one of us received a little handmade star - coloured and cut out of card by the nuns. For us to keep and carry with us, reminding us that "humans are the light of the world, and in the darkest times the stars shine the brightest".

    Me and my mushy heart.
    Les mer

  • Burgos Cathedral

    28. september, Spania ⋅ ☁️ 27 °C

    I was in Burgos. I knew there was a cathedral in Burgos. What I did NOT know, was how knocked on my ass I would end up once I saw it.

    Walking into the square, the sheer scale of it takes your breath away. I can't say much more about the experience other than it was emotional, and one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen. It's usually natural sights, not manmade, that I count as beautiful. Yet, seeing the cathedral, you realise there is something utterly incomprehensible about how vast that spectrum is: 'manmade'.

    I walked around blinking back tears, looking in awe at just how much beauty had been created by little short-lived ants. Beauty in every single tiny detail. Beauty lovingly carved. Beauty standing for hundreds of years.

    I simultaneously held it in reverence and experienced it with a sense of profound grief. Will a building, a monument, ever be made like this again? Are our hands able? Do they care? If not in God's name, in whose?
    Les mer

  • Atapuerca to Burgos

    28. september, Spania ⋅ ☁️ 27 °C

    This morning was the first one I've had where it was a little hard getting out of bed. Privacy curtains have a great 'cubby effect', which has a powerful sway on my psyche. It was also absolutely pitch black in the room, and actually a bit chilly!! I treated myself as I often have to do, like a discombobulated small animal of prey, needing gentle coaxing into action. I slowly sat up to sit cross-legged on the bed, burrito wrapped myself in my sleeping bag, switched on my little cubby light and curdled before it like it was an exploding star. There I sat, grumbling and eye rubbing until I felt fit to move.

    While not starting as early as yesterday, there was still about half an hour by moonlight to start the day. Heading up the hill, there was thick heavy fog, which, combined with the gnarled trees and hovering moon, made for highly atmospheric scenes.

    The sky cleared and lightened as I made my way down the other side, where the trend continued of seeing fields and fields of sunflowers. I have never seen so many sunflowers in my life, millions of them. I genuinely can't imagine what it must be like to lay eyes on them all in bloom.

    Lovely Korean spectacle man kept pace with me all day today, or rather I kept pace with him. Occasionally he would hum a tune or sing a little song as we walked along 10-20 metres from each other. I heard someone else ask him his name at a coffee stop, to which he replied with his thick Korean accent, "no name, have no name, just him". How delightfully mysterious. He also smokes like a chimney and is a very light packer. I like him a lot.

    I got into Burgos quite tired, but couldn't access my dorm for a few more hours. I left my bag and set out to see the cathedral and Jesus H. Christ what a sight. Post incoming.
    Les mer

  • La Plazuela Verde

    27. september, Spania ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    I had wanted to stay in this albergue ever since I saw Lexie post it on her findpenguins from 2024. I was the first one in the door and wasted no time strategically selecting the Best Bed. Every other albergue has assigned beds so far and frankly, I hate that. First in best dressed says I. Given the opportunity to CHOOSE, I quickly found the only bed that satisfied all the following criteria:

    Bottom bunk
    Curtained
    In a corner
    Extra space (rare limited edition shelf)
    Had a USB C wall port

    Feeling very pleased with myself, I threw myself through the shower and stood outside in the sunshine to do some demure hand washing in the stone basin. After this, I tottered 100m down the road for some essentials (Oreos) and came back for a cuppa and a bikkie. In this pursuit, I befriended a lovely Korean gentleman who offered to make me coffee, as he told me he is now retired but used to be an exhibition designer for the national gallery of Korea! He had funky artsy spectacles, so I believed this completely.

    Snacks acquired, I plopped down to peruse the only english book in the place - a very aptly titled book of poetry. It was alright. The coffee was better ❤️
    Les mer

  • Espinosa to Atapuerca

    27. september, Spania ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    Folks, today was a great day.

