Day 18 - Villafranca Montes to Atapuerca

Well, what a difference a day makes. Yesterday I was bragging about my great bed in the albergue but it turns out, it was one of my worst nights. I had someone wake me up twice by touching my feet, I am sure because of my snoring.

The first time was around 10pm. I had just fallen asleep. The lights were just turned out, so I could only see the body walking away but I couldn’t see who it was. So I felt bad and didn’t go back to sleep until 1am. I was out reading stuff on my phone when I decided I better go to sleep. So I go back to bed and at 1:30am, again, someone touched my feet to wake me up, again, I only saw a shadow but I said out loud, “Don’t touch me”. I have a feeling they were surprised that I saw them or knew I was touched. I decided to change direction in my bed and put my head where my feet were so that they would have to walk around me to touch any part of my body or touch my head (where I could react faster) They didn’t do it again, that I know of.

It was during the time that I was stewing in anger that I decided I am going to get private rooms instead of albergues. Really, everyone knows people snore (and I was definitely not the only one in the room snoring), so they should come prepared with ear plugs if they need them. I started to do the math, and quite often a private room is around $35-$40 euros. I pay $10-15 for the bunk bed, so really, in the scheme of things, it really isn’t much more money, and worth the piece of mind and comfort.

So I am settled in a private room in a pension. I have my own bathroom, I can come and go as I please and have quiet and privacy. The downside is I really am going to need to try and book ahead. I will stay in another albergue I am sure, when it is the only option, or the hotel is too expensive, but I will try to book private from now on.

The walk today was good. I did 18kms and feel pretty good. I get some strange aches, one in my right big toe, and the other in my left thigh, but if I take my break around each 5km mark, then they don’t bother me. Today I didn’t take a break until 6km so I suffered a little for a kilometre or two.

Tomorrow I head into Burgos. I already have booked a hotel there, the same one that Joerg and I stayed at when we were there. I am looking forward to that.

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