How happy we are to be considering the Camino again.
It's definitely been too long!
The plan is to take the train on Tuesday September 13th from London to Biarritz.
A night on the French coast before a train up to to St Jean Pied de Porte.
On arrival we will have a beer and then walk up to the albergue at Hunto. If we are feeling strong we might make Orisson.
On Thursday we should arrive at Roncesvalles, possibly walking on to the town of Burguette where Hemingway, the author, did a bit of fishing.
Friday is zubiri or larasoanna and Saturday night is alright for fighting according to Elton so Pamplona it is.
Sunday then Monday sees us through puente la reina and Estella and possibly even halfway up the hill to villamayor. Logrono by Wednesday would be good. Navarette Thursday and then onto Azofra.
I love a Friday night in Azofra.
I've had so many great stays and calamity too. Stu and I got locked out of our room one night, i've been in the old overflow albergue twice and Harry famously got cuatro puntos after falling asleep while walking down stairs.
Yes Friday night in Azofra will be a belter. There are many videos through the ages of cafe Seville. The food and wine are always the same!
Saturday September 25th will see us do the bus dodgems as we make our way to Santo Domingo before bus to belorado and onwards to Montes de Oca and the luxury of the hotel or possibly the hostal at the bottom of the hill.
Sunday sees us trip the light fantastic as we march to Santa Fe in cardenuela riopico. It's the number 11 stop on the Camino and my favourite
Monday 27th will be a Burgos bonanza and it may be the end of the road for young Stu, or we may have a trip to Leon!!
Either way I'll be looking forward to Castrojeriz to Fromista. Stu and I stopped here when my Mum died in October 2019.
It was quite surreal.
I'd bought a bail out £9.99 flight from Santander 4 months earlier and all I had to do was jump on the train at Fromista and I'd connect with the flight that evening.
We discussed it that night as Stu was on his way down to Alicante in the morning and I remember hitting the pillow saying I'll decide in the morning. I had an inkling that meant that I'd bought that flight for a reason and it seemed to be the end of that Camino as Stu was heading off, I should too.
I decided in the morning to prevaricate. Stu headed off at 9.30am and my train was 11 if I was to go up to Santander or else I could just walk on to the next town.
I left the hotel at 11 and decided to walk on, all the time thinking, get on the train, go to Santander, if you don't get a call, get a train back down.
I stopped at the next town, 3km, got a nice room and it was cheap as chips. I sat chatting with Pellegrino people who had head chef children in Copenhagen s 5 star kitchens! They were a great bunch then I got the call.
My mum wasn't looking good. Then I got the real call. Yes, 45 minutes later she's dead. Yes, what a dozy half wit I was. My autism on numbers, that said why bother going up to come back down, had only selected a flight on the day she died as insurance 4 months earlier. What a fuckwit. The clue was there. The whole plan had been given a blessing by Michael O'Leary saying get back for yer mum at £9.99.
I was ok, she was okay, so light candles today. I wasn't there to help my dad which was lucky as he had the care staff who were off the clock great. I visited many a church and lit some outstanding candles for Mum, Maisie and Francis. The three women who held community together and proved that matriarchy was strong in our world. The three of them left this world in 2019 like a wee random domino collapse.
I just lit candles.
The thing about candles is they burn bright and they dance.
After Stu goes I will get morbid lighting candles but I'll love it.
I'll probably get to a place in Galicia called Eirexe before I turn tail and head for phone.
A lot will depend on fellow pilgrims and how we do on the way. I'll just be happy to see the sunrise, walk another few kilometres and smell the dawning of the day.