    After waking up gratingly early (5am) I laid around in the dark for awhile before deciding to just hit the road. By about quarter past 6 I was stomping my little feet up the gravel path out of town, guided by moonlight. I was getting my bag sent ahead to my accommodation (a mere $10-$12, a marvellous service) to give my shin a fighting chance on this increased mileage, and felt free as a bird. A cold bird. It was chilly in the dark and I, of course, didn't have my jacket with me. But in the words of the great hiking forefathers - be bold, start cold.

    Out of town the track gently turned to forest, ascending up a big hill. A wide gravel road under tree canopy, birdsong, and a sky that was slowly starting to colour. As I crested the hill, after maybe two hours, I was rubbing my grumpy tummy and realising how hungry I was. Not even a coffee this morning! 😞 And yet, up ahead, do I see something? Do my eyes deceive me? What's this? Only a man, his Subaru, a Pink Floyd album, and a track-side stall offering fresh fruit, water, hot drinks, snacks etc for pilgrims, by donation! 🥹 An answered prayer!! 🙏 I sat happily in one of his laid out camping chairs, enjoyed a coffee and a treat with gusto, before dumping a handful of coins on his table and continuing on, a spring in my step. What a lovely thing to do.

    The rest of the walk was mainly flat, with gorgeous, still, overcast weather. I stopped for another coffee and tortilla in San Juan, and watched the swallows eat from wasp nests. I walked under the trees through a field and let a wild horse sniff my hand. I arrived in Atapuerca and had a beer.
    Les mer

  • Belorado to Espinosa

    26. september, Spania ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    Another short one today. A conservative 8km to continue the shin test, it held up! Tomorrow is an unavoidable big jump, 22km, so we'll see 🤞

    For some reason I thought the albergue I stayed last night had a 10am check-out (albergues generally kick you out by 8am), so I had a late start planned. I knew the 8km would only take me around 90 minutes, and it wasn't due to get warm until around 2pm. Get up around 9am, walking by 10am, perfect. The main advantage of this is that everyone else in the dorm has pissed off by about 7.30am, so you have the place (and bathroom) to yourself. Around 7.30, however, my spider senses tingled and I thought I might just double check the check-out times. Good thing I did chaps. Up I hopped, out by 8.

    I grabbed my stuff from the fridge, only to find someone had nabbed my salami 🔪So, I did the only suitable thing, and took someone's chorizo (don't worry, they LEFT IT). There was also a mini maxibon left in the freezer; breakfast.

    I ate it in the sleepy square as the sky slowly lightened. Chased it down with my juicy mandarin. Plaited my hair, popped on my hat, and got my ass outta town.

    About halfway through the leg, I treated myself to a REST BREAK (Lexie did you read that) in Tosantos, where they had a truly lovely little food truck garden setup. Here I sat for half an hour with a cafe con leche, listening to some soul bangers and revelling in the slight chill in the air.

    I arrived in Espinosa at 10am, which I found an extremely boring time to arrive at your destination, when that destination consists of literally one business (my accommodation) and a single street. I considered pushing on another 16km but, after a check, I discovered there were no beds available for about 40km. No, shan't be going that far. Espinosa it is.

    This ended up being quite a fortuitous outcome because I achieved something my spirit has been gagging to do for the last ~14 days: pat a dog.

    There's no exciting news from this point on. I sat, I snacked, I had a second coffee, I increased my vitamin D levels, I befriended Leo and Antonio - the wonderfully charming albergue hosts, had a shower, and pretended not to speak English to avoid interacting with an annoying British girl. Don't judge me.

    I had my third meat + cheese baguette in 24hrs, sank a beer, and wondered why the older Chinese lady in my room was wearing thermals.
    Les mer

  • Santo Domingo - Granon - Belorado

    25. september, Spania ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    Today was finally the day to get back on the horse, or the dogs, that is to say, the feet.

    After enjoying another wonderfully comfortable morning in the apartment, I set out for Granon, a mere 7km away. I went back and forth a bit about whether to walk this stretch. I knew I wouldn't enjoy it, because it was an ugly stretch next to the highway, and there was zero shade. Sure enough, it was boring and very hot. I chose to do it though because I wanted to test out my shin asap; if I have to pivot I don't wanna waste time doing it.

