After a great night and fabulous dinner at Rosa's Albergue in Orio we left for Zumaia. Ocean roads and sea walls were the order of the day and we had a great time meeting more new pilgrims! When a Parisian told us of a private albergue in Askiku we decided to stop there. Room for 2; line for the washing and dinner that night. If you didn't bring your room mate like I did, you were bunked in with a stranger.
Data plan for the iPad. 35MB a day for 0.35c. I had to buy a €20 SIM card and get €25 put on it. But then they gave me €45 credit. Now the question is can I refill the day when I inevitably go over.
We were heading to Orio for Monday night, a tame 16km. But we had picked up our packs in San Sebastián and we underestimated the need for stretching after walking 30km on Sunday. Up hill was a slog, but down hill became painful with the tight calves and shins. The only bliss was the few minutes of flat! But there is not much of that on the forecast! We met some great people in Irun and more in San Sebastián last night. We may see them again, but most people will move ahead of us.
Up and down, up and down - the name of the game on the Norte. We climbed out of San Sebastián relentlessly. Luckily the pathways changed.
San Sebastián to Orio
1. Dirt roads
2. Rock roads
3. Cattle grates to cross
And the we have finished the first hour!
This is the extra 14km!!!! My legs are lead! My eyelashes hurt, and I want to sleep!
We had a great first day on the Camino, sun was shining, birds singing and a cool mist off the marshes. We started up the hill, up, up and up to a road cut into the side of the mountain. Then I proceeded to run after Joan for the next 10 km! Good thing she is slow up and down the hills, how much flat ground can we hit. We made it to Pasai Donibane for lunch (18km later) and then she made me continue another 14km to San Sebastián.
I want to sleep for a week!
1. Joan's first arrows
2. We have to climb up to that church
3. Walking down the country lane
This is the extra 14km!!!! My legs are lead! My eyelashes hurt, and I want to sleep!
We had a great first day on the Camino, sun was shining, birds singing and a cool mist off the marshes. We started up the hill, up, up and up to a road cut into the side of the mountain. Then I proceeded to run after Joan for the next 10 km! Good thing she is slow up and down the hills, how much flat ground can we hit. We made it to Pasai Donibane for lunch (18km later) and then she made me continue another 14km to San Sebastián.
I want to sleep for a week!
News to us - the bus to Irun fills up on a Saturday morning. Time to turn to local transit! EuskoTren is the local Bilbao train transit system, but it also goes east to Donistia and eventually Irun. In about 4 hours.
Walking from the Guggenheim we heard distant music and followed the sound. Turns out to be a watersports event, lots of paddle boarding. With a free concert in the evening.
Joan met me at the bus depot,what a shock, and led me directly to the hotel! Turns out our hotel had wifi, she was sitting in the room and heard her email chime, so she checked it out, I had cc'd her on the note to my parents and she headed out to meet my bus! Couldn't have planned it if we tried! We walked up to the Guggenheim, and grabbed a sandwich at 11pm (2pm at home) then back to the hotel for some sleep. We have a bus to catch in the morning. 😃
I arrived safe, but not without excitement! My feet are hot and tired. I had just 5 minutes in Madrid to change my clothes and shoes. But I really want, is to find some tooth paste to brush my teeth.
My flight was at 8:40pm and I left the office late, I lost track of time. . . but I arrived at the airport with time to spare as I wasn't checking a bag! I must be Joan's kid, trying to get to the airport 3 hours early!
All my liquids were in one clear litre sized plastic bag including 4 100ml containers of peanut butter. I also have a titanium pot and lid, for boiling eggs along the Camino, a baggie of white powder (laundry soap) and razor blades so I was sure security would be fun! It was clear sailing out of Vancouver, but all my toiletries (liquids) are now sitting in London at the security desk. My 1 gallon bag with my shampoo, sunscreen, soap etc, which also contained 4 100ml containers of peanut butter was too big to get through Heathrow security and I was running late for my next flight, my flight from Vancouver had sat on the Tarmac for an hour when we arrived waiting for a gate, so I was late!
I was stopped at security as the gates to my flight closed and still standing at security 15 minutes later. They ignored everything else but i had too much liquid! Finally he let me through, he fought so gallantly to get all my peanut butter in the small British plastic bag, I left everything else behind. I left there and ran to my gate, very aware of my untied shoe laces, - the gate was very close and luckily the staff of Iberia were kind and understanding.
The kind ladies at Iberia not only let me on the flight, but also two more latecomers after me, and then the doors closed. In Madrid i didn't delay, I walked directly to my gate- spent 5 minutes freshening up and then boarded my plane for Bilbao.
The city bus into Bilbao leaves from the airport every 15 min, I just missed the first, but am on the second. I got a bit of wifi at the airport, sent an email to let my parents know I arrived safe, and I hopped on the bus.
The clothes are washed, the bag is packed, the weather has been checked, ready to go. But my flight is not for 3 days. ;-(
But the Saturday we arrive looks very warm!
I think I spoke to soon . . .
My obsessive personality traits strike again - it could be the lack of sugar or just my excitement over the trip. But I am looking at the weather app daily! Last Wednesday, every day in the 5 day forecast had Sun! Now however rain daily! i am not a fan of forecasts - or of checking the weather but we will be out in it every day, and it affects what I should pack, or take with me.
Will I be able to do wash? Yes, you can always wash something, the question is whether will dry before you leave the next morning. Will the weather be hot? Do I need to carry extra tank tops and hot weather clothing for my evenings or will my long sleeve and long pants outfit do? Will it be cold? Do I need to take an extra jacket? Do I need to take thicker socks? Do I need gloves or scarf? Traveling in fall there are so many questions.
The one that has been consistent the entire time I have been checking the weather is the prediction for 20° - so that is comforting.
Also there is the fact that I am not traveling through a vacuum, where there are no stores around. If I get cold, I'll buy a jacket, if I get hot replace one of my long sleeve shirts with a tank top.
Everything is changeable. Well the bag is packed. Now I just have to clean the house.
4 days till departure.