Puente la Reina to Estella - part one

I think I'm actually turning into Winnie the Pooh. Or maybe I always have been, and I'm just leaning into my truth? I started the day by talking to some of my Piglets and Roos and Tiggers (see, this works), who are at a derby tournament in Sydney which is making me miss them as that's always a great time. Then I had a walk in the woods and a think think think. All I could do to not tap my head with my paw. I did have pants on but that's only because it's going to rain.

The pants were probably for the best actually, mud central again. It's this really thick, really slippery clay style stuff. At one point I knew I was going down and surprised myself by letting out a strangled CRIPES as I sunk my knee into the bog. Cripes? Grow up. The Japanese couple ahead of me helpfully pointed out that they had sticks and I didn't, we all had a good laugh and I tried not to kick them.

The hilltop village of Cirauqui was about 8km into the day and stunning. I risked going off the signed way to explore it, and was rewarded by cats, and a nice coffee, and a toilet. I'm beginning to suspect those loos in Roncesvalles are diverting a water source because with the NOTABLE exception of them every other flush is insipid at best. There's the travel insights you came for.Read more