    The shin went well, surprisingly, but we'll see how it holds up tomorrow (8km) and the day after (21km).

    Granon was a nice pitstop, where I waited around an hour or so for a bus to Belorado. It was truly hot by this point, so as soon as I got off the bus I made a beeline to the albergue, hitting the supermarket on the way so I didn't need to go out again and melt.

    After a very long check-in process, I made it upstairs to my cutie pie little bunk. Plaid!! Wooden beams! A quick floor picnic (baguette, cream cheese, salami), and quicker shower, and then it's Horizontal Time friends.

    There's a young man here from Arizona ("in the states") who feels the need to narrate his every move, and a young (Italian I suspect) man who is outraged that the schedule has him arriving in Burgos (one of the big cities of the Camino) on a Sunday, because he wants to party. Therefore, he's looking for somewhere to nap for a few hours before setting out for another 24km walk today (30° mind you) so he can get ahead of schedule and party down in Burgos on a Saturday night. YOLO I guess, rock on.

    After a lovely siesta, I had a stroll around town and hit up the supermarket again as I remembered tomorrow's town doesn't have one. Then it was back to the albergue for dinner - surprise, baguette, salami, and cheese again. A nice Italian man (not party man) approached me, certain that I was French, and gave me a beer. Delightful. Thank you Simon. Curious as to what gives off the French vibe...

    Then, immediately after, a nice American (Canadian??) man walked past and commented "oh you have beautiful hair, very pretty!", in an earnest genuine way (key). Delightful. Thank you Nick. He then struck up conversation about who I was travelling with, currently no one, where I was from, Australia, and that he's part of a pack of 20 odd pilgrims (some Australians) who have started walking together and I'm welcome to join! Didn't have the heart to tell him that between here and Leon is more bus than walk for me, as I'm playing catch-up and so probably will never see them again. But it was nice.
    Les mer

  • Arts and crafts

    24. september, Spania ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    Whoever runs the museum section in the Convent of Saint Francisco clearly aced their primary school diorama project. This place had a simply WILD amount of crafty little models. Who's making these? What's their salary? Are they okay? Have they heard of Lego? Actually...no, don't tell them, might be too much.Les mer

  • Santo Domingo de la Calzada

    24. september, Spania ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    This morning was a nice slow one. A little sleep in, some nutella toast, a sit on the couch. What luxuries!!! I really do love love love experiences (e.g. travel) that make you remember just how much joy and comfort the little things can bring. I'm a homebody at heart, but sometimes I lean into those comforts a bit too hard and neglect other interests. Too much of anything ain't good, but when you haven't had them for awhile, a little taste of those creature comforts sure is nice!

    I also had the chance for a phone call with Eva, who's worth her weight in gold. Again, nothing like being away from your life to be reminded of all the things within it that bring you joy. It might just be a 'getting older' thing, or another of the lessons that's come to me over the difficult last 12 months or so, but it's started to reach me on a whole new level just how absolutely crucial and central human connections/relationships are. I know, I'm a genius, what an idiotic thing to say. But I spent a lot of my life trapped in a hyper-independent bubble, enjoying my relationships with others, but not quite recognising how truly precious they were. I sure do now. It's a lesson I'm glad to have learned. I treasure my family, my friends, and I love being a teacher and working with people, forming relationships everyday. I never thought I'd be a person who felt dependent on social interaction, but hey I guess I'm getting soft in my old age 🙂‍↕️

    Anyway, enough with the journal entry, the POINT of this post is to share with you the lovely historical sights of Santo Domingo. This morning, after my laze around, I rolled out the door of my apartment to the jaw dropping cathedral and bell tower, practically 50m away.

    The first, the cathedral, was a wonderful mix of amusing old art and stunning old architecture. This cathedral also has a famous story that associates it with chickens... In honour of this, you will notice they keep two live chickens, in the cathedral, in a cage, in the ceiling... I didn't know they were there until the rooster crowed. I'll tell you, with church acoustics, that got my attention. In a 'jump out of your skin, what the fuck was that' type way.

