Way to Zubiri

I’m in Zubiri this evening after 8 leisurely hours of hiking up and down, carrying my pack and feeling stronger today in spite of an almost sleepless night next to an Olympic snorer in last night’s shelter. No hard feelings—sweet guy greeted me with a cheery “Bonjour!” in the morning. How could I hold a grudge? I was in a dorm room with ten men and myself the only female. Such is life on the Camino.

Tonight I’m staying in one of my favorite albergues—was here seven years ago with Stuart and it has not changed: communal French cooked meal with very civilized pilgrims, all quiet as church mice, organizing their bags perfectly in the twilight to be ready to leave at dawn. Sigh...simple pleasures of the ultra-disciplined. I am not one of them, still unshowered here at 9:30 pm hanging at the local bar writing this. I’ll creep guiltily into my sack later tonight and hope not to wake the others.Read more