DATE
2019.04.19

START
Roncesvalles
Albergue de Roncesvalles - Orreaga

END
Zubiri
Random local gym building

DISTANCE TRAVELED
~ 14 miles

TRAVELED BY
Foot

PLACES VISITED
Roncesvalles > Burguete > Espinal > Mezkiritiz > Bizkaretta > Linzoáin > Paseo de Erro > Zubiri

PEOPLE
Eden LA
Claire Greece
Juan Barcelona
Ben Germany
Leon Germany
Sanna Finland
Sammy Australia

HIGHLIGHTS 

• Shorter hike today. Less extreme altitude change. More consistent weather. Arrived in Zubiri after ~5 hours.

• Ana and Silvia from Barcelona looked after me and made some phone calls to albergues ahead to try and find me places to stay. Very sweet.

• Was feeling like I could walk substantially more, and there were a few more villages within reasonable walking distance.

• Found a reasonably priced (I think) sleeping bag and am now feeling like nothing is keeping me from finishing the Camino, even if places are all booked up.

• Reconnected with a few friends from yesterday and made a few new friends today.

• Felt pretty equanimous to any of the  minor pains I felt today (mostly blisters).

• Tightness in my knee was not a problem today.

• Had some fun with the suboptimal situation that unfolded as far as dwellings for the night. It was kind of a feeling of “this is too crazy to not be entertained by.”

• Got to know Sanna (Finland) and Sara (Switzerland) quite a bit more (we bonded over wine and snacks), and Simon (Germany) and Giovana (Brazil) joined us.

• Treated some blisters on my toes, and those will hopefully be better soon.

• Tried fried egg flavored potato chips for the first (and probably last) time.

• Less time with Lecherous Brit, although he was too hard to shake entirely.

CHALLENGES 

• Didn’t sleep too well, again. Someone grinded their teeth several times throughout the night, and it sounded something other than human.

• Shorter walk, felt like walking more, but nowhere had any vacancy. This may become an ongoing problem.

• Feeling a bit sore, but overall pretty good.

• Having all of my expectations shattered by more tourists on the Camino than ever before.

SOME THINGS I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO TOMORROW

• A(nother) supposedly easier day on the trail.

• I’m not sure what else. Hoping to have WiFi soon so I can talk with K8 and hear her voice.

• Hearing more about K8’s time in Amsterdam.