    The bell tower was particularly cool. 18th century, spiral staircase, original stone steps, no one else there, I mean, come on, I primarily read historical high fantasy, I LOVE a stone tower. I went right on opening, so had it all to myself, and yes, I did pretend to be Fitz walking up the tower to Chade's chambers. That's a reference to Robin Hobb's great work, the Farseer Trilogy, don't worry about it.

    - Branna
    Les mer

  • Time to pivot

    23. september, Spania ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    As a wonderful example of the fact that social media isn't real, the last week or so has been really really hard. Yes, even in sunny Spain. First Lexie got sick, then I hurt my leg, then I also got sick, and then (as the cherry of cruelty atop the shit sundae) Lexie got hit with the issues outlined in her previous post. It's been a lot to navigate.

    All of these things were impacting our schedule, which was quite a tightly bound thing, and, obviously, on both the physical and mental health of all involved. It doesn't help that it's been 30° here almost everyday since we arrived; we're from Tasmania for fuck's sake, go easy on us.

    Lexie ultimately, bravely, made the right decision for her. I'm very very happy that she gets the relief of returning home.

    The decision came on quickly and, in a couple of short hours, she was gone. I'll admit that seeing her get on the bus and leave felt almost like a break-up; a painful goodbye, left all alone, what was I going to do? 😔 I was emotional, unsure, a bit scared, and part of me really just wanted to chuck in and go home with her. When she left, I was immediately hit with a violent case of Leaky Eyes that lasted a good two hours.

    I've learned a valuable lesson over the last 12 months or so, and it revolves around the idea of being comfortable being uncomfortable, and allowing emotions to settle before acting. So, I ordered myself a cafe con leche, reached out to friends, pulled up my big-girl pants, and started brainstorming my options. Unfortunately, there are many, which makes the decision more of a challenge, but hey, if I'm used to anything, it's a challenge! 😅

    Maybe the crowd can weigh in, as I'm notorious for analysis-paralysis.

    A) I continue on alone as planned, finishing up the Camino and my 10 day Portugal holiday at the end. Concerns: 5 weeks seems a long time and I don't want to trudge though whilst lonely.

    B) I quit the Camino, try again another day, and pull my Portugal holiday forward in the schedule, changing my flight to come home after that, so in about 2/3 weeks instead of 5. Concerns: Feel bad about failing the Camino, but it'll always be there. Working out the logistics of all those changes/possibly paying more.

    C) Continue on the Camino for one more week, and see how I feel. If my leg still isn't right, or if I'm having a bad time, then I could decide to pull Portugal forward after having a go. Concerns: As above.

    D) Wild card. Quit the Camino, but keep the trip the original length, instead using my Camino days to go to the roller derby world champs in Sweden and extend my time in Paris. Concerns: Huge logistical shuffle and added cost. Adding champs in Sweden would be another $500-800 I believe, plus accommodation in Paris is all expensive.

    Anyway. This I ponder as I sit in my very empty, very quiet big apartment in Santo Domingo that Lexie and I were to share for the next two nights. Everything feels very strange. I'm glad to have such a nice comfortable nest to burrow in while I attempt to figure all this out though. What a life! 💫

    - Branna
    Les mer

  • Hard calls

    23. september, Spania ⋅ 🌙 13 °C

    It is a fact of my life that I operate out of a body and mind that are at times very fragile, and at times very strong. I have agoraphobia and Crohn's disease, and the two often ping off each other, until my world shrinks down small and the lights go off and everything is scary, and hard, and painful. Agoraphobia, for me, is an icy panic that creeps up and hijacks me, drives me to flee to 'safe' spaces, out of sight with a bathroom, and then tethers me there with fear. It used to be a one and done panic attack, that I could move on from afterwards like a band-aid ripped off. In the past year or so it has changed. It tortures me for hours and hours and hours. It is worse when I am run down, and think the sickness early in the trip opened the door wide.

    I have been paralysed with fear for about four days. That's a really long time to feel like you're about to die. Looking at this ugly ass rock in the bathroom today, with the weight of nearly five weeks more of this tiny hell hanging over me, I cried and I called it. I'm going home. I feel raw and awful and silly and relieved and I mourn the trip that could have been but wasn't, because my brain is a bit broken. I am so sorry for Branna, and I hope she salvages a good trip and is safe as houses.

