Just Trudging Along

STAGE 5

Puente La Reina to Estella

21.1 km/13.1 Miles

Time on the Camino today 5:43

Distance left to Santiago de Compostela

684.2 km/425.2 miles

Total Distance Walked 114.4 km./71.1 miles

Total Time Walking the Camino 35:08

New Camino Mates

Felipe from Columbia

Greta and Margret from Germany

Ste. Michelle from Germany

Let's finish up Monday night first. They sell Jai Alai balls in Puente La Reina. . . cool!

I had dinner with Hans and two new mates, Greta and Margret, great fun as always.

Before I forget for the third straight day, let me introduce Felipe from Columbia who now lives in New Jersey. He easily has the greatest beard on the Camino. He has not cut it in seven years ala Gary Bowman but bushier.

I met Michelle from Germany Monday night and she talked me into buying a wooden walking stick. Afterwards, she claimed that they take as much as 25% of the weight off your legs. I went back to buy three more.

They were closed.

6:51 a.m. tipoff today. It turned out that I was physically fine but mentally drained today. The kilometer signs on the Camino don't help. I saw a sign reading "Estella 15.2 km."

Forty minutes later there was the same sign again.

IT PISSED ME OFF!!!

I'm getting more in line with my guide book's 33 day plan to finish about September 28th.

The walking stick was FABULOUS! Thus Michelle's instant elevation to sainthood.

We walked the last 10 km together today and checked into the albergue at the same time. She was assigned a lower bunk and I was assigned the upper. After explaining the bed slat disaster from two nights ago she gladly traded bunks with me for her own protection.

I owed it to her.

Our albergue has sweet smelling incense burning as we enter. I'm sure that it is to cover the aroma of the pilgrims, me very much included.

Let's talk about the albergues. They are pilgrims hostels. So far, five nights sleeping in these coed, bunk bed dorms has cost me only 27 Euros. Besides the bed, two albergues included breakfast and one gave us First Aid kits.

SUCH A DEAL!

I continue to progress con animos, VAMOS BIEN!

BUEN CAMINO!!!