Has To Be More Than Coincidence

Sunday 1 Sept

There is no modesty on the Camino. There is no ego on the Camino. There is just the moment. 

I believe the next five weeks are going to remind me of just how wonderful it is to be alive; to be an individual; to be a part of something bigger than yourself. 

Day one was full of everything and nothing I expected, and things I wouldn't have believed. It started simply enough. Sleeping in after 24 hours of travel we took a taxi into town to start the walk. We knew it was up, so up we went, but before I had my bearings. Mistake. Long ago I learned to trust in others, but never go against my gut. Not really knowing where we were going, we happily followed the directions of a few people speaking different languages,  that seemed to understand where we were headed. It didn't feel right, and as I looked across the river and at the mountains in the distance I told ML" think that's where we are supposed to be".  But we carried on about a km and a half until the dead end. Back into town. Just when I said to ML, I know better than to follow someone else, two brothers from just outside of town walking the Camino for the second time passed us and said come on, it's this way. " Follow your gut, trust in others".

So the journey had officially started and  off we went. Quite a bit later than planned, but definitely the right way. Take the steepest hill in your town, then double it. For my Freddy friends, think of Regent Street, only steeper, and stretch it to 8 km, in the hot sun carrying 22 lbs on your back. Exactly what we signed up for, but, OK, not complaining, it was exactly what we signed up for. 

Here is one of today's lessons. Just because there is a turn in the road, doesn't mean that it is no longer going straight up towards the clouds. The thought process " only have to make it up this stretch and then there will be a short respite", is completely self delusional and one can only fool oneself a few dozen times. But if you put your head down and stubbornly barge on, which is the way I do things, you realize that you are missing some absolutely spectacular vistas, and more importantly, the moment. Message to Mitch. Just walk, take it all in, and get where you get when you get there. 

The Refugee Orisson sneaks up on you. Rounding the bend it looks like you have one more long climb before the walk ends for the day, then bang, there it is just around the turn. I noticed the deck first, remembering it from the pictures. A stunning view of the valley and mountain range, and a prototypical European mountain villa. The pilgrims, almost called them walkers but being a big fan of The Walking Dead, can't do that anymore, who left on time that morning were showered, had their clothes hanging and were enjoying their beer or wine. So how long would it take to get me there?

The four hour walk took its toll. I sweat, really sweat, nearly three large bottles of water. I stank, really stank, and you know it's bad when you can smell yourself. But that's being a Pilgrim. A quick check in to the room, our last reservation for the trip, and there was Mary Lou, me and four other guys in a room. Have to say ML impressed me, didn't phase her a bit, even later when all the guys were laying around in only their briefs, and I laughed myself to sleep over that later in the evening.

But here is the big OMG or WTF, depending on your thought process. Everyone eats dinner together around three separate long tables. ML suggested we sit with someone else other than our roomies, so we could meet more people. Great idea. We sat beside a younger couple from Denmark and struck up  a conversation. After a bit, a couple of ladies our age sat down beside us and asked " so where are you from". I digress a bit, usually I say where am I from or where do I live, but didn't this time and simply said Toronto. So where are you from? New Brunswick! What?... I'm from Fredericton.....so are we....there are five of us here. All of them teachers, all knew my older brother well, and one was the sister of one of my close friends, growing up in my neighbourhood......The series of events that had to happen for this to happen are mind boggling. Our new Danish friends said it had to mean something. Maybe so.  A dandy Sunday indeed.

Supper that night was spectacular, some soup, the best I ever had, even was loaded with onions and I couldn't even tell. Then sliced pork smothered with a bean dish, again delicious, and a bottomless glass of wine. I highly recommend this place to anyone walking the Camino.

Early to bed, but I woke up at 1:00, and know it will be a bit before getting back to sleep. So here I am sitting in a lawn chair outdoors in my underwear and top, writing a blog in a place with no Internet, not knowing when I will post it. Getting to say hello to everyone going to the washroom and oddly enough, it all seems quite normal to me.

Tomorrow will be another 4 hours of playing Sir Sit Edmund Hillary, then it's all downhill to Roncesvale Spain. Can't wait to cross the border and stand where the Romans did 1500 years ago. 

Pilgrimage info

Walk time - 4 hrs

Distance - 8 km

Vertical rise - 600 m

Weather- Hot hot hot

Distance left - 792 km