    I'm going home, and I know that the rest of this nervous break awaits me there, and I might have a long path to recovery - the last big stumble took me a month to leave the house. But I have people that love me and I can try new medication and I won't be trying to do it from a bunk bed with a language barrier.

    Stay tuned for Branna's adventures. That's it for mine.

    - Lexie x
    Les mer

  • 12 good legs

    21. september, Spania ⋅ ⛅ 30 °C

    Three very wonderful companions emerged today. The white cat did a lap of the cafe and then proceeded to go absolutely everywhere in the church, the black cat took us on a guided tour of the old town only allowing pats when it was in its little cubby, and the dog just hobbled.

    Cat count: 48 seen, 7 pat.

    - Lex
    Les mer

  • Logrono to Navarette

    21. september, Spania ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    The Camino route out of Logrono has bus stops on it, which worked out perfectly when Branna called time on her silly little shin just under a kilometre into the day. We'd booked an albergue in a town 12km away and gotten our luggage taken ahead, so an easy 15 minute bus trip and that was job done for the day. Another rest, try again tomorrow.

    Branna will tell you that we are currently just holidaying in Spain rather than walking the Camino, and there's quite a lot to like about that, so I think we'll survive. If it all goes to poo we may try to rent an apartment or something - there's plenty of ways we can make lemonade.

    She's got a bag of frozen onions on the go now. Stinky. She also had a glass of red wine without hating it and knows the following words in Spanish, really coming along: shoes, potatoes, good.

    - Lex
    Les mer

  • Good wall

    20. september, Spania ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C

    Have a look at these beauties while I tell you about our friends and enemies list at this point of the trip.

    Friends
    - The Italian couple that gave me paracetamol and are generally everyone's favourites
    - Sjoerd (I think? He said it's pronounced like 'sound') the Dutch guy from Roncesvalles and Pamplona
    - Daniel, though he's less a friend, more a sympathetic fellow. His two companions bailed on the trip at the last second and we are rooting for him.
    - Dr Karlie 💘

    Enemies
    - 🔪Lucy🔪

    Lucy has a stupid breathy little Keira Knightley voice (sorry, "a Bath accent"), zero consideration, and an ability to withstand Branna's withering huff that I find pretty alarming, because it shows me I'm dealing with a real hardened cow. You don't turn the big lights on at 9pm in a huge dorm room with people in bed Lucy and you CERTAINLY don't turn them back on after Branna turns them off. Do not pass go do not collect $200 do not darken our door again.

    - Lex
    Les mer

  • Relocations & Jubilations

    20. september, Spania ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    The festivities lasted all the way through the night last night, with quiet only settling into the street outside our window around 8am. Nevertheless, we both enjoyed a wonderful sleep-in, somehow lulled to slumber by the screams of children playing soccer in the street and the occasional firework.

    We happily discovered that tonight's accommodation was a mere 60m from where we were checking out from, great news for the cripple! Lexie organised an online doctor's appointment and quickly became the proud recipient of a script for antibiotics and nasal spray. Hurray!

    We gathered our things, and crept along at a snails pace to a public courtyard close by, where we could sit and wait an hour until check-in opened. Lexie tottered off to get her meds and then the Logrono festivities continued - a street parade!! No tip rats, but not bad.

    With perfect timing, the accommodation contacted us to let us know the room was ready right as the parade came to an end. Within 15min we were in the room and Lexie was down for the count. She will now channel Fat Bear energy (topical reference) and enter a 24hr period of hibernation. I will spend the day pretty bored and annoyed I can't get out and see the city, but unfortunately my leg has a date with a bag of frozen peas that simply can't be missed.

    Thrilling day of adventure here folks.

    - Branna

    Dr Karlie was indeed wonderful and I suspect she'd have prescribed me some heroin if I asked for it, so let's just hope that I actually do need antibiotics and these don't introduce a new superbug. The nasal spray is fab, at a minimum.

