Your Camino Family

Monday 9 Sept Logrono to Najera

One of the things common to virtually every book we read on the Camino, and the movie The Way, was called  your "Camino family" by one of the authors. There is no doubt it is true, but the form of that family can take many different variations. From my observations, people travelling alone tend to connect with people, either an individual or a group, that they walk with all all the time, and often develop a special bond that comes from shared experiences. Think Survivor. Couples that travel together seem to form a number of acquaintances that you are happy to see along the trail, but tend to travel for short periods together for conversation and camaraderie. And then there are the groups that have come to the Camino together, like the Freddy girls.

I have to say that as a group, and on an individual basis, these are great girls. We talked the first night, wow that seems forever ago, back in Orisson and they had some concerns about how things would work out on such a long and gruelling trip, but from what I see, they are doing spectacularly. Those who want to walk fast, walk fast, those who don't are free to walk at their own pace without worry of holding the others up. They are always checking on each other to make sure all is OK, but are not tied at the hip. And every now and then we will run into them having a gourmet, well at least for a pilgrim, snack in a great resting spot. It's funny, just met them a week ago but it feels like we have known them for years.

The bonds that are formed here can be very tight. A couple of nights ago we chatted with a twenty something lawyer from Scotland who came on his own and hooked up on the first day with about five other solo travellers. They eat together, stay at the same places and so on. Now here is his dilemma. He had three weeks to be back at work, and the pace at which they were going would take them four weeks. To get his " Compostela certificate" he would have to step it up, and leave the group behind. He knew it, they knew it, but that made for a tough decision. I gave him my advice " say your good byes now. Friendship will always there, at least if they are real friends.  But you either stay with them for less than three weeks and say good bye to them as they finish the Camino without  you, or you go now and finish what you came here for". Today we saw him on the trail, still with his friends. 

Our 5 km in the bank from two days ago did not last long. We withdrew them all this morning. Sleeping in an hour later than usual, then strolling outside the hotel for a cafe and croissant, the decision was made to taxi outside the city limits to avoid the pounding of the pavement on our knees and feet after 28k yesterday. It was a good move. 

Much of this section of the walk is alongside of busy main roads, and there is a pile of construction going on, requiring one to stay sharp so as not to miss the markers. The soil here is red, reminding me of the " bright red mud from PEI". It was overcast for much of the day, but when the sun came out, it was hot, hot, hot. 

The scenery is similar, though to exactly the same, as the previous day. One of the highlights was coming across a dog and farmer " shepherding" a flock of sheep along the Camino path. Mary Lou thought this was so cool she ran up to the farmer and asked to pose for a picture. I believe he was touched by that and happily posed, then provided ML with directions. 

Today's journey took us through a number of towns; Navarette, Sotes, Ventosa; all the way to Najera, a sleepy town of 7,000 people tucked in the side of a hill. The distance totalled 30 km, the longest so far. Though pain was still a factor, it was getting to be less of an issue, and for the first time felt I could have gone further.

 We managed to get to the municipal alberque with about 10 beds to spare. Just when you thought we couldn't take a step down in accommodations, bang, we book into a place with 96 single beds in one room arranged in bunk beds in 4 rows, with two toilets and two showers per sex, I mean gender. On the plus side the town was rustic, had a pretty stream with grassed areas running through it and several bar patios overlooking such.

About 9:45, just before lights out, we were talking to an Australian man our age, and all just chuckled at the moment, looking over the sea of human beings in the room, and knowing we were all in for a long night. And let me tell you, quietly getting up to use the washroom at two in the morning from your perch on top, is no easy feat. If these bunks dont hold, the Camino ends for the poor sap beneath me. Trying to go to sleep with the sound of groaning, snoring and farting all around: no, I don't mean me, I mean the young lady in the bunk next to ML ( you go girl)  requires concentration. Having said all that, in the end, we both slept like a baby.

    Distance          30 km

    Duration           8 hours

    Weather           Overcast with sunny periods

    Distance left      591 km ( corrected. Total distance is 785 not 800 km)