    - Lex
    Les mer

  • San Mateo

    19. september, Spania ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    "The San Mateo Festival, also known as the Rioja Wine Harvest Festival, is one of the most significant and popular festivals in the region of Rioja, Spain. It is celebrated in the capital city of La Rioja, Logroño" and "has been designated a National Festival of Tourist Interest."

    Once we worked out today is the first day of this festival, the wine soaked HORDES made more sense. The done thing seems to be a white tshirt, with either I ❤️ Logrono or lots of permanent marker additions, splattered with so much red wine it looks tie-dyed, and ideally artfully ripped. You've got a burgundy little bandana around your neck, a crossbody imitation calfskin wine flask, and you're wet from dancing in a fountain and throwing the wine about.

    Having been to university and my fair share of parties revolving around flirtily drawing on each other's t-shirts, I can tell you this is the most exciting day ever if you're a young person, and my god they all seem to be. 16 year old girls are moving at pace in gangs of ten.

    As a result perhaps, everywhere's full and what's left is exxy. We missed out on the only 80 unbookable albergue beds in town by about 15 people if the backpack line was anything to go by. Luckily we are in the position to just throw money at the problem, and I firmly believe that you should do that when you can sometimes.

    We'd taken a taxi from the bus station to the albergue as it was on the periphery of the pedestrian only historical centre, but needed to walk the 700m to the private room. Don't let Branna fool you, she's cooked, it took us nearly 30 minutes. She's on bed rest now which means I am the hunter gatherer - via the world's most frustrating self checkout I dragged back lunch and frozen peas and we both set about making the most of the rest opportunity. It makes for drab updates, LO SIENTO, we will try very hard to recover our various ails and get back on track.

    - Lex
    Les mer

  • Smote by God

    19. september, Spania ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    For reasons we can't quite understand (we went to pilgrim mass; we were blessed?!??) Lexie and I have both been supposedly cast out of God's good grace.

    As our audience is aware, Lexie has been sick since Sunday, with no real improvements and a cough that would practically trigger a seismograph, if she ventured too close. Like the brave little soldier she is, she's powered through, with many rest stops and nose blows, but it's understandably been taking a toll. For this reason, she had decided to skip out on the days walk from Puente la Reina to Estella and booked the bus instead. She would rest up in the albergue while I walked and, delightfully, take my pack ahead for me. Great result for all!

    She organised this while we were having our sacred Horizontal Time on our respective bunks, after arriving in Puente la Reina, before promptly falling victim to a nap. After a while I decided I'd toddle a few minutes down the road for some snacks, and this, friends, is where it all goes wrong. While the walk from Pamplona that morning had gone perfectly well, as had my time laying around in the albergue, the walk a few hundred metres down the road did not go well, it did not go well at all. In fact, I cannot faithfully call what occurred a 'walk'. Following a ruthless interrogation of the internet, I later learned that a posteromedial shin splint was to blame. That, or, and I have my suspicions, someone with my voodoo doll has begun relentlessly driving a corkscrew into the fleshy part above my left ankle. Great! 👍👍

    I wake Lexie and deliver the news. Then, I swiftly tumble down the greased up slope of stress and despair. This is the worst. Why me? Why am I burdened with a corporal form? Will this be the end? What if it doesn't get better? Was that blessing secretly some kind of anti-tourism pilgrim curse?? We'll have to change our plans; I don't like change!!

    Medical advice says take a 2-4 week rest period. Camino advice says take 1-2 days if you can, start back on shorter sections, send up a prayer and hope the big guy's listening.

    One bus ticket has now become two.

    After a lazy 2 hour wait at the cafe across the road, we boarded the bus at 10.30am, arriving in Logrono just past lunch. Logrono was where we would end up in 2 days time, were we walking. By busing straight there, we can spend those 2 days resting instead. I was very pissy to be 'cheating', and missing out on two walking legs, but, if you can keep a secret, I'll admit that what we saw of the trail from the bus window looked....pretty shit. Dry, exposed, mostly next to the highway, dusty and hot. This improved morale. Slightly.

    - Branna
    Les mer

  • Pamplona to Puente la Reina

    18. september, Spania ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    Today's goal was simple: go up a big hill and come back down. With determination gripped in our sweaty little fists, we set off out of Pamplona.

    While my pack happened to be 600g heavier, those 600g happened to be several bags of salted cashews and spanish lollies - weight I'm more than happy to bear.

    The highlight of today's leg came early on in our journey, and involved me (humble little me) getting to be The Hero. You can imagine my reluctance to explain the details of the tale, sigh, yet, in the spirit of travel documentation I suppose I must. We had been plodding along and a singular black sandal was laying on the footpath, which caught my eye. "That positively stinks of pilgrim" - thought I, and I recalled (in my vast memory stores) seeing a woman wearing these exact sandals some days ago. As such, I scooped it up, vowing to carry it 20km ahead in hopes of reuniting it with its owner.

    Imagine our surprise when, just a few kilometres down the trail, we came across a group stopped in discussion about a lost item. Two girls were getting directions from two boys, saying something about an area further back along the way they'd come. We paused, and I waited until the ideal dramatic moment to innocently ask "what are you looking for?" One of the girls (quite miserably) tells me, "a single black sandal". I allow a beat to pass, and proclaim, "I picked it up" - turning to display said sandal clipped to the outside of my pack. Delighted chaos ensues. Gratitude professed, hugs shared, names exchanged, I only narrowly avoided being hoisted onto someone's shoulders and paraded through the streets (I can only presume).

    It was deemed a "Camino Miracle" all around, and all parties continued on with a grin.

    The rest of the day was not quite as joyful; alternating between steep climbs on chunky gravel, and steep descents on (surprise) chunky gravel. The halfway point, and summit, was a happy milestone of the Camino however, as it featured the Alto del Perdón Monument, a famous metal sculpture depicting the pilgrim's journey. In honour of this, we, of course, took some silly photos.

    Following this, we slowly made our way down the hill, roasting in the Spanish sun by this point, making a wonderful pitstop for an icy Coca-Cola. Eventually, we made it to Puente la Reina, where we raced ourselves into the two available showers, and committed solemnly to some much needed Horizontal Time before having an early night.

    This was also the time in which our plans took a bit of a turn...but that's all we have time for folks, tune in next time to see what unfolds!!

    - Branna

    I also asked Branna, mid-trail, if she thought it was nice that we are like grasshoppers in making our loudest sounds by clapping (rather than rubbing) our arms together and she said it was one of my all time shit takes and that yelling was definitely louder. Maybe normally, but jokes on you, my throat don't work!

    - Lex
    Les mer

  • Pintxos

    17. september, Spania ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    We're in Basque country, so it's 'pintxos' - 'tapas' comes later. Don't say you don't learn anything on this blog. Literally my only goal in Pamplona was to have a glass of txakoli, (pronounced cha-koh-lee) aka a very dry, fizzy, light wine, typically poured at great height, ideally into this thirsty little pilgrim's mouth. It's regional so after Logrono we probably won't see it. Time's tickin.

    We got our toes wet in the afternoon post-laundry walk, alas no txakoki (you mean to tell me google has LIED, it's not available in every bar in Pamplona?) but a very nice dry white wine regardless. I got cod in a tomatoey oniony pond, Branna got cheese with jam on bread, both were insanely delicious, we were SMUG let me tell you.

    After repose we re-emerged about 7:30pm for the main event and headed 400m to Bar Gaucho. Google has just informed me the Michelin sign on it refers to the fact it is "listed as a recommended restaurant/tapas bar in the Michelin Guide, holding a selection badge rather than a Michelin star" but we won't hold that against it. We have no business anywhere with stars.

    As it was, Branna held down a table outside while I entered the moshpit, and managed to order two txakoli and like a soft set egg in a thick cream mushroom sauce/soup, with crispy potato sticks on top and bread. Tasted significantly better than it sounds. Txakoli is nice in the way really watery beers like great northern are nice - there's a time and a place!

    A dutch guy from our communal dinner in Roncesvalles stopped to say hello and we delivered a 20 minute sermon on behalf of the Tasmanian Tourism Board. Come Down For Air, Sjoerd! Branna explained the intricacies of the Overland booking system and we tactfully explored what the BITCHY woman from Western Australia might have meant by her passive aggressive 'jokes' about the state.

    I've already had one woman that wronged me (a whole church actually) trip and fall spectacularly on the trail, and if I see a purple puffer jacket go down, it'll be two for two deserving recipients. We got back to the albergue at 9:30pm which is actually rockstar behaviour by pilgrim standards, might throw a tv off the bunk. Night!
    Les mer

  • (B) Zubiri to Pamplona

    17. september, Spania ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    Greetings friends. It's been a baller of a day.

    I was going to edit Lexie's post, adding my two cents, but going through the photos I wanted to add I realised they were numerous. My own post it is!

    I am indeed captain of the "let's actually look after our bodies hauling us up these hills" squad. Lexie has an extremely loose grasp on these things, which I find only mildly insane, knowing her. After only eating one meal yesterday she shrugged on her pack this morning with a "ready when you are!". I remained seated and stared her down, pausing as I processed, and expressed in a flummoxed monotone "we're having breakfast". Watching to make sure she selected something with more than 10 calories, we settled down to a very enjoyable breakfast. Yum.

    As we set off out of town we were caught up in a bit of a pilgrim mob, with a lot of others heading out at the same time. Audience - something deep in my psyche which I simply can't control (I try) is the sharp need to Be In Front. As such, I unfortunately quickly left Lexie (and the mob) behind. Please, no boo-ing, I checked with Lexie and she was more than happy to slug along alone, the poor little petri dish.

    Off I went, jetting along, passing pilgrim after pilgrim until (to my knowledge) I was officially Pack Leader. I put this down to two things, other than my sinful competitive nature: our carb/coffee combo earlier in the day and a great sense of revitalisation following the reorganisation of my packing strategy, which left my bag feeling magically lighter. Spring was in step.

    I, too, delighted in feline friends along the way, along with more beautiful sights, and a whole packet of biscoff cookies coming into town.

    I arrived an hour and a half before Lexie, secured us beds, had a shower, and took myself on a little walk around Pamplona which I am now very passionate about as a municipal area. Stunning.

    Highlight of the day was perhaps uploading my activity to Strava (tracking them on my watch) and learning that I made the 2nd fastest time worldwide!! Of all time!! ⭐🥹 The only thing that takes away from this is the fact that the fastest time only beat me by 10 minutes, and that's about how long I hung around in the shop buying my aforementioned biscoff cookies, without pausing my watch. Mum I could've been world champ! 😭 I would've gone quicker if I'd known it was a COMPETITION! But no, this is an extremely slippery slope for me; must NOT be mindful of this fastest time business going forward or I'll simply sprint straight through to Santiago. Can't have that. Lexie would shoot me.

    - Branna

    (EDIT: Branna discovering this about Strava is the worst thing to ever happen to me, I probably won't see her now until Santiago - Lexie)
    Les mer

  • Zubiri to Pamplona

    17. september, Spania ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    What do you know, I survived the night - that was paying really good odds, I'm sure many of you are surprised. The GORGEOUS Italian couple in our room not only were gracious and understanding about the noise pollution but also gave me some paracetamol which will hopefully help with the fever. I was so brain scrambled I couldn't think of anything to say in Italian other than thank you and sorry, but I got a second go when I saw her again in Pamplona (spoiler alert, also survived the walk).

    Branna insisted we eat breakfast in the same firm, semi incredulous voice she's been using on me for several days, the unsaid 'what the fuck is wrong with you' bulging to escape between the lines. She's captain of the calorie and hydration and ibuprofen police and I'm very very grateful. Decaf coffee! Tortilla! Two minutes into the walk, kittens! It all boded incredibly well.

    The walk felt quite busy relative to the earlier days. At one point I perched on a log on the phone to James and felt like the Angel of the North. Poor Jim couldn't get a word in without me looking past him on the screen to nod and say buen Camino to everyone on the pilgrim highway. Because I took many breaks to manage the chest, Branna ended up a few kilometres ahead and then some, which I'll let her tell. It's quite dull being sick, I shall try to be better by the next post so I can contribute something more interesting.

    - Lex
    Les mer

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